Montgomery County sentinel. [volume] (Rockville, Md.) 1855-1974, 1906-02-16
FARMERS CONVENTION.

VIM. e. Muncrster and r. B Farquhar re-
ported for committee on railroad crossin gs,
| as to care In guarding them from accident.
The crossing at Silver Spring it was reported
has been pretty well kept, but there have
been one or two close calls at Rockville,
| some OF which were reported 10 the conven'
ton. In one case the gates on coming down
caught team on the track between them.
10 reporting on the prospects for new
railroad for Sandy Spring and vicinity, AL
Ian FarQuhar read very amusing paper
and showed q diagram which he said was
not spider web, but plan Of some of the
railroads proposed through the section
l.. E. Riggs and G. F. Kirk reported for
committee on dog law, recommending a
license system for dogs. Tags to be fur
nished for 81 for males, 90 for females, and
any untagged dog to be caught and killed.
Charles F. Brooke proposed as substitute
legislature. This was agreed to with the
amendment that at least one-half the re-
ceipts should 60 into fund for paying for
damage caused by dogs.
John O. Bentley reported for com mittee
on county treasurer bill, that it had been de-
termined to ask that bill making the office
| of county treasurer for the county to take
effect July 1st. He to be appointed by the
Governor and to receive salary Of not less
than $500. Mr.. Codwise here read sketch
of the bill just introduced making the Clerk
Of the County Commissioners ex-of1cio
| County Treasurer, &C., and on motion 1t
was resolved that the convention should en-
dorse this bill with some notifications.
| j. B. Ager introduced q resolution asking
lor the passage of the anti-ciearette law,
| which was carried. ~
R. B. Thomas introduced the resolution
asking for reduction of tax on densturized
alcohol, which was passed.
The question, Is the Shoemaker road law
as administered the very bess form OF law
for State aided roads2 was taken up and
ably debated by Chas. F. Kirk, who favored
good Soads and State aided roads, but thinks
the present law extravagant. His idea is
that the County Commissioners should have
more power as to the kind OF road laid
down, and thinks that State-aid should be
put on roads where $500 mile is expended
as well as on those where 5000 is spent.
| Mr.. B. r. Codwise in q we'll. written pa
per, which is given below, favored the pre-
sent system, with o county engineer and
more power to the Commissioners added.
Mr. Samuel E. Shoemaker, whose name
the law bears, gave history OF the law,
saying it was made up by a committee rep
resentng seventeen counties, oil which he
happened to be secretary, and thus got his
name tackled on the law. II was made up
| by getting extracts OF all the State aid road
laws in existence and taking the best fea.
lures. He asked for farther trial, as it had
only been tried one short year.
Mr.. W. W. Crosby, chief engineer OF
Maryland, corrected various wrong impres
sions OF the law, saying that they would
| estimate any kind of road the Commission
ers desired, and that he had laid roads cost
ing as low as $4,000 per mile and as high as
| $1,000. The first was of oyster shells, and
| the latter had three new bridges and two
high hills cut down. He was subjected to
fire of questions on the Laytonsville road,
which has Just been finished, and said it was
not finished and had not been accepted by
the engineers Office. 1t looked as though
he would have to answer questions all the
evening, at one time.
On motion, it was decided not to ask the
repeal of the Shoemaker law at present, I'M
| til more could be learned OF its workings, and
Messrs. Codwise, Bentley and Kirk were
appointed committee to hold the law I'M
| der Amusement and TO report at the next
convention.
The matter of improving our forests and
wood lots was then considered, and short
talk given by Mr.. w. g.. Weigle, of the
Bureau of Forestry. He gave quite sketch
of the forestry division and its work, and
|
also cutting our undesirable kind, such as
dogwood, ETC., every year until the growth
in the lot gets height enough to shade the
| ground.
The question of feeding products on the
| farm, was postponed to next year, and How
to manage flock of poultry for prof1t by
Charles e. Bond, occupied the rest OF the
| time. He recommended following the Cy-
phen system inaugurated by the Cyphen
Incubator Company, and said the company
would freely furnish all necessary informa-
| ton.
The following Is the paper prepared and
read by Mr.. Beverly X. Codwise:
Permit me to present to your mental view
a picture illustrating past methods In our
county's road building
Having occasion 20 years ago to enter
field by woodland path, wherein were
supposed to be country supervisor and
his working force gathering stones for the
purpose of pking q few mud holes in near
by road the first object that met my sight was
the supervisor himself resting at the foot OF
a young white oak, his position having due
regard for the shade cast by the tree, his
arms and legs were comfortably foloeo
about him, having all the repose expressed
in the closed blades of pocket knife
Passing on to the field, there was TO be seen
q decrepit horse hitched TO dilapidated
cart, which cart was TO be loaded with
stones by two boys about IA and 10 years
of age, but at the moment of observation
both horse and boys we're as devoid of mo.
ton az the supervisor himself Could that
picture have been expressed in musical
notes, without words it would have been
lullaby; with words, a slumber song.
In thus presenting to You view In re-
trospect II is the more forcbly to impress
on your minds the absolute necessity OIL
casting loose from the inefficient and ex
pensive past and carrying forward the con
struction of our roads and the performance
OF such other things in proper manner az
are necessary to the material development
of country having soil, healthfulness
and a location as to markets second to none
in the State.
The general question is, us the Shoe
maker law as administered the best form OIL
road law for the State aided roads 7" IL Ia
difficult to produce In the beginning com
pleted law OF this type for the best is in its ap
plication and its application or administra-
ton must come within the terms OF that law
II the answer TO the question is no, then the
requirements Of the law in its methods Of
application should be amended and not the
law itself repealed, for thSr principal in
volved in the law is to be endorsed beyond
doubt. To imply the road law needs amend
ing, also implies that a reason for sucE
amending should be given. II cost were nc
object, then no reason could be found, there
fore it is in the cost and that seems to b
the concensus of opinion among our fellow
} farmers.
+ In the construction of our permanent high
ways it will not do to go back TO past meth
DDS; we do not necessarily look for tbt
/, cheap, but express our wants by asking
first, solidity and then the greatest mileage
obtainable for the money expended.
No position we can take as applicable to
) road building has any standing save as 4
rests upon sure source Of revenue, and iI
| looking forward to State aid OF necessity oul
thoughts turn to the oyster beds of tn
Chesapeake Bay, for iC is from there tn
) 2taieIa rauannn for this nnrnnap ahnnld com