Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-10-17
Enrntng Chat

plies for the national defense has
been again found highly desirable.
recalls the fact that not only did
people from the counties along the
wide branching river meet here 100
years and more ago to discuss the
project and start some work, but
that the Susquehanna is supposed
to have had the first iron steam
boat in America. No less an au-
thority on iron and steel than the
late James NJ. Swank, the historian
of the industry in America. gives
prominence to a statement that the
iron steamboat Codorus was the
first on the Susquehanna and init
mates that 1t was probably the an
lcestor of the iron and steel fleets of
to-day. This statement regarding an
iron steamboat built and operated
on our river is taken from q report
made in the Eighth Census and writ
ten by Henry Hall. Mr.. Hall. who
has studied the shipbuilding indus
try extensively, says that the Codo-
rus was launched in 1926. Here
we have an authoritative statement
regarding steam navigation on our
own river among the steamboat en-
9rprises of almost century ago.
1t was not so many years before
that Henry Fulton. born in Ian
caster county, which borders the
Susquehanna, sailed the Clermont
in the Hudson.
the eminent student of shipbuild-
ing had a notable career is sub
stantiated by newspaper publish
ed in our own town. The Harris
burg Chronicle of December 5, 1925,
the year of the launching of the boat,
says: The sheet iron steamboat
Codorus paid another visit to Har-
risburg on Sunday last with the
members from York county as pass
lengers. The members of the Legis-
IlAfnrn Uanaral yN1n
with the performance of this boat
and express great satisfaction with
the success of the experiment.
From what we have heard, we infer
actment in favor of the enterprising
proprietors." This extract which is
interesting in view of the fact that
it shows that legislators were not
adverse to taking free rides even in
that day. Moreover Sunday eXcur-
sions were not as severely frowned
upon as we have been led to be-
lieVe, although any party from Cap
itol Hill which would be likely to
. indulge in. Sunday steamboat ride
now would probably get into the
newspapers with less gentle refer
ence than given by the editor of the
Harrisburg Chronicle. 1t also shows
that navigation was open as late as
ne the first week in December on the
f. lSusquehanna.
This steamboat was a sister ship
re lof several whose names have come
Its down to us through families whose
s. grandparents rode on them. From
oo all accounts they were not as large
10 as the Kingfisher, the flag ship of
ris the West Fairview squadron. while
he the steamboats,, which ply between
in New Cumberland and Steelton are
considerably bigger. In any event
v lif the Codorus, Susquehanna, Pio-
a neer, Conestoga, Augusta and other
We early steamboats, found the river
. safe there is no reason why the coal
u dredGes which go up and down
every day now do not indicate poss-
er Iibilities If the worst rocks could be
IS blown out in the fashion approved
an Iby Major w. B. Gray in his recent
an address before the Rotary Club.
ut. The Codorus and her sisters were
up formed after the Legislature had at
Ir- last in 1923 taken hold OF the pro-
nd ject for improving the navigation of
ng the Susquehanna which had been
We agitated since 1890 in Harrisburg
cy and various places along the stream.
en- In March, 1923, the Legislature au-
thorized improvement of the river
from Northumberland to tidewater
- and made an appropriation, but in
I 1927 declined to continue it after
more than 5000 had been spent
. in blowing up rocks. OF this sum
one twelfth was spent between Col
umbia and Northumbe berland and the
rest betcS-en Columbia and tide
water.
That attempts to establish a reg
ular steamboat service on the Sus-
quehanna were made by Baltimore
and York capital is on record in
Harrisburg financial institutions,
One company proposed to run pack
cts between York Haven and North
umberland. 1t is believed to have
been the one which built the Codo-
rus. The Chronicle notes regular
movements of the steamboats, in the
spring of 1925 and on April 3, 1926,
says that the Codorus was at Mont
gonery's Ferry, which is a score
of miles above Harrisburg. Later
on it announced that the Susque-
hanna had gone up as far as Milton
and Danville. But soon after the
- newspapers announced that the Sus-
quehanna had blown up in attempt
] ing to navigate the river near Ber-
! wick, killing two persons and injur-
I ing several, among them a Lancas-
=. ter county legislator.
The records of the War Depart
III lment, which show that Susquehanna
y navigation matters have been the
a subject of correspondence periodi-
cally between officials on the banks
of the Potomac and residents of the
M shores of the Susquehanna for 125
IA years contain a letter written to
M Lewis Cass, when secretary under
Andrew Jackson on the problem.
1t was from Henry K. Strong, one
of our leading residents of that day
IN in which he said that one of these
III York county boats was propelled
- by steam to the line separating the
H. states of Pennsylvania and New
York" He believes it to have been
e the first steamboat on American
Z waters, which is further evidence
:: corroborating Mr.. Hall. Mr.. Strong
:: was one of a group of Harrisburg
:. men who in the thirties made an
earnest effort to induce the national
government to go into the matter
Among his associates were Valen-
tine HumNel who was chairman of
a select committee; George Mish,
Jacob NJ. Haldeman, then famous as
an ironmaster; John c. Bucher, C.
@. Rawn, Henry Buehler, Joel Bailey,
Henry Walters, George Washington
Harris and Mordecai Mckinney, who
was the secretary and a sort of ].
Horace Mcfarland of his day.