Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1884-04-24

OuthOuses.
The boys sent up = kite to the tail of
which was suspended lighted lamp, several
evenings ago.
When was the last assessment made of
property for corporation purposes and how
often, under the law is it required!
ERRoR--The gentleman elected rs one Of
the town commissioners last week is not Col.
Jno. r.. Rouzer, as was reported in the ma
jorty of the county papers, but Mr.. John II.
Rouzer.
Our estimate about two months ago Of the
amount of buildings that would he done in
our town this spring has proven to be low
one. There arc now no less than five new
buildings under way with the certainty of
more yet to come.
Look up those garbage heaps and rcnov-
ate the cellars; it look we'll to have the
! front yard set in flowers and the grass plots
nicely trimmed, but it acts badly to have poi
sonous germs propagating in out-of-the way
and unseen places.
SCARLET FEvER.-Wc have noted at diff
fercnt times the gradual approach of scarlet
fever to this place; only last week, Mr.
Chas. A. Weller residing about a half-mic
cast of this place lost very interesting child
and now it has obtained a Judgement in our
town. There have been already three cascs
reported, children of Rev. Berry at the Meth
odist parsonage, Mr.. Alex. p. Beatty and
we're in each case, but none have proven ia
tai at the time of writing all are believed
to bc in an improved condition.
WILL BE TESTED --The validity Of the
law pass d by the late Legislature, cutting
down the Prerequisites of the sher IT'S office in
this county will he tested at once hy the
present incumbent, Mr.. Geo. w. Grove
! He has employed counsel and will take the
preliminary steps towards a refusal to com
ply with the provisions of the law and it is
expected that the matter will be tested on
an issue raised by an injunction
BY all means let us know the full worth of
all the spasmodc efforts at reform that have
been made within the past several months ;
We have advocated reform and have had it
applied to us personally to the extent of ful
ly tify per cent all around and would be
deeply gratiticd at such results were we at
! bn : ;p,n l,nt Nlp
receiving unwarrantcd benefit of the peo
PICS money, were sustaining q like reduc
| ton.
| If the magistrate, constable and sheriff fig
mill is to grind out enormous bills against
the county rs in the past; if in addition the
, four old wccklies in Fro lerick, the two dai.
! lies are to be added to tie list Of papers
marked "copy,' for all county advertise.
mcnts if every possible dollar that has ever
been chargcahle against the county by Fred
crick city, is still permissible to he chargc';
! if the hue and cry against county expenses
it only to apply to those who honestly de-
sire reform and those additional savingS are
/ to be expended in Frederick city (and the
fact that prices have been reduced and conntv
while two additional city papers, sir in AL
have been given that which has been refused
/ the country papers, would give this propo
siton decided scmblance of truth) if all the
| buncombe and political rccrimnnlion in
dulged in by the "thun lcrrrs' of the City is
to result, first, in lawsuit ut the county's
| expense and for tie benefit OF the attorneys
second, in rctrcnChmcnt in one direction.
merely to be offset by increased expense in
another and finally, if the practical outcome
ofthc whole matter is the hcttcrmcnt OF
frederick city's chances for additional spoons
and monopoly Of the places at the public
pap tulrccn, then We arc Of the opinion that,
generally, the county has lost by the agita-
ton of reform and simply ana only because
the people of the county permit politicians
to control affairs, when, we are ready to az
firm il as truth not one oat of toUr of them,
in either party, will lend an honest support to
a movement that looks towards the abolish =
mrnt of fat offices; nor will one out of four
of them sympalhize with any, save such AS
are willing to swear by them and their
methods.
1t is not our conception of the duty, yea,
the privilege Of an Independent Press to do
ANYTHING of The sort and if it were, we arc
inclined to believe that We and the lndcpcn
dent Pross would be divorced, for we are
/ sure that such are not the privileges OF one
who has care for personal INDEPENDENCE or
| sclfcstccm.
I
(srncpilnm Letter.