The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1882-06-17
FROM TowsoNrowN TO DELTA.
A Trip Through Hartford County, Md, and
Peach Bottom, York Co., Pa.-Beau-
tiful Farms-Enchanting Scenery
Slate Quarries-Tho B. q d.
Railroad Unboundod Hos
pitality Tho Canning
Industry, Etc, Etc.

VIZ uhu iot some unc contemplated n Trip 10
Delta, York county. Pa, the terminus Of the Bal.
iimore and Delta railroad but not until last week
did We find II convenient TO carry our project into
execution. On Friday morning. In company with
DR.. A. c. Mccurdy, Of this place. native Of Peach
Bottom and n gentleman thoroughly familiar with
the northern section Of Hartford county as also
York county, we started to make the trip. Our
frs, objective point was Belair, which reached
about ~ o'clock m. Amer partaking Of good
dinner at ex-sherGr FOrwood's hotel, where, by the
way. VIC were very cleverly treated by his son, we
called at the several newspaper Offices but were
not fortunate enough to find either Of the editors In
on To DELrA.
At . o'clock We resumed our journey, going in
a noTtherly direction and passing through Forest
Hill. Pylesvillc, and other small towns tho far.
famed aud beautiful Rocks Of Deer Creek, &c
We must confess 20 very agreeable surprise at what
We saw. Instead Of rough aud anihyitiHg sec.
ton. expected 10 find IL. the country through
which passed along the entire route from Belair
10 Delta u in fact one Of the riches, and most
beautiful u has ever been our pleasure to gaze
upon. The land Is gently rolling and bears eyi.
dcnec Of being very productive. Everywhere tho
wheat crop l. exceptionally enc, oats IL making
good progress and promises well, corn Is short but
stands we'll and has a rich aud healthy color. and
the grass. while short. stands very thick upon the
ground and will be about an average crop.
To look at such farms along the line
of this road IL well worth the fatigue Of long
drive. The famous "Hell Farm" Is undoubtedly
one Of the handsomest rs II Is Of the most pro-
ductivc In Maryland. John Joshua Streets heirs,
Michael whi;eiaTd, Thos. Butler. Hugh e. White.
ford. Henry McAtec, Clark kinscy, Ignatius Jcn.
kins, Henry Amos. Archibald, Samuel and William
Wilson. Samuel Wallace. George Davis aud many
Others the owners Of ideal farms, with stately
M la an lr all ~.
calculated o. make the farmer. life happy one.
TTE RocES ~ bEER GREEN,
4 place known far aud wide for Il. romantic beau.
~. IL one Of the most enchanting places We have
ever behold. We will not attempt description Of
IL. but will add that when the new steam road,
which passes up Deer Creek Immediately in front
of this grand work of Nature, il completed, good
opportunity will be offered tn the lovers of the
beautiful To- go and see for thcmseve aud feast
their eyes upon it, beauty We have DONE
Right here VIC viii remark tina, there l. no place
In Maryland better suited for summer resort
than this. a, lca., will be when the steam road
l. completed. and We have no doubt that in time
magnificent hotel will he erected there and that
twill become rcsor, second To none in the country.
~ GRANGE IRON WuRkS.
4 short distance above the Rocks VIC come TO
the lie Grange Iron Works. belonging 10 the estate
of the late T.. Stanley Rogers These work. have
been standing idle for years and are rapidly goiGg
TO decay. When the railroad (which passes direct.
~ by them Is built they will doubtless be revived
and take their place. they should. among the
great iron works Of the country. Here aso Is the
stately old mansion of Mr.. Rogers. which j. unoc.
rupici at ihi. iime. Mr. Rogers owned 5000
acres oi land and near by are inexhausiiblc beds
uf iron ore which supplied the furnace.
ASCENDING SLATE RIDGE.
short distance above the village of pylrsvillc,
which j. on Broad Creek and where a mill i. lcca
ted, We took the kil:e road in order o. pass the
slate quarric.. IN the summit 81 the ridge we
pull up at a side inn and informed that IL
Il called mount Ararat' Here We are cordially
greeted by Mr.. j. -. Stcarns. who at time kept
the Smile House on the west prong Of the liar
ford turnpike. From thence 10 Delta il but a
short distance. passing number Of slate quarfies
some being worked and others idle. OF these We
will have something 20 say further on. Near Ban
COR. a small village occupied by Welsh. who are
engaged in the quarries. we were told that five
counties could be seen. These are Lancaster.
