The midland journal., 1886-03-05
Friday. March 5. 1856.
The Inundations of Port Deposit

The lnunQatlOnS OF HOrL DepOSlI
It has become a serious question witt
most of the people of Port Deposit
whether they shall succumb to the all
pual visitations of the angry river, sac
n 'ce their property for what they can
get and moue away, or incur future
damage 10y remaining to $ are the con-
slant risk which all are sni ject to The
treacherous river has no doubt destroy
cd the value of property OF the town to
an extent that can OF be estimated,
and If no prOte on is provided, will
cps,inu- to still further depreciste it
not So much, perhaps by reducing its
pr sent mon Y valu", as 10y preventing
the estabishm nj of new industries or
extending those already existing, thus
preventing the rise in value OF property
d we'll as in many instances tending
TO depress it.
The possibilities of Port Deposit are
FIR superior to any other Iown in the
county. The town has great advan-
tages in its position for transportation.
being at the head of steamboat and
vessel navigation with Il line of rail-
road placing he heart of the coal reg
ions at its err door, anu giving it close
co nection with tn" markets OF Phila-
delphia and Baltimore with the shores
Of the Chesapeake hay and al its tribu-
taries accessible by cheap water car
riage The Tide water anal penetrates
the coal and lumber regions, provid-
ing still another avenue for the town.
to this trae.
The building of railroads have it IS
true. cut off much of the former trade
OF the town, hut they have opened up
avenues 10y which other and II ore pro-
htable trade could be establi-hed, If
those advantages We're seized and util-
lied. The granite quaries are ineA-
haustible and as sources of veal tn are
constantly increasing. Her manufact
uring industry is at present no insignl
Gcent source of wealth and her facilit-
les for receiving raw material and ship.
ping man utactured goods are unsur-
passed. There is no apparent reason.
With such obvious advantages, that the
manufacturing industries of the place
should not increase, if such property
was made secure from the threatened
annual nundation and ice gorge.
The question is narrowed down to
a T., f.
.the ice beleagured town, willing to
f0rego all the prospective wealth of the
place, and also give up much of what
they already hold by very precarious
2y their property against these de-
Ktructive visitations of the angry river?
4 half million dollars would build a
strong sea wall high enough to defy
che angry flood, with an embankment
vide emo gil to lay the railroad track
Oh Its top. Such q wall reaching from
short distance above Rock run to the
Eower end of Port, would make the
town secu against the river. There
is an abundance of material at hand
for such work, and the ra lroad COM
pany would doubtless aid materially in
he enterprise. Ifsuch an improvement
we're extended to raising the grade of
tbe stree even at the sacrifice of the
Basement story of the most of the
Buildings, the value aided to the prop
erty In few years would more than
compensate for pre esent sacrifice.
MIR. Tome without assistance, If he so
wi1led could do the work above sketch
Cd and from his millions would really
xi0t miss the sum. Such bequest to
the present living generations and to
post. rity would embalm his name
Mrongh countless years as cne Of the
greatest benefActors of his age. The
excitemenC of faccumulating wealth is
doubtless pleasing. but there is q full
nas al the satisfaction of having con-
ferred lasting and substantial bless