The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1890-04-02
ENRALsEp BIZ pEckExs.

The old .cameIback7 bridge, which Dick
ems embalmed in his American Notes," and
which iscrowding rapidly along in its eighth
or nineth decade Of attempted usefulness, is
another relic Of the past thst frowns on the
piers Of the South Penn. Harrisburg almost
lost this valuable adjunct 10 its antiquities
when the rebels made their raid over the
border into Pennsylvania. II was feared
at one time the torch would have 10 make
an end of the relic to keep them out, but il
didn't. Some citizens of Harrisburg, utterly
devoid Of local pride and afflicted with pro-
gressive ideas. hare never forgiven the Gray
coats from the South for not advancing far
enough TO make it an object to completely
cut Harrisburg of from the southern shore
of the Susquehanna-
The South Penn Road was designed to
parallel the Cumberland Valley railroad
through the rich Cumberland valley. Iron
and limestone, timber. and sandstone would
have furnished freights that would have
been no mean addition TO the rich sgricul-
tural products OF the region. The mineral
productions need just the stimulus a strong
competing line of railway would give them.
Cumberland is historic territory. The county
seat for time was Washington's headqusr-
ters during the whisky instruction. A
United States barracks was built there by
Hessian prisoners during the Revolutionary
war and was long used as csvslry school.
The rebels destroyed it on their raid up the
valley. ShippensburK. the oldest town but
YoIk west of the Susquehanns. IS at the
western end of Cumberland county, and
also on the line of the South Penn. Fort
Morris and Fort Franklin stood there in the
troublous French and Iadian TINES. and the
place was depot of supplies for Braddock's
army when be started on his iil-fated West
ern campaign. The Cumberland county
courts used to be held at Shippensburg and
their removal to York caused great excite
ment The town is in an agricultural eoun-
try and has State normal school Dickin-
son College is at Carlisle. The whole Cum
berIand valley is dotted with prosperous viii
lages, monuments to the sturdy Scotch-Irish
population that settled it and held it in the
last century against French and Indian
foes.
rHRoueH THE SOUTHERN TTrR-
From the Cumberland valley the South
Penns route was marked out across the rich
southern tier of counties, whose develop
ment and population is far in excess Of that
country through which the Pennsylvania
railroad run in the days when it was first
franklin, Fulton, Bedford,
Somerset and Fayette are crossed by the
right of way, which, tending northwest in
Fsyette, crosses the southwestern section OF
Westmoreland county to PORT Perry, twelve
miles from Pittsburgh, where il meets the
Vanderbilt system. the Baltimore & Ohio,
the Pennsylvania railroad, and the Monon-
gahela slack-water Here at Port Perry it
was TO have made its connection with the
Vanderbilt system, which would have given
il an outlet to the West.
The late Dr. Hostetter formulated the
South Penn scheme in 1884. and interested
Andrew Carnegie in it. Then the Wander
bits were brought to look favorably on the
matter, and unfortunately for the population
interested in the success Of the South Penn,
acquired controlling interest in il. The
Pittsburghers who put their money into the
scheme to further the interests of the city
were hardly less fortunate, being compelled,
q. fs we'll known Il, sacrifice 40 usr cert Of
their actual Investment 10 the necessities Of
the yanderbilts' New York interests. DR..
Hostetter. at the time be conceived the
South Penn scheme, was Director in the
Reading. and interested that corporation in
it. His connection with The Wheeling 4
Lake Erie that secured the Western outlet Is
well known. Everything 81 first locked very
favorable for the South Penn. and an actual