The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1853-01-27
.,1epbenv Portage Railroad.

We have received the Annual report of the
Canal Commissioners for the year ending NO
vember 1852, from which we extract the follow
ing concerning the Portage Railroad
"Owing to the worn-out condition of this road
and to the keeping it open for business during
the winter the expenses have been increased
beyond the estimates of last year. 1t is almost
impossible to make reduction in these expenses
until the planes on both slopes OF the noun
tain are avoided. The condition of the track
and the necessity for constant repairs TO the
machinery must continue, to swell the expenses
until that improvement has been accomplished.
The experiment of keeping the road open du-
ring the winter, and transporting passenger
trains over it at night, proved more expensive
than was anticipated The policy, however, of
continuing this experiment, cannot be question
ed. To shut up the road for three months, and
to compel the trade and travel which seeks a
route to market by the Pennsylvania improve
ments, to be transported across the mountain IN
stages and wagons until the completion OF the
mountain portion of the Pennsylvania railroad,
would tend to drive into rival channels a large
portion of the business which wemight otherwise
retain.
The act of last session appropriated S25, 1000,
in addition to the appropriation for motive pow
er, for the purpose of running passenger trains
at night. The expenses for this purpose were
merged in the ordinary motive power expenses
until the first of July last. Since that time it
has been found almost impracticable to keep a
separate account of these expenses, and IN con-
sequence there has been but S4, 5OI 16 charged
to the service of night trains, leaving balance
in the Treasury of S17, 40 "a. 1t is recon-
mended to merge this item of expenditure in
the ordinary motive power account, and to de-
duct the above balance from the motive power
estimates for 1853.
One of the boilers connected with the station
ary engine on the north side of plane 6, explo-
ded on the 18th of May last, causing material
damage to the shed and machinery, and render
ing it necessary to procure new set of boilers.
The cost of repair was S3,79
On the 5th of October last another causualty
occurred The shed over the stationary engines
at plane No caught fire, and was burned down.
Both engines were much damaged, and the
foundation on the north side so much injured
as to require to be rebuilt. The engine on the
south side was repaired and put in service on the
10Th of the same month. The foundation on
tne north side will he completed as soon as possi
BILE, when the machinery will be again placed
in order. The cost of these repairs is estimated
at sc. .493.
New boilers have been put in at planes Nos
5, 6, and 10, and the machinery at those points
thoroughly repaired. The machine shops at
Hollidaysburp and Jobnstown have been furn-
isbed with Iatbes. tools. &c. of approyed con-
struction-thus ensuring increased facility in
the execution of the 1epa1rs reouired for the
machinery of the road
The reported amount of tonnage TRANSPORTED
over the road in each of the two past years is as
follows:
In 1852. tons. 25O.OOO
In 1851, 90 21S,923
-,
' "-'H ''-
"eio' A"'e en oon "''o' -o'' " oo uei'eieu
on 'he i'' u H""i 'n neAt' ms auui'ion " 'iie
o'i'e p0"ei VIII Hid' in'i ioa'o .no ia'ii-
% ''''-0- 'i'' '0e
-,
30 orootod iii, 49, po.,1a,,,,,;o
IT,, oo,,,x,-, -, ,ooao,,o,,o go, G. Or
,,.o 90 .,o;,. rooJ ero,, Toh,s+r,r, - +,o ;n+o.