The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1875-01-16
A VISIT TO BALTIMORE COUNTY.

On Tuesday last went with the President
of the Board of County Commissioners to
Towsontown and spent few hours pleas.
antly in the Court House of Baltimore
county. The Orphans Court was in ses-
sion, and the Judges Cockey, Rutledge aud
Owens were all present, and difficulty
occurred about a small estate, such as l
have seen before.
The deceased left about forty acres of
land, aud about two hundred dollars worth
of personal property, which the son who
had lived with his father. claimed as his
own. There were three other heirs and
they demurred to this disposition, and
determined to administer; the former said
If they got the property it would be by the
law. There is often more trouble and bit
terness about small estates than large ones.
There is some difficulty about the Regis
ter of Wills refunding to the County Com
mssloners part of the sum expended by
them in the Patent Index of the Public
Records; they have a local law on the sub
Ject, but like some others of the last scs-
sion, is a little muddled.
The affairs connected with the Commits
sioners office seem in prosperous condi-
ton. The basis of taxation is forty six
million dollars; rate of taxation 70 cents
per 800, all included, State and county,
among which are school tax II cents, bridge
, cents, road 10 cents. Number of pau
nerS in aims boucn ahnnt en- c,st ,h,,,+
$1O5 each; outpensions $4,000. When an
outpensoner requires more than $40 per
year, he is taken to the almshouse.
After sale of the old aims house prop
erty, the Commissioners bought a hand
some farm of eighty acres near Jockeys
vile. and have erected a splendid and sub
stantial alms-house with all the necessary
buildings, at cost, Including the farm, of
about 100000. The Commissioners, after
diScharging all the Indebtedness of the
county, will have surplus of over $780,
600.
Tuesday was the day en- which Collec-
tors make their payments, being the first
meeting in the month, and they paid in
over 100000, though collections are le-
ported more difficult than usual. There
are thirteen Collectors, one to each dis
to seven per cent, according to the district
The Sheriff brings in his bill every month
for settlement, averaging about 81, 900 per
mouth. part of which comes back from the
city in payment of the expenses of removed
cases.
There are four terms of the Circnit Court,
and the Clerk is paid at the emo of each
term. They have County Treasurer at
salary of $1,000; School Examiner and
Treasurer s., 500; Clerk to Commissioners
$3.50; Assistant Clerk 800 per month
while needed. The County Commissioners
sit Tuesday and Wednesday of each week,
and oftener while making the levy; their
pay per year is 81, 200 each; they are David
j. McCauley, Edward Rider and B. F. Jor-
dan.
hlr. McCauley is a native of Cecil county,
and is known to many of our citizens; he
left this county in 1852, and this year will
make ten years that he has served as County
Commissioner of Baltimore county; his
present residence is III that part of Ellicott
City which lies on the Baltimore county
side OF the Patapsco, where he is engaged
in the manufacture of flour barrels. Mr..
Jordan, another of the Commissioners is a
nephew of Squire John Jordan, of the 4th
Election District of this county, who is we'll
by many of the old residents
of that district. l recollect that he was a
large man, aud came to the election at Elk
ton III two horse wagon, and a Judge
went ont and took his vote; that was when
there We're but four districts in the county.
Commissioner Jordan formerly lived with
his uncle in Cecil county.
Mr.. McCauley settled at Ellicott City and
matchmaking previous to the
great food in the Patapsco in 1868, and
then made barrels by hand in the old way
Ey the flood, his shops, stuff, tools and bar
rels were destroyed. He rebuilt and COM
the business again, employing ma
chinery driven by steam to do much of the
labor. The bolts for making slaves are
hauled IN from the surrounding country, or
brought down the z. s. q. Rail- Dad; they
are SGiteued by steam, and clipped out by
a knife very rapidly, being rounded on one
side and followed on the other and pissed
between circular saws, which cut the ends
square, and the slaves all of one length |
They are afterwards ,iointed by knife
which clips of the edye 3: i,ne cut. The
heading Is sawed out of poplar blocks by
large horizontal circular saw, and are then
plancd, and put i'll kiln to dry, after which
they are turned into heads very rapidly by |
A machine. The tress-hoops are of iron.
about an inch square and completely round
f,Ef ,laD I,,,
barrels are set up by boys. and gathered |
and put over d !ilud of cylinder stoves,
then a sheet iron drum comes down and |
covers the barrel while firing. The tress- |
ing is done by machine which presses the |
hoops down with much force. The barrel |
is then set on horizontal wheel CD which |
it is clamped, and turned around rapidly; |
while the upper end is worked OH ready |
for the he.d, the lower end is then turned |
up and worked off, both being done in half |
. minute. The barrel is now ready for the !
cooper who has nothing to do but put in |
the head and hoop it, for which he gets
seven cents, and can make from twenty to |
thirty per day. The hoops used are all !
hickory, and IIostly come from the noun
.ains along the Il. < o. Railroad; they are |
split and roughly shaved, and tied up in |
bundles.
l ne engine used IN tins establishment is |
Forty-horse power, and there is waste wood |
to sell after getting up the steam, and fir |
ing the barrels. There are some fifty hands, |
men and boys. employed about this barrel |
factory. The largest number of barrels !
made in one day was 40. The price now !
S forty-eight cents a piece, being lower |
than usual, the flour business being dull on !
account Of little foreign demand.
Machine made barrels are now preferred |
to hand made barrels, which are nearly !
iriyen from the market. Gambrill's mill !
1t Ellicott City, just across the turnpike |
from the barrel factory, with twelve run of |
Durrs. oan make $50 barrels of extra flour
per day, and much larger quantity of |
over grades. and their mill at Orange |
Grove, two miles further down stream with |
% run of burrs, can make from 500 to 700 |
barrels of floor per day. 1t costs about