Evening capital. (Annapolis, Md.) 1884-1910, 1889-06-07


mffted 70 our Board of County COmmis
sioners q proposition 20 change the l0ca-
ton Of the road now leading over United
States property 70 the Severn River
Bridge The plan was 10 extend King
George street 10 College Greek, 20 build
new bridge n0fthwestwardly from the
foot Of that street, across the creek, and
to lay out new road from the bridge,
over the dividing ridge Of the Govern
ment Farm, to the Severn River Bridge.
As part Of the plan it was stated that the
present bridge over the creek and the
road around the water-side Of the Naval
Cemetery would be no longer public but
that tho Academy wall would be built
along the line Of King George street extern
| ded, 10 the creek, taking in that portion Of
what is known as L0ckwoodsville, for
the purchase Of which an act Of Congress
was recently passed.
| II has never been announced that this
plan was approved by our County Com
missioners, but inquiry has shown that
| Il was approved by them. that the Naval
authorities have already contracted with
bridge builder 10 construct the bridge
in question and that the plan Is forth
with 10 be put in execution. IL appears
that the whole question was referred By
the Commissioners TO member Of their
Board, upon whose property the Severn
River bridge terminates on the north side
and who has always been q bitter and
untiring opponent Of that bridge and Of
its free use by the public
OF course this is a matter in which the
people of this city and Of North Severn
are very much interested. For fifteen
years and over, many Of US have been car
rying on an ardu0us and earnest fight
10 get that bridge and its approaches, be-
fore the people, before half dozen Leg
islatures, before as many different Boards
of County Commissioners, before the
courts, and finally before Congress the
battle was waged and was won at last
and the bridge built The location Of
that bridge and Of the right of way to it
was not settled by the wllim or caprice
of any one, but was well considered
and fully agreed upon compromise, rati-
fed by the highest legislative authority
of the landau Act of the Congress of
the United States That road and the
bridge are very important to the welfare
of this community, they constitute very
beautiful addition to the attractions OF
our city; are favorite drive and walk,
and should be priced and guarded as they
deserve to be- The right of way as Civ
en-, includes the bridge over the creek
n0s0 tf use (Act, 47th Congress, 1st SEES
sion Chapter 1881 and the rights confer
red upon the public by that Act, itswouId
seem, can only be lawfully changed or
varied by another Act Of Congress, IF az
all for It will be seen that the Act OK
pressly states the valuable consideration
on account of which this right Of way
was granted, namely: the abandonment
.ek1.
ed plan. of bridging the river from the
foot of Severn street 1.-THE old Ferry
wharf "a plan which would have been
Of great inconvenience to the Naval
Academy, although of great benefit to
Annapolis and the "Over Severn Dis
trict."
No sane man in Annapolis fails to val
ue the Naval Academy and its impor-
lance TO Annapolis, and the legislation
about this Severn River bridge shows
that we were ready, for the benefit of
that institution, to forego to great ex-
tent the advantages to the community
which were expected from more direct
communication with our neighbors over
the river.
The great, and perhaps, unlocked for
return which we received for this act of
self abnegation was the building of the
Ramsay Road and the saving of time
caused by its perfectly level and hard
road bed. That road was built by Capt.
Ramsay expressly for the right of way
from the College Greek Bridge to the
Severn River Bridge, coded by the Act
of Congress-
It appears that the intention now Is to
deprive the public Of this road. We are
asked to give up an absolute and excel
lent right Of way, ceded by an Act of
Congress, for mere permissive right,
(given without lawful authority and thus
revocable at any timel, to use q longer
road, with much heavier grades, not near
" so attractive, and not yet constructed
A good plump bird in the hand is to be
thrown away for another Of very poor
kind, TO be Matched hereafter in the bush
Now, Mr.. Editor, at the risk Of being
considered an alarmist, must most ear
nestly protest against the proposed
change Of the road; ii viii inevitably
lengthen and render more difficult COM
munication between che two shores of
the river, and therefore be partially de-
structive of the benefits derived from
the bridge, and of the very object of the
bridge. No good can come from it, but,
on the contrary, plenty Of evil.
may differ as to the merits Of the pr0pos-
ed new bridge and road, there can be but
one opinion among lawyers as to their
illegality. To make them lawful, or to
deprive the county lawfully Of its pres.
ent right Of way, there must be, first, an
Act of Congress; second, an Act OF the
State Legislature, and third, form al
order or resolution Of the Board Of C0un-
ty Commissioners.
An Act of Congress is needed TO re-
woke the present right Of way and to
confer new one over United States ter
ritory; an Act Of the Legislature, TO au-
thorize new bridge across the creek.
which is naYigable tide-water inlet, and
as such, cannot be bridged without legisA
lative sanction; and, finally, action
should Be had By the County Commits
sioners formally asserting 60 the change.
AS il appears that several Of these pre-
requisites have not yet been complied
with and cannot be 1t present. would Il