The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1855-06-06
sunburY and Erie Railroad:

Our readers will recollect that this
road is one of the channels by which the
travel on our own Road, now in the
process of construction, will find its way
to N. Y. and Philadelphia; and having
received the proceedings ola meeting OF
the Stockholders and friends of that Road
recently held in the City of Philadel-
phia, we take pleasure to lay it before
our readers. The President of the road
Governor BIGLER says, 1884 miles Of
the road extending from Milton to Will
Transport is in successful operation, the
remainder of the line between Sunbury
and Ridgway is under contract and a
large portion of the work in process of
construction. The Stock subscribed up
to March 1, 1855, amounted to s4707,-
800. The amount paid in is So, 093, 740,
leaving a balance outstanding of 3d.
6l4,060, to which may be added stock
provided for in the contract, and for iron
making in the aggregate, S~3,l54,060,f;
paid in. The report goes on to say
It will scarcely be expected that VT
should close this communication without
a more particular reference to the char.
aeteristies of the great enterprise in
which you have embarked. In this,
with = view to brevity, we shall avoid
the usual details.
The Sunbury and Erie, in our judg-
ment, would not become q troublesome
competitor to any other Pennsylvania
railroad; but a most liberal contributor
to the business of many, and for that
reason, in its incipient stages should en-
Joy the favor of all. It may draw bust
ness from the great West, seeking mor
northerly channels, and hand it over to
the Catawissa railroad, to the Reading
and when the intended connections are
made, the North Pennsylvania and Sus-
quehanna Railroads, and by means of the
latter, for a short distance over the
Pennsylvania road, and for the entire
length of the Harrisburg and Lancaster
and the Columbia and Philadelphia; but
it could have but little if any power to
divert business from either. Its wes-
tern terminus on the lakes, is found at a
point where the influence of our present
channels of communication becomes pow
erless against New York and Boston at
fractions. 1t would penetrate the very
focus of Northern competition, and con-
tend successfully, as we think, for q vast
trade and travel which is now forced to
reach the Atlantic through other chan
nels, and consequently entirely avoids
Philadelphia. Other avenues have been
and will be useful in bringing to Phila-
delphia that trade which naturally be-
longs to her, but the Sunbury and Erie
would throw into her lap trophies which
she could gain in no other way. Hence
the policy of protecting her interest on
the weak side. It IS the outer walls
that should be guarded, not the centre
of the citadel. That the proposed road
would have the power and capacity, if
properly made, to do these things we
confidently believe. Nor are the rea-
sons for this faith founded in vague i'm
aginations /; they are, on the contrary,
legitimate deductions from recognized
principles in railroad matters, and from
the teachings of daily experience. In
deed the most reliable laws fixing rail
road capacity and influence, founded 10
the elements of distance, gradients, cur
%vitures, arc worth but little if they do
not establish these points for the Sun
bury and Erie road. The great element
of successful competition for travel is
time, for. tonnage it is tariff. The con-
Meeting link between the Atlantic cities
AID the West having the advantage in
distance, gradients and curyitures, has
the elements of success. These quail