Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1895-04-13
A JUST DEFENSE
or THE COUNTY COMMITS
SIONERS.
McsSrs. Wilson ~ PurnclI show
why Ocean City is Entitled
tOa Free Bridge.

McsSrs. Wilson AZ PurnclI Show
why Ocean City is Entitled
toa Free Bridge.
lfcssrs EiitOrs:-I have been some
what surprised during the past week to
find the position taken by some Of our
newspapers and citizens in respect to
the action of the County Commission
ers in agreeing to pay the sum Of five
hundred dollars per annum for the use
of the bridge across the bay at Ocean
City, as free bridge for the citizens of
our county. | feel sure that those who
have unfavorably commented upon
this action of the Commissioners have
not for one moment stopped to consider
the necessities and requirements of the
case. Ocean City is now considera
bic town; upon it this county does
now, and will in future, depend for
considerable amount OF the taxes of
this county. II has resident popula-
ton Of about three hundred persons,
who have no possible way OF egress and
ingress, without paying therefor a toll
to the owners Of the bridge. 4 doctor
has no way of visiting his patients
there except he pay toll, and until re-
Gently the forty or more children there
had no means Of reaching their school
but by paying toll; the inhabitants of
this town had no means of getting their
eatables except they pay toll; the per-
sons owning property there had no
means of reaching it except they pay
toll; and those strangers to whom we
profess to have opened our gates, with
invitations to build up our county and
increase our taxable basis could not
reach it in person or with their build
ing material except they pay toll.
Now in spite of all these facts, and in
spite Of the further fact that this town
yields TO the county an annual revenue
more than one half the amount of the
third largest town in the county, some
of our citizens are uncharitable and
unwise enough to censure the Com
missioners for paying the pitiful sum
of five hundred dollars per annum for
a free bridge The same people are
not informed il they think this amount
exorbitant; for here let me remind
them that it is not only the travelling
public but all haulers of material for
building, and vegetables, for consump.
ton there, and there only. One per-
son who supplies building material
told me he alone paid $4,000 toll in
two seasons. and one farmer who sup
plies the town with milk, vegetables
and such like told me his toll was near
ly $4,000 every year. SO you see
taking these two persons alone. il will
make nearly half the amount paid by
the Commissioners And besides this
instance OF the Commissioners paying
for n free bridge for its citizens is not
Il new thing even il il was wrong To do
SO. Our Commissioners pay annually
to the Pocomoke Bridge Co. seven
dollars for the use of the
bridge across the P0comoke river mt
Pocomoke City, and | have never
heard of any complaint against that
action. The Commissioners built an
iron bridge across the Pocomoke river
ut Snow Hill at great cost, the inter
est on which and its annual repairs,
will amount 10 several hundred dol. |
lars, and have not heard il question
ed. And in fact every bridge in the 1
county from the largest TO the smallest,
built by the Commissioners, requires
M annual sum for its support, accord |
ing to lis size greater or less. So why |
should our people select this one as Il
case for their criticism, especially, where
We are looking To the development, by |
foreign capital, of Ocean City, aud ex-
pecting in the near future To see a
watering place second to none in this
.ounty.
do not mean by this article that | |
tiI utlcHiHS tht commissioners III /
very expenditure of the public funds
which they have made, tor it is unnec-
'ssary for the purposes of this case, but
do say that this is proper case for
'uch expenditure as they have made,
md believe that when they do right
hey should I've praised, as we'll as con-
lemned when they do wrong. have
written this communication in behalf
If the citizens OF Ocean City, who
hitherto have been paying larger taxes
md have not received one dollar of it |
N return. Yours truly,
WILLIAM :. WILSON. |