Montour American. (Danville, Pa.) 1866-1920, 1907-11-14
MUST OPEN
RIVER ROAD

There is some curiosity on the part
of the public to learn the exact status
of the old river road now that the
court has set aside the report of the
viewers, who reported in favor of
vacating the road. The natural infer
the old road is precisely as it was be-
fore the proceedings looking to vaca-
tion were set on foot.
The latter is. indeed, the proper
view. The old highway is simply an
impossible road. just as it had been
for years when viewers were appoint
ed to consider the question of vaca-
tion five years ago.
What the next step in the premises
may be is enigmatical. The attorney
who represented the exceptions yester-
day stated that it now devolves upon
the county commissioners to restore
the bridge at the creeks mouth and
upon the borough council and super
visors Of Mahoning township to repair
the road, the former between West
Market street and the borough line
near the creeks mouth and the latter
between that point and the road lead
ing from Northumberland to Dan
vile.
W. Kase West, attorney for Mahon-
ing township, yesterday stated that
the old river road would not be re-
stored under present conditions, as the
township would be unable to bear the
conservative estimate places the full
cost of opening of the road at some
fifteen thousand dollars.
There are two bridges TO be built
one at the creeks mouth and the 9TH
er at the d. L. & W. railroad oppos-
ite Lovers Leap The former, alone,
would be built by the county. A fact
generally lost sight of, the attorney
said, is that the old highway for a
long distance has been washed away
by the inroads of the river, which is
to be regarded purely as an act of God
and that the route originally surveyed
lies in the river bed.
The best that the township could do
in restoring the old highway, Mr..
West said, would be to permit the pub
lie to seek the old road below the riv-
er bank, which during low water
might afford a safe means of getting
along, but which during many months
of the year would be impossible.
Mr.. West was emphatic in his asser-
tion that the township would be unable
to bear the expense of re- locating the
road. which would mean the purchase
of ground along with the assuming of
other heavy expense. In this connec.
tion he took occasion to explain how
unfortunately Mahoning township is
situated 1t is large township, it is
true, but no other township with the
same milage of public roads to main
tain has so much land that yields no
revenue. He cited the hospital farms.
uOW COusOlludt6u lutO mag HluCeut
domain cut right out of the heart of
the township, which is exempt from
taxation. Among other tracts exempt
from taxation he cited the poor farm,
the Odd Fellows and other cemeteries,
all comprising, like the hospital farms,
the best and most valuable land in the
township. In addition to this, he call
ed attention to the considerable area
of wild and uncultivated land in Nah
oning township embraced by Bald
Top and Montour ridge. AS it is Mr..
West explained, the citizens of the
to Hnship are bearing as heavy burd-
en- of taxation as they can carry.
From the above it is plain that con-
ditions relating to the old highway
are favorable to the renewal of the
fight and that the destiny of the old
river road is involved in much uncer-
tainty.