Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1855-03-07
From the Erie Gazette.
The Tyrone, Clearfeld and Erie Railrca3.


PHILADELPHIA, Feb. 3, 1855.
Messrs. EDIroRs We desire to call your at
tention, as public journalists, to Railroad
project which is now attracting no little no.
tice among our Merchants and Capitalists, and
which promises fair 10 become, at no distant
day the great avenue OF communication be-
tween the Eastern Seaboard at Philadelphia
and the great chain of Lakes at the HGrbor Of
Erie.
We alIude to the Tyrone, Clearfeld and Erie
Railroad, which, as its title implies, is design
ed TO connect Philadelphia with Erie, via the
Pennsylvania Railroad to Tyrone City, thence
through Clearfield and Ridgeway TO its ter
minus on the waters of Lake Erie.
For two years past, the friends of this truly
great and important measure have suffered its
claims as Philadelphia's true and natural
route TO the Lakes to remain comparatively
unnoticcd on account of the great monetary
panic which has convulsed our entire country,
and brought about such a wonderful and uE-
precedented depreciation in all Railroad stocks
and spccUlations; but now affairs are bright
ening, and year has just dawned upon
us beaming with encouraging hopes OF re-
newed prosperity and enterprise, and seem
ing to relzlndle the energy and ambition af all
those who desire to see our glorious old Com
monweath and her Commercial Metropolis
what their geographical position and vast in
ternal resources SO emnently qualify them TO
be. We no longer hesitate to give publicity
to our undertaking or to invite the aid and CO.
operation of yonr citizens towards the speedy
| prosecution OF an Improvement which must
! eventually become the great diagonal iron belt
| of Pennsylvania and the binding link between
the city Of Philadelphia and her young but en-
| terprising Sister, who dwells in such maidenly,
| though sometimes rafe3, digrity upon our
| only corner on the Lakes.
With these Introductory remarks, Messrs-
Editors, we would invite Your attention, as
| well as that of the citizens of your city and
county. to a careful consideration of this pro-
| ject, and to a clear and distinct analysis of
the many important advantages which must
result from its speedy construction.
In order to avoid treSpaSSing upon your pa
ticnca and occupying too much space in your
| columns, we will briefly enumerate a few of
the many arguments advanced for the prose-
cution Of this particular work, leaving others
| TO be deduced from data already furnished.
In the first place, Messrs. Editors, this Road
will afford the shortest and most direct line of
| communication between our great CONNER
cial Metropolis and the Kar5or of Erie.
| Secondly, it IS essentially Philadelphia
measure, inasmuuh as it becomes at once the
| principal branch of the great main artery in
/ which that city is heavy stocllholder, and
Thirdly, it is an Erie measure from the fact
| alone that it is designed to connect with the
! Earbor at that point-thuS making the waters
of Lake Erie at your shores the \ Northwestern
/ terminus OF the road; thus your city would be-
/ come not only the terminus, but the point of
| transhipment of all trade in transit from East
| to West and from West to East.
Again, it will require merely the construc-
tion of this lateral branch of less than two
hundred miles TO enable TO reach the trade
OF the Lakes and yoU to have an outlet to the
ocean; less distance than is required to be
constructed on any other route, and there
fore, in the next place, the capital required to
complete it and place it in running condition
win be considerably less. Money being an
important item at present, in the construction
of Railroads, this fact is worthy of considera-
ton.
Again, it win add greatly to the revenue of
the State by concentrating the trade of the
Lakes as well as of the immense region drain
ed by those great Inland Seas upon the Col
u1nbia and the Pennsylvania Railroads. And
lastly, the local advantages it possesses are be-
yond comparison as the line trayerses a sec
ton of our State unsurpassed for its mineral
treasures and for its ilimitable forests of beau
tifnl and highly valuable timber.
The above are but few of the many reasons
given ac6y this road should be built, and why
it should receive the hearty cooperation and