Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-02-12
MINE HILL RAIL Road EXTENSION.

MINE HILL RAIL DAD EXTENSION.
We lay before our readers, this week
the following extracts from the report o
the Mine Hill Railroad Company, which
relate to the extension OF the road to Ash
land, where the road will be connected will
the Philadelphia and Sunbury road. Th'
report contains matters of Importance to al
Interested in our Improvements.
Alter much careful investigation the
Board has a, length been able TO bring TO a
practical conclusion, the long agi'a'ed ques'
,ion Of the proposed extension across Broad
Mountain into the Mahanoy Valley.
As this project was considered 10 be 'h'
most important tina, has ever engaged 'n'
attention of the company, 1t has pseh 'ne
desire of the Board to forify lis Judsm' NJ
BY the possession of copious and accurate
information relative TO the topography a"o
resources of the rugged disirc! over whlch
the road mus, necessarily be carried. Much
time and labor have consequently been ue-
voted TO The collection of all atainable date
by consulting The records OF former expor-
ations, three of which are known TO have
been made, and by directing more elaborate
surveys to be made, by engineers Of well
known ability and experience.
The first Of the surveys under direction Of
the Board, was made, as is already known
to many of the stockholders, by Mr.. S. w.
Roberts, in 1913, when he was actively en-.
gagged with large engineering corps for
nearly four months in which time lines Of
exploration were run 10 an aggregate length
of one hundred and nine miles, and The re.
suit. accurately plotted OH large scale with
all details Of The topog Apply carefully work
ed in.
A later survey has been in progress for
more than eight months of the past year, BY
a still more numerous party, undtr the di-
rsc,ion Of Mr.. Edward F. Gay, by whom
additional lines of location have been s,aked
out 10 the extent Of nearly two bundled
miles, which in con junction with The survey
OF MIR. ROBBERS, and those previously made
by other engineers whose results have been
petely this mountain region with relicula-
,ion Of definite lines actually located on the
ground, that mark with great particularly
lis entire typographical features.
A careful comparison of all these different
lines has demonstrated that the route ori2i.
nally located from the head Of our main
road near Coal Castle, passing through The
point of Peaked Mountain, thence ascending
to the summit of Broad Mountain al the
head of Rafting Run, and descending
through the gap of that stream 10 the Mako
noy, is better adapted for the transit Of the
mineral products Of this region, as well as
for the eventual construction OF an un5roken
through line, wilhou, inclined rllnes, lead.
ing towards the junction Of the two gtta'
Branches of the Susquehanna, than any
oher known route tha, can reach that i'm.
portaut route.
The great superiority OF this over all other
routes previously suggested for connecting
the SehuyIkill region with the forks OF the
Susquehnnna, has become much more appa-
rent since the completion Of our latest sur.
vey, than it was al the time Of general
meeting of The Company, convened it Sep
tember, for The consideration of the supple.
meni giving authority for constructing the
road
Notwithstanding the incomplc,eness Of the
survey al that time, sufficiently favorable
case was exhibited TO justify The decision
then arrived al, 10 accept the law and FRO.
ceed 10 carry lis provisions into effect, and
the final results Of The surveys confirm The
propreiy OF lha, decision.
Under these encouraging circumstance
the Board has proceeded steadily in all The
needful preliminary measures for carrying
into effect the wishes Of the stockholders as
expressed al their late meeting and has
The qualification Of announcing the final TO-
cation and letting of all the sections of the
line. al fair prices, TO several contractors
selected from large number of competing
bidders for The work, in whose ability Il
push i, forward with energy and skill, there
is reason 10 place every reliance.
The bids received were much more nu
merous than had been anticipated, The mum
Der of competitions being about fifty, and 0
persons 10 whom work has been awarde,
fifteen, divided into eight separate compa
MES or CO partnerships.
It may reasonably be anticipated tha
this road when finished will be Of incalcula
be importance 10 The prosperity OF PoltsyilIe
Mlnersvllle and Schuylkill Haven, and in
deed Of this entire mining district, as wei
as of that beyond the Broad Mountain, 10
it will bring their teemins population o
consumers Of farm and forest productions il
10 immediate communication with the vas
region of fertile farms and primitive forest
lying TO the north and west, KEEP, hitherto
almost inaccessible for all purposes of con
Meeting supply and demand, by the formi
dable barrier which our road is designed /
surmount.
By the route adopted the distance fror
the head OF our present road 10 Ashland wi
be about 10 miles, and thence to the prop
sed terminus near the forks Of Mine RI
near two miles more.