The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1879-03-07
Some Remarks Upon the Report of the
Grand Jury.
{ Editor Of The IEgis and nteQigence,

10 ne Ed"oTV me <rgtS ana IHteHtgeHceF
SIR: We have read with close attention the Re-
port of the Grand Jury of Hartford county. Febr,I-
airy term, 1879 as published in the counfv noners
last week. However much we may defer ms n pri-
vate individual to the views thus expressed Inv
such able body of citizens upon matters of pub
lie interest, yet we feel it to be our duty as tax
payer, and member of the body polite" to enter
our protest against one assertion which we find In
the said report. We quote from the report:
swollen beyond reasonable bounds, during the I'M
reasonable times through which we have recently
passed, and can be reduced without detrlment to
the public interest, by the application of the true
and rigid rules of public economy
This paragraph in itself is not objectionable
though the reference to unreasonable times is
decidedly obscure, This quotation is simply made
for its application to what follows. Having read
thus far, we expected to find long list of unne-
public interest, could well be reduced ordispensed
with. After the foregoing, the report Immediate
y proceeds.
New roads and new bridges have become a
whirlpool that has swallowed up in its vortex large
amounts of the taxes wrung from er-burdened
taxpayers"
Economy with regard to the construction of new
roads and new bridges constitutes the sole sugges
tlon IN lne report whereby large amounts OF tax
saved to the said suffering class. Indeed. il would
appear from the doleful expression. that those
who own no taxable property are far happier than
the taxpayers. We must say that we are greatly
surprised that so able and SO respectable body of
men as the grand jury OF Harford should, in this
year of grace 1879, enter formal protest against
new roads and new bridges" This being "A part
of the report OF the grand jury, the presumption
of course is that previous to its presentation to the
Court 1t was submitted to and received the in
dorsement OF each individual member. One or
two men, who had suffered private grievances
new roads, might be found who were willing to
enter such an unlimited protest, but we must be
permitted to express our establishment that SO
many citizens as the entire grand jury of the coun-
ty could be found ready to unite in, or acquiesce
o # to 1ae
by this authoritative body are to be adopted the
rule and guide - for our citizens, we had better
abandon the use of horses wagons, carriages, &C.,
and perform all our travelling on foot, like the
cient nomadic races. Thenwe would not be much
troubled with taxes. He whoo opposes the constitute
ton of new roads and new bridges, or the improve
ment of old roads and old bridges, thereby offers
bar and obstruction to human progress. Thewealth
portion due to its faciltiesor transportation and
trayel-to is roads and its bridges. We all know
that the value of our Western lands and produce
is strictly in proportion to the number and direct
ness of the roads-especially misunderstanding
to the great markets on the eastern seaboard. For
every hour of time saved, and for every mile in
distance, in that exact proportion is the value of
marketable products enhanced. The great railway
lines of the country are straining yearly every
point possible to gain these ends in time and dis
lance over their competitors.
What railroads are to the county at large, wagon
roads are to communities. If, through i'm
provements in the county roads and bridges, three
wagons loads OF coal, or lumber or what not, can
be hauled from any given point ON the Tidewater
now required in hauling two loads, it is easy to cal
culate the amount that would be saved to the seller
and to the purchaser, in one year even without
estimating the gains of an entire lifetime. Out
of this saving fund the people can pay their taxes
We need the roads, too, in travelling in carriages
for other business, apart from the transportation
of coal, lumber, farm products etc. We frequent
ly have business at the county seat, attending
court as jurors, as witnesses and other business,
and if by the labors of those princes of road max
ers, would that we had more of themD Mr.. VIM.
Woolsey and Mr.. George Lochary, we are enabled
to, as we are, to reach Bel Air from Darlington in
half an hours time less than was possible some
years ago, those who have occasion to make fire.
quent trips may consider that half an hour on
each visit has been added to their lives for making
IN tay nd thap, f,l,,