The citizen., 1914-08-28
THE LEGORE BRIDGE. WHAT
TITS, WHY TITS, AND HOW
1T IS.

county and generally, may get more IN
formation in regard to the above ques-
ton. because it is one OF public interest
10 all OF the people, and has been so
long agitated and discussed.
II is a question that must be settled
and ought 10 be settled. And it is al
ways said that no question is ever set
tied until it is settled right.
Now It's admitted by all that to get at
settlement OF any public question in
VII ch all OF the people are interested, it
is absolutely necessary that the people
should know something about the ques-
ton to be settled.
This writing, therefore, is an effort to
contribute my mite BY way of lnfotmi
ton to the public. which has not up to
this time investigated it for t emselves.
This is the bridge in regard 10 which
there was bill before the last Legisla
ture OF Maryland, and in which there
was considerable public interest taken
BY the people of Frederick county. 1t
was a bill in the interest of Mr.. Legore
to bring about settlement betw EN-
himself and the county for the cost of
the construction OF a bridge and roads.
James w. Legore is a citizen of Fred
erick county and has been all Of his life.
He resides at Legore, station on the
Frederick and Pennsylvania Railroad,
about two miles north OF Woodsboro.
He is a manufacturer of agricultural
lime, which he sells all over the State
and the adjoining States He has fine
farm and a beautiful home just east of
the station.
All of his labor is employed from the
immediate vicinity and find homes in the
sixty tenaut houses of their employer.
The bridge spoken of is across the Mo-
nocacy River on the road leaing from
Woodsboro to Rocky Ridge, about two
miles north Of Woodsboro 1t crosses
the Monocacy River. at point known
as Stump Hill. where there was
ford before the erection of the bridge.
There is much travel to and over this
bridge as is shown by the physical evi-
dence OF the roads to the bridge The
point at which the bridge crosses the
Monocacy River is CANYON. The ele-
vation on the west is about one hundred
feet. and on the east is about two hun
dred feet. The Monocacy River from
a south by east course, turns at this
point to an almost direct western course.
This IN times of high water or snow
and ice creates a gorge. There are
large number of small streams, and it is
asld that large number of mill dams
which empty into Monocacy River above
the bridge, although the Monocacy at
this point is not very large stream. 1t
is very rapid flowing one.
Why the bridge came to be construct
ed was that bridge was needed in that
community. 1t was needed for the de
velopment Of the public interest and the
welfare of the people.
Roads and bridges have always been
accepted as one OF the greatest means
for the advancement of civilization and it
has always been true.
The people there wanted bridge and
it had been asked Of the, County Com
missioners, but there was a question
whether the public convenience required
it, and if it did, did it require it al
that particular place. Some thought
that it did, and some thought that it did
not, and some even thought that no
bridge at all was required.
The result was that the County Com
missioners took no action at ALL
During all of this time Mr.. Legore main
tanned the ford at Stump Hill He then
had an act passed by the Legislature for
the building of the bridge. This was in
1902. This act was signed by Governor
Smith. After the act was passed he
then began the construction Of the
bridge. He first bought or obtained the
rights of way of the avenues to the
brldge-the roads leading to it. These
roads, some of them twelve miles long
he constructed on the Telford plan and
they speak for themselves.
Suffice it is to say that they are as
good as any, and better than some of
the State roads that we have lately
made. These roads will bear inspection
by any citizen Of the county
He then constructed the bridge as it
now exists and it will speak for itself.
Mr.. Legore had second act passed by
the Legislature in 1904 which act was
signed by Governor Warfeld.
During all of this time while the
bridge and the roads leading TO it were
being constructed the County Commits
sioners took no action whatever
They could have prevented by law the
building of the bridge. or at least gwen
Mr.. Legore notice not TO build it. They
did neither, and permitted him to pro-
ceed. Now it seems TO me that if Mr.
Legore made mistake in building the
bridge, the County Commissioners made
a mistake and failed to protect them
selves and the people of the county
in permitting him to build it.
Thus failure on their part permitted
the two acts of the Legislature to be
passed as they were, which could not,
and would not have been done if the
County Commissioners had objected.
But no objection was made. Evidently
Mr.. Legore had an object in the acts
passed. We may not know what his
object was, but we do not believe that il
was a trap for the County Commits
sioners, but whatever the object the
County Commissioners were in a large
measure responsible for all Of the trouble
that has has arisen to the people and to
Mr.. Legore as we'll
But we have now reached the bridge
of this trouble, and this bridge of trouble
we have it to cross as best we may. This
is why the bridge came to be built. Now
nc IN the hviIora I a.