The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1873-05-24
Carrozzto,a OF Cation Gin.
SUBURBAN MISUNDERSTANDING OF PROPERTY
HOLDERS AT NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS., RES
oLUTIoNs AND COMMITTEES.
The SIM of Monday saws

SUBURBAN MPRovEMENTs-MEErING OF PROPERTY
HOLDERS AT ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS RES
oLUTIoNs AND COMMITTEES.
The Sun of Monday says:
IA large meeting of the ''ctizens and proper
ty-holders of the first and thirteenth districts of
Baltimore county, and that part of the third dis
trct lying south and west of the Western Mary
land railroad and Liberty road, extending TO and
including Wetherdsville," was held on Saturday
afternoon at Catonsville to consider the proposed
incorporation of that district into a city, under
the name of Carrollton or Cation city. The meet
ing was held in the town. in front of the house
formerly occupied by General Stanton, adjoining
the residence of DR.. MacGill, where the House of
Refuge band was stationed. Mr.. John Wethered
was called to preside, with John NJ. Walker as
secretary.
'Mr Charles Baker read the call for the meet
ing, and made an address, setting forth the griev-
ances of the residents of the suburban districts Of
Baltimore county. Other cities, he said were
| twenty years ahead of Baltimore in the develop
ment of suburban districts, and particularly in
stanced New York, Philadelphia and Chicago
| Here there was almost city, and yet they had
no water, no light, no protection against nuis-
ance, no police, and powerless 10 protect them
selves. Something must be done; the city must
either take US in or we must help ourselves. At
Canton constables have TO be employed by citi-
zens to preserve order. If Canton goes off from
the county the remaining territory will have to
pay increased taxes. The people in the upper
end of the county cannot feel or realize the neces
| stiles of the hour as we EEL them. The ncorpor
alton of city may not be the best thing, and in
the judgment of many it is not, bat the little cir
/ Gle at Towsontown cannot take care of US. The
object of this meeting is to awaken an inquiry
about the subject The great bugbear is, as set
forth in the county papers ''you are going to
increase taxation )" what great bugbear taxa
ton is. But if our property is enhanced in value
| and we have additional accommodations, the peo-
| PIE would not care about paying taxes for it
| The opening of avenues, and the introduction o.
4 water and gas, would increase thenumber of i'm;
4 provements and that would increase the basis OF
/ taxation. With such accommodations, in addi-
| ton to the railroad facilities, it would be more
pleasant to live here than in the city. BY such
| improvements he argued the value of property
| would be increased three, four, five fold.
'Mr. Baker commended that the taxes for
dius of about ten miles around the city should be
80 cents, and the money appropriated to improv-
ing that section a1d the section beyond the ten
miles might be 40 cents, or the whole of Balti-
more county must be taken in with the city, as
in the case of St. Louis and Philadelphia. Peo-
pie look upon the commercial importance of a
city in accordance with the magnitude of its popu-
laton, and thus, if Baltimore county was included
in Baltimore city, the latter would be properly
rated at apopulation of 400, 900, and be the third
instead of the sixth city in the Union Other
meetings, Mr.. Baker said would be held, and the
matter discussed preparatory to its being present.
ed to the Legislature the object being to secure
the greatest good to the greatest number.
'Mr. Irving Ditty offered resolutions declaring
that general, systematic and speedy opening
and grading of streets, introduction of water and
gas, the organization and maintenance of an eff
fcient police, &C., are absolutely essential to the
well-being, growth and development of the subur-
ban districts Of Baltimore county that the prop
ertyholders of these districts pay by far the largest
portion of the county taxes, they have the right
to demand, under proper regulations these neces-
saries of material posperity, and the time has
come when this right and duty can neither be
ignored nor postponed that as these advantages
and facilities will result in the building up of the
suburban portions of the county, thereby largely
and rapidly increasing the basis of taxation, that
the county at large is directly and deeply in
terested, and it is the plain and unmstakable
duty of the county authorities to adopt and Wig
orousy pursue liberal and progressive policy,
and to pay fair and reasonable proportion OIL
the expense incurred pledging themselves to
urge the county officials to press unremittingy
prompt enforcement of existing laws looking tc
that end, and of such additional laws as may be
necessary or expedient; inviting persons owning
suburban property TO unite with them, irrespec
tive of party, to send delegates from their respec
tive election districts 10 meet in convention, fol
the purpose of taking decided and organized &C.
ton towards advancing their common interests
providing for the appointment Of q committee o.
