Miscellaneous information from the Maryland State Archives about Mount Savage Maryland.

Session Laws, 1842 FRANCIS THOMAS, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.

CHAPTER 204.

An act to incorporate a Company to construct a Turnpike Road from Frostburg, Allegany County, down the valley of Jenning's Run, to intersect the Turnpike recently constructed by the Maryland and New York Iron and Coal Company, at or near the Mount Savage Iron Works.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That John L. Skinner, William Ridgely, George McCulloh, John Porter, John Young, Joseph Dilly, Charles Williams, John Pickell, George S. Evans, John R. Nourse, Jonathan Arnold, Peter Baer, and those who shall hereafter become connected with them in this company, be and they are hereby appointed commissioners who shall cause books to be opened, at such time and place as they may deem advisable, for the purpose of receiving subscriptions to the capital stock of the company to be incorporated by the provisions of this act, notice having been given as the said commissioners may deem expedient of the time and place of opening said books, and continue the same open from time to time so long and as often as they may find necessary to complete such subscription.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, That the capital stock of said company shall be fifteen thousand dollars, in shares of twenty five dollars each, and all individual and bodies politic and corporate, and the commissioners of Allegany county are hereby authorized and empowered to subscribe for such amount of stock as they may think proper; provided nevertheless, that if the subscriptions shall exceed the amount required and authorized by this act, the commissioners shall regulate the sum, in such manner as to effect a just apportionment of the stocky among the subscribers; provided also, that at the time of making the subscriptions of the said capital stock, there shall be paid to the said Commisioners upon such shares the sum of one dollar on each share, and the residue thereof shall be paid at such time and in such manner as may be prescribed by the president and directors of the company to be by this act incorporated.

SEC. 3. And be it enacted, That whenever one-third of the shares of the said stock shall be subscribed, the said subscribers shall be declared to be incorporated and made a body politic and corporate by the name of the Frostburg and the valley of Jenning's Run Turnpike Road Company, for the purpose of making a turnpike road from some point at or near the town of Frostburg, and to intersect the turnpike road recently constructed by the Maryland and New York Iron and Coal Company, at the most convenient point at or near the Rolling Mill of said company, in the valley of Jenning's Run, and by the aforesaid name to have succession, and shall be capable in law to have, hold, purchase, receive, possess and enjoy (o them and their successors, lands and tenements, hereditaments, goods chattels and effects of what kind, nature or quality soever, and the same to grant, devise, convey and dispose of, to sue and be sued, plead and be impleaded, answer and be answered, defend and be defended, in any court of record or any place whatsoever, and also to make, have and use a common seal, and the same to break, alter and renew at pleasure, and also to ordain, establish and put in execution such bye-laws, ordinances and regulations as shall seem necessary and convenient for the government of the said corporation and the management and conduct of their affairs; provided, the same be not contrary to the laws and constitution of the State of Maryland, or of the United States.

SEC. 4. And be it enacted. That whenever shares to the amount of two thousand dollars shall have been subscribed, the said company, or a majority of them, shall call a general meeting of the subscribers, to be held in the town of Frostburg, in Allegany county, or such place as may be fixed upon, and such of the said subscribers as shall be present at the said meeting, or a majority of them, shall he empowered to elect a president and directors to manage the affairs of the company, for one year, and until a new election of president and directors shall be had in the manner directed by the laws of the company, and that every subscriber shall be entitled to one vote for every share he may own.

SEC. 5. And be it enacted, That the president and directors shall have power to appoint the time and direct the manner of holding the election of president and directors, which election shall be annual, may provide for calling the general meetings of the stockholders, may provide the mode of transferring the stocks of the company, and of furnishing evidences of the ownership of shares of said company.

SEC. 6. And be it enacted, That the president and directors who may be chosen in the manner herein before provided for, be and they are hereby authorized and empowered to cut, dig and make the said turnpike road from
some point at or near the town of Frostburg, and to intersect the turnpike road recently constructed by the Maryland and New York Iron and Coal company, at the most convenient point at or near the Rolling Mill of said company in the valley of Jenning's Run, said turnpike road not to exceed sixty feet in width, of which not less than eighteen feet shall be covered with stone, broken to a size of not more than six ounces in weight, and to a depth or thickness of not less than twelve inches in the middle, and graduated to six inches at the sides, and further, that in the grading of said road, no part thereof shall exceed seven degrees; the bridges required to cross the main branch of Jenning's run shall not have less than eighteen feet of water way, and raised sufficiently above said stream to be secured against the freshets thereof, with the necessary side ditches, and break-waters, the said president and directors first obtaining in writing the consent of the owners of the land through which said turnpike road shall pass, or if such consent cannot be had, and if it be necessary that said turnpike road should pass through the land of any person refusing his, her or their consent as aforesaid, then the president and directors on behalf of the company shall apply to a justice of the peace for said county, which said justice shall thereupon issue his warrant directed to the Sheriff of the county, commanding him to summon twelve disinterested persons qualified to serve as jurors in the county court, to meet at the proper place as directed by the said Sheriff, who shall quality the said persons either by oath or affirmation, as the case may be, justly, truly and impartially to value damages which may be sustained by the owner or owners of said land, and make true inquisition and return of the amount of damages; taking into consideration the advantages and disadvantages if any, which may be sustained by the owners of said land, under their hands and seals, to the justice who issued the warrant, and that the decision of the said jurors shall be final; provided that the said turnpike road shall not pass through the house, yard, grist-mill or saw-mill of any person.

