The Baltimore County union, the Towson news., 1909-12-25
Interestine History So years old-By


account says: "The farm stables of jon
RIDGELY, Esq, at Hampton, took fire on th
I'd inst, and were entirely consumed, togetbe
with three fine mules. 470 bbDs. of corn, and
quantity If hay, stray, &c. The whole loss
estimated at about 81, 3o0.'
In connection with big crops of wheat raise,
By cur pIesent-day farmers, a report of th
following will be of interest: Mr. Isaa
Webster, of Mount Repose Farm, nea
Cockevsville, at the last harvest raised up
wards of 400 bushels of wheat, of the whit
blue stem variety from eleven acres of land
Can any of our friends on Pipe Creek or Yves
River beat this ?"
dropped into funny mood" and perpetrateC
pun is attested by the following: Dan Rice
and his far famed Circus, will be in Balti
more il few days, and will pitch their TEN
on the lot near the Three Tons Tavern, Wes
Pratt street. We will walk out some fdi,
evening, if some kind friend will pay our fare .
In the issue of the Advocate of June l. 1850
is found the following:
'Rodd to Goydnst0wn advertisement ar
pears in the Sun, urging the construction of a
plank road from Green Mount Cemetery to
Govanstown We also understand line oil
Omnibuses is preparing to run to that village
twice day. Govanstown is looking up, since
it has been selected as some central place in the
county,
In connection with the establishment of an
omnibus line from Baltimore to Govans it
will be of interest to the residents of TOwson
to know that the protector of the enterprise
was the late j. W. Lee of Towson, who made
two trips daily, starting from the Sun Iron
Building, on Baltimore street, which was de-
stroyed in the great confagration of 1904 and
had its other terminus at what is now known
as the Five-mile House, at Cuttings avenue.
When the old horse-car line was established
travel by the omnibus was greatly decreased
and the line was finally abandoned, when Mr..
Lee was made superintendent of the car stables,
which occupied the present site of The Union
News office. The fare to Baltimore over the
horse,car. line fuctuated at various times, once
reaching as much as 72 cents for the round
trip, with 6-cent drawback. This is quite an
increase over the present fare of 20 cents, and
yet there are those who think the fare should
be reduced to 10 cents. At that time an iron
bell, suspended from a cross-piece nailed to
two high poles in the rear of The Union-News
Office, was rung some five or ten minutes pre-
vious to the starting of the cars. The bell was
secured mainly through the instrumentality of
the late John II. Longnecker. 1t now does
duty at the Church of the Immaculate
In the same issue is found the following
statement that 1.-The new Methodist Episcopal
Church at Govanstown. will be dedicated on
Sunday the I'd of June. Services at II and 8
o'clock"
As early as June %, 1850, the question of an
adequate water supply for Baltimore city was
being agitated. In an editorial in the issue of
that date the editor made suggestion which
was afterward fully carried out. He recon-
mended the following:
THE project of supplying the city of Bati-
more with an abundant supply of pure water,
is now being agitated by the city press. 1t is
high time that measures were taken for that
purpose, as the supply from Jones' Falls is be-
coming more impure yearly, and the growth
of the city will soOD require an increased
quantity. The Great Falls of the Gunpowder,
and the Patapsco are spoken of as desirable
streams, both in quantity and quality. The
proper plan, and the cheapest in the end will
be to take pattern by the mode adopted at
New York, to bring the waters of the Croton
into that City. Go up one of these streams
spoken of, until its level is above the highest
part of the city-erect a dam and an aqueduct,
with no pumping or lifting, nothing but the
shady sources of the stream. to the dwelling
of the consumer. The New York aqueduct is
40 miles long, over much more difficult
country to construct such work, than from
the Gunpowder to the city; we speak from
personal observation. having travelled over
both. The report of John Randall, Jr., to the
City Council in 1886, states, that between the
28th of September and Sd of October 1885,
guaged the Great Gunpowder Falls and
Western Run. At that time the water dis
charged by the Great Gunpowder, at Tysons
formerly Jessop's) mill. in "a hours, amounted
to so, ,239, 1863 wine gallons; and the Western
Run, measured at the York Road, discharged
at the same time 1883, 922, making together
81, ,093 091 wine gallons, which is equal to
SO. 1856. 719 standard gallons; and is equal to
more than double the amount of water furn-
ished by the Croton River, at the same time,
and relied upon for the supply of the city of
New York. This estimate was made at the
dryest season of the year; we presume that
the capacity Of the stream would average
double the quantity in the same time.