York and Chester counties. Pa. and Hartford and
Cecil counties. Nd.
Tnr rows o. DELTA.
Delta IL n very pretty village with population
of several hundred. II il the present terminus uf
the York and Peach Bottom narr gauge road
and Il town Of considerable business Importance
II has fine churches. schools hotels. &c. and one
newspaper, the Hcrai published by Mr.. :. J.
Barnett, whose snug little office We had the pleasure
of Inspecting. There IL no doubt but when the
baltimore aud Delta road l. completed 10 that
point |; will prosper rapidly than IL has done
heretofore. the slate industry alone being one Of
vast Importance. From Delta NC proceed 10 the
residence Of Mr. WIN. James Mecurdy. one Of the
solid farmers Of the neighborhoOd, where we are
most cordially received and Hospitality entertain
ell, aud for which courtesies We desire 90 return
thanks to himself and family.
THE SLATE QUARRiEs.
On Saturday morning, refreshed by good
nights rest, We proceed to the slate quarries. A
slate quarry was a novelty 20 Us and the inspec-
ton Afforded " much pleasure and profit. The
drst one visited was that of Mcssrs. Jones 4 Me-
l.aughln. who have been in business abou; fifteen
months. Their quarry Is hfiy-dVe fec; in depth
and We saw the proces. of quarrying GU; the rock.
raising II by horse- power BY means Of huge der
rick, splitting 1t and eu;tin; il ready for use
The process isa simple one very little machinery
being used. A man with n Inallet and chisel
splits the pieces II slate rock into the desired
thickness and the slabs thi. may not be the cor
rect name for them but il serves our purpose) are
then passed to another man who works with his
foot large knife, shaped like the knives on
Lawn mower, and with this they arc squared and
laid aside in piles Of uniform size. The quality
of slate which Me.srs. Jones 4 Mclaughlin are
getting out u very superior and finds ready sale.
We also visited several other quarrcs Of immense
depth, where the slate rock VAS being raised by
steam. Many men here employ ed. but the
quarres, so IL appeared 20 u, not worked with
yigor tina; they should be. The immense piles
mountains We might call thcm---Of refuse slate
and stone which surround these quarTics are in
themselves u curiosity and indicaiein some degree
TO what extent the industry has been carried on.
SLATE u TsED
For almost every purpose In aud around Delta.
Every building Is covered with IL, IL is used for
fence.po tagging. water-troughs, grave stones
and We actually saw house built entirely of slate.
and 4 very neat aud substantial looking one IL
l.. The sides were covered fret just as you
would roof before stating. and then the slate
nailed on, the as on a roof
rfE SrsquEuASSA RIVER.
Saturday afternoon found Us at the Susq1e-
hanna river a, place called Peach Bottom. Is
miles above liavre.de.Graee. Here, besides the
beautiful river. a mile and thrce-quarters wide.
We saw the Susquehanna and Underwater canal,
with It's immense boats, some Of them double
onesl carrying so tons, and drawn by four
horses or mules. The Columbia aud For. he.
post railroad passes along the opposite side Of the
river and the narrow gauge road 10 Oxford. Ches.
ter county, comes down 20 within n short distance
Of the rivers bank. A small steam launch Is
used at this point 10 carry passengers and tow
flats from bank 10 bank. Outside of the beauti-
fal scenery the only thing about Peach Bottom
that interested the fact so we were inform.
ed that there Is splendid bass fishing in tho river
q, that point, bat not being prepared ocngage Ia
the sport We were reiuctaniiy compelled to believe
what VIC were told without attempting TO prove |:
10 our own satisfaction.
THE cASSiS. INDUSTRY.
The canning business has grown to vast pro.
portions In Hartford aud York counties and large
number Of canning establishments arc scattered
through the country. Some farmers raise only
enough grain for home consumption and plant
the balance Of their farms in canning produce.
Mr.. VIM. j. AeCurdy 10 one Of these. lie has an
extensive canning LogEs on HE farm aud carries
on the business under tho hrsa hsme Of W. J.
Mccurdy Son. lie already has 20 acres In 90.
matoes and will plant more also sweet corn.
This firm are members Of the Northern Hartford
Packing Association, which Is composed Of twenty
eannsFs, ell Of whom use the same label and put