SEC. 7. And be it enacted, That the tolls on this road shall be at the rate authorized by law on the Cumberland and Somerset turnpike.

SEC. 8. And be it enacted, That upon the president and directors paying or tendering payment to the owners of the said land, the sum so awarded by the jurors aforesaid, as the case may be, they shall have power to cut, dig and make the turnpike road aforesaid through such land in the same manner as if the consent of the owner had been given thereto, and that the said president and directors be empowered to erect and make bridges and viaducts over all such streams of water-courses as may be thought necessary for the benefit of said turnpike road, so as not to obstruct the free current of said streams or water-courses.

SEC. 9. And be it enacted, That it shall not be lawful for the said company to use or occupy any portion of the lands that may be necessary for the accommodation of the works of the Chesapeake and Ohio Canal company, or for the main route of the Baltimore and Ohio Rail Road, or that may be within the limits of either of the public roads, there now existing, except to cross these roads without injury to the same.

SEC. 10. And be it enacted, That nothing in this act be construed so as to authorize the said corporation to issue any note, token, device, scrip or other evidence of debt to be used as a currency.

SEC. 11. And be it enacted, That this act of incorporation shall enure thirty years from its passage, and that the legislature reserves to itself the right to alter or annul this act of incorporation at pleasure.

Passed March 3, 1843.

Maryland State Archives Volume 594, Pages 168 to 172

 

Session Laws, 1861 T. HOLLIDAY HICKS, ESQUIRE GOVERNOR


CHAPTER 37.

AN ACT to authorize and empower Francis Mattingly to erect gates upon a road passing near his house to the Catholic Church near Mount Savage.

SECTION 1 Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That Francis Mattingly be and he is hereby authorized and empowered to erect gates upon a County road passing through his farm and near his house to the Catholic Church, near Mount Savage, Allegany county.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, that this act shall take effect from and after its passage.

Passed June 10, 1861.

Maryland State Archives Volume 526, Pages 30 and 31

Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly, 1867


REPORTS OF COUNTY PRESIDENTS. ALLEGANY COUNTY.

Mount Savage, Allegany Co., Md., September 19th, 1866.

To the State Superintendent of Public Instruction.
Sir:

Enclosed you will find " Report Tables, " filled as nearly as we are able to fill them. These "Tables" so nearly cover the whole ground, that they leave little in the way of statistics to be added.

No mere statistics however, can give anything more than apartial view of any subject to which they relate. In this instance they may tell us, e. g., how many children went to School, but they do not tell us how many did not go. They may tell us Ike work daae, but not the difficulties in the way of doing it. Absolutely, the work done might be little. Relatively, it might be much. Thus figures, however accurate, though it is said "they cannot lie," may still fail to tell all the truth. I therefore add a remark or two supplementary.

How the difficulties to be encountered in our work in this County, compare with those to be encountered in other Counties, I have no means of knowing, but certainly here they are not inconsiderable. As I have mentioned in a former report, we are greatly in want of School houses. Any one who knows anything of School work at all, knows how essential a proper School house is to anything like success. There is less need therefore, that I should say much upon this topic. I will only express my conviction, that our work has been very much depreciated by using such places for School houses, as we have been compelled to use. Not much progress can. be made in study where it takes nearly all the time to keep warm. Nothing short of burning up some of our School houses could possibly warm them through some portions of our winters. It is true, fresh air is invigorating, but children must be comfortable, if they could study to advantage. Other places again, which we are obliged to use, go to the other extreme. From being basements or cellars, the whole or a portion underground, it is impossible to ventilate them. In some Schools I have been made sick in ten minutes after entering them. I say nothing, because there is no need of saying anything, about the matter of health, about the tastes and habits of mind and body likely to be found in such places. If our little ones drink out of such troughs, they must of necessity become, mentally and morally, " ringstreaked and spotted."

Then some of our localities have no place, good, bad or indifferent, which can be procured for Public School purposes. The second town in the County had no Public School in it last year, cannot have any Public School in it this year, for there is literally no place in which to have it.

If I may be allowed to make a suggestion in this connection, I would say, that in the absence of any other means, furnished by the Legislature or otherwise, it would be wise to suspend the Schools in this county altogether, for two or three years, and spend the whole money in the erection of School houses.

The children during those years would not go wholly without schooling. Some provision would be made in the way of private Schools. Then when Public Schools did start, they might be what they ought to be, and what they do not now even seem to be. The question might arise about the law in this connection. The Legislature, if they will not give the money, might give authority to the State Board of Education, to do as they deem expedient. If not, then the law is, there must be six months School. That is, by law this county must go for a considerable time without proper School houses. By law, the money, little enough at least, must be to a very considerable extent thrown away. All that remains is the same fact, we very much need School houses.

