The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1893-06-23


Ia Max. Way for an Electric Hallro.d-
Prompt Action Asked.
WAsmINGroN. June i7.-The secre-
tary Of war has received preliminary
report from Mr.. stakeholder. Of TIA
gettysburg Battlefield commissions
in which he says:
In view Of the pressing emergency
which seems 10 require the prompt ac-
ton of the government if the secretary
of war is To preserve the lines of battle
at Gcttysburgo. and in the absence ~
my colleagues on the commission.
hasten to make u preliminary report Of
the present condition of affairs at that
place.
II have just come from Gettvsbury.
Before left there Mr. lioffncr. pre.i.
dent Of the electric railroad. entered
into an agreement with me to SUSPEND
operations on that portion of the line
in front of the Second army corps and
TO turn his road off that line 10 the
lmmitsburg road Having made that
arrangement started for my home in
Massachusetts, but noticing in to-day's
papers that he had resumed opera
tion> on that line. and realizing
the enormous damage that he is doing
on the field. and at the earnest request
of Gen. Sicllcls. | have deemed ii wise
70 turn back from New York and re-
port at once and in person to the scc-
rotary. When left Gcttysburg work
men were engaged in blasting out a
group os houlders covering space -
by - feet, which formed Il portion Of
4
Third army corps during the second
DAYS battle.
This seemed Il wanton destruction
of an important landmark Of the field
a variation of dozen feet in the line,
which there was ample chance tomalSe,
would have cleared those boulders. but
II is evident that they Were being
blasted To make material for the road,
which is swaripy at that point. The
bouldcrS which covered the combatants
in the desperate engagement between
the Fourth Maine and the Forticth
New York Of the union army and the
Forty-fourth Alabama and the right II
Benning's brigade of the confederate
army are already blasted. and the frag-
mcnts broken under the hammer are
covered with earth to form roadbed.
And it Is in this locality. which has
been turned into park. to which cheap
excursions are 10 be run from Baltimore
and other cities. This is the most wild
and picturesque part Of the field For
a distance of over one mile be-
fore reaching this locality the
road cuts ruthlessly through
scene of some of the most desperate
encounters OF the battle in which De
Trobrand's. Tilton's. Swci;zers,
looks. kclly's. Cross and Wards union
brigades and kershaw's, Semmes',
Woiford's Andcrson's and Robertson's
confederate brigades contcnded for
hours. The railway cuts straight
through lines Of battle; forest trees
arc levclcd, powders and hedges are
blasted. streams are bridgcd and the
whole character of the field Is changed.
and every hour the work OF dcvasta ton
goes on.
After leaving the ..Deyil's Den and
the Valley Of Death" the road will
climb around the western or northern
face Of Little Round Top" disfigur-
ing its slopes by cuts and fills Of from
eight 10 ten feet. Reaching the sum
NIT ID will descend the eastern slope TO
the dance house.
This entire route through a ravine
near the wheat field and around the
Devils Den. UP through the Valley
of Death. a distance of about
miles. may be avoided by
cut off of about half
mile over the wheat-iield road, and il q
right of way of fifty rods can nc Sc
cured from the land ~ Indicate. the cut
over Little Round Top" mag be
avoided. Work is about 70 be com
menccd on Little Round Top" From
the dancc-housc the electric road fol-
lows the route of the Reading branch
railroad toward town - Hancock
station. when il turns to the right
across the line Of battle Of stan
nard's Vermont brigade, over the
marked position Of Wcr's battery
&C.. Fifth artillery To Hancock avenue.
Immediately in front Of the Second
army corps. along which il passes over
the advanced positions Of thirtv-cight
confederate regiments which comprised
Longstreet's assault on the third day
and buries beneath its track the spot
where Gen. Garnett was killed.
IL spent several days with Mr. IIoffer
and his friends negotiating with him TO
abandon this Second corps line ION
; which he contcmplatcs the erection Of
! Il station forty feet long in front OF
the Second corps position) for the
branch railroad and Emmitsburg road
But he has since rcpudiated his agree
mcnt and resumed operations on that
: front. From the right Of the Second
corps the road turns back to the fancy
town road, down which il runs tn the
southwest corner Of the national Gene
, tcry. where. turning into the field to
the left. it passed around the cemetery
J TO the Baltimore turnpike. on which II
returns TO town, passing the cemetery
gates.
THE damage already committed by
the electric road is very great and can
never bc repaired but the present
Dissertation is but the commencement
Of what my be done IL this company ~