Martinsburg statesman. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1869-1906, 1904-08-12

SOiuc cause luc ICSOIutlouS nave NOT
been published and what we have to
say is entirely from memory.
The charges that the court is guilty.
ofgross extravaganza and throwing the
county oversize, 900 in debt and that
the court lacked the nerve to raise the
county levy and that the county has
interest..bearing orders outs anding are
n OF substan .iated.
Our remarks are based upon the
statement published in the Herald and
Statesman that was luade by an audi
ting committee composed Of two Re-
publican and one Democrat, on e OF
whom is the County clerk and OF e
the Circuit clerk. This state nent
shows the receipts OF the county and
the disbursements. In every item OF
the latter the money and the amount
paid each individual is specified. NO
attempt has been made in any way to
con ceal any item. The books stand
wide open for any citizen to examine
and we challenge the most captious
Republican to point out one item
worthy the word extravaganza TIL e
expenditure on the Schoppert bridge
paid during the fiscal year was $oo3o,-
IS on the Myers Ford bridge during
the same period were $849,12 on the
Shanghai bridge to secure it from de
struction about $500. These items
expended on bridges aggregate $780,
5SS, IS. The rebuilding of the Schop-
pert Ford bridge was undertaken upon
the petition of large body of both
Democrats and Republicans end also
for the reason that the abutments
were in dangerous condition and it
was necessary that it should be rebuilt
The court believing that as this bridge
was situated upon one of the main
thoroughfares of the county, it
should be built in substantial and
lasting manner and erected there a
structure that will be e credit to the
county for all time. Formerly during
high water all communications were
cut off from that Sc ction lying east OF
the creek.
This difficulty has bee n overcome
and bridge erected that can be used
during all seasons of the year. The
grades of the hills on the west side
have been reduced from about a I6
per cent to a per cent grade SO that
no obstacle prevents the use OF this
bridge and road in marketing the pro-
ducts of that productive portion of
the county lying east of the Opequon
wlich formerly, in large measure,
sought its market outside of the
county. This bridge has been fully
paid for during the fiscal year as
about stated excepting a balance OF
about $500 due Mr.. b. N. Martin
thus making the total structure with
all the grading and improvements
! connected with it less than 50. 500.
AS to the Myers Ford bridge and
improvement the amount expended
during the fiscal year was $3.50 ~
The balance required to complete
the bridge is estimated to be about
81, 500 and will be met, as it becomes
due, out OF the new levy. This bridge
was undertaken upon the petition OF
the citizens of both parties and will
supply long needed want and one
that has been agitated and prayed for
for the last half century or more.
Having completed those bridges
the people of this section are enabled
to market their products aud enjoy
free and safe communication with
all parts of the county. The neces-
sity for any further Improvements of
this character on the Opequon are
now entirely renewed and the people
can enjoy all the benefits and advant-
ages which those OF other parts OF
the counties have enjoyed.
During the year past tne County
Cont and the public have been con-
fronted with one of the most noxious
scourges that afflicts mankind, which
was introduced into the county in the
first place innocently through one OF
its citizens in his efforts to retire a
distressed fellowman When it be-
came evident that the scourge was
smallpox every effort was made "a
stump it out. This, however, was NJ t