FIVE to confer and correspond with citizens o.
other districts, for the purpose of apprising them
/ of the action taken in the matter, and arrange
for the election of delegates to the proposed con
vention and the time and place of holding thu
same.
ga letter was read by Mr.. Ditty from Mr.. w
+. Frick, Of the signers Of the call, favorine
Y thorough cooperative action among suburban
= properly holders for opening avenues and roads
&C., but setting forth that he is not in favor a
this time Of any movement for extending the cit,
limits into the district DESIGNATED rr He h"" :"
fully c6nprehended the exigencies Of the case,
and are DESTROYS and ready to provide IN an in
telligent and liberal way for the present necessi-
ties of suburban property So long as that poll
cy exists and is faithfully carried out he thought
that no necessity existed Tor the incorporation OF
the proposed city.
Mr.. Ditty said the question was not that of
extending the city limits or of curtailing the ter
ritory OF the county, but whether the right exist
ed to certain privileges, and how best to obtain
them. The system Of opening streets in the coun-
ty was new one, but il was in accordance with
the system of opening streets in the city, viz -
That the owners OF the property bounding on the
street desired to be opened pay the bulk of the
| cost. Baltimore county always heretofore paid
one-half the cost OF opening public works, now
some object to the county paying anything The
| resolutions indicate the wants of the suburbs -
If Baltimore county can and will CRAFTY them no
one desires to go elsewhere, bu if denied, other
remedies will be sought.
| "Mr. Wethered said The great question was
whether we were to be gulped up by an increase
of taxation, whether we were to have an in
dependent city as defined in the call. We should
rely upon ourselves. Taxes were very low in
Baltimore county, lower perhaps than any other
county in the State, while Baltimore city was
very heavily taxed. 1t taken into the CITY we
would be taxed to support it, There we're men
present representing millions of dollars. He did
| not see why we could not have independent mu-
inequalities, as they have in London. Stand up
on our own land, open avenues, employ mechan-
| les, supply our own gas, and there was no coun-
try SO bountitully watered as this. Baltimore
city, he said, wanted TO lake in the suburbs for
its own ACKNOWLEDGMENT, not for the prosperity Of
the suburbs.
''Mr. Robt. Fowler said that it was a practical
subject. If we want roads, gas and water and
were willing to pay for them one ought to OBJ
| ject They were things in opposition TO neither
| the county nor city He suggested committee
Of three TO visit other communities and see how
matters are conducted elsewhere, to report here
after, and made motion TO that effect which
was adopted, and Mr.. Fowler VIM. Seemuller
and Hermon Simon were appointed. The reso-
lutions OF Mr.. Dirty were adopted, and the chair
appointed as the committee called for under them
the following: Anthony Kennedy, P. S. Chap
pell, VIM. F Prick, G Irving Dirty and q. j.
Baker. Messrs. John Wethered and Baker were,
upon notion added to the former committee
The meeting then adjourned, subject to the call
of the committee named by the resolutions.
''The section of the county embraced in the
presented limits of the call is about ten miles
| square. 1t includes the villages of Gainesville,
| Irvingon, Highland Park, Carrollton and Weh-
eredsville. Irvington is new village built up
on the property of Mr.. Ditty. The thorough
fare most desired to be opened through to Cations
vile at present is Edmondson avenue, and it is
cqntended that the Baltimore county Street Com
nsssioners are vested with full powers to open
the avenue when they so desire.'
| rs Ga Thursday of last week the members
of the Grand Army Of the Republic met at
New Haven, Connecticut, under grand and