The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1903-07-11
Johnston's History
Of Cecil County.
CHAPTER NXI CONTINUED.


George Gale, a prominent citizen of
this county, had purchased hundred
and ten acres of land on the east side of
the river, near Watson's Island. in July.
and on the list of December following,
purchased lightweight acres adjoining
IL from John Creswell. and proceeded to
lay out Il town. which he called Chcsa-
peake. This town, which was Il short
distance above Perryvllc. was incorpor-
ated by an act of the Legislature on the
18th of december, 119J. On the same
day, an act was passed making an addi-
ton to the town of Iavre de Grace, and
authorizing Il lottery for the Improvement
OF the navigation of the SuSuuchanna
River This was the beginning of Il CON
test between the proprietorS of the SuS-
quehanna Canal and certain persons in
pennsylvania, who were Jealous of the
privileges that had been conferred upon
the proprletOrS of the canal that was
settled many years afterwards by the or
ganiZatiOn of the Tide Water Canal
Company. which purchased and now own
the rights and franchises of the othpr
company. Probably the real object of
those VINO sought to effect the enlarge
ment of 1lavre de Grace was the same
as that of the founder of the rival town
ON the other side of the river: namely Il
desire to Speculate in town lots: and very
likely they concealed their real design
under the plausible prctcXt of improving
the navigation of the river. But civil
engineering was not as well understood
then as it is now, and they may have
honestly thought that SJO.OOO. which was
the sum authorized to be raised by lot
terry. was sufficient for the purpose de-
signated. 1t was specified in the act for
the Improvement of the river that none
of the money raised by the lottery was to
be applied to opening or improving the
Susquehanna Canal. which seems to in
dictate that the Legislature might have
lost faith III its utility.
Nothing ever came of the effort to build
the town of Chesapeake, and it must be
added to the long list of abortivp efforts
to build towns where they were not
needed.
The next year. 1856 Il German named
BREEDER, who owned II flour mill on the
Juniata River, near Huntington. Penn
sylvania, is said to have built an ark and
loaded it with flour and ran it down the
Susquehanna. and thence to Baltimore.
venture of the kind. and BREEDER having
demonstrated the practcability of navl-
eating the pcrilOuS river as well us the
prottablencSS of the Baltimore market.
his example was followed the next wear
by several others. BY Il supplementary
act, passed January Goth. 1897. the time
Tor til" completion of the canal was eX-
tended to the LIST of December, 1909. and
h, l,.l ..s l
declared to be "a public highway. free
Tor any person or persons whatever to
work thereon in clearing the INSTRUCTIONS
to its nayigation." which warrants the
Inference that something was about to be
done for its improvement at this time by
those III charge of the lottery. The early
history of this canal is involved in great
obScurity. occaSioncd by the loss of the
records Of the proceedings of the direct
"rS previous to 1917. Land was CON
demned for the use of the proprirtors, in
1S'W, mt which time Robert Gilmcr was
Governor of the canal. The work is be-
leved to have been completed in 1903.
1t was too narrow ut first to be of much
use, and the proprrtorS had it wdenrd,
about 1910 During the time of the CON
struction and enlargement of the canal.
many of the lahorerS employed upon it
were afflicted with Il malignant fever.
from the effects of which many of them
died.
In 1850. the inhabitants of Elkton also
suffered from II malignant fever that haf-
fled the skill of the most eminent ply
Sicians. There is some evidence tending
to show that it was caused by the MAS
ma from the marsh ON the north side of
the river. which ut that time was en-
banked so as to exclude the tide. The
following extracts from Il diary kept Icy
the late DR.. Amos \. Evans. who ut
that time WAS II student of medicine
under the late DR.. George T.. Mitchell.
show the malignant character of the cpl
demic. 1t is stated in MorSr'S GaZZct-
teer of the Western Continent. that Elk
ton five years after this time contained
ninety houses. which, ut five persons to
each house, would give population of
four hundred and fifty. In 1905. the
town probably contained less than four
hundred inhabitants.
Under the date of September 2Gth,
1905. DR.. Evans says :-"Cloudy morn
ing, wind from $. +. About go persons
now sick in Elkton. Every person AT
tctcd with lnnguor and laSSitudc. Want
of appetite and dreadful sickness of
stomach are the general precursors OF
the reigning epidemic. which is attended
with tormrnting and cXcruciatng pains
of the eXtrrmties. This sudden change
of the weather has in Il number of cases
occaSioned this epidemic to take ON the
form of dySCntary and darrhocn. The
chills which precede are of long continu-
ance. the fever succeeding. very intlam-
matory. demanding remedies powerful
and energetic. 2Sth September: good
fires are very necessary and quite agree
able cases of bilious fever still increase.
The symptoms of this fever are anOmo-
louS, the pains in the cXtrcmitics and
lumbar regions are violent. the eyes are
painful and often much nhamcd Octo-
Der Bird and 4th; more than 80 persons
sick in Elkton. October l4th sickness
confines tO increase in the country No