AREA HISTORY: History of Adams County, Chapter XI, Adams County, PA Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Kathy Francis Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/adams/ _______________________________________________ History of Cumberland and Adams Counties, Pennsylvania Chicago: Warner, Beers & Co., 1886 _______________________________________________ Part III, History of Adams County, Pages 55-56 CHAPTER XI. ROADS-TURNPIKES-RAILROADS-BALTIMORE & HANOVER RAILROAD-GETTYSBURG & HARRISBURG ROAD-THE OLD “TAPE WORM” LINE. For many years there were no roads for transportation or travel, except a species of paths and ways through the forests and across the unbridged streams used for the trains of pack-horses, on which all transportation to Baltimore and other markets was then carried on. There were men who had their regular train or horses, each horse carrying about 250 pounds weight; the head horse was belled, and one man riding in front and one in the rear controlled the caravan. These early freighters violently opposed the building of roads, as it would destroy their business. The first road opened in Adams County was in 1742, when two petitions were sent up by the citizens of Marsh Creek settlement (Gettysburg) and vicinity. William Ruddock, Richard Proctor, John Sharp, Benjamin Chambers and James Ruddock were appointed to view and lay out a road from the settlement to York and Lancaster. It was opened and corresponded very nearly to the route of the Gettysburg & York Pike. It was yet to be more than half a century before there would be any mails carried to this portion of the country. In 1683 the colonial governors began to establish post routes in this State, Penn paying employes a commission therefore. Letters to this part of the world, however, were carried by travelers and chance traders. But a more complete account of these matters will be found in the chapter on “postoffices.” Turnpikes.-The Gettysburg & Petersburg Turnpike road was chartered March 7, 1807. An organization was effected, with Alexander Cobean, president. The managers were Alexander Russell, Walter Smith, Peter Saunders, Thomas Sweeny, Philip Bishop, Andrew Shriver; treasurer, Alex Dobbin. In September, 1808, notice for bids to construct the road were published. The Gettysburg & Black’s Tavern Turnpike was chartered and organized in 1811. The first commissioners were John Edie, William Hamilton, William McPherson, Samuel Sloan, Mathew Longwell, James Black. The meeting to elect officers was held in Gettysburg May 28, 1811. In June, 1809, Ralph Lashells started a hack line from Gettysburg to York Sulphur Springs, leaving Gettysburg Monday and returning Wednesday. The turnpike from Galluchas’ saw-mill in this county to Chambersburg was chartered in 1809, and the company was organized in May following. The Gettysburg & York Pike road was organized 1804. At first it was the York & Susquehanna road, and in 1811 the provisions of the act were extended to the York & Gettysburg road. Jacob Cassat, Jacob Hahn and Jacob Metzger were the commissioners to report concerning the building of it. The road was only completed December 15, 1819. May 2, 1818, an election of the first officers was held in Abbottstown; president, Alexander Cobean; treasurer, George Upp; secretary, Alexander Russell; managers, William McPherson, George Hassler, John Hersh, Fredrick Baugher, Jacob Smyser (tanner), Jacob Smyser (farmer), Thomas Eichelberger, Henry Wolf, Henry King, Peter Butt, George Dashiells and John Murphy. Jacob Spangler made the survey. There were two toll-gates in York and two in Adams County. Railroads.-The first survey of the Hanover & Littlestown Railroad was made by Civil Engineer J. S. Gitt, in November, 1855. A charter was soon after received. On the 4th of July, 1857, the work of construction was begun at Littlestown. A speech was made by William McSherry, the president of the railroad, and two bands discoursed fine music. After a bounteous repost in a grove, near by, other speeches were made and the work started. The completion of the road was celebrated just one year from the time of beginning. It joined the Hanover Branch at Hanover, and the first trains were run on July 1, 1858. This road was operated for a number of years after its completion by the Hanover Branch Railroad until its lease by the Pennsylvania Railroad. It now forms a part of the Frederick Division of that railroad. Baltimore & Hanover Railroad.-The company which controls and operates this road was organized in the year 1877. It connects the Western Maryland Railroad at Emory Grove with the Bachman Valley Railroad near Black Rock Station, in York County, and these constitute, with the Hanover Junction, Hanover & Gettysburg Railroad, a continuous line from Baltimore to Gettysburg. These lines of roads pass through a well cultivated, rich and productive agricultural country. After leaving Emory Grove on the line of the Western Maryland Railroad, seventeen miles from Baltimore, the road gradually ascends, running parallel with and in close proximity to the Hanover & Baltimore Turnpike. One great point gained to the southwestern end of York county by the building of the Baltimore & Hanover and the Bachman Valley Railroads, was that they opened up a section of country in which the soil is susceptible of being highly improved by the application of fertilizers, especially lime and phosphates. The facilities thus offered for their introduction at a moderate cost were promptly availed of by the industrious and enterprising farmers, the results of which are now shown in crops which compare favorably with those raised in limestone land. A short line taps this road at Red Hill, running north by east through Abbottstown and terminating at East Berlin. Gettysburg & Harrisburg Road.-This now elegant railroad from Gettysburg to Harrisburg was completed in April, 1884. It had been built some years previously to the southern part of Cumberland County, and was originally intended to run only to the Pine Grove Mines, but the growing importance and the needs of Adams County soon made it a necessity to extend it to this place. The opening was duly celebrated July 4, 1884, by an ox-roast and picnic at Round Top Park, under the auspices of Col. John H. McClellan, who contributed the fatted ox, and provided for the multitude. Dr. Kiefer was the orator of the day. The Old “Tape Worm” Line was commenced to be built in 1835, under the State auspices. The era of internal improvements then ran all over our country, and nearly bankrupted many States. It was originally intended as a road to start at Gettysburg, and bearing southwest to somewhere strike the Baltimore & Ohio Road. Thaddeus Stevens stood as godfather a long time to this enterprise, as it was to run to his furnaces in Franklin County. The State made appropriations and work commenced all along the line in this county and beyond. Cuts were made and embankments thrown up. The State stopped appropriations, and practically to this day the work on the road stopped. Two years ago it passed into the hands of the Hanover road, and they have now completed it to eight miles west from Gettysburg, and will soon extend it on an intersection of the western Maryland Railroad. This will add greatly to the shipping facilities of Adams County.