History of Western Maryland. J. Thomas Scharf
to present memorial, Messrs. Ambrose, Sanner, Higgins, Shaw, and Mrs. E. Clarke.
The statistics of the public schools of Allegany County, as returned by the census of 1880, are as follows: whole number of elementary schools, 78; schools for colored children, 3; whole number of school buildings, 78; number of buildings having more than one study-room, 19; number of buildings having two or more recitation-rooms, 19; whole number of seats now provided, 8000; number of schools reported in good condition, 68; number reported in bad condition, 10; number of white teachers, 124, of whom 60 are male and 64 female; colored teachers, 3, all males; whole number of teachers, white and colored, 127; number of teachers educated at normal schools, 3; number of teachers not educated at normal schools but holding certificates, 124; average of teachers' salaries per month, $36.50; average number of months employed, 7.11.
The statistics of illiteracy, as returned by the Census Department, are as follows: white population over ten years of age who cannot read, 2829; white population over ten years of age who cannot write, total white, 3423, of whom 2008 are native and 1415 foreign; total colored, 614; grand total of white and colored, 4037; white population who cannot write: from ten to fourteen years, male, 244; female, 231; total, 475 from fifteen to twenty years, male, 148; female, 165 total, 313: twenty-one years and over, male, 1031 female, 1604; total, 2635: total colored population who cannot write: from ten to fourteen years, male, 31; female, 37; total, 68: from fifteen to twenty years, male, 30; female, 27; total, 57: twenty-one years and over, male, 234; female, 255; total, 489. The whole number of pupils in attendance during 1881 was: white males, 3881; white females, 3194; total white, 7075; colored males, 95; colored females, 78; total colored, 173; making the grand total 7248. The average attendance daily was: white, 4500; colored, 123; total, 4623. Of the pupils 146 were under six years of age, and 507 were over sixteen years of age. The average number of days during which school was taught during the year was 165. The amount realized from State taxes was $17,545.08; from county, town, and city taxes, dog taxes, and other public funds, $32,000; from all other sources, $925.26; making the total $50,470.34. The expenditures amounted to $45,172.59, and the total value of school property was $305,800.
Population and Financial Statistics. — According to the census of 1880, the total population of Allegany County is 38,012, of whom 19,223 are males and 18,789 are females. The native inhabitants number 31,023, and the foreign 6989. Of the population 36,481 are white, and 1531 colored.
The tax levy for 1881 and financial exhibit of the county were as follows: Entire levy of 1881, $131,204.31, which, upon a taxable basis of $18,423,033.60, places the county taxes at 71 ½ cents on the $100, which, added to the State tax of 18 ¾ cents on the $100, makes a total of State and county tax of 90 cents on the 8100, or four cents less than 1880. The items of the levy are the following:
Almshouse $5,900.81
Appropriations to corporations 3,500.00
Attorneys' fees 2,410.03
Clerk's office 3,705.29
Collectors' commissions 5,202.06
Contingent fund 6,883.89
Constables' fees 1,789.14
County commissioners 2,990.00
Court-house expenses 982.57
Court-house and jail fund 7,400.00
Coroner's juries 83.50
Election expenses 449.38
Fox and Cat Scalps 142.10
Jail expenses 449.38
Jury and witness fund 15,389.17
Magistrates' fees 2,091.33
Miscellaneous 3,120.48
New assessments 84.00
Orphans' Court 1,936.24
Outside pensions 3,567.67
Public schools 35,000.00
Registration officers 615.00
Removed cases 824.00
Road levies for 1881. 7,800.00
Road balances 612.15
Road and bridge expenses 954.55
Sheriff's fees 5,424.62
Special road and bridge levies 7,750.00
Sundry charities 3,516.85
Taxes paid in error 129.53
Witnesses 214.66
Total $131, 264.11
Of the appropriations to corporations $500 was to Cumberland, $2000 to same, $750 to Frostburg, and $250 to Westernport. The bounties for animals and birds included foxes, hawks, cats, and owls. Up to and including the quarter ending Oct. 10, 1881, the receipts amounted to $102,147.38, leaving after expenditures, a cash balance of $36,8(51.31. The resources of the county on the 15th of October, 1881, amounted to $92,659.48, against which there were liabilities for the same amount. The bonded indebtedness of the county amounted to $41,000. The receipts for public school purposes in Allegany County for the year ending Sept. 30, 1881, amounted to $61,006.14; leaving, after disbursements, a cash balance of $156.10.
The yield of the cereals in Allegany County, according to the census of 1880, was as follows:
Acres. Bushels.
Buckwheat 1130 11,368
Indian corn 8661 206,949
Oats 3772 52,570
Rye 2832 19,165
Wheat 7549 67,458
Tobacco 2 1,116
The average yield of wheat and corn per acre was: wheat, nine bushels; corn, twenty-eight bushels.
Court Houses, Jails, Almshouse. — When Thomas Beall, of Samuel, laid out the town of Cumberland, Oct. 4, 1784, he specially set apart four lots for the public buildings of the county, then expected to be shortly erected. In 1793 the Legislature, by a special act, appointed Benjamin Tomlinson, George Dent, William McMahon, John Lynn, and Thomas Beall commissioners to make the plans and contract for the erection of a court-house, and to have general supervision of the building of the same. In each of the years 1794, '95, and '96 two hundred pounds were levied on the taxable property of the county to pay for its construction. It was built on a lot adjoining the one on which now stands the academy, on the north side of Washington Street. The upper story, built of brick, was used for a court-room, and the lower part, made of stone, for a jail. It was finally completed in 1799 at a cost of £612 10s. Until it was finished a temporary jail was established in an old log house on the opposite side of the road from Abraham Faw's tavern and a little west of it, on Green Street. It was built in the French and Indian war, and had been a guard-house when the soldiers were at the fort. The courts met at John Graham's house, Mr. Faw's tavern, and at other places until the completion of the temple of justice. The General Assembly, in 1833, passed an act for the building of a new court-house, and the commissioners to have charge of its erection were John G. Hoffman, Bene S. Pigman, Martin Rizer, and John Hoye. A levy of five thousand dollars was made, of which one fifth was to be collected each year. Strenuous exertions were made by some of the citizens to have the new edifice erected on the east of Will's Creek, but without avail. Digging of the foundations and the other preparatory work was begun in 1836. Work progressed very slowly, and in January, 1839, a petition signed by one hundred and forty-three citizens was presented to the Legislature praying for a change of its location to the east side of the creek. A counter petition against the change of site signed by three hundred and ninety persons was sent up, and the General Assembly decided against a removal. The new building was completed in the fall of 1839. The Legislature in 1850 passed an act for the purchase of land upon which to build an almshouse, and also for the rebuilding of the jail. In 1872 the courthouse was enlarged and built over at an expenditure of some fifty thousand