years, all rights would be forfeited. Nothing was done under this charter, and in time it became inoperative. THE CONESTOGA SLACK-WATER NAVIGATION COMPANY March 28th, 1820, James Hopkins, a prominent lawyer of Lancaster, ob- tained a charter from the State of Pennsylvania giving him, his heirs, and

Lancaster city. It is as follows : "There is now being built over the Conestoga, in the vicinity of our city, a bridge 1,400 feet in length and twenty-three in breadth, standing on two abutments and ten piers. The piers rise sixty feet above the surface of the water, and are believed to be the highest in

water power to be derived from the Conestoga. If, however, the Corporate Authorities of the city of Lancaster should not' be able to make an equitable arrangement for any one of those water powers, recourse is still left, and that is to erect a stationary steam engine on the 'Poor House' farm, which

back water for boating and bathing prior to a score of years ago. The mill finally sheltered a small electric service. The general structure is now in ruins. Further on down the Conestoga, near one of its many turns, the Old Factory or cotton mill housed an important industry dur- ing middle of the

bill to incorporate the Widow and Orphan Assurance Society of the City and County of Lancaster, had passed the Senate of Pennsylvania. Three years later, a notice appeared in the Lancaster Journal of Friday, April 22nd, 1825, which was as follows : "A special election for a director of the Widow and