Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1896-12-10
Gracehaln Items.

Mr.. L. 9. Smith lost his fallhlul anu trusty
horse "Old Frank" on Sunday night last.
1t was a case of too high living.
The annual preparations for Christmas are
being made. The title Of exercise selected
is Hail the King"
With sorrow we note the death of Mrs.
William Buhrman who was stricken down
with paralysis on Friday night the 9th, ult,
and after a weeks illness died OF Saturday
afternoon last. She had been in very poor
health for more than year past and suffered
from frequent attacks ofsevere nervous pros
tration and heart trouble Mrs. Buhrman
was in her Goth year. The funeral services
were held on Tuesday morning by the gath
ering of large relationship and friends, and
her remains were inferred in the family lot
upon our cemetery. The family have the
deep sympathy of our people in this their
great bereavement.
INTERESTING RUMoRs.-We note in the
daily papers statements, more or less direct,
to the effect that the W. NJ. r. r. Co is de-
batting the question Of the removal of their
shops from Union Bridge. Hagerstown and
Williamsport are both hoping to profit by
such action, but as both cannot, so should
neither have any reasonable hope Of securing
them. No wise management places shops at
the terminus of the road. AT the shops are
to be found the idle engines, wreck outfit and
the entire emergency men and equipment Of
the road and no other than the midway To-
cation admits of perfect efficiency. 1t is at
Thurmont that these conditions are met: it
is nearer to Emory Grove and Hghfied
functions than Hagerstown and equdistant
from Edgemont junction. Further, it is at
the foot of the grade where a "help'r" engine
would take the freight trains to the top of
the mountain instead of dividing them here,
as is now frequently done. As between Ship,
pensburg or Cherry Run and Baltimore, we
are almost exactly midway We do not lack
single advantage or facility possessed by
another point on the line of road, and in sd
dition to the essentials already noted, cheap
land and low rents for employees are to be
quoted in favor of Thurlnont.
President Bokee in an after.dinner speech
here on the occasion of the formal opening of
the road in Mechanicstown, twentysix years
ago, said this point was destined to become
"the Piedmont of the Western Maryland
Railroad" and to our people these words
have never ceased re echoing with proph-
etc ring: it may be that that prophecy is
about to be fulfilled
The present management is not given to
sentimental policies the road has grown to
be the pretentious system that it is, under that
management, and solely by the application OF
strictly business principles to an aggressive
policy and on this circumstance is grounded
the strongest hope that Thurmont may win
IN this contest for relocation of the shops.
We believe that an impartial judgment
from strictly RAILROAD" point of view wo'd
award to Thurmont to be the end ofdlvlsions
east and west, the helpers station and hence
perforce, the Companys shops.
Further, the Company owns a large trac,
of land here, unfortunately not well suited to
be site for the shops, but which would be
increased in value as building sites, to an ex
tent that it is no over.estimate to lay it an
Offset against the entire cost of transfer of
shops, and besides, the W. M. r. r. Co.
knows the temper of Thurmont; it has alrea
dy bought too depot sites and will buy any
other desirable thing that it sees.
| The Business Mems Association has herein
once again an opportunity to give some evi
dence of vitality; it is splendidly equipped
for such work and very plain call to duty
is sounded, if there be aught of foundation
for these rumors.