Port Tobacco times, and Charles County advertiser. (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1845-1898, 1884-06-27


To Messrs. L. 4 Wilmer Chairman, r. H.
Eaeltn, j. II. Mitchell, II. 4. Turner, and
r. r. Roby, Commute etc
! GENTLEMEN We have the honor to ac-
knowledge the receipt at your hands, on the End
utimo, of the petition on behalf and in obedi-
ence TO the request of IA convention of tax pay
ers recently held in Port Tobacco, TO consider
the question Of change in our public road
system. We beg leave respectfully to submit
herewith our answer thereto, begging at the
same time the favor of your indulgence for the
brevi,y of its consideration.
Your petition after abiding to the bad con-
diton Of our roads during the past winter, and
the neticiency of our present road system,
asks at our hands, the appointment Of a civil
engineer as superintendent in chief of, or adj
junct to the existing system; the salary of said
officer being set at $1,000 per annum. We
readily adait that the condition of our public
roads during the period named, highly un-
favorable: but respectfully submit whether
this state of affairs was not largely and lnevita-
bly, due to the almost unprecedently wet and
inclemen- season 1t may also perhaps be ad-
mited that our system is, in some particulars,
imperfect, and that il needs revision and i'm
provement But it should be borne in mind
that the most wide spread and vehement OBJ
lection urged against it has been the burden of
expenses attending its operation. This being
SO, we cab but regard the proposition and re-
quest AS contained in your petition as savollng
somewhat of Inconsistency. That proposition
fully stated, is thus: To ret, ain the present
i'll advised and inc hcient system with all It's al
legged obnoxious features and unnecessary cost
and to append thereto, yet another feature re-
quiring an additional outlay OF $1,000 without
al assured, or even commensurate advantage.
Being anxious 10 do the will, as well as to sub
serves the interests of the people, we have i'eea
al some pains to ascertain the will in regard to
this proposed measure and have no hesitation IN
saying that majority of the tax payers do not
approve it. But small proportion OF them
ii must be confessed was present in the con.
ventiou which gave you your commission TO
our board And even of those who signed
said petition, some have since stated TO mem
berS of our body that they repented their incon-
siderate action, and upon maturer reflection,
hoped The request would not be granted. In
addition We have had divers interviews with
many and various tax PAYERS not present, nor
represented in the convention, most OF whom
unheSitalingly and earnestly oppose the ac-
ton recommended in your petition. Many are
of opinion that We DO not need the services OF
civil engineer at all on our county ROADS while
nearly all ale ag sed that The increas ed expend-
ilute which the Sala.y of such an officer would
impose, would necesSiIaie an odllhy which The
county would not be able nor the people be
willing TO bear.
Such we con fdenty believe being the delibor
ale views of majority of the tax paying eiti-
Gems OF Charles county, which We beg leave
to add our own concurrence, 1--WE feel constrained
10 Withhold our comp lance from the request
contained in your petition; and thus We beg
to assure you, we DO. not in spirit OF fnctious
or partlzrn oppt stion, but with an eye
simple TO he eifare and interest of the whole
people. Al! Of vii HIS respectfully submitted.
C. E. HARMON,
President.