Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1850-06-21
For The Gazette
The Penns. lvanla Railr0ad..-Its Manage
nent. sc,


ment, sc.
Although this road is being constructed
by a company, and, as such, might in some
measure be deemed private affair, yet the
magnitude of the undertaking-th vas
powers conferred upon ii by the Legisla
ture--and the effect, either for good OF
evil, according to It's management, it mus
ultimately have on the valley of the Juni
ata-~refder it a proper subject of com.
ment and an object of Jealous vigilance
for if this is not done, abuses aciH Green
in, and, instead of public benefit, we
shall have vast heartless and soulless cor
poraton, swallowing with anaconda grcedi-
ness everything within It's reach.
Whatever opinion may be entertained
by others, 1t seems to us that there is
something radically wrong in It's manage
ment--that there is either too much placed
on the shoulders of one man, or else the
Board of Directors and principal Engineers
do not pay that personal attention to its
interests which they ought to do. There
Is besides a great deal too much petty
schemlng-llttle acts unbecoming to any
one-and a grasping spirit which, there is
reason TO believe, is intended to minister
more to private ends than to the benefit of
the company.
what, for instance, has been the course
pursued in relation to the location of Ma
chine Shop! In making choice of a pro-
per site for such a building, one would ma
turally suppose that few dollars and cents
EITHER as bonus or in the purchase of
land-would not influence the parties to
whom the stockholders have delegated the
power. Yet what has been the course
pursued Why almost every little town
along the road was told lin a confidential
manner of course) that great spirit of
liberality might induce the company to
locate the machine shop, &c, there-that
1t would be the making of the place, en-
hance property, and rapidly increase pop
ulation Even TO this day, this under
handed policy seems TO be continued, for
we notice in a Mitflintown paper that it is
" confidently expected the company will
build their shop there Huntingdon too
still has some hopes while the holders of
lots at Altoona, six miles north of Holli-
daysburg, announce that s. it is well known
that the Pennsylvania Railroad Company
have selected this place (Altona) for the
erection of their main machine and other
shops, and are no1c building the same"
In so important matter, convenience for
making repairs, the point from whence
assistance could be most readily sent in
case of accident, combined with other ad-
vantages for aceeierating business, ought to
be the governing motive in making selec-
ton, and when made, there ought to be no
secrecy Of its location.
Another most Objectionable feature is the
company embarking in the grOg-Shop
business! Little as it may seem, and
startling, perhaps, to some, the same
Engineers and Board who last winter de-
termined TO discontinue Sunday travelling
are now spending the earnings of the road
In erecting costly tauer1a stands, at which
they will of course compel passengers to
eat and drink, no matter how much out of
time or place, or do without. OF all others,
this is about the smallest business in which
a company can engage, and will ultimately
result in loss, as almost every attempt of
the kind by other companies has.
Another error committed by those hav-
ing the direction of affairs was the running
of two trains on Sunday but as this is
now in measure obviated by change of
hours, we viii pass it over.
Some time ago it will be remembered
that the Philadelphia papers made great
flourish about the directors having reduced
the fare to a uniform rate of three cents
mile, yet in defiance of the resolution thus
paraded, all passengers from this place to
Harrisburg are charged 81 80, when by their
own measurement it is less than 81 miles.
As this point furnishes more travel than any
station on the road, these SeUe11 cents extra
from each passenger will amount TO con-
siderable sum in the course of year.
Who put on this extra charge is matter
some of our citizens may at a future day
inquire into.
While richly cushioned seats and splen-
did cars are provided for the silk and broad
cloth gentry, miserable looking machine,
more resembling the old keel boats former
lv used on the Juniata than anything else,
is dignifed with the title of Way Car, IN
which our farmers and others dressed in
homespun are politely slowed away.
There are other matters that might be
referred to, bat as do not wish to do more
than call public attention 10 subjects that
have been complained of here and else
where, | will close with the hope that those
most interested in the welfare of the road
will take these matters into consideration
before going too far, and apply the remedy.
The interests of a corporation ought always
to 90 hand in hand with the people whom
ii was designed to accommodate and benefit;
if il does not do this, it is no longer ben
eft, but an evil. FRANKLIN.
MIFFLIS COUNTY, June, 1850.
EnnI-L M InLn..IpN-