The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1876-02-12
LOCAL AFFAIRS.

Owing to the Janitor Of the Court House not
being aware Of the intention Of our cititens
70 meet on last Saturday night, the Court
Room was not il proper condition for meet
ing and il was consequently adjourned ill the
following Tuesday evening, at which time the
X Chairman called the meeting to order.
The Committee on cost Of water works,
&c, was granted further time to report. The
Chairman of committee on amendments 10
charter read the following;
Amendments 10 the Charter Of the City Of
Westminster, Carroll county, Maryland, As
proposed BY the Committee Of nine appointed
by b. w. Bennett, Esq, Chairman Of public
meeting, held February /, 1875.
\ if Proposition. --Reeommend the repeal
Of Section ll6, CHAPTER Of the Charter as
amended by The act Of 1874, and recommend
the levy OF the sum Of twenty cents ON the
hundred dollars Of assessable property.
"a Proposition. Recommend the payment
TO the Mayor and Common Council Of the
City OF Westminster by the County Commits.
sioners Of Carroll county, all sum or sums Of
money levied upon and paid BY the citizens OF
the Corporation ofihe City Of Westminster to
the County Commissioners on all property
assessed within the corporate limits of said
city Tor road and bridge purposes, less the
cost Of collecting same.
ell by the Chair to present petition TO the
citizens praying the General Assembly to
grant the right TO collect q tax Of 10 cents on
the 500 and TO release the citizens from the
payment OF one half or the whole of the road
tax now paid By the citizens of Westminster.
A motion was also made that committee
OF twenty Of the taxpayers Of the city be up.
pointed to present the above petition TO the
Legislature, but no action was taken thereon.
II was also moved that a committee OF fifteen
be appointed to wait on the citizens and in.
form them of an adjourned meeting to be held
the next Wednesday, evening. Pending the
discussion of which the meeting adjourned.
On Wednesday evening another meeting
was held, al which quite a number Of gentle.
men expressed their views on different SUBJ
Jects. Some objected to the present basis Of
taxation, eoutending that the corporation
should have no power TO tax property that
It was unable to protect or promote the in.
terests of, and that the present system OF
4 taxation was preventing wealthy men from
settling in our city. Another gentleman con.
tended that the citizens must be taxed accord
l ing to their means, &c. Col. Maulsby OBJ
Jected 10 water being introduced by the Cor
I poraiion, but that it should be introduced by
private stock company for the use of which
water the Corporation should pay, and il
necessary be empowered TO increase the levy
to make such payment. He thought that it
would be difficult matter to induce the Leg
iSlature to order the County Commissioners
to turn over to the Corporation the road taxes
/ paid by the citizens of Westminster, and that
| the most feasible plan would be to explain
the matter TO the County Commissioners, who,
no doubt would act with justice TO all parties
I concerned.
Ea.sa-.l oh. IL
Maulsby in regard TO the method Of introduce
I ing water, contending that 1t would be impos-
sible to induce capitalists to engage in a pri.
/ vate enterprise of such character, because
il would not be profitable investment, unless
all the wells in the city were filed up and the
people compelled TO use the water and pay
Tor IT, Col. Longwell moved that an amend
ment TO thu charter be made, calling for an
increased levy Qt five cents on the 500, for
the purpose of paying private water compa-
ny, say 5000 per year for the use Of the water
when introduced. After much discussion and
without taking action on any Of the motions
the meeting adjourned until this, Saturday
evening at u O'Clock.
MEETING or rnE School BoAED.-The reg
ular quarterly meeting of the School Board,
TO receive the school reports for the Winter
term, and to pay the salaries of the teachers,
was held on Monday and Tuesday last.
Messrs. Reese, Herring, Reindoar, and
Prugh, were present. Mr.. Zolhckotier, being
indisposed aud necessarily absent, was, for
some purposes, represented by his. son, Mr..
William Zollickofer.
Mr.. Jeremiah H. Smith and others, of the
sth election district, presented an application
for new school district; but there being no
funds IN the treasury of the School Board for
building purposes, the applicants were ad
vised to apply to the County Commissioners,
who alone have the power to supply funds.
The bond of the Treasurer was presented
approved, and filed in the County Clerks
oilice
note from Miss Lizzie Matthews was re.
ceiyed, inviting the members of the School
Board to attend her public school exhibition,
to be held in Odd Fellows Hall, on Friday,
evening, the llth inst.
check for $1,000 was received from the
| County Commissioners, to enable the Trea-
surer Of the School Board to complete the
payment of the teachers salaries for the
Winter term.
worthy teachers, the Board ordered that IS DAYS
shall constitute the Winter term in all cases
wherein time has been lost through sickness
or any other unavoidable cause.
On Tuesday, President Reese reported that
considerable damage had been done to the
Central hall school property, by thoughtless
and III disposed children, or others; d that
legal measures had been taken 10 punish the |
otfense, and 10 have the damage repaired by
those who are responsible for the conduct OF
| the offenders. The course taken 10 punish
the ofense and have the damage repaired,
was approved by the Board, the members ex.
pressing determination, in all cases. when
necessary, TO use the strongest legal means to
protect the public school properly.
President Reese also reported that water
to the depth of more than Ave feet has been
secured at Central Hall in well of more than
fifty feet in depth; whereupon President Reese
was authorized to have the most effective and
durable pump placed in the well.
| Nearly 1T5 pages, if not more, Of Centen-
NAL work, of a creditable character, from the
pupils of q school in the second election dis.
trici, were submitted to the Board; whereas,
dozen pages, or less, would have been quite
sufficient A short specimen merely of each
school exercise, is all that will be required.
The teachers reports having been present.
ed and audited, the Treasurer was ordered to
proceed to the payment of salaries in full,
which has been accordingly done.
ST. VALESTISE's DAY.-Monday is St. Val.
entine's Day, and few words of explanation
as to its origin, and the custom Of sending
valentines, may not be unacceptable to our
youthful readers The history Of the custom
is mainly a matter OF speculation, based upon
few known facts and hints 10 the works of
old writers. The saint whose name is used
was Roman priest, mariyred in the third
century. IL is written that it was a Pagan
custom in Rome during part Of the month
OF February, selected because twas supposed
to be the season when all nature mates"
for the men to draw from box the names Of
young women, to be their companions for the
| year. The pastors Of the early Christian
Church, in endeavering to break down the
Pagan custom substituted the names Of saints
instead of the names of women to be drawn
from the box but the secular custom, modi-
fed by the Christian system, was perpetuated.
and ~. Valentines Day, which occurred
about the time OF the Pagan ceremonies, be,
came the day for its observance. In some
parts Of Normandy the word " valantinv is
still used in the sense Of sweetheart, but
whether the choice Of ST. Valentine as n ma