Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1893-06-03
THE GETTYsBURG BATTLEFIELD.
II Looks Now ~ II the Trolley IL De
feated.

Is Looks Now - II the Trolley 10 De-
feated.
A special dispatch to the Philadelphia Press
battlefield commissioners said today it looks as
il the trolley is defeated, since, unless some
thing turns up to change the face Of things,
the commissioners do not propose to allow it to
remain on the field. II NO satisfactory arrange
nent can be made with Mr.. E. II. Hotter,
president Of the Electric Railway Company. a
Jury viii doubtless be appointed to assess
damages under the governments right Of emil
nent domain.
Mr.. Hoffer himself, il appears in his hurry
to push forward the work Of vandalism, made
one alp that may put him at the mercy of the
passed Congress. appropriating s25, 900 to be-
gin the government work on this battlefield.
Mr.. Hoffer wrote to Secretary Lamont. stating
that charter for al electric railroad over this
battlefield had been secured; that the Gettys-
burg borough authorities granted the right OF
the streets Of the town and the supervisors of
Cumberland township the requisite roads
in their bsiliwick; that the rights Of way had
been purchased along the line of battle Of the
second and third days fields and informing the
Secretary that they were now ready TO begin
work.
To this in ne course Secretary Lamont re-
piled. reviewing the contents Of Mr.. Hoffer G
letter, according to the custom Of the depart
ment, and apprising him that he would give
the matter attention and have it looked into
and would then communicate with him further.
ONLY WAITED TEN DAYS.
Hoffer waited what he regarded as sufficient
time, q week OF ten days. and then, receiving
no letter from the Secretary, he began the
dosocr.@;op aud ,3aaxrpn<;,~ that ,,c,r vv,~s Al
field.
It is claimed here that Hofrer, by his volun-
tsry letter to the Secretary Of War, acknowi-
edged that be was aware Of the prior claim of
the United States government to the entire
battlefield. as evidenced conclusively by the act
Of March 8, 1893, aud that he desired some as
surance from the War Department that they
would not interfere with the building Of the
railroad. His haste in view Of this 10 looked
upon here as inimical to the cause of the
trolley.
THE sEvENTY-sECoND's PLOT.
The other slip is the failure Of Hoffer to buy
the thirty-foot plot owned by the seventy
second Pennsylvania regiment in front Of the
Bloody Angle and directly over which his rail-
road runs. He had opened negotiations with
the regiment for its purchase and the price had
been fixed, but just before the execution Of the
deed Hoffer informed tho regiment that he
WOulu NOT require tuclr piOt VI BfOuuO, Since
the road would run around it,
Not until the Press disclosed the matter did
the local representative Of tho regiment know
that the trolley cut their land straight through
the center.
The only way for the trolley to get past this
plot would be through the Codort farm, but
since Codori decided this right Of way he has
sold his farm. The present owner is opposed
to the electric vandals and will not soil them q
passage around this thirty-foot plot Of the
seventy-second that stops further progress to
the westward end. The lands OF the Memorial
Association lie Immediately to the eastward
therefore, the only course Of the railroad is to
cross the sevsnty-seconds land. II the regi-
ment prevents them they are blocked and will
be unable TO reach the northern side Of the
Bloody Angle, and their road along Hancock's
front will be utterly worthless. They are now
digging their way through the seventy-second's
property and the cut was two feet deep tonight.
although it 10 said here they have not an atom
of right to the land. The friends Of the battle
fold are waiting to hear from the veterans Of
the seventy second to see what the outcome
will be in the fight with tho trolley.