Of course, only the people who have Schools know the value of them. It is not therefore to be wondered at, if the desire for good Schools does not here amount to anything like a longing. If it did, we should soon illustrate the old maxim: " Where there is a will, there is a way." We are not however without some progress. Two School houses have been put in thorough order, and brought up to the standard. Some five or six are in process of construction, all to be paid for, when the county can pay.

Again, all the children do not go to School even when they might go. The people, many of them, will not send their children to School more than six weeks, or two months out of a year. The Fall work keeps them well into winter, and Spring work begins before winter is well over. In some respect we are a very enterprising people. One teacher left last spring, School and all, to go to make maple sugar. In remonstrating with the people once for not sending the children to School, one man spoke out and asked '' When or how he was ever to make anything out of his boys?" I am still of the opinion, there should be some law regulating this matter. If the State has a right to educate its citizens, then it has the right to do it and not simply to seem to do it.

Again, our county is too large for one School jurisdiction. The difficulties arising out of this fact are manifold.

First, the meetings of the School Board cannot be attended by the Commissioners, except at great inconvenience and expense. Then, to bring the number of Commissioners down to anything like reasonable limits, makes each Commissioner District too large. The number of Schools in each District may not be excessive, but this county must not be judged by ordinary rules. The greater part of the county is mountainous, our roads are uniformly and universally bad. We have few bridges across our streams. The snows gather deep in our valleys and along the ridges or across the spurs of our mountains; the cold is severe. If a man leaves home for a journey of twenty miles, he cannot tell when he will get back, and though from the universal hospitality of the people, he may fee sure of entertainment somewhere, yet time is valuable here as elsewhere. Nothing in the shape of School supervision, in my opinion, can be better than our system of School Commissioners, but it should be carried out in its full spirit, to make it truly efficient, and no Commissioner should have a district, the remotest School of which he cannot reach so as to make a visit and get back to his home the same day. No man up here who is fit to be Commissioner at all, can afford in some of our districts to spend the time requisite for a visitation of his district, for anything like the present compensation. Some of our Commissioners, to my knowledge, visit their Schools or attend a meeting of the Board only at a pecuniary sacrifice.

Now all this applies with still greater force when viewed in connection with the duties of the President. I believe it is impossible in so large a territory, with so many natural hindrances, for any one man to exercise an efficient supervision. The Schools must be open in winter time. Then only can our children, from ten years old and upward, be most easily spared from home. And that is just the time, when a man cannot start from this side the great range to go to the other side, with any certainty of getting there or of getting back again. He can make no calculation upon his time. Or even if nothing hinder him, to do any ordinary amount of visitation, will require a vast outlay of time and labor, to say nothing of exposure, personal inconvenience and bodily suffering. To give a clearer idea of the work to be done, I will give some statistics of my own work not given elsewhere. I have met the Board 13 times, made 14 addresses to the people more or less formal, examined 121 teachers (48 men and 73 women) at 7 different places, and 29 different times, written 8 public notices or articles, attended two general conventions, written 313 letters, made 173 visits to the Schools, spending generally half a day at each, and in addition about half that number of visits to School house sites, and in the accomplishment of this work have traveled 4401 miles, 2700 miles chiefly on horseback. Now, as I said I do not know how all this compares with the work done in other counties, but one thing is certain, a great deal of time has been consumed in the saddle, and on the road, which might have been spent to advantage in the School room. It is true, I might have saved some of these miles, if I had known as much before I started as I did when I got back. But in a County 100 miles long by an average of 10 miles wide, it is not easy always to get information unless one goes for it, and then one will often have far to go, and in a County, where there are no sign-posts to guide a traveler, one will often go further than there would otherwise be need of.

Most certainly however, if the Whole County is continued under one President, he should be released from the care of a district. In this County, the President has frequently to be away from home two weeks at a time, sometimes it may be longer. Things in his district occur during these intervals, demanding his attention. Then when he gets home, the general work is delayed, or plan of visitation is broken up in order to attend to the particular work of the district. In a variety of ways the work of the Commissioner interferes with the work of the President, and the County could not help gaining by relieving the President of the labors of a Commissioner.

What I wish however, to impress is this, that for a proper administration of the School law in this County, the territory should be divided. The President should not have so large an area, the Commissioners should have smaller districts. There has long been talk of making two Counties out of Allegany. Whether the time has arrived for carrying such contemplation into effect, I do not know, but certainly nature has divided it, and so far as School purposes go, the time has come for division.

I am all the more free in expressing my convictions relative to this matter, in that I have now no personal interest in it whatever. I anxiously desire to see Allegany County prosper, mentally, morally and socially as she has done, to all outward appearance, physically and commercially. She ought to prosper. There is no people naturally better endowed. The material is here, often not worked at all, often badly worked, still it is here, and all it wants is proper development and culture. Knowledge, mental, moral and social culture, are an unspeakable blessing to any people; much work remains to be done up here. May God give wisdom to all concerned, to do it well.

