Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1904-03-17
TCoMMUNICATED.1
For The CLARION:

| For The CLARION:
In your last issue you published "A Bill
introduced Ia the Maryland Legislature ask
ing for vote of the people of the Thurmont
Corporation to vote upon the question Of
purchasing the Mechanicstown Water Com
pany for $4,000, the par value Of its stock,
and in event of the Water Company not be-
Ing willing to sell at that price to authorize
the issue of bonds to the amount of $4,000
for the building OF another plant, in other
words. place mortgage upon the property
of Thurmont of $4,000 to put in the town
another Water Company.
Now, has the Water Company eyer been
consulted No. Has the present town Com
missioners ever approached the Directors Of
the Water Company upon this proposition!
No.
It should always require at least two to
make bargain. Do the parties (not the
commissioners of Thurmont) mean to say
that in case you do not take our price which
we have arbitrarily named, we will ruin your
plant, spend $4,000 to ruin your investment
and will burden the people with Bonded
Indebtedness to do so? Why this is threat
and on Its face unfair. 1t is the same ling
as one individual going to another and shy.
ing, If you do not sell me your property 1T
an unfair price. will ruin 1t and make the
people pay the bill. wont do this my
self but will make the taxpayers foot the bill.
A history of the old Mechanicstown Water
Company may be interesting to many who
haye now grown up since it was started and
are not thoroughly familiar with how 1t was
started.
1t was incorporated in April, 1887, by the
following John Root, Warner T. Grimes,
Col. John r. Rouzer, 8. NJ. Birely, Geo. W.
Stocksdale, Van b. Osler, Chas. E. Cassell,
DR.. NJ. E. Lea,herman, M Clay Cramer, G.
]. Carmack and p. N. Hammaker. Before
Incorporating, several large town meetings
were held In Albaugh's Hall, much interest
was taken and the public, generally. invited
to attend The Corporation Of Mechanics
town, now Thurmont, was appealed to, to
take hold OF the matter, but they declined to
do so, but after being petitioncd to by the
taxpayers of Thurmont, they granted the
Water Company the franchise and agreed to
pay a yearly rental for Fire Hydran,s Of
$2l8 per year and petitioned the Legislature
,o.pcrmit them to levy taxes for that pur-
pose which was granted without any objec-
ton from anyone.
1t required nearly three months 10 get sub.
scribers to the stock. A committee was ap-
pointed TO solicit stock and at last subscrib
ers were secured to the anoun mt of only $1,000
and the undertaking was at one time doomed
to fail finally the list was taken to Frederick
City to see what could be done, the party
presenting the list produced the promise of
the corporation to pay $2l6 yearly and the
Railroad Company 5000 yearly, the stock
was secured and everybody felt happy to
know that old Mechsncstown was to have
water supply. During the construction of
the works many of the subscribers became
Respondent and felt that the undertaking
was too mrge and it wOnld end in loss to the
people investing their money.
Now does the town of Thurmont wish to
repudiale their action then made in rood
faith simply because the undertaking after
seventeen years has proven success and
blessing to the town. Or, in other words,
because a lot of individuals placed money in
an undertaking and are getting only fair
return on the same, ruin their investment
anu cause them to lose money besides. Is
this IighlS Will such conduct inspire con.
ndence in outside capital to invest here? or
course not, Some places donate lands, fran
chises and money to induce capital 10 invest
| to improve their towns and cities.
| Now another matter not to be overlooked,
much of the stock Of the Water Company
has changed hands, only 30 shares out of
1000 shares is held In Frederick. A premium
has been paid for this stock Of from 50 to $40
per share. Some estates which held the
stock have Eeen closed and the appraisers
appointed by the Orphans Court placed a
valuation of $l5 per share and upward. Do
the parties who are advocating this bull think
it righi and honest TO say you must take our
offer of go per share or we will expend $l2
600 to put in other works, or if we can not
buy you out at $4,000 we will mortgage the
town for $l2,000 and make the taxpayers
daddy the bill? No honorable business man
will say this is just and equitable.
Now much misunderstanding appears to
|
me say II consists of SO shares ofstock bought
a, SEQ per share and several hundred dollars
held by the treasurer 10 meet any uncxpect-
ed loss or break or large expense incurred
80 as to thereby not impair the revenue of
the company. Any business man will say
this is proper and right The total amount
paid It's officers for salaries has been $50 per
year for ia years and $75 for the last two
years Can the Corporation of Thurn1ont
manage the affairs of the Water Company
any cheaper or better? Will taxes be reduced
or water rentals become any lower under
their management
A comparison with other towns shows our
| rate of tn xatiOn the lowest to be found, that
of thirty cents and with bonded indebted
ness of 81, 500 toward which sinking fund
has been accumulated of about $500. 80 that
| it would be safe to say that our taxes should
not become higher and we will soon have
our debt wiped out and have plenty of funds
yearly to improve the streets, ETC. Then get
out Of debt before mourning heavier and
more burdensome Bond" Indebtedness
On the matter of Water Rentals the Me
chanicstown Water Company is as low as
the lowest, it's supply can not be excelled and
its service stands No l. No one need under
the present system pay for water who does
not use IL. but under the system proposed Id
the Bill" every taxpayer " II become subject
to the go called water tax" to pay the inter.
est Oh the bonds, etc whether he uses water
or not and the "bill" authorizes an increase
in taxation when as it now stands on the
Statute Books of Maryland mo tax can be
levied for any purpose to exceed 80 cents."
Now voter and taxpayer, take your choice.
The Water Company has been liberal. 1t
has INT made churches nav for water there