The Sun.
London, England, 1865-06-26 00:00:00

Atlantic and Great Western Railway.

The accompanying letter and report received from Mr.
Moseley, who has recently visited the United States and
minutely inspected the Atlantic and Great Western Rail-
way, will, we think, prove interesting to the holders of
this company's securities, showing as it does the great
variety of the sources from which traffic will be derived,
and the vast amount which must immediately accrue and
will ultimately swell into an aggregate equal to, if not
greater than, that of any railroad of similar length in any
part of the world :

Now York, May 29, 1865.

y. _
Edw. F. Satterthwaite, Esq., London.
Dear Sir,—ln accordance with your instructions, I have
made a careful examination of the Atlantic and Great
Western Railway, and also of the line connecting with it at
Dayton, and on to St. Louis.
The main lino commences at Salamanca, on the Erie
Railway, 414 miles from New York, in the State of New
York, and passes through the States of Pennsylvania and
Ohio, terminating at Dayton, a total distance of 386 miles.
The broad gauge lines in direct communication with the
Atlantic and Great Western are : Miles.
The Erie Railway, New York to Salamanca 414
The Cincinnati Hamilton and Dayton Railway 6O
The Ohio and Mississippi Railway
The railroad crossings and connections of the line are as
follows :
At Salamanca ... with
Corry

Eric Railway
Oil Creek Railway.
Philadelphia, and Erie Rail-
road ... ...
Franklin and Oil City
Branch and A. and G.
W. Ry.
'Cleveland
Railroad
Erie and Pittsburgh Rail-
road ... ... ... 148
rCleveland and Pittsburgh
L Railroad ... ... ... 150
[Cleveland Zanesville and
`Cincinnati Railroad ... 87
Pittsburgh Fort Wayne
and Chicago Railroad ... 258
Sandusky Mansfield and
• Newark Railroad ... 116
Cleveland Columbus and
Cincinnati Railroad ... 258
Bellefontane Railway ... 469
Great Central Railway ... 188
,Sandusky Dayton and Cin-
cinnati Railroad ... ... 215
(Springfield and Columbus
Railroad ... ... ... .45
Springfield Mt. Vernon and
Pittsburgh Railroad •••
Sandusky Dayton and Cin-
• cinnati Railroad ... ...
(Dayton and Michigan Rail-
! road ... ... ...207
) Indiana Central and Dayton
L and Western Railroad ... 57
Ohio and Mississippi Rail-
road ... ... . 340
Indianopolis and Cincinnati
Railroad ... ... ... 115
Kentucky Central Railroad 112
Louisville and New Orleans
tSteamers ... ... ...

Meadville

Clevelaud

Toledo
. ... 112

Greenville

rk.avenna

Akron ...

Mansfield

... If

• . 0 ~

... ,7

Galion and Marion „

Urbana

Springfield

Dayton ...

Cincinnati

It, affords me much pleasure to be able to report that the
Atlantic and Great Western line is in most excellent order,
the ballasting good, and, with the exception of some 20
miles of metal west of Salamanca, the rails are in first-rate
condition. These 20 miles are now being relaid with new
iron; the rails taken up will be used for additional sidings
about to be built at important points on the lino, and which,
when completed, will amount to about 15 miles in length.
It is also most satisfactory to be able to confirm the
report I made to you in March last, that during the great
floods the lines escaped wonderfully, the amount of damage
done to the permanent way and bridges being but trifling,
and that all repairs were executed within a week by the
ordinary staff of " track layers." The stations on the line
at present are of course more or less of a temporary cha-
racter, with the exception of Meadville, the head-quarters
of the Company, a very fine building, containing the offices
for the various departments, refreshment-rooms, and in
addition a large first-class hotel (admirably managed), but
still far too small to accommodate the greatly increasing
business. In due time great alterations and additions will
be made to all the stations, but at present they are well
adapted to the traffic, and it is policy to thoroughly develope
the traffic before
_expending large sums upon improve-
ments that in the course of a year or two are sure to prove
inadequate. There are in course of construction at Mead-
ville large workshops and engine-sheds, which, with the
houses belonging to the Company and rented by employes,
cover an extent of about 60 acres. At the Kent station
there are also large works being erected, consisting of car
and smiths' shops, and engine-sheds, all being built in a
most substantial manner.

