Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1906-02-01
Good Common Sense,


We take the liberty of reprntlng n com
muo,catinn from our good friend and read
@, OF the CLARION, Hon. NJ. j. Grove, to the
News. as it is so chuck full of good common
sense. that we believe it will be of interest to
our readers:
mPRU VEMENT OF THE PUBLIC
ROADS.
III have no dou5, many Of your intelligent
and progressive readers, were, like the writ
er, greatly mortfi,d that step backwards
toward the improvement of the public roads
of MARYLAND, should come from delegate OF
tho great county of Frederick-a county
noted for the fertility of its soil, for the in
telligence, industry and ability displayed by
those who are engaged IN its CIVILIZATIONS; a
county with an area OF not much more than
seven hundred square miles, considerable
portion OF which is mountainous, yet the in
tell,gcnce iu the cultivation of the rich dales
and fertile valleys, has made the county the
third in value of its agricultural production
of any of The thousands of counties covering
the broad expanse Of the whole United
States. The writer, during his long life o!
-S3ypars of age, has Travelled hundreds OF
thousands of miles over almost every portion
of our county, and has everywhere been
proud TO dcscant upon the beauty and fer
tiity of his native Frederick county. He
finds, however, that Frederick county. how
ever her citizens may isolate themselves, and
attempt tn hide behind their hills and through
their valleys, with mud holes behind th'm.
is well known. The single electric road
from Frederick to Hagcrstown has let on The
lime light of day to many portions OF our
county heretofore denied them by reason OF
our roads. An illustration in point will
show how we are viewed abroad. few
mouths since, the writer, in going over the
electric road TO Iagerstown, when Myars =
vile WAS reached, walked down the stree
TO two neat and artistcally constructed brck
bank buildings, aud was kindly greeted by
their cashiers, and handed statements OF the
condition of their respective banks. When
the cars left Myersville, he was seated beside
an intelligent looking gentleman, who prov
ed to be fir I'm Philadelphia. Always wish
ing to say good word tor our county to
strangers, he handed HIM the statement. say
ing: Pretty good statements these tor two
hanks, from mountainous region in vii
lage composed of about fifty houses His
reply was: Yes, Frederick IS known over
A. Ill nf I1nIfpi
States for TIE number of her banks, for the
amount of surplus wealth deposited IN them,
and at three per cent; for the thrift OF her
people, and their lack of enterprise. Her
many banks are her curse; instead of using
her surplus money in juildng manufactures
constructing good roads, and attracting her
young men of enterprise to stay at home, the
money is put in banks which, in turn, sends
it to Philadelphia, New York and other
places, 10 be used in enterprises away from
home, which in turn attracts your best young
men, / told HIM what he said was true;
that 1t was said the Gods moved slowly. So
did the farmers. They were like the sleep.
glant-oace arouse HIM and he will demon
strate his power. told him of the cohblc-
stones of Frederick; how long our wealthy
city, with her seven banks and some FIVE
millions IN deposit, had been held back by
her croakcrs, until the sarcasm of strangers
aroused public sentiment, and nm enlighten-
ed adermanic board, constructed few
squares of up. to-date streets, and that now
her citizens were pressing her aldcrmanic
board TO construct them more rapidly than
they, in their wisdom. think prudent told
HIM of the growing sentiment in favor of
good roads-that Congress had adpl opriated
one million dollars to build roads at differ
ent points over the United States as Object
lessons that the State of Maryland had ap-
propriated two hundred thousand dollars,
supplemented by n like amount from the
counties using the State fund, which should
be uscd In constructing roads over the State
as object lessons to the farmers, and that no
amount of croaking could then stop the de-
mand for their construction, even more rap
idly perhaps than our intelligent board of
county commissioners may consider pru
dent"
NJ. J. Grove.
A. H. nf