Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1847-02-27
From the Miners Journal.

ring the past year in mnny parts Of the State.
II is one Of great Importance to her future pros.
perity. The selection Of a proper route 10
matter of no small consequence; q mistake in
this first step Of the work may lead to the most
disastrous conscqnences-only to be rernedied
BY the future expenditure Of millions. In
Philadel phs meetings have been held and I'D.
drcs, e. issued in which decided preference has
been given to what is termed the Middle Route,
and many arguments are adduced TO prove
that a railroad on that route would NOT nure
but rather benefit the State works. Ia this we
think they are mistaken.
What il called the middle route for such
railroad. commences at Harrisburg, and passing
Up the Sn.quehanna and Juniais rivers to near
Lewistown-par.lel with. and IN most places
in close con,eui,y with the Pennsy y!vania Ca
nal from l.-wistown to logan's Narrows, on
the Little Juniata, the road leaves the river and
is to be carried across chasms, over bridges and
through mountains. cons .dcrably shortening the
distance, but descending srnin to near the bed
Of the river, so that nothing is gained in this
distance in ascent towards The grea, Summit Of
the Allegheny mountains, save the actual rise
in the river between the two points. Soon Of.
ter passing I.ogan's Narrows the road begins to
ascend the Allegheny mountain, and it requires
80 miles Of climbing along the south eastern
side Of it 10 attain the summit; and it thence
, desccnds so miles or more 10 the Come msugh h
the whole distance in the vicinity Of the State
works. After crossing the Connemaugh it is
| 10 be carried across hill md dale TO the Monon.
gahela. and down il to Pnt.burg. The whole
length il stated 10 be 22l9A miles; or the whole
distance from Philadelphia TO P.,tsburg in
| round numbers is 1886 miles The rosd is IL
have ascending and descending grade b'lh ways
| the maximum Of which is As ii. per mile. -
There will be l2 summils, and l2 tunnels vary.
ing in length from 100 to 1860 yards amour.
ting in the whole to 8l3l yards or 3 and
miles. There is to be viaducts: or bridges So
90and even 100 feet high with cutting 81 ard
80 feet deep and embark men,s 80 and GO fee
high. and both Of great length. These are =
few OF the gigantic obstacles to be overcome
How many more there may be and of what 81
has not as yet been made very apparent. Fo
in the report from which the above 10 derived
and is constantly appealed to by the advocate
Of the route az undoubted authority the 81
miles Of the mouutsin division, the heavies,
most difficult and rugged part Of the work, i
passed over with few details. in place of whicl
we have the of repeated remark that mucl
heavy work will occur.
The cost of the road estimated BY the eng
neer is about o. millions Of dollars. It's sdvo
Gates however. say that the cost will not excee
millions, owing to the greater knowledge sn
experience that we now have in making rail
, roads-be this as it may, we predict that it
much more likely to cost Ia millions than eithe
Of the above sums, before it 10 fairly in opera, or
Should the road and it's equipments cost eG,if
to the Reading railroad in proportion TO il
length, il would not be safe to se, il down q
less than 25 millions. Now can q road ,hs
must necessarily be very costly to make, ks
wing asce nding grades Of 45 f. 10 mile, con
pete with canal whose rate Of tolls is yer
low and must continue %. to ensure a share
trade. lft cannot. what is to become Of I'll
Investment. until there is trade enough e
both Bnt suppose it can carry cheaper tina
the Canal, or in some other way should obts
the preference, what then becomes Of the Sta
, works and the millions expended on them! w
know it is confidently asserted, that the col
struction of the railroad will increase the bus
n ness of the Canal, and the case Of New YoI
It is cited. But twhat is the proof A part Of u
J. railroad from Albany to Buffalo is strictly pr
$ hibited from carrying freight while the canal
open, and at other times il is only permitted
carry freight by paying 10 the State tolls equ
e TO those charged on the Canal The maxim
I" of the rail road from Philadelphia to tIarrisbu
has not increased the business on the Uuon G
nal, neither has the construction OF the r"
ding raIlroad increased the business ON d
Schuylkiil Navigation thus for. whatever il MI
do hereafter while it has drawn to itself to
mage unprecedented, in this country at least
l. THE laos Business. Montour Rolli
u Mill is in full and successful operation, MAXI
.. railroad iron, with plenty of work 10 do for
=. long period Of time. The Montour Com2a
n now have three furnaces in blast, and are j.
y heating and preparing the large new stack for
' immense issue Of pig metal. The Company a
II also enlarg,ng their mill, and adding several
ditionsl pudding furnaces to their stupendo
n works. In addition TO the four furnaces Of I