The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-03-08
From the Baltimore Gazette.
The Boom Bill.

The Bill known as the Boom Bill, which re-
Gently passed the Senate, is now in the House.
1t is to be hoped, for the interest of Hartford
county, of the Eastern Shore, of the city of Bal
timore and of the State generally that it will
soon become law. The object in view is to
control for this State the immense lumber trade
now almost monopolized by Pennsylvania,
whereby employment will be created in Mary
land for a large number Of laborers and mechan-
les, an important stimulus will be given TO
certain sections of Hartford county, the price of
lumber will be greatly reduced to the Eastern
Shore, to Baltimore city and indeed TO all por-
tons of the State, and whereby very consider
able addition will be made TO the taxable proper
ty of the State. The undertaking, AS originally
entered into, was a private. one and was COM
menced with that spirit which is the parent of
all enterprise, the parties interested having de-
termined 10 assert their right to bring at least
their own timber to tide-water, with or without
the assistance of State legislation. 1t has unfor-
tunately been hitherto regarded with too little
attention by the public generally and few peopl,
who are not directly interested in the price Of
lumber, have taken any trouble TO examine into
the merits of the project have any idea of It's
very great Importance.
The immense lumber trade of PENNSYLVANIA is
now controlled 10y the booms at Williamsport
and Lockhaven. very cons derable portion of
the lumber, which is cut in the forests OF North
western Pennsylvani is rolled into the river in
logs, each of which is marked with the owners
private mark and foated down the river at the
time of the spring RISE in the months of March
and April. This lumber is caught by the booms
in the river and these, when the lumber has ceased
moving are opened, and the lumber OF the differ
ent owners taken out and distributed to them, on
the payment of a small boomage of about ST rs
per thousand feet. Some idea of the immense
amount of logs which are caught at Williams
port may be had, when it is known that this
boom extends for four miles up the river and that
in the spring of the year it is often filed The rest
OF the lumber is sawed on the spot and built in
to arks and lafls, in which shape it is foated
down the river past the booms us far as Mariet-
Ia, Columbia, Port Deposit or some other point
near tide water
At Wiamsport the logs which are stopped
there are worked up. For this purpose q hum
Der of sawmills have been erected. a large
amount of capital has been invested and large
demand for labor has been creatuds Williams
port, which few years ago, was comparative
ly an unimportant village, has since the erection
of its boom rapidly increased in population until
now it has become an important inland town,
| has very large and extensively built hotel and
street railway, and maniests other equally de-
cided signs Of progress Among the many adj
vantages derived oy Pennsylvania capital from
| the Willamsport Boom may also be- mentioned
the large amount OF freight that is thrown over
Pennsylvania. roads by the conversion of timber