The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1897-04-08

While sitting on the bank of the |
Youghiogheny river, few days ago,
looking at the men searching for the |
body of the late Gen. Fullerton, we
overheard an amusing and interesting
conversation which passed between
two citizens of Oakland. We shall
designate the parties as Mr.. A and
/ Mr.. b.
And so we are to have an election
of three councilmen on the 10Th, " said
| Mr.. A.
eyes, sir, " replied Mr.. B.
"WhO are you going to run for
councilmen," questioned Mr.. A.
Let me tell you right now that we
do not intend to run any jays who
will continue to carry out the old
fogy ideas used in running the mu
nicipal machinery of Oakland in the
past. We are going to put in nOmi-
nation men with advanced ideas, men
of vim, vigor and progress. Our town
is a back number, a greater part of
the time it is no town at all, it is sim
ply a mud-hOle," said Mr.. b.
what do you fellows want? Do
you expect our citizens to keep pace
with cities like Baltimore, Cumber-
land and places of like class?'
mo, we do not expect anything of
the kind, but as far as our streets are
| Il To il,
advance of places like Johnstown,
Accident and Friendsville. Look at
our main street in wet weather; why
it is nothing more or less than a wal
low. If you wish to look from the
sublime to the ridiculous, look on the
neat, architectural structure belong
ing to DR.. Henry McCOmas, the Gar
rett County Bank building, OfTutts
plate glass front and Messrs. Davis
store with its fine display of hardware
and cutlery, and then turn to the
street and feast your eyes on the pud-
die of black mud. There is not Jim
Crow town in the state of Maryland
where Main street is in as bad cOndi-
ton as is ours. We want our streets
improved"
Yes, it is all right to talk about
improving streets. Talk is cheap.
You can't pave streets with wind,
besides our taxes are high enough
already" replied the conservative
Mr.. A.
There you go, said Mr.. b, sit is
the same old foSy cry We have been
listening to for years. You forget
every dollar spent for public improve
ment means two dollars added to the
value of property adjoining and
abutting on the streets 50 improved.
1t means more than this. 1t adds
value to all other real estate within
furnishes labor for our people. 1t
puts into circulation money which
goes back into the Golfers of the mer-
chants When YOU look at the mat
ter of street Improvements it is
principally all labor. If the citizens
residing on any one of our streets will
make an improvement, then the citi-
Zens of other streets will vie with
each other in order to learn which
OF their streets shall be improved
first 1t makes one tired to talk
about the condition of our streets as
they are now. Last winter Mr. Kim
mel came to town with load of coal
bound for Mountain Lake Park. He
got along all right until he reached
Oakland, then it was tug and pull
and pull and tug. After arriving at
point between the east end of Oak
land and the ice house, going down
hill his wagon wheels We're so deep in
the mud that his team could not
move the load. 1t is not at all sur
prising that persons living east of this
point refuse to come to Oakland to do
their trading during wet weather.
Farmers do not care to drive over
moderately good roads to reach Oak
land only to get swamped in the
mud. Yes, we should have q system
OF water works and sewerage. If we
had these conveniences we would
have twenty summer visitors where
we now have one"
Would this not entail a big debt
upon our citizens, asked Mr.. A.
Not if they We're owned and man
aged by our citizens listen until |
put bug in your ear. Here is a
table which Alderman Hall, of Alba
ny, n. Y, of the gas committee, is
getting up. 1t is list of prices
charged tor gas in some of the princi-
pal towns; will note the reductions
that have been made under munich
pal ownership. 1t is urged that the
same ratio of reductions has followed
whore municipalities have taken
control Of electric lighting, and the
same can be said of water works. -
The figures are cited:
Before. After
/ Raurpr Naiup ~.il On n