Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1881-12-23
A New Courthouse.

Mr.. Editor. 1t is amusing to observe the
perturbation Of our Rockville friends grow
ing out Of the increased railroad facilities
soon to be enjoyed by the favored village of
Gaithersburg, the destined metropolis of the
county.
have just learned that a petition to the
Board Of County Commissioners for levy
for extensive repairs upon the Courthouse
has already been put in circulation, and
there is also serious talk of petitioning the
Legislature at its approaching session for
authority to erect new one on scale COM
mensurate with the prosperity and import
ance to which we have attained as county.
Now; the meaning Of all this is too plain for
blind man TO fail 10 see. If new Court
House can be built-4t the expense of the
whole county for the benefit of q few prop
ertv holders before the contemplated rail-
roads which are to centre here are put un-
der construction, the projectors of this scheme
argue that the county-seat will remain per-
manently at Rockville, but if the building
of the Courthouse be delayed until the
completion or partial construction of these
roads, with the facilities which they will
furnish for reaching this place from points
now remote from any railroad, the logic of
events points Enthusiastically to Gaithersburg
as the future county-seat of Montgomery.
The building of the Baltimore, Cincinnati
and Western Railroad is now regarded by
those best informed upon the subject as a
settled fact, and when this road shall be I'M
der construction the building of Compel
ing branch road by the Baltimore and Ohio
railroad company from some point between
Baltimore city and Laurel will become
necessity. BY the construction of these ad-
ditional roads the villages and neighborhoods
of Spencerville, Ashton, Brighton, Sandy
Spring, Brookeville, Unity, Mechanicsville,
Laytonsville, Redland ,Dawsonsville, Pooles-
vile and Martinsburg will be put in direct
communication with this place, without the
change OF cars and the unavoidable loss of
time incident to travel by rail from these
points to Rockville
tits also very important fact that Gath
ersburg is the geographical centre of the
county, which is more by five miles than
can be said of the present county-seat.-
Moreover, it cannot be denied that the com
munities named above represent very large
portion of the wealth and enterprise Of the
county, and it is not assuming too much to
say that the matter Of few thousand dol
lars will not be permitted TO stand in the
way of their self-interest When they con-
slider that the time for building Court
House has arrived, land il is perhaps in the
near tutureD voluntary contributions will
not be found wanting, and suitable struc-
ture will be erected where Il large majority
OF the people doubtless desire it, aoith0m tie
cost Of a doIIar to tie county IN the aoay Of
tdrdttOn
1t will be wise, therefore, for the Board of
County Commissioners and the members
elect of the Legislature to pause and ponder
well before giving their sanction to the one
or the other Of the schemes above mentioned,
for this is matter in which the whole coun-
ty is deeply interested, and nothing short of
a fair expression of opinion through the
ballot-box will satisfy the people upon this
momentous question.
GAITHERSBURG.