Saint Mary's beacon. [volume] (Leonard Town, Md.) 1867-1983, 1877-06-14

which have Just thro IN o6thelr dd eosis
and are inert, helpless md. soa almost
10 pulpinsss. They bxrden very rap
idly, bua there are sxch myriads ofthem
undergoing the change that the snpply
IL ineahaustihle. The inns ase smong
the best in Maryland. Observe thsl
here the innkeePers try to give their
guests things IN season, which the coun-
try produces-whieh Is the true thing
to do. Every summer . number Of vis-
itors who like quiet and comfort, spend
the season hefe. -,
BOOK AND Sell. y.
The inns are long, low, whitewashed
houses. with thick brick walls and long
piazzas. having : Southern ar qsiEe Il
.kaeping 9itA thsp s1psosfsdifk mo seil-
timents Of the locality, where there are
very many blacks who were formerly
slaves. On Corpus Christi, which was
Thursday, May 81, the blacks kept the
holiday Of obligation, whether they
were Catholics or not. was informed
that the colored people of st. Mary's
always regard a holiday as an obliga-
lion to be kept. On this occasion,
though il was in the midst of one of the
busiest weeks of the season among
farmers, the colored folk forsook the
field, and putting on their store clothes
aud finery, focked into town, to church
early in the morning, and to visiting and
frolicking the rest ofthe day. Another
institution of Leonardtown is the "cur-
few beli," which in the old slavery
days was rung for the colored people to
get into quarters. The "curfew" is still
kept up by one of the hotels as a Gus
tom, by which the village regulates its
evening hours, for the aged to retire and
the young to seek the shadowed cor
ners of the porch and say "good night" !"
RAILROAD HISTORY.
The great subject Of interest in South
ern Maryland just now relates to the
Southern Maryland railroad, which has
had an eventful history. This road has
figured in the newspapers and in the
Legislature Of Maryland for Eve or six
years. At FIRST there were rival roads,
and we had the var Of Suit against
Smoot for the t163. 900. which the
State apportioned to st. Mary's for in
ternal improvements, and which the
county commissioners subscribed to the
stock Of Smoot's Railroad Company.
The line was graded chiefly on this
sum and the proceeds Of few other
partly paid-up stock subscriptions, but
owing to its involved condition the work
has been long while suspended. With
in . few months past some Philsdel-
phians, who have bought Point Lookout
to restore il - . seaside resort, also
look toward finishing the Southern Ma
ryland railroad and building up . coal
ing station at st. Mary's City, As we'll
as developing other interests in the Sec
ton.
HUNTING Up DATA.
During my visit have driven over
the route in part, from Brandywine Sta
ton, Of the Baltimore aud Potomac rail-
road, with which the Southern Mary
land connects at that point. The road
bed is in very good condition, and is
used to some extent for driving. !
found no surveyors or construction par
ties, and no one who could say any
thing positively in reference to future
movements. Finally l had an inter-
view with Mr.. J. NJ. Meyer, one Of the
directors of the company. who is also
its legal adviser, and resides in Phila-
delphia. Mr.. Meyer says that the
Southern Maryland Railroad Company,
as recently organized. comprises Chas.
]. Hcrraii, president; Joseph S. Fisher.
Geo. P. Elridge, Benj. Frishmuth, VIM.
T. Ladner, \. w. Fellows, J. nj. Meyer,
DR.. John M. Bronze, Alex: Hickey, M.
d. Wheeler and S. S. Smoot. These
gentlemen, except the four last named,
also comprise the ST. Mary's and Point
Lookout Land ComPany," which is sep
arate and distinct from the railroad con-
Germ. Of the railroad directory DR..
John NJ. Bronze is Of St. Mary's coun.
ty, and the only Marylander in the or.
ganization. Mr.. Smoot, formerly pres
ident, lives in Washington. Mr. Har-
rah. now the president, and the other
Phiiadelphians, are active business men
and reputed capitalists.
CLEANING UP THINGS.
After organizing the railroad company
several months ago irregularities and a
complete tangle we're encountered a,
every step, though Mr. Meyer says the
endi pretty nearly reached. The money
needed for the work has been arranged.
There will be new issue OF bonds fol
a very much reduced sum, and on q
better footing than the old bonds. which
will be called in and cancelled. All the
old boads have not come in yet. These
bonds are considered worthless, and
very few Of them were ever negotiated,
but they must be Ill destroyed and the
old mortgage cancelled, when The CON-
pany will be ready very soon to pro-
ceed on q new basis. The company, il
10 said, is disposed 10 recognize all faiu
Claims for work done or material fur.
nished, but creditors will not be put In
. better Positios than the eompany. Il
is considered that they ought 10 make
concessions. and Mr.. Meyer says be has
fousd all boaa fde creditors showing ,
good disPosstioo aad . liberal spirit. I,
q given cut - Q zine qua noa that alI
indebtedaess must Be cleared up and Z
straiehs thing made ef the Cd wrsci
and evsrythssg pat in safe saa epod
eonditioa before . dollar viii b paid
ost On the new basis. When once aE
fairs are sssaisht and work begins &C.
lively 4 b eoasidered possible % fnisl
The rosd IN aiaety days.
surre AND nlSFscUIri9s.
For some tine . s1iA hss been pend.
ing u Marlhoeo' q The insfance of th<