Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1880-01-10
rEIsG BRIDGE CAsM.

RAnpEu's FEHEY, d cember 30, 1879.
10 IuE EoToRs oP ruE fREs Pass;
7 have just read Mr.. Aasvn's communication in
your last PAPER headed "The Bridge Case"
DO notprOpose 20 examine lis scrcral propositions;
but viii restic myself 20 Il single yiew OF his com-
municaticn.
Itpurports to be an appeal to the public, aud rs
manifest purpose is 10 relieve himself from TIE
cdiuin which be IS conscious Of having nccrred
by unnecessarily" obstructing the completion
Of public work, vital 70 the prosperity Of Har-
per's Ferry.
lie declares that he has no wish or purpose
"captiously and unnecesss riy " to obstruct the
completion of the Bridge at this place, and that
he simply acting iof the rejection Of his right
Of soil and Perry franchise. lie PROCESSES bis en-
tire willingness to submit to a " Jefferson Jury,
how much, IL any damages he is entitled 10 rcco-
yer for the injury OF bis rights. All tie wants, as
be saws, is to have "sOmc security that his
damages will be paid, when 4 court or jury have
ascertained them. His chief apprehension seems
TO be, that The Bridge Company may give 90
deed oc trust" upon their property, before such
damages are ascertained.
Now il these views be honestly and sincerely
entertained BY llr. Mason. has he not remedies
that would have accomplished all his ay0wed
purposes without obstructing the completion OF
the Bridge by suei 'J-nc,'on as be did sue out,
with its supe rscdeases attachments for contempt,
aud other annoying aud embarrassing conse-
qucnces2 Letu see;
He knows full well that lis damages can crly
&c estimated q" by Jury 20; and TO accomplish
that result he mast bring an action 90 the case
lie further knows that be had the full right upon
the Institution Of such an ach0n-if he had any
lust ground Of appgchcnsion-t0 apply q either
the county or circuit court for an Injunction
(Which would have been readily granted, and
not opposed, restraining and Jor5teamJ me
Bridye Company from creating any hc1s upon
their property unit he damrgcs rcre pad. No
objection wonld have been made % any such bill
and he would thus have acquired right to salts
faction for whatever damages be may be entitled
90 upon property costing h.teen or twenty thons-
and dollars. He admits that the Bridge must be
constructed so ner or later, and that all bis re
cent movements can have no other effect but 10
annoy the stockholders 10 increase the cost, and
% postpone and delay the benefits which the peo-
pie Of this community would derive from the con-
pleti0n ot THE public work. Had De adopted sGch
a course Of proceeding ~ have suggested, every
stone placed upon the piers every plank pu,u Pon
die sUperstructurc. every dollar expended upon
the bridge would have been SO much of rrigs adj
ded % BIS security Looking 70 the inexorable
public demard, which requires a more prompt
snd 0nvenieut mode q transportation than that
furnished by = Ferry his interests would not have
been antagonstic % the completion OF this public
structure, cut the reverse: for having relieved
himself from the apprehensi0ns OF any liens in
coufic: with bis rights, be might calmly have
awaited the Just aud impartial verdict ol " JET
erson jury" % which afbitramcnt The Bridge
Company IS now, and has been al all times ready
most checrirlY to submit.
Sharpencd by the deep interest thew take In
their great public improvement, The oitlz-ns Of
HArper's Ferry have kept 4 watch!ui eye upon
Mr.. Mason. Knowing him as they do, they de-
cline to accept bis halfpenny statements Of intsn-
tons and purposes. lie may prac ice decisions
upon his own versatile and eccentric intellect. but
be cannot delnde then. Actions speak louder than
empty professions
Pf8Lrs.