O. PERINCHIEF,

Pres. of Board of School Commissioners, Allegany Co., Md.

P. S. The Table C of the schedule is imperfect. It is impossible to fill it. Many of the places reported as School houses, are no more School houses than they are stores, or churches, or Odd Fellow halls, being used for one purpose as much as another. The approximate value of School houses, it is also impossible to give.

If the average cost of Schools in this County seems large, it must be remembered, that there is probably not a more expensive County in the State to live in. Our County produces comparatively little of all that is consumed here. The general commodities of life, except coal, cost more here than in our eastern cities. Board is high. Then in the thinly settled districts, the Schools are small. On the one hand, the number of teachers is increased, on the other the cost of living.

In reply to Circular No. 6, asking information in regard to certain questions, I have the honor to report:

Topic 1st. " What has been done towards organizing the County High School?" Answer. Previous to the resignation of Rev. Mr. Perinchief, a Committee was appointed, consisting of himself and Rev. Mr. Ross, to wait upon the trustees of Allegany County Academy, to see if they would not be willing to transfer the Academy to the Board of Commissioners.

The reply of the trustees to the Committee was, that for the present they could not, that they had employed a teacher for one year, commencing with the 1st of September, 1866, thus leaving the board to infer that, had the application been made in time, it would have been complied with.

At the proper time, the subject will again be pressed upon the trustees, to transfer the said Academy to the Board, and I think an influence can be brought to bear upon them, so that they will not hesitate to comply with the wishes of the Board, seconded by those of the citizens.

Topic 2d. "What action has been instituted, to secure the continuance of the local tax for prolonging the School
terms, &c. ? "

Answer. I had a notice published in all our County papers, calling the attention of the citizens and friends of
Education to the fact, that after January 1st, 1867, our Schools would be entirely dependent for their support on the funds derived from the State alone, unless the citizens of the County express their willingness at the November Election, or a County School tax.

A meeting of our citizens was also called on Monday evening, the 15th, to consider the subject, at which time resolutions were passed, a copy of which I sent you, instructing the friends of Education how to vote to secure the desired end at the coming election. I also called upon our leading politicians and pressed the claims of our Schools, but received no encouragement from them. Not receiving any aid from that source, I had a sufficient number of tickets of both the political parties printed with the necessary words upon them, and had a plan perfected throughout the County to hold meetings in every School district prior to the election, so that the friends of the Public Schools could meet and mature their plans for work on November the 6th.

At a time like the present, when political questions are agitating the whole country from end to end, and absorb every other topic, it is with much solicitude that I await the results of the action of our citizens for or against a Local Tax, yet trusting that our labor will not have been in vain.

Topic 3d. '' What are your resources for building School houses, or what plan do you propose as most likely to accomplish speedily the essential work? "

Answer. At the present time we have no resources of any kind, and will not have, unless by an act from the Legislature.

The plan thus far adopted by the Board has been where the citizens have erected houses according to proposed plans, that the Board should take the buildings at first cost as soon as funds accumulated, or a law was passed to provide funds for such purposes. In order to hasten the work, I would suggest that the Commissioners, with the State Superintendent at their head, go to Annapolis at the coming session of the Legislature, and press the importance of passing an act requiring every male citizen over 21 years of age, to pay a Poll Tax of one dollar throughout the State, in addition to any other act that may be passed for School purposes; thus in a short time we would have a revenue at our command to place the Schools beyond any wants.

Having read the Report of last year's work previous to its being sent you, I have not much to add to what it contained, save that there is manifestly a much better feeling towards the Public Schools this year than last; for instance, in one Commissioner's district last year in order not to have School, when the teachers presented themselves to open their Schools, citizens would ask an enormotis price for boarding, so that in some cases teachers had to leave. But this fall, the same School districts have made arrangements to furnish board free for their teachers.

I am also satisfied, that at the end of this year's work it will be found, that there has been an increase of attendance of children in the Schools all over the County.

Our teachers as a class this year are 50 pr. cent, in advance of last year, and the Public Schools are supported this fall by some who were formerly their opposers.

One of the most influential citizens congratulated me the other day in the success of our city Schools. Says he, "this fall is really only the commencement of the Public Schools, heretofore I have stood aloof from the Public Schools." But finding that we had some system in our Schools, he thought he would give them a trial and now is so well satisfied, that were things reversed, could he send free to the Private
Schools, and pay to send to the Public Schools, he would prefer the latter.

SUPPLEMENTARY REPORT.

It may not be amiss to add a few remarks as a Supplemental Report to the report already furnished you by my predecessor. This, the second year of our Public Free School System, has just closed the fall term of the Schools.

By comparing the work and Schools of the present year, with the same of last year to the end of the fall term, we can form a correct conclusion, whether the Schools at this time are in a better condition, whether the citizens of our County manifest more interest in Public Education, whether the School system has worked its way to the better feelings of the citizens of the County, than one year ago.

