The Cecil Whig., 1881-05-14
The Bri ige Meeting.

According to & cal, published in the pa
pers OF last week, a meeting of the citizens
OF this district. we'll rs persons from Il
number Of the other districts of the county
favorable to making the hri,i ,ige"ver,h he B"hc-
mia river a tree bridge, w:.s held in the Office
Of the County Commissioners, in this town,
on Monday night last. John Perkins, Esq.
was called 10 the Chair and DIR. J. II. Frazer
selected as Secretary. Richard q. Reese
Esq, then made n statement of the obieC1
Of the meeting and of the condition Of the
ldiiirS Of the Company. also what steps had
been taken bv the County Commissioners in
Lt, premises lie advocated i free bridge
and if il coald he had in 10 other way, hr
favored the entire abolition OF tolls by The
Directors. He stated that there were in all
SlJl, shares OF stock. the par value of which
is fifty dollars per share. At the time OF
issue il sold at $40, bat to-day will scarce
ly bring g. OF this the State holds 391
shares, the county 30 shares, and private
Individuals 1921. shares. The Fridge Com
pany has Il sinking fund of about 81, 500,
and owns real estate worth about 1000
The Board of Public Works is authorized
by the act of 1876 to sell 10 the County Com
miSsioners the stock held by the State, pro-
vided not less than - cents on the dollar is
paid for it. The Commissioners have writ
ten the Board, asking if they would sell
upon the terms OF the law, hnt have re-
ceived no definite reply. Ii the State Board
will sell the States 391 shares on Il basis Of
- cents on the dollar, and the 1871 shares
owned by private individuals could be
bought at the same rate-which ns doubt
it could,--the sinking fund OF the Company
alone would more than cover the cost, 50
that no levy need be made for the purpose
by the Commissioners at all, as the follow
ing figures prove:
State stock. :}GT shares. SO, $50
Individual stock, 1927. shares ..... 9,G2j
Making a total of......-........ of. $40.
At - cents on the dollar, wonld require
S7,3GS75.
The Company has sinking fund. $500
zeal estate .-..-..-.-.-....--. -,ooe
Total. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS. $4,000
Leaving 4 balance of S3, 1925 towards pay
ing the county for the 225 shares OF stock
held by it. The county can very well afford
however. to donate its shares toward the
enterprise, rs they receive no income from
them: and they are, As they stand, Of no
han hn Nm Evans
EST. then offered Il resolution expressing
the feeling of the meeting in favor of a free
bridge and also that a committee OF per-
sons be appointed to confer and advise with
the Commissioners ut their next meeting
ami urge them TO arrange with the stock
holders. and 10 purchase the States stock
in he bridge on the hest terms possible;
which was carried, and the Chair appointed
McsSrS. Vim. :. Evans. Thomas bremen.
and y. {. Strickland as the committee.
The Directors Of the bridge have already
made Il move in the direction OF freeing it
by reducing the tolls. ON and after the 18th
instant a one-horse team, heretofore taxed
- cents, will be charged IL cents: 4 two
horse team. heretofore charged 10 cents, will
be taxed IL cents; three horse team, here
tofore paying - cents, will hereafter have
to pay but 20 cents: and Il four horse teanl
paying S1.oo now, will only have to pay %
cents. This is Il move i'll the right ,iirec-
ton, but we trust it will not be lon. before
the highway between this town and Sassa-
fras Neck is free road. without tolls or
toll gates. No such thing exists in any other
part of the county, and we are AT loss to
know why it should be there.
The County Commissioners met on Tues
day, and We're waited upcn by the commit
tee above named, and also by a committee
of thirty gentlemen from the First district,
and one of nearly as many from the Second,
besides a number from various other dis
trictS. After Il full and free discussion of
the subject, the Commissioners determined
to appoint a committee of three gentlemen
te wait upon the Board of Public W orkS "t
the State, and, if possible, negotiate with
the county. w. +. Jones, Geo. w. Crltik-
shank. and Il. &. Reese, Esq, We're selected
as the committee. These gentlemen will, ut
an early day, perform the duties assigned
them, and then Il more definite idea of the
feasibility of making free highway Of 1'o-
hCfuia bridge can he formed.