Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1884-09-20
As TO THE CoMMIssIoN.-Since

AS TO THE CoMMIssIoN.-Since
many persons disapprove the Com
mission feature of the Water Act,
and others, opposed to the whole bus
ness, have made handle of this pre-
text, we will here give synopsis of
its powers and responsibilities.
After the Mayor and Councilmen
have prepared the bonds they are de-
livered to the Commissioners to be
disposed of to the best advantage,
but at no time at less than par value.
The proceeds are of course applicable
to no purpose but that contemplated
by the Act. When they have COM
pleted the works "they shall make
full report of their transactions to the
Mayor and Council, showing all their
receipts and disbursements" Any
bonds remaining unsold must be re-
turned to the Mayor and Council, as
also any money remaining une1-
pended.
The Commissioners are named and
their power to purchase and extend
the present works, or build new-to
acquire land, springs, water-courses,
or to condemn land if necessary, or
do anything lawful to secure water.
They may contract for the erection
of such works, for machinery, etc,
or for any other necessary supplies,
or employ suitable persons to do the
work.
The Mayor and Council, in whose
name everything is done, are charged
with the protection of the works, and
the title vests in them.
Upon completion of the works the
Commissioners will continue to act
a. such, employing such person or
persons or purchasing such supplies
az may be necessary to fix rates, COL
lect rents, provide for expenses. Of
all these items q strict and accurate
account must be kept, and a report
annually made to the Mayor and
Councilmen, together with the pay
ment Of any surplus that may be in
hand.
The Commissioners shall serve
without compensation ; they shall not
become bidders for any work or sup
Plies at any time, nor be directly or
indirectly interested in any contract.
They may appoint a person to be
secretary and treasurer to keep &C
counts, receive and pay out money,
for whose services reasonable COM
pensation is provided. For the faith
full discharge of his duties he will
give bond under a proper penalty.
Eleven Commissioners are named, all
or majority of whom can act. No
less than six, therefore, must concur.
They are empowered to fill any va
cancies in the Commission that may
occur from refusal to act, resignation,
removal or death, and, like the Sen
ate of the United States, the Senate
of Maryland and other States, is a
perpetual body.
To this feature of the Act most OBJ
lection is directed, yet when we come
to consider how they are debarred
from all direct or indirect profit.
even pay for services, it does appear
that theirs is task which it were far
better to decline than seek. If there
is contractor, builder, engineer or
Spectator among them who desires
to make anything out Of tho i'm
provement, he must resign!
So far as we know of the sentiment
among them the great desideratum is
water-to be secured cheaply az pos
sible, and, by uniform business meth
DDS, continued cheaply IFS possible
Whether an administration changing
every Year, or every two years, will
effect these vital objects better is an
open question. For our own part,
we doubt it, for, Notwithstanding all
that has been said, the cut throats out
side the Commission have much su-
perior opportunity to plumber the
people than those inside.
That microbe whose special bust
ness Is to propagate cholera is said to
be shaped like an exclamation mark
but as not many of him are likely to
be squirming in the alleys and back