Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-05-09
NEWS FROM HAGERsTOWN.
Interesting Decision a. to Land Options
Repairs on the Canal Being Pushed-Notes.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star

Interesting Decision a. to Land Options
Repairs on the Canal Being Pushed-Notes.
Correspondence Of The Evening Star
HAaERsTowN, May 8, 1891.
The decision of Judge r. H. Alvey in the
option cases has given a ''black eye to the
boomers. The case just decided, and which
virtually carries with it number Of others.
was that Of Alfred V. Bar against the Hagers-
town Land, Mining and Improvement Company.
Bar gave an option on his farm Of 123 acres,
adjacent to Hagerstown, to the improvement
company. the stipulations Of which wero that
the company was to pay Bar 500 per acre
whenever they had made sale Of the land. Bar
waited an indefinite period and then entered
suit to be released Of the obligation, claiming
that he was virtually debarred from the control
of his own possessiona. At this point the COM
pany made Bar a'tender Of the entire amount
that the property would realize at 800 per
acre. This Bar declined, and the action came
up in equity before Judge Alvey, who decided
the option null and void upon the ground that
it was an estoppel to all Of Bars vested rights
without receiving an equivalent, and that under
the provisions OF the contract at the most the
company was simply an agent Of Bar. The
decision has created quite q furry in real
estate circles, but meets with general approval.
For several days and nights past fierce fire
has been raging on the South mountain near
the famous Black Rock. Much valuable timber
land has been burned over, entailing quite q
loss upon the owners.
The circuit court Of this county convenes on
Monday next, when the newly appointed Judge,
Hon. H. X. Douglas, will make his first appear
ance upon the bench here. The criminal
docket is quite lengthy one, the cases in the
main, however, being Of minor nature, the
exception being that Of Hartle for q felonious
assault upon his stepdaughter.
The cribbing at dam No. 4, the heaviest piece
Of work in the repairs being made to the Chesa-
and in a week or ten days will be finished if the
weather does not interfere.
The Lutheran Church at Smithsburg, this
county, has been remodeled, and will be dedi-
Gated on Sunday next. A tower, lis feet high,
and beautiful memorial windows, have been
gallery arc also among the additions to the
auditorium of the building.
A public meeting has been held here for the
purpose Of devising means to erect fountain
in the public square. 1t is proposed to raise
81. 500 BY subscriptions from the citizens.
The citizens Of this county are greatly exer-
cised over the proposed sale of the Western
Maryland railroad. The county is interested
financially to the amount of 5000 1000, having
guaranteed the roads bonds to that amount.
1t is looked upon as a local affair, and the at
tempt to place it in the hands Of foreign cor
poration seems to be distasteful, and is meeting
with vigorous opposition.
The peach, upon which SO much Of the pros
perity of this county depends, has turned
brown, in some sections at least, under Jack
Frost's manipulations, before it had time ia
turn green. Our people are longing for q
| frost-proof peach.
A two-year-old son Of Mr.. John s. Brewer OF
Welsh Run ate twenty-five pills, each contain.
ing one-hundredth part of grain Of corrosive
sublimste, a deadly poison. The lad survived
the powerful dose, however, under the treat
| ment Of physician and is now regarded as
hero.
D. F. Huber Of Chambersburg il resting
under a terrible charge and Is now in Jail H
| was arrested upon the oath of his daughter
Bertha, who charges him with incestuous forni
cation with his other daughter, Ida, who gave
birth to child several weeks ago, but who hai
since died from child-bed fever. B.