All the heavy works now in hand are being pushed on
with vigour, more especially the engine-sheds, which will
be completed before the coming winter.
The relling stock consists of-
-91 Locomotives on line.
35 Ditto building.
51 Passenger cars (to carry 60 persons).
40 Ditto building.
16 Baggage and Mail cars.
2,566 Freight cars.
It is all in splendid order, the engines being of a parti-
cularly fine description.
From Dayton to Cincinnati the line belongs to the Cin-
cinnati Hamilton and Dayton Railway Company. This
Company expended $1,500,000 in laying a broad gauge
" straddle" track (rails on either side of narrow gauge rails),
and building passenger stations and freight houses to ac-
commodate the Atlantic and Great Western traffic. The
passenger station at Cincinnati is one of the best and most
convenient in the States, containing arrangements for the
comfort of passengers not usually to be met with on Ame-
rican lines. A fine suite of offices are nearly completed for
the use of the Atlantic and Great Western Company. The
freight houses adjoin the station and are rented by firms
who take the freights from the Railway Company, charg-
ing for storage, and assuming all the responsibility of de-
livery; an excellent arrangement that relieves the Com-
pany of a vast amount of risk. The line from Dayton to
Cincinnati is in perfect order, is well ballasted and main-
tained, the stations are good, and there is every facility for
conducting a very large traffic with regularity. The junc-
tion with the Ohio and Mississippi Railway is about half a
mile from the main station. Arrangements are contem-
plated by which the two lines will unite at the main sta-
tion. The line to St. Louis, considering the severe winter
and the floods, is in very good condition. The track is
being carefully repaired, and a large amount of iron is being
re-rolled and re-laid. It is the intention of the Directors
to re-roll nearly all the metal now down. The line is broad
gauge throughout.
The Franklin Branch has been extended from Franklin
to Oil City, 81 miles, a very important addition to the line.
From Meadville to Franklin the rails originally laid are
very light, but from the fact of the joints being fished they
have worn most surprisingly well, and would last for years
to come. However, it is intended to replace them with the
same description of rail used on the main line. The light
rails will be kept in stock in all probability for sidings. The
track is well maintained, and the enormous traffic over this
branch is admirably managed.
The Cleveland Extension runs over the Mahoning Rail-
way (leased by the Atlantic and Great Western Company
for 99 years), and is a " straddle" track ; the. narrow gauge
cars and engines belonging to the Mahoning line are there-
fore used in common with the broad gauge ; trains of the
mixed gauges being run with, the greatest safety. The
line is in splendid order, and the traffic over it immense.