To this, I can safely answer in the affirmative. The Fall term of 1865 found our Schools attended by about 4000 children. The reports of our Schools ending the Fall term, of 1866, show an attendance of over 5000 children, an increase of over 1000 children for the time of last year's report, and many more yet to come in during the winter term.

In many instances citizens stood aloof from the Public Schools last year, the same persons have nobly come forward this year to their support, and are numbered among the Schools' best and firmest friends, and would not today exchange our School system for the best abroad, nor would they be willing to transfer their children from the Public Schools to the Private Schools, which they have heretofore encouraged, even if they could send free of tuition, and pay to send to the Public Schools.

They see in the system, which our State Board has furnished us, the elements by which the Schools of Maryland can be placed on a better footing, and in a much shorter period, than those of any of our older sister States that have been experimenting with systems for twenty or thirty years.

They find live teachers in our Schools, who can teach not only all the branches taught in our Private Schools, but can teach them better; they find our manner of instruction is more solid, more thorough, more systematic, than any of the Private or Select Schools, that they teach more successfully that which it is necessary for every body to learn.

We? let these facts stand broad and free for the opponents of the Public Schools to get around them, if they can. Many were the doubts of even the friends of our Public Schools when the new system was introduced one year ago. Some thought it would not live to enter upon a second year; its enemies were sadly and its friends happily disappointed.

It not only entered upon its mission for the second year, but it entered with new friends, new children, new hopes, bright prospects, and a will to surmount every obstacle that may present itself. One of the best tests to show the feelings of the citizens of Allegany County in regard to the School system, was made manifest at the late November Election, when the question '' For a County School Tax'' or against a tax, was submitted to the voters of the County. Some not very favorably disposed towards the system, imagined that the proper time had now come when by a coup de plume they could give it such a blow, that it would go reeling to the ground. But after the contest was over, the smoke ended, the sky revealed a bright face and the Official Returns reported 117 votes in the County against a School tax, whilst a very large majority was given in favor of a local tax for School purposes. This too at a time when the political questions of the day absorbed every other subject.

Let that vote stand forever to the honor and credit of our Mountain County.

The citizens by their votes manifested a spirit worthy the mountain air we breathe. They want good Schools and are willing to be taxed for them.

Having thus expressed themselves in favor of being taxed, the question is left with our legislators, whether they will come to our aid, whether they will pass an act granting the wishes of our citizens.

The citizens of Allegany County have not only manifested a noble spirit in sustaining our Schools by voting for a tax, but in some parts of the County have built new houses, which are the pride of the district. In some sections old houses have been remodeled, and made more comfortable than they were before.

With the improved feelings of our citizens in favor of Public Education, there is felt, more than at any previous time, the want of a sufficient number of good School houses. In many School districts where houses are needed most, the citizens are "least able to build, and with the heavy drain upon the treasury in the way of rent, repairs, fuel, books and incidental expenses, the School board can do but little in the way of building. If we had good houses, the system of Public Instruction could be made an entire success in Allegany County.

The State in providing a system of Free Instruction, has only thought in part for its boys and girls.

The State has not fulfilled its sacred duty to its children, until it has provided the proper legislation to give to all the children comfortable houses, and required parents under a penalty to send their children regularly for a specified time. The State that will first provide such legislation, will be fifty years in advance of any of its sister States.

To make our system more nearly perfect, for God does not prosper any thing without his love and mercy, would it not be well to require the reading of the Bible in our Schools mornings and evenings.

No system of education is perfect unless the heart as well as the head is properly trained and cultivated. We should also have some small work on Calisthenics for our Schools, not only for the improvement of the physical system, but also to give life and variety to the School room.

When we attend to the physical, the mental and the moral nature, then will we have a system beyond all price.

A sound mind in a sound body with a cultivated heart, are the necessities of the day.

In order to accomplish the above, I would suggest in addition to the reading of the Scriptures and a work on Calisthenics, that the State Board of Public Instruction should prepare for the Schools of Maryland a small Catechism, containing the great fundamental principles or beliefs common to all Christian Denominations.

Unless we have something of this kind, many of our teachers will fail to introduce sacred subjects, or place them before their pupils. But with a small book of this kind, the precepts of our Saviour would be placed before all the children of the State.

Before concluding this report, I would remark, that as my predecessor has placed before you most of the subjects of importance in his report, it is unnecessary for me to lay them again before you.

I would also state, that with a fund of $12,000 less this year, than was at the disposal of the Board last year, we shall not be able to continue our Schools quite six months. I also herewith return thanks to the citizens of Allegany County for their kindness and hospitality extended to me wherever I have met them in the discharge of my official duties.
Very respectfully,

JAMES M. SHOBER,
President of Board of School Commissioners,

Allegany County, Md.
Cumberland, Md.,

November 24th, 1866.

 

Maryland State Archives Volume 133, Pages 3445 to 3453

 

Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly 1868

JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES February 13, 1868.

The House met, and was opened with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Hammond.

