Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1846-05-02
From the Philadelphia Ledger.l
Continuous Raiirond--The Interests Of
PhtIadelphla.

the several routes which have been specially
surveyed with a view to a continuous Railroad
from Harrisburg to Pittsburgh have shown
the vast superiority in grade, on the route which
has hitherto been neglected, and proved that by
following the preferred middle route of Mr..
Schater, we must encounter f,co thousand eight
hundred and ,iriy-onefeet more rise and fall be-
tween Harrisburg and Pittsburgh, than if we fol-
lowed the West Branch of the Susqnehanna 1t
has been also proved that in reaching the divi-
ding ground between the waters of the West
Branch and those of the Two Lick Creek flowing
to the West, no grade will be encountered higher
than 76I feet per mile and that for not more
than 10 miles OF the distance. When the other
advantage. Of this latter route besides its low
summit and unrivalled ease of grade are taken
into view-its connection for instance with the
North Branch iron district, with the Lycoming
Creek, or Williamsport and Elmira Railroad
penetrating to the heart Of New York, with the
Lakes at Erie, and with rich mining district
throughout nearly the whole route-.we shall lap
prehend, find good reason to pause before we un
dertake to scale the Eastern escarpment of the
Allegheny Mountain and TO follow the tortuous
courses and climb the steep precipices ofthe Lit
tie Juniata and its tributaries, involving after
all an aggregate of 2 or miles of tunnel At
least let the city of Philadelphia before she puts
any number of millions of dollars into the hands
of company to expend on such scheme be
assured that full, faithful and impartial survey
of tho nntorn1 channel shall Ia, made hnfore pro
ceeding to the final location of the road This
need not delay action on the part of the citizens
or ofthe city government, for the conditions
of the law requiring the location and actual com
mencement of Is miles at each end of the route
may be complied with in all due time, without
involving the mediate determination of the ques-
ton whether the Stone Mountain route or that
of the SusQuehanna shall eventually be adopted
More than Is miles at each enc OF the route will
be common 10 the two, whichever shall be pur-
sued in the intermediate portion. The examina-
ton and estimates of former years have left to
be surveyed and estimated about ll5 miles
oF the Susquehanna route.
The route by the West Branch is, am persu-
AIDED, destined, a. no distant day, to be occupied
. by a Railroad Whether from the advantages
heretofore presented, it is likely TO become
formidable competitor with the shorter, Stone
Mountain route, can only be certainly known by
full and faithful survey Capitalists may con-
lecture, but Engineers must decide.
have barely referred to the mineral wealth OF
the region to be traversed on the West Branch
Mines of coal and iron already exist at mum
erons localities, and hundreds more might readily
be opened From Quns Run TO the head water:
of the West Branch, the coal formation is scarce
ly interrupted in distance OF li0 miles.
The city of Philadelphia is herself an eSten
sve proprietor Of a part of this territory, iyIns
between the Siunamahoning and karthaus
known as the 'Roudinot lands For want Of su1
table means of approach this property is at PIE
sent unavailable, but line of public improve
ments cannot fail 10 enhance it's value. purin!
the past year these Boudinot lands were v'ste
! by a committee of the City Councils, who return
! ed and reported that they ought TO be sold be
cause they are at present Of vaiue-a rsasc'
by the way which in the event OF their being OF
fered for sale would doubtless carry great weigh
with purchasers, and enable them 10 get the Pre-
, perty al their own prices. Had Railroad pas
| sed Immediately over these, offering for thel
lumber and minerals ready transit TO bot
Eastern and Western markets, the same Con
mittee might probably have made very differ
en-: statement of the value OF those lands.
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at all comparable with that OF the West Branc
of the susquehanna, | have no hesitation in say
ing that session after session Of our Legislator
! would never have been astated and embrolc
| by wranelng abont the right OF way and ha
! the New York and Erie Railroad found such
! route in its own State, the inhabitants Of th
| prond State would never have been seen at Ha
, risburs supplcatins for the right of pass throug
a corner OF Pennsylvania.
The time is come and the opportunity is no
afforded for avsing ourselves of the triple a,
vantage which Pennsylvania alone of all Il
Union enjoys, namely, that of bordering on Il
waters of the Alantic, those OF the Western r
vers and those of the Northern Lakes. L.
Pennsylvania seize the occasion 10 benefit |
her position, and by her unsurpassed faciliti
for forming continuous Railroad OF easy gra
and without inclined planes between HarIisbu
and Pittsburg Let her get rid of the danger al
delay caused by the inclined plane at the SehW
kill sell the Peters Island Bridge 10 those WI
even now require nearly its whole capacity
the coal trade bring the trade into the city
Market street, and secure by proper regulato