The works on the Buffalo Extension and New Lisbon
Coal Branch will be energetically carried on. Those on
the Erie and Niagara line are nearly complete.
Having thoroughly satisfied myself that the lines now in
operation are in proper order, I have devoted considerable
time to ascertaining what are the traffic prospects for the
future. I append a return of the towns and villages within
a radius of about 20 miles from the main line, from which it
will be. seen that the railway passes. through settled and
popshms districts. In fact, from Saeger Town (97 miles
from Salamanca), west the country is as highly cultivated
as any part of the States.
I am prepared for somewhat lower traffic receipts for the
summer months of this year, and believe that they will be
lower than at any future period, for the following reason :
The heavy. decline an the eastern markets (consequent
upon the large fall in gold) in the value of western pro-
ducts, such as tobacco, gram, hemp, and hogs, has almost
stopped shipments to the seaboard, holders generally hoping
for a reaction in prices, and as a rule being unwilling to
face a sudden loss. All this freight is in the west, and
sooner or later must come east. If held back until the
harvest there will be au immense pressure of freights, and
the roads will be enabled to advance their rates.
The connections with the various cross-roads are highly
important, and when arrangements are completed for ad-
ditional sidings, transfer houses, &c., will open up to the
Atlantic and Great Western at points such as Corry,
Clarkesville, Mansfield, and Galion, feeders fully as valu-
able as any now in existence, and in addition a class of
traffic that hitherto has not been sought after ; I mean the
stock traffic. Dull as this branch of trade is at the present
time, a neighbouring line for instance is carrying from 40
to 50 cars per diem. This, at $3O (a minimum rate) gives
upon the lower number $1,200.
1 anticipate that the Atlantic and Great Western will
contain about the same traffic in dull times from Cleveland
to Salamanca. The amount of stock, however, to be con-
veyed from Cleveland will not compare with that which
will be forthcoming from Mansfield, Galion, Urbana,
and Dayton. The States of Kentucky, Southern
Illinois, and Missouri, are -the great stock pro-
ducing States, and the Atlantic and Great Western
line from these points (arrived at by the Ohio and
Mississippi, Cincinnati Hamilton and Dayton, and Cin-
cinnati and Indianopolis, and other lines) offers to stock
producers an unbroken broad-gauge line to New York.
It, is a fair calculation to estimate the stock traffic over
the south western portion of the road at from 50 to
100 Cars per diem. Taking the lower figure at an
ever
ago of $5O to $75 per car, and the lowest rate
3/5111,21rave52,500, which added to the Cleveland, estimate of
weeku o,fgives a total of $3,700 per diem, or $22,200 per
6 days for stock traffic, alone.
A great source of traffic at present is, and will be, for
many years to come, the oil from the Pennsylvania
g
wells. Notwithstanding the enormous yield for the last
three years, the supply shows no sign of exhaustion, and
as a consequence fresh adventurers are
and expending capital in the hope of f 6 striking oil."
The large number of Companiestoae formed of late, has in-
creased the value of land ouliteisetent7 andmate-
rially adds to the Franklin Branch.seasonestimated thatthe
nearly 2,000 fresh wells will be started this
pumping engines for these new undertakings re *scat-
tered in all directions,-200 were on the Franklin plat-
form at one time last week. The extension of the line to
Oil Ci‘y will necessarily secure an immense amount of oil
traffic that last year was. transported East by other
routes. A large plot of land has been presented to the
Company in the neighbourhood of Oil City, on the
river bank, upon which large wharves and sheds will
be built exclusively for Petroleum traffic. The oil will
be sent direct from the wells on the crktoretlair
land-
ings, and as a saving of some seven milesth of
will be effected, it is fair to suppose at
.a large amouhant of
traffic that has hitherto gone by river will be diverted to
the rail. The number of barrels transported by the At-
lantic and Great Western line last year amounted to the
enormous number of 675,028.
Coal in the course of a very short time will formh one of
the largest items of tr(ffic. The facilities for s ipment at
Cleveland are so great (the Company having.between 3,000_
and 4,000 feet of river frontage) for the West vsii the lakes and
railways, that it is impossible to estimate what the value of
thistraffic will be. At present it is only beginning to be deve-
loped. In addition to the Western shipments, there will be
an enormous demand for Canada, via the Buffalo Exten-
sion, and Erie and Niagara line. Cheap coal is sure to bring
a large Xturaber of manufactories to the towns ill the neigh-

