The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1907-02-02
Big Battle Fought And Lost In
Hartford County Is Renewed
In Cecil
PROPHECIES AND PROSPECTS
OF GREAT INDUSTRIAL
PROGRESS

No river east OF the Rocky Noun
tains can compare with the Susque-
hanna in its possibilities for develop
ment OF electrical power. Such is the
burden of testimony given by hydraulic
and electrical engineers in the Cecil
Court this week, where the Susquehan-
ma Power Company and the proprletorS
of the Susquehanna Canal Company
have been litgating before Judges
Pearcc. Adkins and Crothers. The
present litigation is an effort on the
part pf the latter company (Which is
virtually the McCall's Ferry people, to
have the Court set aside the proceed
ings Of the jury OF condemnation which
under Sheriff Kirk last summer, award
ed the Proprietors OF the SuSquchanna
Canal the sum OF $55,627, and the Como
wingo Land Company $4,000. The
ProprictorS are being represented by
George p Willis and James McAvoy,
Jr., OF the Baltimore Bar, Thomas NJ.
Day OF New York. and l.. Marshall
Hancs. OF Elkton The Susquehanna
Power Companys counsel are Steven
son a. Williams, Frederick r. Will
liams Thomas a. Robinson, William
II. Harlan, OF Bel Air, and William T..
Warburton. OF ElktOn. Mcssrs. Jacob
France and Albert Constable, are ap-
pcaring as counsel for the Dcland Min
ing and Milling Company, one OF the
parties concerned in the condemnation
proceedings The great array oi coun-
sci, as well as the Importance oi the
issue involved, has attracted much at
tcnlion and gathered a considerable
company OF interested auditors to the
hearings. The opening statements OF
L. Marshall IIaincS on the one side,
and Stevenson \. Williams ON the other
were gratifyinqly lucid and instructive
to those wanting to understand some
thing OF the history and the future of
these undertakings on the SuSquehanna
River. The McCalls Ferry Company
is the purchaser OF all the interests
formerly held by McsSrS. McGaw and
Harlow in or along the river, includ-
ing the rights and franchises OF the
SuSquchanna Canal Company After
making these purchases, however, the
McCalrS Ferry Company decided to
90 further up the river. locating its
plant at McCall'S Ferry, where its great
dam is now nearing completion and
leaving the Cecil properties to lie idle.
Thercupon the Susquchanna Power
COMPANY as a Maryland corporation,
and under the leadership largely OF Mr.
James Harlow, began the acquisition OF
properties lower down the river, not
ably in Hartford and Cecil counties, with
a view to establishing an electric plant
on the Hartford side. in the vicinity of
Glance, t., ,l,, : I,:
project this company sought to con-
demn and did condemn, in Cecil county,
the property OF the Susquchanna Canal
Company and that OF the Conowingo
Land Company. The Proprictors OF
the Canal are now seeking to have
these condemnation proceedings set
aside, on the ground chiefly OF their
unconstitutionaIity. their Illegality, and
the inadequacy OF their awards The
matter OF most public interest is CON
ccrncd with the last OF these cxccp-
tionS, and with the testimony OF the
engineers thereby introduced. Mr..
James Harlow, expert hydraulic cngi-
neer, and Mr.. lIoratio Foster, expert
electrical engineer and the head of the
Baltimore City Railway system. made
interesting statements as to the posi-
bilticS OF developing electrical power
from the Susquchanna river for the
whole tcrrit<y lying between Phila-
dcIphia and Baltimore. These gentle
men expressed the opinion that this
river might be made to furnish both
light and fuel. at a considerable rcduc-
ton in cost to the larger cities and the
intervening towns and country, and
mi2' t be made the further means of
stimulating electric railway building
thrOughorj the adjacent tcrritorv-a
territory that is at present more def
Cicnt in electric road service than al
most any other spot in these United
States. 1t will be interesting also to
know that Mr.. Harlow, after a long
and wide experience in the cOnStruc-
tiun OF dams and locks in many places.
makes the contention that by daming
the Susquehanna for power, it can be
converted into a navigable stream for
several miles, by chain of cOnsc-
qucnt back water ponds, the dams of
course being supplied with locks for
navigation purposes, as is to be done
in the case of the McCalls Ferry dam,
under a recent agreement. Mr.. Wit
ham, OF Philadelphia is the Supcrin-
tending Engineer for Jessup & Moore,
who have lately come into control OF
certain Cecil paper mills, notably those
at Elkton and Providence, and Mr..
Wltham'S testimony was largely direct
ed toward showing the industrial prog
ress that would likely follow the dcve-
Comment of the Susquehanna' water
nover. He painted very attractive
n'ct"~e OF the industries likely to come
II Pcrryville and Port Deposit and
Have de Grace. and. in fact, to the
whole territory along the river from its