Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1877-06-23


3Oth, 1876, over the amount of pay to
the gate-keeper was only s44.13. The
amount CT work on that end of the road
for that year, including one new bridge,
was about one hundred dollars or up
wards, and in the year ending April 30,
1877, while the amount of receipts over
the gate-keepers's pay is only $50, the
expenditures are considerably over the
income on that end of the road, so that
YOU can not fail to see that there can be
no Just cause of complaint in the distri-
button of the work or of the expendi-
ture of the funds.
The road is now in a much better
condition than it has ever been hereto
fore, and with the exception of one
bridge, constructed as all the others
originally were, out of inferior and de-
cayed lumber, sawed entirely too thin
to be Of service for any length of time,
the road may now be said to be in toll
erably fair order. The old bridges have
been taken up and renewed as fast as
the limited means at our command
would allow.
The old inch and a half plank in three
of those bridges, apparently furnished
ont of old and decayed lumber have
been replaced by several young white
oak plank three and half inches thick
and will not be likely to need. any fur
ther repairs for years to come. The
only one on the road yet to be repaired
is the one | have just mentioned, and it
would have been repaired by the time
this report would have reached the
court, only from the fact that the for
mer President of the road gave orders
to the gate-keepers to pay no money
to any one except on his order
or further instructions from him. The
letters TO Mrs. Baldwin containing those
instructions are herewith enclosed.
The orders to Mrs. Morgan were
verbal but to the same effect. Those
orders had no other effect but to en-
barrass the gate-keepers as the equivalent
of the amounts accruiDg at the gates was
supplied out of my own means from the
date of those orders to the 3Oth OF
April 1877, as guaranteed to Mrs. Bald
win as there were no funds in the hands
of Mrs Morgan. / have however Civ
Ell orders to Mr.. Chas. Barnhart to fur
nish the necessary lumber for this
bridge which hope your honors will
see that my successor shall pay aswell
as all the other uncompleted work now
in progress on the road which will
amount in all probability 10 about one
hundred dollars including the balance
on work already completed of S63,27
and the cost of the repair Of the remain
ing bridge.
One other fact to which / beg leave
TO call your attention again. is the law
authorizing all persons attending divine
service to pass the gates free of toll;
this provision can be restricted to :he
literal intent and meaning of the law by
an order from the court directing the
gate-keepers to use discretionary powers
where a suspicion of the truth is enter
tanned. Some times where long con-
tinued public worship is held, or in
times of camp meetings many persons
pass the gates night and day without
paying toll under the ostensible pretext
of attending public worship, who en-
brace those opportunities to accomplish
every other sort Of business, and by this
means have the use of and wear out the
roads for which others must pay.
The law in some Of the states exempt
the clergy from paying toll only on
going to and returning from divine or
burial service, but on business, or on
excursions of pleasure for himself or
family he is as liable to reasonable
toll as any other persons.
Among the vouchers you will find a
tax bill of $6,75 presented to me by
Sheriff w. A. Morgan which | refused
to pay, upon the ground that the coun
ty has no right to assess its own pro-
perty for the mere purpose Of affording
an officer percentage for collecting a
tax that it may levy upon itself through
mistake or otherwise, as did not sup
pose that the County court would re-
coive such bill as voucher from me
for the money paid; l suffered him to
garnishee the amount. 1t remains with
your honors to say whether the gar
Dishee is legal and valid or not. The
receipts of the road from all sources in
cash for the year ending April the 3Oth,
1877, was as the vouchers herewith
returned will show, S2s1,lS and the
gate keepers pay Sill, 90, leaving a bal
ance Of Sl70,l8, with which to pay the
arrears of the year ending April 3Otb,
1876, and TO be applied to the necessary
repairs of the road.
With this small amount, and the aid
of the Farmers in the delivery of stone
in the payment of their toll, the balance
due and unpaid at the last return has
been paid, one new bridge made and
POO perches of stone broke and spread
on the road, leaving balance still due
on the present return of about s63, so
cents exclusive of bill to Mr. Geo. n.
Lynch OF ot-not rendered in time for
this report, and about so or so dollars
for stone delivered but not broken.
The greater part Of the stone now on
the road remaining unbroken probably
200 perches will be paid in toll taken
by The year. The approximate estimate
OF the unbroken stone on the road is
over $50 perches added to the 22l
perches already broke and spread and
IS perches put on Oy Mr.. Geo. n. Lynch
will make near 500 perches for the
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