Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1895-03-16
THE LEASING AT BERKELEY
SPRINGS.
Communicated J


Mr.. EDITOR If you will Kindly
give me space in your paper | wish
to make statement in regard to the
leasing of The bath and springs at
Berkeley Springs. 1t seems by the
papers at Berkeley one living away
some distance and reading them,
would suppose it was all one sided.
There are Two sides to every ques.
ton. The public has beard only one
which has been misrepresented TO
them. The local papers say every
body is in favor of leasing, and are
very spiteful to those who oppose it.
Four ffths of the people do not un-
derstand what they are demanding
through the influence and misstate-
ments of half a dozen persons at
Berkeley. The Ne,os published last
week the names who were supposed
to be against the lease and said there
were thousands in favor of it. If
the NelOs would only inquire he
would find at least one-half of Nor.
gan's people who are beginning to
get their eyes open TO the fraudulent
way that the socalled workers are
trying to work up scheme to steal
the public property at Berkeley
Springs. These beautiful and val
liable springs were given in trust by
Lord Fairfax for the benefit Of the
public, and to those who wished TO
avail themselves of the waters for
health or pleasure. They were to be
controlled by fourteen trustees. 1t
was designated how the trustees
were to be elected in case of vacan-
cies; the infirm and poor should
have free use OF the waters, and he
provided how the springs should be
managed in time to come. The NeaUs
man would make the people believe
their rights were trampled upon by
the present board of trustees, and
tries to make the people believe that
no one has any right to oppose the
lease. There are enough of good
thinking people at Berkeley and in
the country who would not be in
fuenced by such wild cat scheme
as is now going on. Mr.. Cornelius
has no syndicate, and cannot tell you
who is to build the hotel and make
the improvements to the baths; We
all do know he is not able to carry
out the contract he has entered into
with the trustees that he is a pro-
moter and schemer, but has never
been successful in any of his under
takings. He, together with Mr..
Samuel Whisner, bought seventy
five acres OF land lying near the
Bath Square and springs year or
two ago, and finding they would fail
in their speculations, thought if they
could secure lease of the springs
and baths, and peddle it around over
the country, and were successful in
raising a syndicate they would make
"ten strike.D So far, so good. Mr..
Cornelius goes to some of the trus-
tees and says: off l could get a
lease which would give me control of
the property, think l could raise
syndicate which would improve the
baths and grounds, and would build
q modern hotel" Well, these few
trustees jumped at his statement and
said: ave will try to catch The
trustees away from some meeting
who would likely be opposed to the
leasing, and give you lease" Those
who gave Cornelius the lease did not
even require him to give bond that
he would carry out his contract. The
lease as it is gives him possession OF
the public property Immediately he
has no work to do before next fall,
and then only a beginning under
the contract he would only have to
dig hole somewhere on the ground
and that would be beginning he
would have all the revenues from the
baths this coming season and could
say ~ failed in raising my syndi-
cate and you will have to take the
baths back" What recourse would
the trustees have upon him? Echo
says none. If the small number of
trustees who granted Mr.. Cornelius
this lease had examined the grant
and the law upon the authority of
leasing the public property at Berke-
ley, they would certainly have hest
tated before violating their trust.
The NelCs man has been blowing his
horn very loud, and has many mis-
statements to the public, although he
is not a member Of the board of
trustees. He has been abusing the
board for many years and is in for
anything that he may carry out his
mean disposition. Everybody knows
who he is, and if he still persists in
bullyragging the people he will find
they know more about him than he
thinks they do, and "a word to the
wise is sufficient" Hoping this ex-
PLANTATION will give the public some
idea how things are going on at
Berkeley and you will not think that
everybody in Berkeley and Morgan
is in favor of giving the public prop
erty away and robbing you all Of
your rights when you desire to visit
Rarkalov Varv rospooffulIx,