The Scranton tribune. [volume] (Scranton, Pa.) 1891-1910, 1900-02-05

of the Water supply of the Region
for Industrial Purposes.
In a months time the whole of the
over 10000 acres Of land on the Pocono
plateau in Monroe, Lackawanna and
Wayne counties will pass into the
hands of the Monroe Water supply
company, composed principally OF
Carbon county gentlemen, and behind
whom It Is thought is the Lehigh Coal
and Navigation company.
One dollar per acre Is the probable
price to be paid and the purchase Is
made to secure valuable water supply
for the coal and navigation company.
who are under contract to furnish
water power to various manufactur-
ing concerns. There Is enough water
when properly stored to last during
a very long period of drought. These
lands are now in the inclusive owner
ship Of George T.. Dodge, of New
York city.
The Pocono plateau--the major por-
tiOn of which is situate in Coolbaugh'
Tobyhanna and Tunkhannock town
ships of Monroe county-is virtually
Tom Tiddler's ground. Thousands
upon thousands of dollars have been
taken off and from it and the end is
not yet.
About 1852. prior to the construction
OF the I.ackawanna railroad, a num-
ber of far sighted gentlemen among
them the late John !. Blair. Seldom L.
Scranton, William r. Dodge, John jay
Phelps and William Henry. jr.. who
were promoters in the origin and con-
struction of the Lackawanna and
knowing that the road would pass
through well-woOded portion of the
Pocono plateau in Coolhaugh township
and also through very fine region OF
the then l.uzerne county. now Lacki-
wanna. commenced to buy up all the
valuable timber lands i'm that section
They saw the great advantages and
soon became owners of $4,000 acres Of
land in Monroe. I.uzerne N.ackawan-
nal and Wayne counties.
DEVELOPMENT OF TOBYHANNA.
Mills were erected at Tobyhanna al
most as soon as the whistle of the To-
comotive was heard and numbering
operations on a large scale were car
ried on for many years a year after
the Philadelphia Centennial or in 1871
the Tobyhanna and Ichigh Lumber
company, a limited co-partnership as
sOciation was formed and these lands
became vested In the company. The
ct. & l.. J.. Co."-as the residents OF
the township call the organization
continued the numbering operations
down to within short time ago. The
company Is still in existence but its
life is not to run much longer.
w. F.. Dodge and Mr.. Meigs re-
NAMED in the above company and
saac G. Case, also a member of the
company. became its superintendent.
Ar. Case has managed the numbering
peratiOns for the company for about
thirty years and it IS no eXaggeration
to say that he has earned for the par
ties. in the way of dividends and prof.
is. round million of dollars.
VIII III these lands were first bought
their chief value was supposed to eX-
list in the hemlock and spruce with
which the tracts We're well timbered
This species of lumber is now about
cut off. In the beginning of the en-
terprise the hard lumber, such as
maple, beech and birch was believed
to be of little worth and no attention
was paid to them. In the course of
time, however, they became as import
ant as soft timber. 1t was found that
the hard lumber was suitable for
clothes pins. shoe pegs and other ar
ticles OF a like nature and a factory
was erected to manufacture them
The construction of these plants gave
the name to Tohyhanna Mills
HARD WOOD EXHAUSTED.
Soon the supply of maple, beech and
birch was exhausted. The mills were
stopped and the residents of the pic.
turesque village on the crest Of the
Poconos believed that the value of the
Pocono plateau had been ended. 1t was
not so. for another use was found--tht
.nine tie and prop came in and use was
found for timber that was regarded a.
worthless for manufacturing purposes
The woodman's axe was once NOR,
swung and the inhabitants were KEEP
busy. Now the mine lumber is abou
gone. 1t was firmly believed, however
that when the mine timber was ex
hausted the vast tracts would be value
less. not being adapted to farming pur
poses.
Recently the lands were found to pos
sess new and important value-on,
that very few hereabouts dreamed of
In this PocOno plateau the Lehigh rive
and its tributaries have their origin
There are a number of lakes Of water
many of them near the railroad. Thi
suggested the idea of utilizing thes
ponds for the purpose Of gathering ant
storing Ice. The Pocono Mountain Ic
company was formed to carry out tha
idea and 1t has met with a really won
derful success The organization start
ed with small capital, but today tn
Pocono Mountain Ice company's plan
IL reputed to be worth a million of dol
lars.
Still. this is not all. This Pocono pla
teau Is yet to yield a revenue. Havin,
an elevation of 1900 feet above tide
water, and possessing so many fin
streams and natural ponds and lakes
It attracted the attention of partie
along the Lehigh river and in neighbor
ing towns and cities.
CORPORATIONS FORMING.
Several corporations have alread
been formed and are in process of for
nation, with view of storing up thes
waters In large reservoirs and trans
porting them. by their own natura
courses. to distant localities for domes
tic and manufacturing purposes. Tn
water Is exceptionally pure and crystal
like on the mountains, leading physi
clans claiming that 1t Is as good as an
In the world.
Considering the new uses that thes