The free lance. (Fredericksburg, Va.) 1885-1926, 1903-04-25
ESSEX.

Interesting Letter From Phiios-Plan
Adopted for Improving the Roads
Bright Prospects for the Confeder-
ate Monument-Far W Farming and Truck
ing Retarded by Cool Weather, Etc
Tappahannock, Va April 21st, 1903.
The regular term Of Essex County Court
was held here yesterday The crowd
was smaller than usual, owing to the
tact that the farmers are woefully be hind
IN their work, and are aTailing them
selves OF every opportunity to catch up.
There was literally nothing doing In
court. People generally expected a live.
" time over the contests growing out of
applications for licenses to retail ardent
spirits, but in this they were disappoint-
ed, Judge Ware refusing 10 consider anv
application until he had the full text of
the Mann DILL before him. He fixed upon
Monday, April 9th. a. The time for con
sldeTlng applications. hoping by that
Tune To secure an authentic copy uf the
Mann bill The people generally are
highly pleased with the Legislature as to
LIS record on the Bark sdale election law
the Mann bill aud the removal of Judge
Campbell.
Among the attorneys in attendance
upon the court your correspondent noted
Mr. Joseph Chinn, the able aud popular
common wealth r Attorney of Richmond
county; Messrs. J r. Saunders and MI
ne Evans, OF MiddleseX; Messrs &. B
Jones. Frank Smith, Mitchell and
Judge Fleet, of King and Queen; and
Messrs. Thos T. Blakey. James lewis
and II. l.. Newbill. of the local bar
A large and enthusiastic meeting in IA
vor of good roads WAS held in the court
house at O'Clock Hon VIM Campbell
presided and Mr. James Lewis acted as
secretary Numerous speeches were made.
ana many plans suggested looking to a
more elective and permanent improve
ment OF the roads. The plan suggested
and outlined by Sheriff J. NJ Terrill
hnaliy prevailed and was adopted unani.
mously The salient features of this nlan
may be briefly stated as follows: The
Circuit Judge is TO appoint for each dis
trict three commissioners. to be known
as road commissioners. These commits
sioners are TO divide out the roads and
number them. and they are TO let the
roads, thus numbered, out TO contrac-
tors, who shall make formal bids. and
enter into contract with penalty. &c the
contractor must live or own land, along
tue road Tor which he bids. and no con
tractor can have over five miles of road.
IA
chine Tor each district and the contrac
tore are to have the use of the machines
The road commissioners are to be spe,.
ialiy charged with the duty of looking al
Ger the roads in their districts. and for
thls work they are To receive one dollar
day each. provided the amount paid 70
any one commissioner shall not he over
81 a year. In case ofdifferences bet ween
contractors and road commissioners the
matter is TO be arbitrated and from this
1rbltratiOn there is TO be no apDeal
The tax from dogs il to be kent as n
kind OF sinking fund for permanent i'm
provement of the roads. Your CORE.
spondent was pleased to see the evident
interest taken in the matter bv allclasses
ot people, and the road question with
the people OF Essex is evidently n live
Une. Not that the roads of Essex have
not been as well worked as in other
counties, Tor your correspondent wishes
o bear testimony to Capt 4 f Bagby s
iaithtulness along this line, and to say
mat alter travelling in King and Queen.
Ming liiiam and Caroline counties, il is
ms opinion that the roads of Essex have
been more faithfully worked than in any
county he knows of. But the interest ~
the people in working the roads is evi-
day Tor the rural districts of our Old
State is surely coming.
The ladies Of the Essex Monument As
sociation held an interesting and impor-
tant meeting, and the smile on Judge
"right's face grows brighter and broader
as he sees how the money is coming in.
and already, in his dreams by night and
thoughts by day, he is planning for and
looking forward to the day when the
cornerstone of a monument shall be laid
and on that stone a chaste and beauti.
idl monument shall be reared to Essex's
brave and heroic sons who gave their
lives as pledge of their devotion to
country and to principles
Misses Ellen Douglass Garnett and Nav
sale are guests of Miss Bunnie TYLER.
Mrs Alex. Fleet, of Bruington. il visit
ing friends and relatives in town.
Mr.. and Mrs. Geo. n. Anderton. are
tarrying in the city OF Baltimore.
Mrs. Mary w Wright has returned
aiter an absence Of several days.
The outlook for trucks and farming
is discouraging. The excessive
rams and cool weather have greatly in
lured the peas and the crop will be much
shorter than it promised to be earlier in
the season.