178 JOURNAL OF PROCEEDINGS [Feb. 8

with a reputable lawyer to defend us, do herewith offer the
use of our water for electric purposes at 14 per cent, per kilo-
meter, with the following provisos: that the State of Maryland
furnishes the plant and wire and strings the same in this
said section in question, for lighting purposes. I also offer
the use of our stone, grey, according to the law, at the market
value, measured according to the law, for road purposes, for
improvement of this said section in question, with bond for
fifty years, enumeration to be settled by the State of Mary-
land monthly with bond from the State of Maryland under
contract drawn up by a reputable lawyer of our own selec-
tion. My people in Carroll county are willing that you can
advance the taxation from 87 cents, the present rate, to $1. 25
per $100, providing you give theni the improvements they re-
quire in roads and electric services, with my water and with
our stone at the prices mentioned in this letter of today, net
to these gentlemen, of which I specify. If you require the
names of the said gentlemen in question, I take the extreme
pleasure at any moment to forward you the said names of the
gentlemen we are interested with.

This is an exceptionally good chance for the State of Mary-
land. We do not care to transact any business of any calibre
through Westminster court or Westminster commission, for
the best reasons known to ourselves. We would prefer to
have the business transacted through Baltimore authorities
if possible. We have written letters prior to this time and
they have gone to Westminster and never been recognized.

I, Frank A. Brown, as a full-fledged partner of twenty-four
of the richest gentlemen in the said section mentioned in this
letter in question, do hereby in the eyes of the law prior to
making any deals for these said goods in question, that we
must receive a letter either one way or the other, otherwise
these twenty-four rich gentlemen will proceed to the law of
the United States Supreme Court and have you show cause
why you do not pay any attention to men of standing that
own something that no one else has in this same section.

Excuse this broad abbreviation, as all business men trans-
act business upon a business basis and we would like to have
you read this proposition before the Senate of Maryland, upon
receipt thereof.

Address all communications to F. A. Brown, Finksburg,
R. F. D. No. 1, care of John Harman, one of my partners. By
so doing you will oblige,

Yours respectfully,

F. A. BROWN.