Frostburg mining journal., 1883-10-20

Dtschdfged'-The grand jury closed
its labors Tuesday afternoon and was
discharged. Judge Gordon thanked
the body for its prompt dispatch of the
business before it and expressed
thanks for the valuable and timely
suggestions contained in the report.
This paper, longer than usual, is as
follows:
To the Honorable, The Judges Of The Circuit
Court for AUegany County:
The grand jury reports to your honors that
II has, as far as practicable performed the duI
ties assigned under the charge given it at the
beginning of the present term, and having dis
posed of the business brought to its considera
ton, asks to be discharged.
There have been 164 witnesses before us, n
few of them having been improperly sum-
moned, mot being the persons intended many
useless ones in trivial, and some Superfiuous i'll
several more important cases. The jury
thinks there might be some system adopted
whereby two or three of the most important
witnesses in each case could be returned by
the magistrate sending matters up to the
grand jury, and when the cases are numerous
they should be equally distributed to the first
four days of the term, the witnesses in such
cases being Summoned for such days respcc-
lively. In this way the crowd Of persons
waiting for examination from day to day
would be avoided, with saving to the
county of many dollars This jury makes
these suggestions not knowing whether they
have been made before or whether the matter
comes within the scope ofits proper duties
The jury has visited the almshouse and
jail and find both in clean and healthful
condition. There are some fifteen prisoners
in the latter, for various offences, from none
of whom we heard any complaints of the
persons having care of them. The stone
masonry of the yard wall ON the inside will
be vastly improved and strengthened by care
full pointing up with cement and it SEEM
ed plain to this jury that safe doorway from
the Jail to the Jail yard and some mode of
getting the rubbish therefrom would bea very
great improvement to this necessary county
institution. The jury could not determine the
best way for these Improvements, but merely
suggest them to the county commissioners,
who would have to supply the means.
In the almshouse there are at present 5S in
mates, "a females, % males and children.
With very few exceptions they seemed
healthy. The establishment is in the most
perfect order and every thing about the build
ing and the farm shows that the superintend
ent does his duty. Within the year the COM
missoners have added new barn, shed and
corn crib, at cost less than S3,000 which
are credit to the builder and county prop
erty.
The legislature of 1880 authorized the county
commissioners of Allegany county to issue
bonds to an amount of not exceeding $50, 900
for the erection of an insane asylum, and the
expense of maintaining insane paupers has
increased so rapidly every year as to war
rant action being taken towards the con-
struction of an insane asylum. We wonld
therefore recommend that the county COM
missioners proceed with this matter as speed
lily as possible.
Wedesire to call the attention of the owners
and lesses of public halls, Schools and places
of amusements, and especially churches
in Cumberland and Frostburg to the require
ments of the act of 1880, chapter 1873, prohibi-
ting the obstruction of aisles, or passage ways
and providinga manner of hanging and keep
ing open doors during the time said buildings
are open to the public, and suggest a strict
compliance of the law enacted for the protec
80 tIn
the law come before future grand juries.
In closing this report the jury docs not pro-
pose to 'tatfy'' any one, and therefore begs
leave to say to the worthy janitor ofthe court
house and the grounds thereto appertaining,
he has done his duty faithfully and well.
Respectfully
WILLIAM o. SPRIGG, Foreman.
The following paper was adopted
and presented to the States Attorney:
CUMBERLAND, MD, Oct. l6, 1888.
The following resolution was unanimously
adopted by the grand jury for the October
term 1883, sitting this day
Resolyed That this grand jury has been
greatly assisted by the counsel of the States
Attorney Mr.. David w. Sloan, and its la
bors facilitated by hispTomptness, and that we
cordially appreciate the consideration he has
shown toward us in the discharge of his
duties.
In his retirement from an Office he has
filled so acceptably he carries with him our
best wishes for success.
WILLIAM o. SPRIGG,
Foreman.