The daily gazette., 1883-08-11
.spalNrEo FRoM YESTERDAY
raE PORT DEPOSIT BRIDGE.
The b. q O.'s Pan OF n 90 Feet High
Bridge without = Draw Approved.

The b. a O.fB Pan OF W rect Hhkh
Bridge without q Draw Approved.
ANNAPOLIS, Md, August 9.-The board
Of public works, Gov. Hamilton, Comptroller
KeatiDg and Treasurer Compton all present,
met to day and approved of the plans sub
mitted by the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
Company for their bridge over the Susque-
hanna river, 90 feet above tidewater, the re-
quirpments being that the railroad company
shall maintain tug at its own expense to
assist passing vessels The board, which it
was stated was unanimous In its decision In
regard to the plan of the bridge, ,directed that
their action be officially communicated to
Mr.. J. K. Cowen, counsel of the railroad
company. Work on the bridge, 1t was said,
would bpgin in few weeks, unless recourse
70 the courts on the part of the citizens
OF Port Deposit and vicinity who are
opposed to the bridge interieres with its
construction 1t was stated several weeks
ago by some OF the Cecil county people that
1t was probable, in case the board should
disres ard their interest in the matter, that
an Injunction would be asked TO issue re-
strai ling the Baltimore and Ohio Company
from erecting It's bridge, and that also the
United States authorities wOnld be appealed
to In order TO prevent the alleged impeul-
ment TO navigation by the building OF the
bridge. The board of public works they say
have the power to approve the plans in nav
igable water only where 1t is shown that
navigation is not impeded thereby, They
claim that bridge less than l25 feet In
height would not only work disastrously to
Cecil county people, but greatly interfere
with shipping and the commercial business
OF other counties in the State in close prox-
unity to the former.
The board was in session about an hour
considering the matter Quite numbe- of
petitions, etc, which had accumulated since
the controversy has been going on, were
brought out and amply considered before
final action was taken. Several petitions
were handed the board on their late trip to
Port Deposit, including one signed by l6S
c,tiZens of Cecil county another from Havre
de & ce, and one from Aberdeen district,
Hartford county. These were favorable 10
the plans of the Baltimore and Ohio Com
pany, and as they represented largely the
canning interests and business OF leading
order in that locality, the board were disposed
to pay more than passing glance at them.
AT least two members of the board, 1t is said
had decided on the plans before their visit to
Port Deposit last week, AS they were well az
quairted with the situation and had fully
made up their minds as to how they would
vote. When the vote was taken to-day the
Governor, the Comptroller and the Trea
surpr all favored the measure
\ 7. Harris Archer OF the firm of Barnes
u Archer OF Hartford county, and Sanue
c. Rowland OF Cecil, were here to-day tC
oppose the bridge, but did not appear be
fore the board. Mr., Archer learned from
Treasurer Compton of the action of th'
board in the matter, and he reiterated the
complaints of a good many of the citizens
of his neighboi hood that the plans were en-
tirely uns ltisfactu y,aud the proposed dimen
sions of the bridge would work ruin to tn!
people Of his locality. 1t was denied tina
the objection on the part OF the people O
Port Deposit and vicinity to the bridge wa
prompted through influence or in the in
terest of the Pennsylvania Railroad Con
pany, as had been charged
Several citizens of Cecil county stated tC
night that the people there would continue
to fight against the no drawbrdge project
and that they would probably call mas
meeting to protest against the action of tn
board OF public works They did not thin
the condition attached to the railroad com
pany building the bridge by which
tug is to be in constant use amounted I
anything
The masonry OF the proposed bridge wi
tax all the quarrirs of Cecil and Hartor
counties to supply stone, which, however,
abundant and of good quality. Port Depos
and Havre de Grace will be benettedin the
general business by the labor which wi
find in these I WINS a market for the pu
chase of supplies and place to spend the
earnings.