The citizen. (Honesdale, Pa.) 1908-1914, 1908-10-07
LEST WE FORGET.
The Political Battle of IS5I-The
Paramount Issue.
SECOND ARTICLE.

Perhaps the most exciting political
battle ever fought in Wayne was the con-
test of 1851, fifty-seven years ago. The
candidates for Governor were VIM. Big
Ter and VIM. +. Johnston, and the visits of
the rival nominees to Honesdale on sue
cecding days, the 9Th and 7th of Au-
gust-called out without question two of
the largest and most enthusiastic demon
strations ever seen in this section. The
Democrats and Wings put forth every
effort to outdo each other, and when the
standard-bearers were being escorted
from Narrowsburg to Honesdale, from
Beach Pond hitherward the turnpike was
not only filled with paraders-the pro-
cession being miles in length-with ban
ncH flying and bands playing; but the
roadsides were fringed with onlookers,
and continuous outbursts of cheering
made the very welkin ring
Yet it was not the important National
and State issues discussed by the two
great leaders which most Interested
Wayne county voters at that time. The
question paramount here was whether
or not the State should in the near fu-
ture avail itself of its option under the
Act which gave Maurice Wurts the right
to improve the Lackawaxen river and
one of its tributary creeks, to take over
the Pennsylvania section of the Della
ware x Hudson canal, as an addition to
the public works owned by the Com
monwcalth. Maurice Wurts obtained
his charter through an act of the Legis-
lature approved by the Governor on the
18th of March, 1923. lie was by it en-
powered to enter upon the Lackawaxcn
and any one OF the streams emptying
into the river, and in manner most
suitable and convenient orhimself, open,
enlarge, change, make anew and i'm
prove the channel, taking stones, trees,
rocks and all other impediments out of
the creek and using them for the con-
struction of dams and locks, or other
wise disposing of them, and thus COM
plete good and safe descending navi-
Cation, available for use at least once
every six days, excepting when obstruct-
ed by ice or floods, from at or near
Wagner's Gap in Luzerne county, or
RiXe's Gap lin the Moosic mountain) in
Wayne, to the mouth of the Lackawaxen.
The channel was to be not less than
twenty feet wide and eighteen inches
deep for arks and RATS, and OF sufficient
depth of water to float down boats car
rying cargoes of ten tons. For craft go
ing up the stream, no tolls were to b,
charged unless this ditch was converted
INTO complete slackwatcr navigation
which more extensive Improvement was
also authorized, but its construction left
optional with Mr.. Wurts. In case he
concluded to adopt the slackwater plan,
he was required to build bridges, and
provide fords when necessary, as well us
proper dams over which RATS could pass
in safety on their way to the Delaware.
The locks were to be "a feet long and Is
feet wide, and on approaching them the
boatmam was required to blow Il trum-
pet or horn to apprise the locktendcr
that he was only quarter OF mile
away.
Mr. Wurts was to be reimbursed for
theeXpense of the contemplated improve
mcnt of the Lackawaxen by the tolls
which he was authorized to charge for
descending craft only, in case complete
~ackwater navigation was not establish
ed, and for both ascending and descend
ing boats if it was. If it was found that
his profits from this source after two
years amounted to more than nine per
cent, the tolls were to be reduced so as
to yield no more than that figure, but if
they failed to return nine per cent. they
could be raised correspondingly. After
five years Is per cent. was named as the
limit.
AT the expiration OF thirty years from
the passage of the act, Mr.. Wurts was
required to render an account under oath
of the amount of money expended and
the tolls received and if the latter amount
ed to so much as six per cent. beyond
the former the Legislature was authoriz-
ed to resume all the rights, liberties and
franchises granted but if they had not
amounted to so much, then on payment
OF the difference or deficiency to Mr..
Wurts the State could exercise the same
right. In case of such resumption the
Legislature was to fulfill all the obliga-
tions enjoined on Mr.. Wurts. If it so
happened that the latter had not COM
pleted either the descending or slack
water navigation within ten years, the
State reserved the authority to complete
Iy dispossess him at that time.
In 1926 supplement was passed for
bidding Mr.. Wurts to make slack-wa-
ter navigation in the bed of the Lacka-
waXen, unless of sufficient capacity to
accommodate boats or crafts OF % tons
burden, and later on the Del. and IIud.