Present at the call of the roll the following members: Messrs. Stewart, (Speaker,) Loker, Boyer, Beck, Iglehart, Deale, Bond of Calvert, Mitchell, Chapman, Nicolai, Slingluff, Poteet, Holmes, Biddison, Rose, Lowe, Corbin, Horsey, Percy, Stewart, of Dorchester, Davis, of Cecil, Touchstone, Richards, Mearns, Keech, Guy, Williams, Sudler, Legg, Holloway, Smith, of Worcester, Albaugh, Wenner, Bowlus, Maynard, Byers, Nelson, Vandiver, Brown, Moore, Hubbard, Sanner, Wentz, Morse, Blake, Latrobe, Bond, of Baltimore city, Colton, Mullin, Chaisty, McElroy, Harig, Markland, Marshall, Syester, Coudy, Herbert, Rohrer, Seibert, Riggs, Offutt, Conley, McCulloh, Devecmon, Trimble, Hall, Davis, of Carroll, Jordan, Worthington, Harden, Clark, Jones, Fooks, Hopkins—74.

The Speaker laid before the House an abstract of accounts of the Baltimore and Havre-de-Grace Turnpike Company for 1867.

Also, abstract of accounts of the Baltimore and Harford Turnpike Company.

Which were severally read and referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.

Mr. McCulloh presented the petition of Jacob Hoblitzell and 50 other citizens of Frostburg, Allegany County, against the repeal of the funeral law.

Which was read and referred to the Committee on Corporations.

Mr. Trimble presented the petition of Joseph Purser, and 54 other citizens of Mount Savage, Allegany County, against the repeal of the funeral law.

Which was read and referred to the Committee on Corporations.

Mr. Jordan presented a petition from L. P. Slingluff, Jos. A. Stouffer, Dr. E. L. Brown, and 25 other citizens of New
Windsor District, Carroll County, opposing the repeal of the law by which carriages going to and returning from funerals are exempt from the payment of tolls.

Which, was read and referred to the Committee on. Corporations.

Maryland State Archives Volume 142, Page 370

 

Proceedings and Acts of the General Assembly, 1870
JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS OF THE HOUSE OF DELEGATES. January 24, 1870.

Mr. Percy presented the petition of W. W. Crow, Chas. A. Houston and 122 others, praying for the passage of a law
prohibiting the sale of all intoxicating liquors in the town of Mount Savage, and within a circumference of two miles of said town, in district No. 12, Allegany county.

Which was read, and referred to the Allegany delegation.

Maryland State Archives Volume 188, Page 118 and 119

 

Maryland Geological Survey, Volume 1, 1897

The manufacture of fire-brick has been one of the characteristic industries of Maryland for 50 years, and the brick made from the fire-clays of the Pottsville formation in Allegany county are regarded as the best in this country. The oldest fire-brick concern in Allegany County, that at Mount Savage, was organized in 1841 and was the first of its kind in the United States. The main fire-clay deposit lies near the bottom of the coal measures and the clay bed ranges from 5 to 20 feet in thickness. It is divided into two varieties, designated as the hard and soft clay. The hard clay is of a gray color, shading almost to black; it is non-plastic, unless ground into an impalpable powder, and disintegrates but little upon exposure to the weather. The soft clay is very plastic, much lighter in color and crumbles rapidly under atmospheric influences. The impurities in this clay are fewer and smaller in amount than in most other fire clays. The two most valuable characteristics of this clay are its freedom from potash and the large proportion of silica to alumina. The clay industry has grown rapidly in importance during recent years, and the value of the output during 1896 was $1, 753, 003.

Maryland State Archives Volume 423, Page 215

 

 

Session Laws, 1898 Session LLOYD LOWNDES, ESQUIRE, GOVERNOR.


CHAPTER 80.
AN ACT to declare the sanction of the General Assembly of Maryland to sundry gifts, bequests and devises to the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Maryland.

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That the sanction of the General Assembly of Maryland be and the same is hereby declared, given and granted to the following gifts, bequests and devises to the Convention of the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Maryland:
1. To the bequest of Mary G. Perine : "a." of the sum of two thousand dollars for Diocesan Missions ; "b." one thousand dollars for superannuated and disabled clergy, and "c." one thousand dollars for the support of the Bishop.
2. To the gift of J. Leroy White and wife, of two lots of ground on High street, in the city of Baltimore.
3. To the bequest of the late Mrs. Harriett E. Weld, to the Protestant Episcopal Bishop of Maryland, and by him transferred to the Protestant Episcopal Church of the Diocese of Maryland, two thousand dollars, for the benefit of the Episcopal Church and Sunday School at Mount Savage, in Allegany county.

SEC. 2. And be it enacted, that this Act shall take effect from the date of its passage.

Approved March 22, 1898.

Maryland State Archives Volume 482, Pages 164 and 165


______________________________________________________________________________________

Joseph A Thomas. A Digest of the Maryland Statutes.

1849, c. 469, incorporating the Cumberland and Pittsburg Rail Road Company. Lynn et al. v. Mount Savage Iron Company et al., 34 Md., 603.

