The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1899-07-22
TOWN IMPROVEMENT.
REDEMPTION OF MARSH LAND
ADVOCATED.
A Plan Laid Before the Elkton Town
Council Intended to Benefit Main
Street Properties.

At the regular meeting of the Elkton Town
Council, on Wednesday evening, a number
of property owners appeared before the
Board and urged that the building OF road
way across the marsh in the rear of the Main
street properties be considered. The Council
through Mayor Samuel J. Keys. appointed a
commission to make thorough investiga-
ton of the subject, as to cost and expediency
and which report will be later acted upon
Those constituting the commission are:
Councimen W. H Mackall Herman Jerers
and Samuel ]. Keys; Messrs. George II. Ash
Fred T. Haines and Henry c. Wells.
The proposed plan is an extension OF
Howard street. running parallel with Main
street, 300 feet back, across the marsh to the
made ground in the rear of Wells drug store
From this point the street would be regularly
laid out to the Scott Fertilizer Works. on
Bridge street the distance from the rear of
Wells drug store now being almost entirely
filed in. Those advocating the improve
ment claim that the required filing in OF the
marsh would not prove an insurmountabIe
undertaking by any means and that the cost
would be trilling compared to the advantages,
primarily the fire protection afforded these
valuable Main street properties by thus
securing an approach from the rear. As it is
now, serious fire could only he fought
along Main street Fire plugs could be
located along this causeway and the
steam engine run there in such emergency.
The advantages aud desirabiity of the road
way as an avenue for hauling, and as open
ing up new ground was set forth in the
strongest terms by the advocates of the new
street.
At the meeting OF Wednesday night,
George r. Ash, editor OF the Cecil Democrat,
who is one of the leaders in the movement,
claimed the desirability and wisdom Of this
expenditure on the part of the town, and
stated that the Elkton Cemetery Company
and other land owners over whom the pro-
posed route would run, would grant the right
OF way. He stated that Fed Il. Haines, VIM.
H. Mackall and himself had looked over the
ground, and it was their conclusion that
every condition was favorable for the success
of the plan. Mr.. Haines previous to study
Bar, was IN the service OF the Pennsylvania
railroad as civil engineer, and is "A graduate
in engineering of Lehigh University, which,
as Mr.. Ash stated, gave his opinion on the
subject much weight.
Mr.. Haines stated the facility with which
the work could be accomplished, and the
practicabiity of redeeming certain of this
marsh land with slight expenditure by drain
ing and filing up. Already much of the
land along the proposed street is what is
termed fast land and only the tllling up Of
several feet would be required to give the
proposed roadway sufficient height to clear
tidewater. After this causeway was con-
structed the dumping OF refuse matter would
soon fill in solidly up to the rear of the
properties. A survey and establishment Of
levels would be necessary before an esti-
mate of the cost to the town could be
made.
DR.. Howard Bratton advocated the i'm
provement on the line of sanitation, and
Henry NJ. Mccullough also made a brief talk
in support of its building.