1.-The only objection we see to tapping the
is the loss that would be sustained
by the owners of water power below the DAM"
Annual Meeting Of Prosperous In
surance Company annual meeting of
the stockholders of the Mutual Fire Insurance
in Hartford County was held in Bel
Air on the 18th instant and was organized by
electing MIR. Noble L. Mitchell, chairman, and
Mr.. Charles E. Weakley, secretary. The presi-
dent submitted full statement of the COM
pany's condition. The past year has been one
of substantial growth for the company. Much
new business was secured and the expense rate
shows decrease. The fire losses were slightly
less than the preceding year and there was
increase in the company'S in
come, so the profit and loss account shows the
greatest gain in resources in any one year OF
its history, while the reserve fund is larger
than at any time since the company was
organized.
The applications approved numbered 1925,
on which the risk was 81, ,851, 1913, and the
mutual premium $269 1851.
There are now in force g. 480 policies cover
ing risk of $10,776. .285, with total mutual
premium Of $1.401, ,267.65. The increase of
risk during the year was S275, $50 80.
The work of rewriting old form policies was
oov,, tod durinO the vpar and now all D0lioipS
are on the new form and are classified.
The cash receipts were $66, 103.28, an in
crease of S., ,815.07 over 1908.
The fire losses paid during the year amounted
to 1923, ,381 20, being $77060 less than in 1908.
The operating expenses for the past year were
1926 per cent. Of the income. In 1903 the exo K
pense rate was II 55 per cent? and in 1907, 10 %
per cent. The profit and loss account shows
gain for the year of S18 101 OIL. Adding this
to the reserve fund of 1908 $57, 752 35, it makes
a reserve fund for 1909 of S75, ,S53.36. The total
resources of the company now amount to
$89, ,450.10 of which sum $78, ,897 .43 is invested
and bearing interest. The only liabilities OF
the company are the unearned premiums on
the short rate and term policies and two losses
amounting to about $1,000, which have not
been fully adjusted.
A motion was carried that the secretary be
authorized to charge off for office furniture
and fixtures $347 81, reducing this item to $500,
and also to charge off of the State Roads Loan
Bonds the premium OF $3.50, thus leaving these
bonds to be carried op the books at par value.
The inspection of risks has proceeded the
past year very satisfactorily. In addition to
his regular work the inspector has for several
wears acted as loss adjuster also. 1t was found
that the combination of the duties of inspector
and adiuster has been great advantage to the
interests of the company. A detailed state
ment of the inspectors work was appended to
the regular report:
careful investigation of the financial state
ment of the company shows it to be ID
stronger and more satisfactory condition than
ever before.
The presidents report of the company 9
affairs was referred to a committee appointed
by the chair-George E. Silver, Thomas l..
Parrish and Eugene Tucker. ALI suggestions
as to any changes in the arrangement of the
business of the company must be made to this
com mittee before Monday, December 27, 1903,
the committee to report at the annual meeting
to be held January g. 1910
The inspection committee of the company
met the same day and these adjustments made
and ordered paid: John Moores. loss of barn
and contents, amounting to 81, ,867; John Mar
steler, damage to dwelling and contents, the
sum of $215; Sallie c. Fowble, for stack of bay,
$50; Marion f. Little, for loss of outbuilding,
$50; Samuel P. Cole, Baltimore county, loss
of barn and contents, $111O.
Minister Pays High Compliment to Or
der of Masonry.-"The life of Mason does
not end with bis death, as the setting stars
which sink beneath darkening west; but like