Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1873-05-29


General Who inquired .'hos far the Tom
bigbee river ran up?" The sub humns-
ously and pertinen,ly replied. "thas the
Ton,bigbee river didn't run up at all
and as far as he was able to ascertain from
the Oldest inhabi,ant. il had always been
in the habit Of RAINING down The great
Official did not appreciate or accept Wit
when he sought information. He gave
his humorous emplo, &C license to resign.
and received from his more sedate sue.
cessor the important information required.
Now, Messrs. Editors, I have to assure
sundry correspondents that. as Tar as
have been able to learn, the Southern Md.
road has been running up and not down
the county. Some invisible power stands
in the way prohibiting a downward and
Southern course. An inability to decide
between two proposed lines has been as
signed as the impeding cause BY Mr.. Pre-
sident Smoot. and in view Of the fact
(sworn to. byc-,he-bye). that there is at
present in the treasury the sum of $780,.
600. independent of any amount realized
by. and from state subscription, Of $685.
600. it is manifest that q want of the ISL
news Of war; is not the cause oe The pre-
sent sluggish and upward course of the.
road. or rs some stupid and ,ill.natre1
personshave naliciously termed it. stand
still and fixed position and Southern ter
minus" ! hope that my position and IT,
tie Of major" and all con,ingen. emolu-
mcn.s may not be jeopardized by this my
answer to very innocent question which
''sur Ia fol d'animal' has more Of fact shan
poetry in it.
Now, sirs. it is right as it is expedient.
in view of the influences that our railroad
matters are bound to exercise over the
election to Offices Estate and National)
next Fall. that should essay a short and
rapid retrospect of same. and that un-
questionable facts and acts, official and
non-"thcial. of prominent men. should not
be allowed to drift out of mind aud mem
Dry Of grateful and approaching public.
Many, if not all. the gentlemen whose Of
fetal and non-olhcial action has determin-
ed the present status of railroad affairs,
are. believe, candidates for election or
reelection 20 some Office or other, and ask
endorsement of their several records from
the property holders, taxpayers and 70
tiers of our county.
No personal cmni:y or unkind ftc,,na
towards them actua;es me in my present
undertaking. As citizen having a COM
mon interest with c.ners in the ultimate
and speedy sacccss Of a railroad from tide
water - City Of Washington. | have hith-
er.o cnieavored in my particular felG of
labors 20 forward the views and interests
Of those whom conscentiously believed
were able and determined to realize our
wishes and make such project success.
Influences other than mine. however, have
lntru,ted the management Of affairs TO 9TH
or agencies. under circumstances that ap.
pcarcd 10 many to involve n p9lpaL{e and
unnecessary LrtGch Of jaith with an incor-
poratcd Company. without any correspon-
ding or compcnsating advantages or secu-
r'ty TO our comfy or the State of Mary
land. Let us look back
The internal Improvement acts Of 1865
secured TO st Mary's. Charles and Call
vert counties the aggregate sum Of $500
eco. It was further provided. that no
more than one-ifth Of sail sum should be
paid in any one year. AMI that the State
subscription shouli be payable on same
terms. and ''prri pasSu' with private sub-
scrip,ions. For the State appropriation
due st. Nary's county (SlG3, 000) two
applicants appeared before Tie County
Commissioners. the City Of Washington
and Pr Lookout and s. Nj Co. After
long delay and mature consideration and
balancing the conflicting claims of both
Companies. the County Commissioners in
the month of July. 1879, agreed and COW
cnan:cd TO cause the fund to be paid over
to the Pt. Lookout and w City Compa-
ny, at such time and suljcct to Such pro-
risocs and Hmita'irns that an,ply secured
the county and State ayaina contingent
loss or possible misapplication ofthc same.
The pith of said condition and proyisoes
may be epitrmised in four words, mo mo
ncv, no road, or no road, no money" At
the tire Of making this disposal Of the
fund" very large expenditure had been
incurred by the Pt Lookout Company in
survey, clearing and gradin, of road.
having lis Northern terminus at City of
Washington and Southern at Corn-felt
lIarbor in this county. and arrangements
were being made (and subsequently con-
cludcd) with Northern capitalists to PIT
the whole line through the lower counties
under contract. Ia January OF the pres
mt year. the County Commissioners re-
verscG their previous and most wisely con-
sentative action aud at 4 secret session,
whcrcfrom the public as well as the par
ties more particularly interested were de-
signcdly and unfairly excluded. the same
Board Of Commissioners Mr. Parsons be-
ing absent through severe iniisrosition)
voted the State subscription (Sl63. 00O)
Internationally and irrcrocaJly to the s.
Md. Company. with no safeguards. pro-
viso or limitations annexed or thrown
around the interests of the county and
State Of Maryland. In presence Of this
adverse action of our County Commission
ers. and after legal proceeding had been
instituted, compromise was made. which
is on record in the Office St. Mary's county
Circuit Court. by which Pt. Lookout and
W. City Company, in consideration OF
Sl0,0 cash to be paid aud the assign
mcut of 5000, coo worth of Md bonds.
agreed to withdraw their appeal on the in
junction question. and bound themselves
to build road from Brandywiue juno
ton on b. ( 2. road to City of Washing
ton. leaving to S. Nd. Co to build road
from said Br1niywiue Junction to South
ern terminus on ST. Mary's river. n. such
point as they might elect. The above is