Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-10-22
ryr suyuuey.Np ERIE RAILROAD.

THE sUNBURY AND EXILE
Robert FAIRIES, Esq, Chief Engineer S""o"y
and Erie Rail Road.
Dru s,R;-ln the report Of the Presiden,
and Directions of the Moth western ha,"oeu
Company recently published, perceive
s,n,eL ,ha, "ihe Sunbury and Erie hoau 'a"
pever be a competitor with the line OF 'oau
af vb;cb The North Western is part Tor 'ne
,L.o,,b ,roJe of the North West. |, is only I
, i.w mile, shorter from PhiadolPha to The
.,ors. of Lake Erie, aud i, reaches those
shores a, point nearly one hundred miles
nearer New York, aud "a, comparatively
unmporlani city"
These observations are, it appears to me,
calculated 10 convey incorrect impressions,
and somewha, 10 prejudice our road in the
public mind in this city. The very great
superiority Of the Sdnbury anu Erie Road
aud its connections over any Of which the |
North Western can form part, for The purpose
OF enabling Philadelp pha 10 reach the lakes
either al Erie or Cleveland, is matter hbou,
which none who examine into i, with i'm
parliaity can possibly doubt. But as all
have not the oporiurity 10 refer 10 proper
sources Of INFORMATION, and as the report re-
ferred TO in its comparison Of distances mos,
carefully avoids any mention of the dis
tances from Philadelphia 10 either Cleveland
Or Erie by the Sunbury aud Erie road and
its connections, would be obliged if you
would furnish me with snch data as may be
sufficient 10 correct the erroneous impressions
that may be Produced by the report in ques-
ton. Yours truly.
CHRISTOPHER FALLoN.
To Christopher Fallon, Esq Presidcnt Of
the Sunbury and Erie Rail Road.
DEAR SrR.-Your letter directing my al
ten,ion 10 the report Of the President and
Directors of the Northwestern Railroad Com.
pany, has been received.
observe that the President OF The road is
impressed with the idea, that "however i'm
porapt the Sunbury and Erie road may be,
10 develope :he resources Of the counties
through which it is proposed 10 construct it,
il can never be a competitor with the line of
road of which the North Western is part,
for the through trade of the Northwest" and
''to say the least, will not be superior line
in point of engineering characteristics" We
will endeavor to show how far facts will
sustain these assertions.
The Northwestern road is intended TO con-
meet with the Pennsylvania Central road al
Blairsville. From Cleveland to Warren,
Ohio, the route is common 10 both the
Northwestern and the Venango routes, and
from Warren TO Ridgway, where the Venango
road is intended 10 connect with the Sunbury
and Erie road, the alignment and grades o.
the VenanSo are equal in all respects, an
informed by those who should know, to those
Of the Northwestern TO Barsvle.
The distance is about twenty miles fullhe
from Cleveland 10 Ridgway, than from
Cleveland 10 Blairsyille, and the route from
Ridsway 10 Philadel pha about twenty mile
further than from Blairsville, by the Penn
sylvania road. Blairsyille is one thousanl
aud eighteen feet above tide, and the sum
nit Of the Pennsylvania Railroad, at III
western end of the Allegheny tunnel, tw
thousand one hundred and fifty feet aboy
tide or eleven hundred and thirty-two fee
above Blairsvile. The glade OF the Suu6ur
and Erie Railroad at Rdgwayj is one thou
sand three hundred feet above tide, and III
main summit of the road one thousand seve
hundred and sixty-six feet above tide, or for
hundred and sixtysix feet above Ridgway
which is overcame with grade OF twent,
six fee, per mile, with the exception {
about four miles next the summit, wher
our maxium grade of fifty.two and eigh
teh,hs feet per mile is adopted
On the eastern slope Of The mountain OF
maximum grade is carried for about eig|
miles, and falls off in the next six miI'
from for,y.seven feet 10 twenty-sX feet p
mile. Now for the facts in relation 10 Il
Pennsylvania road, which forms part OF II
route of the North Western road 10 Philadt
phia.
From Johnsiown TO the Summit, the Pen
sylvania Road, for nearly twenty miles
the distance, has a grade of ffty-,wo al
eigh,-tcnths feet per mile; aud, from Il
Summit, descending 10 Altoona, ten miles
continuous grade of ninely-fye feet r
mile overcoming one thousand three hu
dred and lhirty-lwo feet more rise and f
than has 10 be overcome IN lne same u
tance on the Sunbury and Erie road, irc
from Ridgway, east and in pon, of cur'
ture, is much inferior 10 the Sunbury a
Erie. To equalize the distance betwe
Cleveland and Philadelphia, the Sunbr
and Erie would unqueslionably be the sho
est, and the capacity of the road mu
greater, in fact, the alignment and grades
the Sunbury and Erie, aud Venango rou
is vastly superior to that Of the 'ruting grad
on the Pennsylvania road, west of The Al
ghany mountain and in addition 10 this
periority, the line of the road, in place
being perched some six or eight hundT
feet above The valley Of the stream, on
very brow of precipices, las is the case W
the Pennsylvaria ia Road, in overcoming
Eastern slope of The mouniain,) io'lows
fats along the streams and, almost imp
ceptibly, reaches The main summit with
exposure 10 any abrupt decllvity. This