The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1906-02-10
THE rAxpAYERs'' CONVENTION.
A Meeting of Representative Citizens
Discusses Needed Legislation
for the Coupty-Important
Suggestions Made

Meeting OF Representative Citizens
Discusses Needed Legislation
for the CouDty-Important
Suggestions Made
There was fairly good attendance of repre-
sentative citizens at the non-partisan taxpay-
ers' convention that was held in the Court
House at Towson on Tuesday.
The meeting was called to order by Mr..
Alexander Mccormick, chairman of the COM
mittee of fifteen, having in charge the calling
of the convention. He spoke of the great good
which had resulted from the holding of tax
payers conventions in the past, and recited
that many of their recommendations had been
enacted into laws which had greatly benefited
the public and secured the promotion of better
county government.
Mr.. Duane H. Rice was chosen chairman of
the convention and Mr.. Samuel M. Shoema-
ker was elected secretary. The secretary read
the report of the legislative committee, which
showed that many recommendations of the
last taxpayers convention had been enacted
into laws.
The legislative committee also recommended
that the following resolutions be adopted by
the convention, which was done without dis
senting voice:
Resotged, That we respectfully urge upon our
representatives in the Legislature the necessity
for fair primary law for our county and we
mary law now limited to Baltimore city to Bal
Resolyed. That it is the sense of this conven-
ton that the measure known as the Corrupt
Practices Act should be passed by this session
of the Legislature.
Res0lyed, That we heartily indorse the move
ment looking to the employment of convicts OF
the State and counties in the preparation or
material for public highways in quarrtes, pits or
Resolued, That it is the sense of this conven-
ton that there can be no excuse for failure TO
enact at this session some reasonable law under
and we respectfully urge our representatives to
use all proper means to secure the enactment OF
law that VIII clearly recOgnlae S Stass rea
sonable rentals for the oyster grounds belong
ing to the State.
Rssoiued, That the convention indorse the
Brownlow- Latimer Bill, providing Government
IYkeTeas. The present State Aid to Highways
Law is the product of several months of careful
investigation and consideration on the part OF
sections of the State; and.
Whereas Similar laws, although at first severe
~ criticised, have finally Deel most SUCCESSFUL c
in many other states, both North ana south;
be it
ways Law, should be given not less than TWO
to Judge of it's results or to amend its carefully
considered provisions.
Resofved That it is the sense of this conven-
ton that no increase should be made in the pay
of the fire department. as proposed in the bill
recently presented to our representatives in the
ResoiUed That the chair appoint legislative
committee of seven whose duty 1t shall be to
present the resolutions and recommendations
of this convention to our representatives IN the
The convention also discussed number of
matters not included in the recommendations
of the legislative committee, notably the leg.
islation in regard to the proposed building of
a water supply reservoir on the Gunpowder.
Mr.. Osborne l. Yellott, counsel to the County
Commissioners, stated that he had an inter-
view with City Solicitor William Cabell Bruce,
of Baltimore city, in which he bad made GER
tain propositions to the effect that the city
should pay to the county the amount of yearly
tax income lost by the requirement of the
property for the reservoir during the period of
its building and for fifteen years afterward;
that the city should police the property it &C
quires, and shall bear the expenses for the
conviction of persons who violate the law on
said property that the city shall bear the ex-
pense of providing all new road connections
made necessary by the building of the reser-
yoir: that residents of the county shall be
supplied with water at reasonable rates.
The propositions were Endorsed by the con-
vention.
The convention Endorsed the bill now pend
ing in the Legislature to build boulevard
between Baltimore and Washington with con-
vict labor from the House of Correction.
Mr.. J. ]. Lampkin addressed the convention
in favor of a pure food law, which was in
dorsed by the convention and the Legislature
was requested to pass such law.
Mr.. George W. Marley and others made an
Intellectual plea in behalf of the increase of pay
for firemen. Mr.. Marley said that the salaries
of the County Commissioners, their clerks,
and other officials had been increased, yet
- 49, I.<, se,o onft ho oot-
aries of the firemen, who are, he asserted, the
poorest paid employees of the county.
In speaking in favor of the Endorsement of
the corrupt practices act, Mr.. E. Lynn Painter
asserted that some corporations contributed to
the campaign fund of both political parties.
He charged that the Maryland Steel Company
was only paving taxes on $2000,000. while he
alleged that its property was worth $50, 100000:
Mr.. Painter said that he had been informed
that County Commissioner Yellott was engaged
in an effort to have the tax assessment OF this
company raised to at least 30, OOOoUO.
Mr.. Charles A. Councilman introduced
resolution providing that all meetings of the
County Commissioners should be held in
public, and Mr.. Painter seconded the motion.
The latter said that he had been informed that
representatives of the press were unable to get
accounts of some of the proceedings of the
Commissioners. Mr.. Painter said that it was
contrary to public policy for any public body
to hold secret meetings.
County Commissioner Mann said that he
had suggested that the Board consider its cor.
respondence in private, as, owing to the crowd
which assembled at the public meetings, it was
not convenient to transact such business.
Commissioner Yellott said that the press
had acted unfairly toward the Commissioners
and had only published letters criticising them.
Mr.. Painter said that as he was not positive
as to the facts in the case be suggested that the
motion be withdrawn, which was done.
s,o@& ut nd
gave detailed statement in regard to the d.
nancia condition of the county, and stated
that the great floods of last year had caused
damage to roads and bridges which have drawn
heavily on the county treasury, but with the
balances of appropriations for other depart
ments devoted to the contingent iund the ex-
penses of the county would be met until the
end of the year.
A proposition to draft a new road law for
the county was acted on. Mr.. Charles A.
Councilman and Mr.. r. Pierce Choate claimed
that the present road law had been failure
and proposed that a law be enacted giving the
expenditure of the road fund to commission
to be appointed by the Governor.
Commissioner Yellott stated that he thought
that there had been some lack of management
in the county almshouse. Commissioner Mann
said that he did not agree with his colleague
in this matter; that, while there had neen
some little extravaganza in buying meat for
the superintendent's family, it had now been
remedied Mr.. Mann said that the cost OF
maintaining the institution was very low wnen
it was considered that Baltimore county has
such large population.
The chairman was authorized to appoint
committee to present the views of the conven-
ton to the Baltimore county delegation to the
Legislature.
A Fine Old Homestead Burned-Heavy
Loss.-The house on the Margaret Meadows
estate of Mr.. Thomas Janney, near Stevenson,
Green Spring Valley, was destroyed 6y hre
about o'clock on Monday morning last, with
part of its contents. The fire is supposed to
have originated from an overheated stove IN
a second story bedroom. which had been start
ed a few minutes before by one OF the servants.
Mrs. Janney, who was occupying the room, de-
tected the odor of smoke, and upon making an
investigation discovered that the partition was
ablaze She Immediately aroused the house
hold and with her son, Mr.. Thomas Janney,
Jr., assisted by the help in the house, attempt
ed to extinguish the flames, but they had gain
ed such Roadway that the effort was aban-
doned.
An attempt was then made to save the house
hold effects, and practically all the furniture on
the lower floors was gotten out, together with
the family silver and china.
None of the outbuildings was destroyed, and
the billiard room. which adjoined the dwelling,
was saved. The residents of the valley soon
gathered and bucket brigade was formed,
which did effective service in saving the out
buildings, consisting of the overseer's cottage,