The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1910-09-17
STATE ROAD WORK
IS CONDEMNED
BOARD CALLED INCOMPETENT
Governor Crothers Also Comes In For
Hostile Criticism Told To Pay
More Attention To Roads
Cumberland. September Q.

Wore Attent1On 10 NOa03
Cumberland. September 9.
An Indignation meeting of citizens
OF Allegany and Garrett counties was
held in the Courthouse here this af-
ternoon. The officials in charge of
the State road work were vigorously
denounced and the remarks of the
speakers elected great applause.
Findley c. Hendrckson, Cumber-
land attorney, presided. Speaking of
the alleged bad work of the State
Roads Commission in this county, he
said:
In pitilul contrast to such scien-
titic work as that being done here by
the great railroad, we are having
the few thousands we have to spend
on our public highways largely wasted.
II railroad manager were to waste
the company's money he would be
asked to resign. It is but fair and
right that those who handle the tax
peyers money be held to the same
accountability"
William e. Devecmon, also OF the
Cumberland bar, said:
The Good Roads Commission is
misnanted: 1t should be called the
Bad Roads Commission, and the ad-
jective is equally applicable to the
commission itself and to the roads
which it has built, or rather. attempted
to build. In my opinion the commits
soin has shown itself to be grossly in
competent and negligent. While
think the chairman of the commission
is chiefly to be held responsible for the
failure OF the commission, | think the
Governor OF this State is by no means
blameless. If he were to devote more
time to the performance of his duties
as Executive and less to the stirring
up OF newspaper sensations, the peo-
pie would have less to complain about
the neglect OF duty nthe part of
other public officials of the State"
Charles w. Donnelly, a Cumberland
newspaper man, told Of the alleged
admissions made to him by Superin-
tcndent Brew, OF the Construction
Company, which is building the sec
tion OF the road from the x-Mile
House east of Flintstone, that he did
not have to build according TO speci-
ilcations and that Contractor McClus-
key. who had the section from Cum
berland to the SiXMile House. could
have gotten the same privilege for the
asking. Contractor McCluskey, when
asked about this said he requested to
be allowed to build as was the other
contractor, but his request was re
fused
Albert \. Doub, OF the Cumberland
bar. SAID the roads commission was
guilty OF the grussest incompetency;
that ii had bankrupted one firm AMI
were now almost bankrupting another
contractor
Clayton Purnell, OF Frostburg.
member of the State Board oi Educa-
ton. said that at the rate the work
was progressing it would take the
commission 600 years to complete the
job, 1t was evidert that the people
are dissatisfied with the work OF the
roads commission all over the State.
and that up to now he results were
distinct diSappointw ent and failure
Thomas Johnson, a Garrett county
farmer and former Democratic cand-
date for State Senator, said the roads
in his county are impossible and the
farmers must get out and build the
roads when they want to vet to town.
Ex-Mayor Warren E. White, Of
Cumberland, declared that since the
closing oi the Baltimore turnpike,
setcion OF the State road to traffic "a
year and hall ago it ha, cost his
sawmil's about $3.50 extra transport
ing lumber to Cumhcrland He con
sidcrcd the condition oi the road an
outrage, and asserted that the high
way could have been completed by
this time without entirely closing up
the road
Herman d. Bilimeycr. Jacob Boor,
a farmer. and Charles +. Brandt spoke
i'll the same vein. j. Semmcs Deyec-
mon, OF the Cumberland bar moved
that resolutions be adopted calling on
Chairman Tucker, Of the commission.
to resign. He accepted an amend
ment BY Mr.. Doub that committee
be appointed to draw up resolutions
expressing the sentiments OF the gath
ering.
FindIey {. Hendrickson William C.
Dcyecmon. Charles w Donnelly,
CLAYTON Purnell aud Jacob Boor were
named a, the committee-Baltimore
Sun