bourhood of the coal xelds. It is a"satisfactory feature that
' the truck running from Youngstown (the southern ton-mil
nus of the Mahoning Branch, and centre of the cost district)
to Cleveland, return with iron ore from L tic.‘ Superior.
The "Mahoning Works," at Youngstown, cum ume when
in full work 240 tons of coal, and turn out in bars, sheets,
and spikes, 50 tons of iron per day. The freight business
of these works in ore from Cleveland, and manufactured
iron to different parts, is worth $105,00 ► p 4 r annum. Two
other firms hero contribute 875,000 each per annum, and
others from $50,000 to $60,000.
Iu addition to the sources of revenue alluded to, there is
a very large and well-paying freight traffic at present de-
rived from dairy produce, which commands a higher rate
for transport than any other description of freight.
Upon the line being fully open to Cincinnati and St.
Louis for through traffic, I have no doubt that the most
sanguine expectations will be fully realised. At present,
owing to the want of rolling stock, through-freights have
not been canvassed for. One through train per day began
to run on the Bth inst., another will be placed on the line
by the middle of June, and a third by the middle of July.
The opening of the through line for passengers will, how-
ever, serve as an advertisement for freights, and as new
cars are added to the stock now running, energetic measures
will be taken to secure a class of traffic hitherto not com-
peted for, viz., general merchandise bound west. There
is also a large amount of goods traffic to be obtained from
the Cleveland and Toledo and Michigan lines running from
Toledo to Chicago. The Toledo line will be in a position to
give more than double the amount of freight for convey-
ance east compared with the total now carried for them
over the Atlantic and Great Western. The relations be-
tween these lines and the Atlantic and Great Western are
of a very friendly nature, and there is an evident anxiety
on the part of the managers to assist in developing the At-
lantic traffic. It is also gratifying to be able to report that
both at Cincinnati and St. Louie, all the railway authori-
ties I had the pleasure of meeting spoke in the most encou-
raging manner of the traffic prospects, and expressed them-
selves highly satisfied at the probable early opening of the
through route. Apart, however, from all questions of
through traffic, I am convinced that the local traffic alone
(which up to the present time has been the great source of
earnings) by good management and development will yield
a revenue more than sufficient to meet the requirements of
the Bondholders. No new line ever built in the United
States passes through more highly cultivated or better
settled districts, which from the very first have thrown an
immense amount of traffic upon the line.
When it is considered that this great railway was only
commenced about five years ago, during a period of civil
war, when labour was scarcer, and 'wages higher, than
ever remembered, I think the Stock and Bondholders may
fairly congratulate themselves upon the results obtainedup
to the present time. To the amazing energy of Mr. Ken-
nard, the Engineer in Chief, in the face of every possible
opposition, these results are mainly due.
Under the active presidency of Mr. L'Hommedieu, and
the management of Mr. M'Laren, the General Superinten-
dent, there is no doubt that vast improvements in the con-
duct of the traffic generally will be made. Indeed, already
important savings have been effected in the working ex-
penses of the road. Both these gentlemen speak most
confidently of the success of the undertaking, and of the
large increase in the receipts that must follow upon the
perfect equipment of the line.
The following are the stations on the Atlantic and
Great Western line, with the towns and villages alluded to.
I am, dear sir, yours faithfully,
EDWARD MOSELEY.
The number of miles, after the name of the Station, gives
the distance of each place from
SALAMANCA,
which is the connection with the Erie Railway and transfer
station, situated in Cattaraugus County, New York ; popu-
lation of the county is 43,735.
STEAMBURG (12 miles).—A small place ; lumber is the
principal business derived from this station.
RANDOLPH (18 miles), population 1,500 ; Rutledge, 5
miles from the station, population 500.
KENNEDY (25 miles), population 1,200 ; Ellington, 12
miles from station, population 1,200.
JAMESTOWN (34 miles), population 5,000 ; important
manufacturing and shipping point. Towns tributary
thereto—Bucklands, 500 ; Busti, 400 ; Frewsbury, 600 ;
Ellery, 400 ; Fentonville, 400 ; Kyantone, 500'; Russel-
burg, 600; Sugar Grove, 1,000; Geary, 500; St. °lairs-
ville, 1,200 ; Stockton, 700 ; Maysville, 1,500. These
towns are 5 to 20 miles from station in Chautauqua County,
the population of which is 58,217. Road passes through
south part of county ; Lake Shore Railroad, distance 16
miles. There is a pleasant route to the Lake Shore line
at Westfield, 57 miles east of Buffalo, uia steamboat on the
Chautauqua Lake to Maysville, and thence by coach, 7
miles to the railway. This route is much frequented in the
summer months.

