Catoctin clarion. [volume] (Mechanicstown, Md.) 1871-1940, 1914-04-02
THURSDAY, APRIL 2, 1914.
LeGore Bridge Legislation.

We confidently expected that the
past week would have settled the lIe'
Gore Legislation, but it seems that ii
is to occupy the centre of the stage
until the Legislature adjourns. II
went to the third reading file by a
very narrow margin of two votes, and
this would not have happened if one
of the Carroll county delegates had
not made a political appeal, and this
drove enough votes to LeGore to pass
the Bill to the last reading files in the
House. Whether or not the LeGorc
lobbyists can muster enough votes to
give it a constitutional majority re-
mains to be seen. We are hoping
that it will receive death blow the
next time vote is taken.
Over 5000 indignant citizens and
taxpayers signed petitions and sent
them to the delegates last week, and
from what we know and can learn
there are at least I 900 more taxpay-
ers and citizens in the county VIII,
stand with the 5000 signers, and
would have signed had they had tn,
opportunity.
The duty of the County Commits
sioners is to 60 to Annapolis and stay
there until this obnoxious Bill is kill.
ed. They should leave no stone un-
turned. They can leave county mat
tiers of lesser Importance wait for a
week rather than permit this legisla-
ton to prevail.
1t is reported that one Commission
err prefers to remain neutral with
hands Off" If this be true he is
not representing what he must know
to be the overwhelming sentiment OF
the taxpayers. There is no ncu-
trality" in this matter.
If the newspapers of the county
would only dig into the history of the
LeGore Bridge and it's years of legis-
lation and log-rolling, people would
be better advised on the matter. As
it is, they are simply incensed at the
outrageous manner in which it is
proposed to thrust it on our taxpay-
ers, and that too at an enormous
figure little less than a half million
of dollars.
Last week we called attention to
Chapters 4O4 and 4O6 of the Acts of
Assembly of 1902. That still does
not 60 back far enough to give the
true starting point of this great
philanthropic" (?) move on the
part of Mr.. LeGore. Anyone can get
the facts if they will call on Mr.. John
S. Long, Mr.. Isaac l.. Hankey and
others living near what is known as
Martin Is Mill" on Owens Creek near
Monocacy in Creagerstown district.
They can and will tell you how Mr..
LeGore fought these gentlemen and
associates who were trying to get a
bridge built over the Monocacy by
the county within but a short dist
ance of the LeGore site. 1t was stub
bornly fought, and because of the
contentious as to location it left the
County Commissioners in position
so they could get out of selecting the
site. Mr.. LeGore wanted the county
to build at his site and opposed the
Long site, and Mr.. Long and associ-
ates protested against the LeGore site
because this site was lot OF the same
benefit to the citizens as that alvocat-
ed by Mr.. Long. Then, after these
many struggles Mr.. LeGore changes
his tactics and goes to the Legislature.
In his initial legislation he had in
corporated in the Bill, that the Coun-
ty Commissioners should be 'prohib-
tied from building bridge over the
Monocacy within one mile of his pro-
posed bridge" The County Com
missioners sent their attorney to An
napolis to have this feature stricken
out as being an unconstitutional pro-
vision. Another historical fact is
that Vincent Sebold was counsel for
Mr.. Long and others against Mr.. Le-
Gore at that time but now he is allied
with Mr.. LeGore in his attempt to
saddle the taxpayers of Frederick
county with burden that our child
ren's children will have to help to
pay.