The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1878-03-04

y ~ whnt ~ called the sheer boom. II ~ at
u 'h'd 10 huoys. so as to MAKE no change in the
current. A. the logs come down the river they
Sirtk" the sheer boom and slip along To the end
10y the action OF tho current when they are car
Rcd down and caught 10y H. or the main boom
lhis main boom is n series Of stono piers To
whmh IN. of beams are hooked. II will hold
over 3NUuOOO irct Of lumber Each log has the
mark of is owner stamped on the end the same
~ cattle brand. Ono Of the beams between
the piers Of the main boom IL unlocked aud
los alter hog allowed to float out. the name of its
owner hring shouted in n loud voice. They
arc caught by scores Of men below the main
boom ami towcd To the different mills. At the
nrproa,n of winter the boom il taken up, and
roElao"l after the spring froshcts
Having captured this tOll-gatn Of the lumber
trade Hrrdir began to maniuulatn the Iegisln
lurc Tor an increase ni tolls. Under the pre-
t"n,r pi budding a dam. in order to make u
logs could bc caught 10y u small steamer and
lowed f. the various mills. hg succeeded in
getting ia" uoomngc Increased from nfty cents
~ % PR thousand fct Az the quantity Of
lumber passing through the boom has i'm soma
wears us-r'snicd upward of 2OO.OOOOOO feet
ann we capital stock II the company has never
rNTwit os.r sluuOnO. II will readily bee seen
tAhi tn' Profits wrrr enormous. But tho tolls
lo-s wcrr appropriated by the boom company
lhe editor OF The WiHiamspou Bdn-
sE ma, 's','n"i" T,o ot tnclr value at from
iuIos OF y l0d and drln wood were caught blythe
loom ana utilized 10y the industrious pctcrwho
turn"d iltrm into charcoal. over 10000 cords
Is saul We're caught IN one year The profits
aiigr Coy. Curtin signed the hill for IN. increase
IN ppouihEr w"r' SO great that the income Of the
monopoly IN eight years was S2272.lss. a net
profit OF 2lui per cent. on the invested capital.
licrdir wes born politician, 1t Is said that
IN OIL lnrrruS lng the tolls -lumhcrpi in tine
Governors office for a long time ana that Cur
TN signed II. hoping Ia secure licrdirs innu-
.n', IN his effort To- clutch a United States Scna-
t"r~hlr AZ the last moment. however. Peter
whupprd over To- Cameron and the gr,nt war
Governor was left out in the cold. 1t is also
charged that curtin forced the company To- cNe-
CUT a contract. hy the terms Of which they were
To- reduce the tolls alter they had been rcim-
lur-'d Tor the building OF the dam and Other
inIrotcmcnt-. THIS contract IL II said. was de-
pos ted in the STATE Department but II soon nltnr-
Mtr! disappeared. and WAS never made public.
llerdlc'S partners ia the boom uouupolv were
Nahlon Fisher and John H. Reading. II IL al-
legged that the profits were silently divided with.
out declaring dividend. because "a certain per-
state Treasury.
Instead Of outstanding his capital Herlic was
stimulated to wild speculation. This moro
man anything else. accounts for his downfall
II" never would use money TO pay a debit IL
any attTaetlv" firld of speculation presented
Itself. In proc - IT time he became the virtual
head OF all The principal enterprises in vii
Transport. He purchased the gas works and
after an Intellectual attempt to buy the water
works. constructed rival works of his own. lend
ing the water under the river. through a largo
lrnn plpc. from mountain stream miles away.
lnoSe unacquaintcd with his plans. because
they saw in them only what was To him the first
step IN some grand enterprise The build
lnE ol an Immense hotel, the Herdir House.
Is an Illustration. 1t was erected in 1864 on
the hlsh tide OF war prices. fully mile from
the open country. Everybody looked iIno . II
~ Il piece Of insane folly. But it was only thu
IT, rough his Influence with The railroad ofiini.'
succsed.d IN getting fine depot opposite his
centre Of tho city. aud il il said that the mum
tlpitl authorities LAID the rails pron,,i,lv r'i
n, the i utel NOR RAILWAY paid the interest ON
uorr farm near H.. hotel. paying therefor the
larr' ium of 1000 IN acre. He had also Iur-
tracts were laid out into building lots. and
rrtli2"i from $4,000 t. slj.uOD per acre Her
ai, I mage en9nsh To- pay Tor both railroad
the land.
Another Illustration of his peculiar genius Is
shown ia 4 ~ our rhase OF the land now covered
it SNuiu Niliamspoit. GA the upp site side uf
H., rNyrr H. PAID prices that seemed utterly
!sirrl9r purposes. Tho Philadelphia and Eric
Railroad crosses Ia tn. west SIDE OF the river
about i've mules above MiIiamsport and re-
tn,i" NV" ur 'lFrS. lhry had gone adriit dur ne
great shots. and all communication has
y $50" Of Tn" Philadelphia and Erie Herdic
"a M @u sd" 81 6@ r% r"I nd tlc y da and
ltur difficulty ia building a track along Inc
south hnnN. hasing It ON the idea Of preventing
an INTERRUPTION 10 travel in case the bridges
should iu-aln b, carried away. The result was
sites imam lHld WtA.n the city limits Ii brought
N'rn"rd nary pr,ees. an'. d town Of nearly u
mage. When u" sab began to fail on the
lunlc were startled ty the announcement that
li"rol" intended T. luiil bridge about "A milo
az lNr IN" oli toll ftii-'. He threw one across
il' river ut an cNi 'N-c ~ 100000. and offered
~" pas L. IaItl' purchasing lots in South
~ 'ihuf~plr. IT. made enough money through
VI siir ui MS lots iQ reimburse him twice over
lew years ago lie found spring ~ Min
hrpua. near Tic Village oI Canton. in Bradford
county, IMii way between Nilllam@pOrt aud
l. MIRA The water was supposed t. possess
f"nafkah." medical properties. Hcrdie iumr-
'hhrb erected IL monstfuuS hotel This like
'iI'r 'nt fpri-"~' WINS regarded rs u wild
son ne, hut H. too. was only llr-t stop. II has
i"'h Followed ~ persistent effort Ia g.t the
"Ll-i"llit ~ sol Oh a now county from Brad
Tor ana ly omlnR. Win Ilnnruua ~ lis
COUNTY scat. Nirhrr Peters ihi lure VIII 'Otch
~ meme u u Ia IT, Us 'll. ii. uudpul teddy
L. ~ "a ruiirpliln- interest IN adJa. nj farms
ahl h.s alirHdy snHctdci IN king Mlnnr-
Iu 40 laN'rt watering place Tor IhiiadelphIa
hunhrlS ana lHl POLITICIANS.
hd'f lrrtrnce 81 Us necessity Tor sanitary
luiE So h'rdl' induced III" common Council
OF W lllanSlurt 70 construct large and tx
- hsiNn sewer. known as the Dutch Gap
canal amer the sewer was built Il was dis
covered lhht, "utslNe oi III sanitary qunlities. II
served rs an tlmlrublr drh!n Tor lfier lnnds.
Another OF his schemes was worthy Of Boss
Shepherd He sOAuel the Common Council
INTO giving him contract 10 pave the street
leading 10 ne depot WIN Ncplson pavement
At "A cost Of <COU.OOO. He fulfilled the contract
10 the letter, and undoubtedly realized a large
profit besides greatly enhancing the value Of