ASHVILLE (41 miles), population 1,000.
PANAMA (48 miles). Town of same name distant two
miles ; population 1,200.
COLUMBUS (57 miles), population 800 ; in Warren
County, Pennsylvania, population of which is 19,190.
Connv (61 miles). This town is five years old, popula-
tion 4,000. Crossing of the Philadelphia and Erie Rail-
road, and Junction with the Oil Creek Railroad, an im-
portant point for forwarding oil, and receiving merchandise
and machinery for the Oil regions. Here are the Downer
Oil refinery works, containing iron tanks which hold
10,000 barrels of oil. In 1860 the site of Corry was a
forest, not a house to be seen.

CONCORD (66 miles). A small village.
MILL VILLAGE (79 miles). Only a station, not a village
of any consequence. Waterford, 4 miles, population 4,000.
Philadelphia and Erie Railroad runs directly alongside
Atlantic and Great V estern road from this station to Corry.
MILLERS (85 miles). Small place.
CAMBRIDGE (88 miles), population 2,000. Endenboro,
miles, population 600.
VENANGO (92 miles), population 1,200. Rockville, 8
miles, population 1,000.
SAGER TOWN (97 miles), population 500. From this
station, west, a marked change is visible in the country ;
up to this point there is much forest land, and the resources
of the country are undeveloped. Still, much has been done
during the last four years, and a daily improvement may be
expected.
MEADVILLE (103 miles), population 8,000; important
commercial and manufacturing town. General offices of
the railway aro at this place, and a large and admirably
managed hotel, the "McHenry House," whore passengers
dine, cte.—indeed, if it were twice the size, it would always
fill. Eight distinct table d'hote dinners are served here for
the convenience of persons living in the house, and passen-
gers-arrivixg by the trains. The COmpany's workshops
are in a forward state, and will be of great service when
completed. Tributary towns—lticeville, 18 miles, popula-
tion 1,000 Cooley, 12 miles, population 500; Couneout
Lake, 7 miles, population 600 ; Cochranton, Utica, Evans-
bridge, Sugar Creek, small villages on Franklin Branch,
which joins the main line at Meadville, in Crawford County,
the population of which is 48,755.
FRANKLIN (131 miles), on the branch from Meadville,
population 5,000. Great point for the shipment of oil.
This station is at the junction of French Creek and Alle-
ghany River.
OIL CITY (8i miles) from Franklin, furnishes a great
amount of traffic in passengers and freight to the road,
population 10,000 ; situated at the junction of Oil Creek
with the Alleghany River. In the spring and fall, when
the water is high, but before the opening of the line to Oil
City, most of the oil went down the Alleghany to Pitts-
burgh, and thence east. In the summer when the water
is low, and all through the winter, all tho oil comes over
the Franklin Branch.

SUTTON (110 miles). No village, but a good lumbering
point.

EVANSEURG (115 miles). Town of same name is 4 miles
from station, population 800. Hackstown, 5 miles, popula-
tion 500; Georgetown, 10 miles, population 700.
ADAMSVILLE (121 miles). Population 500.

SuoMt GROVE (124 miles). Small station.
GREEVILLE (129 miles). Population 4,000. Tributary
towns—Miner, 15 miles, population `2,000; New Hamburg,
7 miles, population 600 ; Delaware Grove, 9 miles, popula-
tion 100 ; Centreville, 28 miles, population 200 ; Balm, 25
miles, population, 100 ' • New London and Maysville, popu-
lation, 100 each LShaelileyville, 10 miles, population 600.
CROSSING OF ERIE AND PITTSBURGH RAILROAD (132