Maryland State Archives Volume 387, Page 251

 

Session Laws, 1950 WM. PRESTON LANE, JR., GOVERNOR

CHAPTER 99
(House Bill 142)

AN ACT to add four new sections to Article 1 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland (1930 Edition), title
"Allegany County", to be under sub-title "Mt. Savage Special Tax Area", said new sections to be known as Sections 491A-491D, inclusive, and to follow immediately after Section 491 of said Article, creating a special taxing area or district, to be known at Mt. Savage Special Tax Area, providing for a Citizens' Committee and for the levying of a tax for street lights, and making this Act subject to a referendum in said tax area.

WHEREAS, the populous Mt. Savage area of Allegany County is seriously in need of electric light facilities; and

WHEREAS, the experience of the citizens of this community and also surveys conducted by the State Roads Commission demonstrate that the absence of such street lighting facilities in this community represents a clear and present danger to the welfare and safety of the citizens of Allegany County; and

WHEREAS, there seems to be no practical way to get such street lighting facilities for the community of Mt. Savage other than by creating a Special Tax District and collecting a special tax for this purpose; and

WHEREAS, the need for street lighting facilities and for the creation of a Special Tax Area to provide such facilities is one of acute emergency to the residents of the community of Mt. Savage in Allegany County; now therefore

SECTION 1. Be it enacted by the General Assembly of Maryland, That four new sections be and they are hereby added to Article 1 of the Code of Public Local Laws of Maryland (1930 Edition), title "Allegany County", to be under sub-title "Mt. Savage Special Tax Area", said new sections to be EXPLANATION: Italics indicate new matter added to existing law. [Brackets] indicate matter stricken from existing law. CAPITALS indicate amendments to bill. Strike-out indicates matter stricken out of bill. known as Sections 491A-491D, inclusive, to follow immediately after Section 491 of said Article, and to read as follows: 491 A. For the purpose of this sub-title, the Mt. Savage Special Tax Area, in Allegany County, as hereinafter described, shall constitute a special taxing area or district, and shall be deemed and taken to comprise certain parcels of land, as follows: All that tract or parcel of ground surrounding most of Mt. Salvage, SAVAGE, Allegany County, State of Maryland, and more particularly described as follows, to wit: Beginning for same at a point standing South 35° 50' East 500 feet from the center of New Town concrete bridge, thence South 54° W West 3,000 feet, thence South 72° West 2,700 feet, thence North 19° West 4,100 feet, thence North 72° East 3,150 feet, to a point in line with alleyway in rear of Harry Turleys lot extended in a northerly direction, thence with the center line of said alley and parallel to High or Columbia Street, South 19° East 2,800 feet, thence North 54° SO' East 2,400 feet, more or less until it intersects a line drawn North 35° 50' East WEST from center of said New Town concrete bridge, the beginning of this tract of ground, thence reversing said line South 35° 50' East 700 feet more or less to beginning. 491B. (a) The Board of County Commissioners of Allegany County are authorized, empowered and directed to levy and cause to be collected from the property owners, at the time of the County Tax Levy for the year 1950, or any succeeding year, within said described area of the Mt. Savage Special Tax Area as created in this sub-title, such amounts not exceeding twenty cents on each one hundred dollars worth of assessable property in said part of the Mt. Salvage SAVAGE Special Tax Area, Allegany County, Maryland, as may be requested by a majority vote of the resident real estate owners of legal age, who are assessed as owners of real estate in such area present at a meeting called for such purpose by the Citizens' Committee hereinafter provided for, due and proper notice of which meeting shall have been given in advance of the meeting. Such taxes shall be collected as all county taxes in said county are collected and shall be paid over by the Board of County Commissioners to the Treasurer of said Citizens' Committee of the Mt. Salvage SAVAGE Special Tax Area, to be selected from among their number by a majority of the members of said Citizens' Committee, or by their successors to be selected as herein provided. Said Treasurer selected by such Committee shall give bond to said Board of County Commissioners to be approved by a Judge of the Circuit Court of Allegany County, in a penal sum to be fixed by said Judge, conditioned upon the faithful discharge of the duties of the said Treasurer. (b) The taxes collected under the provisions of this section shall be used by the said Citizens' Committee for lights in said Mt. Salvage SAVAGE Special Tax Area. 491C. (a) From and after the effective date of this Act, until the first Monday in April, 1951, the said Citizens' Committee of the Mt. Salvage SAVAGE Special Tax Area shall be constituted as follows: Colin C. Bowers, Patrick J. Sullivan, Thomas Stephens, Raymond Himmelright and Wilbur E. Logsdon, and the first named shall, until otherwise directed by said Committee, be and constituted the Chairman thereof, each of whom shall qualify as such committeemen by taking an oath before any officer in Allegany County authorized by
law to administer oaths diligently and faithfully to discharge all duties of the said office. In case any such persons shall fail to qualify within thirty days after the effective date of this Act, or if any of their successors shall fail to qualify within thirty days after his election as committeeman, as hereinafter provided, or in case of any vacancy through death, resignation or otherwise, the remaining committeemen shall fill such vacancy by the appointment of a resident of said Mt. Savage Special Tax Area, of legal age, and owner of real property in said Mt. Salvage SAVAGE Special Tax Area, who shall hold office for such term or unexpired term. (b) On the first Monday in April, 1961, two members of the said Citizens' Committee shall be elected to serve for one year, and three members to serve for two years. On the first Monday in April, 1952, and on the first Monday in April of each succeeding year, an election shall be held at which committeemen shall be elected for two years to succeed those whose terms expire and which committeemen shall be elected to fill any vacancies which may exist, but the committeemen so elected to fill such vacancies shall serve for the remainder of the unexpired term only. The election shall be by ballot in a manner to be prescribed by said committee. Only residents of legal age of said Mt. Salvage SAVAGE Special Tax Area who shall have resided therein for not less than six 'months next preceding said election., shall be entitled to vote for or hold office of committeemen in said Mt. Salvage SAVAGE Special Tax Area. Following each election each newly elected member of said Committee shall qualify by taking the oath prescribed as aforesaid. Said Committee shall select from their members a chairman, secretary, treasurer and any other officers they may deem necessary. 491D. (a) The Citizens- Committee provided for in Section 491C shall have the power and authority to provide, by contract or otherwise, for lights in said Mt. Savage Special Tax Area and to pay for same out of the taxes levied by the County Commissioners of Allegany County and paid over to the Treasurer of said Citizens' Committee. The said Treasurer shall pay out of the funds in his possession only upon the order of said Citizens' Committee and for the purposes authorized by this sub-title. (b) The Treasurer of said Citizens' Committee shall deposit all funds coming into his possession as such Treasurer in such bank as may be approved by said Committee and shall not be paid out except by check duly signed by him as Treasurer and countersigned by the Chairman, or by some member of said Committee acting as Chairman, and so authorized to act by resolution of said Committee, which must first be spread upon the minutes of said Committee.

