Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1845-07-26
Statistics in relation 10 a Continuous Rail Road
from Snnbury 10 Philadelphia.


In former number we stated the addition /
al tonnage that would be carried over the Reading
Rail Road by the completion Of the Shamokn, /
Mahonoy & Schuylkil Rail Road might be fairly
estimated at 200, 900 tons per annum, the gross
receipts of which at the lowest rates, would a.
mount TO si20 ,0OO leaving the nett receipts no,
less than 50 10 600 These estimates are not
based on visionary OF imaginary views. hut are
derived from actual results, and are deemed. by
those who have some know ledge OF these matters,
rather lower than what they should have been.
To this we have not added the travel that would
naturally seek this road the cheapest and most
speedy route for travellers from Northern Penn
sylvania, and in fact from the State of New
York and the Lakes. The trav-, from the Sus-
qnehanna 10 Philadelphia, by way OF Pottsvilc,
is already ofconsiderablc importance, and if the
contemplated Road from Shamokin finish
ed travellers would be carried through from
Sunbury TO Philadelphia in ten hours If
we estimate the number of passengers at fifty
per day, each way, we have 30, 600 per annum,
which, at 81 so for each passenger, would a.
mount to $4,000 per annum, which after de-
ducting fifty per cent. for expenses. would leave
$40 900 or per cent on 5000 600. the esfima.
ted cost for the completion of the Road. To this
We must add the immense coal trade of the road
There is. probably, no Rail Road in the world
| that traverses greater or more extensive coal
! region than this,--nearly every mile of which
will be located through the coal region, where
in many places, there is breast of coal 500 feet
above water level with veins at least three times
more numerous and extensive than those in the
| Pottsyille region. The coal from Shamokin, on
! the western end of the route, would be carried
about 20 miles 10 the Susquehanna. tThe road
from Shamokin to Sunbury, on the Susquehanna
being already in operaton) The coal on the
eastern end would be carried from IL TO 25 miles
10 Pottsvie, where il would take the Reading
! Road TO market. The amount of coal carried on
| these two sections Of the road would not be less
than 200 900 tons, in two years after its com.
pleton, and would, we believe, in a few years
| more than double itself Allowing then, but 25 cts
per ton the nett profits, we have clear r-
come, from coal alone, OF $50 900 per annum
We have shewn, in a former number that the
iroa. lumber, grain and hituminous coal from
the Susquehanna and its tributaries that would
pass over this new road, would not be less than
10000 tons, which. with GO 900 ton. for the
return trade in the shape of merchandise, wonld
amount 10 200, 600 tons and, taking the nett
receipts for this tonnage, at half the amount
charged for the same amount Of trade over the
Reading Road, the result would be clear in
come Of sl2o,0Oo. We shall, therefore, reca-
pituate what may be deemed fair estimate of
the probable nett receipts from the trade Of the
proposed new road viz
From iron, lumber, grain, bitumi-
coal &c, 20OON
From anthracite coal, so 900
From passengers 30 900
100000
Here, then, we have 5000 coo as the nett re-
celpts of a road, which, il is said, can be con-
structed for 5000 GOO, bnt if we estimate the cost
of the entire road at s ,OOO, 900, still .ave a
sum sufficient 10 declare dividend of 90 per
cent, on its actual cost. The whole or nearly
the whole of this immense trade, would pass O.
ver the entire road from Pottsvile to Philadel.
phia, Of which the proposed new road is but a
mere extension. 1t would be greatly TO the in.
terest of the Reading Rail Road to make the con.
nection, even if it should never pay cent, a,
! that road by the great increase o. trade, would
double in value III less than one year after the
completion of the new route The Schuylkill
canal when enlarged, might also expect share
in the benefits OF this trade