miles).
CLARKSVILLE (136 miles). Population, 1,000. The Erie
and Pittsburgh runs parallel with Atlantic and Great
Western track 8 miles. Tributary towns—Newcastle, 17
miles, population, 3,500; Pulaski, 10 miles, population
800 ; West Middlesex, 20 miles, population 1,000 ; Sharon,
8 miles, population 1,500; Jamestown, 10 miles, population
1,000; Brownsville, population 300; Lindenville, popula-
tion, 200 ; Espyville, population 200 ' • Conneautville popu-
lation, 1,500 ; Linesville, population, 200.
CRAWFORDS (139 miles). Large coal fields at this point.
ORANGEVILLE 01110 (141 miles). Population, 1,200..
Tributary towns—Sharon' 7 miles, population 5,000 ; Hart-
ford, 41 miles; Vernon, 41 miles; Kinsman, 41 miles;
Maysville, 5 miles ; Sharpsvillo, 5 miles.
The above-mentioned towns have a population of from
500 to 1,000 each.
BURGUILL (145 miles). Tributary to this station are the
above-named stations, under head of Orangeville.
Largo dairy farms are along the line of the road between
this station and Akron, and consequently large shipments
of butter and cheese are made from these points. The
amount Taxies from 600 to 1,200 tons per annum from each
station.

--------
JOHNSON'S SUMMIT (149 miles). Fowler, 5 miles from
station, population 700.
The remarks appended to Burghill station apply to this
station equally as well.--
BACONSBURG (154 miles). Population 500 ; Mecca, 7
miles, population 1,000; Johnson's, 6 miles, population 500;
Gustavus, 15 miles, population 500; Williamsfield, 20 miles,
population 1,000.
This is called the Mecca oil region, and produces valuable
oil in moderate quantities.
WARREN (162 miles). Population 4,000 ; enterprising
town ; fine water power, furnished by the Mahoning River,
which is much used for motive :power in mills, &c., &c.
Tributary towns—Gustavus, 6 miles, population 600 ;
Bristol, 9 miles, population 500 ; Farmington, 5 miles,
population 600 ; Southington, 10 miles, population 500;
North Jackson, 10 miles, population 800.
Above towns are in Trumbull County, Ohio, population
of which is 30,813.
LEAVITTSBURGII (164 miles). Crossing of Cleveland
Branch. No station here, but is an important transfer
point, both iron and coal passing east and west. Towns
on this branch between Leavittsburgh and Cleveland—
Bracevill ,e Windham, Garretsville, Mantua, Aurora, Solon.
The above-named towns are the centres of large dairy
districts, and large shipments of butter and cheese go from
these points to the east and west,
CLEVELAND (2141 miles). Terminus of the Cleveland
Branch of the Atlantic and Great Western Railway •, po-
pulation about 70,000. It is a well laid out town, and large
manufacturing interests are represented here, encouraged
by the unequalled railway facilities for transportation.
The following roads centre at this point :—Cleveland and
Toledo Lake Shore Line ; Cleveland, Columbus and Cin-
cinnati, and the Atlantic and Great Western Railways,
and the Cleveland and Pittsburg Railway. Large quan-
tities of iron ore pass through on its way to Youngstown
for smelting, thereby affording a lucrative business to the
Atlantic and Great Western Railway Company.
YOUNGSTOWN is an increasing town of 4,000 inhabitants,
at the southern end of the Mahoning Branch, and in the
centre of the coal fields of Ohio. Hero are large iron works
supplied via the Cleveland Branch, with ore from Lake
Superior. _ .

is
from The
Sharondistrictto
lveevr ye
l a rin.dc,h andin
a lasting source of revenue to the Company.
ceolsael,wahnedret7hceantranoffit cbudteprirvoevde
For some weeks, however, in consequence of a strike
amongst the coal miners, the traffic has suffered much.
The miners belong to a trade's union, and are holding out,
for higher wages, but being now badly off for money, are
expected to resume work in two or three weeks.
Towns tributary to Youngstown are—Sharon, Pa.,
which has also an outlet by railroad and canal to Erie ;
New Castle, Lowell, and Mahoning town, are all iron
manufacturing towns, the business of which is largely de-
veloping. Good coal banks underlie nearly all this region,
to which Lake Superior ore is transported for smelting.
BRACEVILLE (169 miles). Situated between the main
and Cleveland Branch, population 1,500. Tributary towns
smilos, population 500 ; Farnington, 10 miles,