SEC. 2. And be it further enacted, That before the provisions of this Act shall become effective, the County Commissioners and the Board of Election Supervisors of Allegany County shall submit the question to the qualified voters of that part of Election District No. 13 of said County which is described hereinabove in this Act as the "Mt. Savage Special Tax Area". Said referendum shall be held on the first Tuesday in April, 1950, at places to be designated by the Board of Election Supervisors. Due notice of said referendum shall be given by public posters in the said Mt. Savage Special Tax Area. The cost of said referendum shall Be paid out of the general funds of the County Commissioners and said referendum shall be conducted generally in accordance with the regular election procedure of said County except as modified herein. Printed on the ballots there shall appear the words "For a Special Tax Area" and "Against a Special Tax Area" with a blank square opposite and to the right of each set of said
words so that the voters may suitably indicate their votes on said question. If a majority of the persons voting on said question shall cast their ballots marked "For a Special Tax Area", then this Act shall be immediately of full force and effect; but if a majority of the persons voting on said question shall case their ballots marked "Against a Special Tax Area", then this Act shall be null and void and of no further effect whatsoever.

SEC. 3. And be it further enacted, That this Act is hereby declared to be an acute emergency measure and necessary for the immediate preservation of the public health and safety and having been passed by a yea and nay vote, supported by three-fifths of all the members elected to each of the two Houses of the General Assembly of Maryland, the same shall take effect from the date of its passage.

Approved March 28, 1950.

 

Maryland State Archives Volume 587, Pages 437 to 441

 

Information from the Maryland Manuals.

1884: Justice of the Peace, John Lavelte and James Warren appointed March 28,1884. Term 2 years.

No Information

1896: Justices of the Peace, William W. Crow and Joseph G. Smith. Served till 1898.

1898: Justice of the Peace, Joseph G. Smith. Served till 1900.

1900: Justices of the Peace, Joseph G. Smith and John R. Workman. Served till 1908.

1908: Justices of the Peace, John R. Workman and Albert M. Uhl. Served till 1910.

1910: Justices of the Peace, Joseph G. Smith and Albert M. Uhl. Served till 1912.

1912: Justices of the Peace, Peter Boyle and William Lambie. Served till 1914.

1914: Justice of the Peace, Peter J. Boyle. Served till 1935.

1935: Justice of the Peace, Robert C. Pollock. Served till 1939

1939: Trial Magistrate Aloysius Monahan. Served till 1951.

1951: Trial Magistrate Howard R. Stevens. Served till 1959

1959: Trial Magistrate, Thomas E. Stephens. Served till 1965

1965: Trial Magistrate, John W. Hutzell. Served till 1967.

1967: Trial Magistrate John Helmick. Served till 1969.

1969: Trial Magistrate, John R. Hutzell. Served till 1971.

 

Information from the Maryland Manuals.

1900: Population 2,646

1910: Population 3,037

1920: Population 3,185

1930: Population 3,100

1940: Population 3,245

1950: Population 2,094

1960: Population 1,639

1970: Population 1,413

1980: Population 1,640

 

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