Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1853-02-05


scarcely be contemplated as medium for
transporting coal to the Western Lakes. 1t
will undoubtedly furnish supply for large |
local trade, large enough, perhaps, 10 equal
its capacity. 1, will, therefore, be perceived |
that the Shamokin and Erie route has, in |
distance, over the route from Scranton to
Dunkirk, an advantage of 2S miles-over
the route from Scranton to Buffalo 35 miles,
and over the route from Pi,tston to Dunkirk,
regarding the transhipment a, Elmira, Of &c
miles.
The advantages of the Sunbury and Erie
| in distance, however, become comparatively
very Insignificant when compared with the
extraordinary advantage Of carrying coal as
back freight 1t will be borne in mind ,ha,
the cars Of the Sunbury and Erie will run
the entire length Of its road in reaching the
Shamokin Coal Mines. This is not the case
with return cars on the N. Y. and Ere. The
Lackawana coal region is not in the line or
in the course of the N. Y. and Erie from
Dunkirk TO N. York-but is reached by the
road of the Lackawana Rail Road Company
4s miles in length, and running of in wes-
terly direction from N. York. The return
cars Of the N. Y. and Erie road could mol
reach the Lackawana coal fields without
going and returning distance of forty-eight
miles, equal 10 a DETECTION of ninety six
| miles. If, therefore, the cars or boats car
rying coal from the Lackawsna region go
west loaded, and return to their coal fields
comparatively empty, the consequence is
that the distances are nearly doubled upon
them, as compared with cars carrying coal
over the Sunbury and Erie, whieh go out
loaded, and return not only rith eargocs pay.
ing expenses, but freighted 'cith such goods
as wit pay more profitable remuneration
than the coal carried pest,rard. | think it
clear, therefore, that in regarding your ex.
,raordnary advantages in distance, and car
rying coal as back freight, that your road will
ourival all possible competition for carrying
coal The next consideration is, on wha
terms can you afford 10 carry for our load l.,
600, 900 of tons Of anthracite coal annually
10 Lake Erie !
The experience of the Reading Railroad
Company will enligh,en us on this point -
By their late report it appears that the ac,ua
cost OF carrying their coal over their road, il
Il length SO miles, s. the lateral roads dvergin,
ID from it into the coal region, averaging mile
> in length, making in all oS miles, was s.
$4,000 cents per ton. But we must bear il
mind that the Reading Company carry ,hei
coal from the mines Of Schuylkll county t
Richmond, and then return their cars bac
= the same distance empty, so that the cos, G
= 81 6i-100 cents per ton is in fact for drawin
- the distance Of 1876 miles, which is bu, s
miles less than your company would travers
with our coal. The cost of transporta,io
does not increase exactly in proportion TO tn
distance traversed. 1t is the cost of loadin
- and unloading, and detention at the dif1erer
y termini, tina, constitutes an important item
i and this will be the same whether the roa
], be SO miles in length, or 279. But not rt
n galding this consideration in your favor
IL other things being equal with you, as on tn
IL Reading, the cost of transportation would b
other things are no, quite equal. The Reat
u ing road has one advantage over you, an
;" that is in having continuous down grad
m with the trade. What difference in the CO
IL this item alone will make cannot be clear
'e ascertaned bu, suggest that liberal a
10 lowance tor this advantage would be % cen
al per ton, which would make the cos, Of carr
no ing coal per ton, over your road from Sunbu
- to Erie, one dollar. We sugges, you shoul
IA at this cost, have 81 so profit per ton. Tn
H. would make your charge to us $3.50 per 20
Is We can furnish the coal at Sunbury
$3.50 per ton, making the cost of the &C
- delivered at Erie, for consumption, 81 per ic
y" Seeing that this most valuable end can
10 accomplished, that our Company can al on
10 furnish you trade that will of itself pay
:" profit Of 10 per cent, on SIS, 100000, ha
''e only 10 suggest 10 , ou three points for cons
W GRAFTON: that your road and ours shall T
We into and connect with each other al Sunbur
'1' that you permit no deviation in your 70
- from The Pennsylvania gauge, and chic
''' that in the building of your cars and ou
for carrying coal, we unite in such impro'
eo ments and change in the present mode
, construction, that will adap. them for car
,1 u1 ing miscellaneous freight and merchandise
-, Your obedent servant.
DAVID LoNGENEcK Err
President Phila. and Sunbury R. R.
est rr,r,o, :, ,b;. m,