The aegis & intelligencer. [volume] (Bel Air, Md.) 1864-1923, 1867-12-06
"sleepY hollow" variety,

creation but of yesterday, as it were, il
well worthy visit One year agu the
spot where most of the Improvements have
been erected was, for the most part, soil
tary wood, and the only buildings near it
a stone mansion and few outbuildings.-
Now the woods have disappeared, and the
air OF this once very quiet place daily re
sounds with the hum of industry and &C.
tive life. A portion of the lands have
been staked off for town lots, iutersected
by avenues, ON the lines of which are rap.
idly rising neat and comfortable dwellings
for the accommodation of tie busy hives
OF Industrious workmen whose labor has
achieved such wonders iu the short space
Of one year.
Darlington is most beautifully situated
on high ground, commanding fine view
of the bay. 1t has an extensive water
frontage of some six miles, partly on the
bay aud Swan Greek, with ample depth for
vessels of large size. The shore is bid
and rises almost uniformly to height of
about forty feet. Ga these bluffs are To-
Gated large number of mill sites, each
including about l6 acres of land, for the
storage of lumber. Three of the very finest
saw mills in this country have been erect
ed, and are now in full operation. A
fourth Is in progress of construction, and
others are projected, as also other manu-
featuring establishments.
Some distance back from the water line
the ground is, aswe have said, laid off into
town lots, with streets aud avenues arran-
god to run at right angles from an avenue
called Railroad Avenue, the road to ira
verse which will shortly be built and con.
meet the town with the Philadelphia and
Baltimore Railroad, that passes only about
two miles off.
The Company owning this tract of land
are acting under charter procured at the
last session of the Legislature with the IT,
tic Vi the "Maryland Land and Emigra-
ton Company" Their tract embraces
about l,4O0 acres, including in addition to
Darlington farm, the estate formerly known
as Belle View" which, until fow
months ago, was in possession Of Mr..
Davis, said to be cousin of the leader of
the rebellion j.; and also Plumb Point, on
the south side of Swan Creek, which
gives the Company full control of the
mouth of this stream.
Several of the corporators have already
improved some Of their mill sites on Swan
, Creek b. creating thereon worry lo~so -. y
substantial saw mills,<of stone and brick,
Of immense capacity. Three of these
mills have been in operation for several
months, and are now turning out from
forty to Fifty thousand feet of lumber each
per diem. An inspection of these mills
we found to be very interesting. The FIRST
visited was that of Messrs. Hawley, Blan-
chard & Co., Of Baltimore. This mill
is most solidly built of stone, and very
thoroughly equipped with steam engines of
great power, and various kinds of sawiDe
machinery of the most approved descrip,
ton. ...
The next establishment visited, was the
saw mill of Messrs. Henry James a. Co.,
of Baltimore; and the third, that of
Massrs. Kraig Il Blanchard, of Philadel-
pbia. All Of these saw-mills are similar
iarly situated, but differ somewhat in their
construction and interior arrangement, ac-
cording to the views and experience of
each of their thoroughly practiced owners.
Messrs. James Il Co.'s mill, like that of
Messrs. Hawley, Blanchard & Co., is
mostly of stone, but that of Messrs. Kraig
& Blanchard is built of brick, manufac-
tured on tie spot from an excellent clay
found here in abundance.
4 fourth mill is in progress of erection
bv Mossrs. Chas. Raustead & Co.,, of Will
Transport, Pa, and will ere long be adding
its quota to the daily product OF this luui-
Der depot. .-..
Ea;h of the saw mills are provided with
numerous ines OF railroad track, con.
s,racted Of light l6 pound L rails, start.
ipg from the saving platforms of each es-
adjustment, and thence leading to every
portion of the grounds set apart for the
tpiiug of lumber. Thus, as fast as the
various varieties Of lumber are produced,
ii is conveyed on small platform cars to
the lumbcr yards and properly Piled
The grading of these tracks, which are
constructed on plank Staging, is SO arran.
ged that as soon as Car receives it's
load it is only necessary for the attendants
to give it slight push and off it speeds,
by its own gravity, to the desired point
The otfal, or waste of the mills, which
acoumalates rapidly, is also carried off in
the same manner.
Each mill is furnis hed with one or
more inclined planes some 200 feet long,
leading down to the log basin. These
inclined planes are provided with train
ways and heavy trucks upon which, by
means of machinery and steam power, the
ponderous logs are drawn up to the mills,
where, in few minutes, the spectator is
amazed to see them reduced to piles of
boards, laths, &e,, by the wonderful power
Of the saving machinery. So complete
are the arrangements for feeding the gangs
of saws that there is seldom the slightest
delay, one log after apotber, sometimes
two, side by side, following so close upon