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

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'2o
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 line, 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 employds,
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 rAing stock consists of—

boarnood of the coal selds. It is a satisfactory feature that
the truck running from YoUngstown (the southern termill
nus of the Mahoningßranch, and centre of the coal district)
to Cleveland, return with iron ore from L ike Superior.
The "Mahoning Works," at Youngitown, eonsume 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') per annum. Two
other firms here contribute $75,000 each per annum, and
others from $50,000 to $60,000.
In addition to the sources of revenue alluded to, there is
avery 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 traffis 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. Louis, 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 MOSELRY.
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.
Resooknit (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.
JemEsTowN (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. Clairs-
vile, 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.

Asuviu (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.
CORRY (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.

COICORD (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 NV estern road from this station to Corry.