Bradford reporter. [volume] (Towanda, Pa.) 1844-1884, 1856-05-17
NEw-YoRK AND ERIE RAILROAD.

We have been favored with the Reports of
the President and Superintendent of the New
| York and Erie Railroad, to the stockholders
| for the year ending September 30, 1855. This
pamphlet which is a fair sized volume, in the
amount of its contents, is mostly made up OF
the report of ID. c. McCALLUM, the General SUI
! perntendent, and embraces a vast fund of in
formation in regard to the practical operations
of the road, its finances generally, and the size
| of the various superstructures, amount and con
dition of the rolling stock, sc. 1t supplies, in
fact, all the information a stockhodcr could
! possibly desire, or would be interesting to the
public generally.
The construction of the New-York and Erie
Railroad has added an amount of value to the
property of Bradford County which can hard
| ly be estimated Previously we were literally
in "sequestered region" as regarded mar
kets for the productions of our soil, and facili-
ties for travel 1t needs not the memory of
the oldest inhabitant" to bring back to recol
lection the Durham boats, by which the traf-
ic of the country was once carried on, descend
ing the Susquehanna river loaded with grain,
and being poled back many a weary mile The
Chemung Canal, it is true, had superseded the
tedious and costly boating by bringing merchan-
dize within thirty-live miles of US but that i'm
provement was useless for travelling purposes,
and for nearly six months in the year. unayaila-
bic for any purpose
| But if for purposes of commerce we were
with out an outlet for our productions, how
much more were we inconvenienty situated as
regarded travelling facilities. The construction
of the Chemung canal diverted the trade of
this section from Philadelphia to New ork,
and the perils and fatigues of journey to the
latter place are yet vivid in the recollcctionS of
our merchants and others. Staging day and
night over the Newburg turnpike to reach New
York, was an effort not to be undertaken Of
tener than necessity required.
The building of the New-York and Erie
Railroad has changed all this Now, all parts
of the country are within few hours ride of
New ork. The productions of the farm and
the dairy are sought after by agents of New
York dealers, bought and paid for at the door
of the producer, and the price is regulated by
the condition of the markets of that greedy
and Unsuitable consumer. The farms situated
along the line of the Road, miles distant, have
doubled in value, and the advent of the iron
horse, has brought into the country q class of
persons seeking to purchase farms
The traveller for pleasure or on business, steps
aboard the commodious and elegant saloons of
the Company. and speedily arrives in safety at
his destination. Instead of travelling for days
over mountains and corduroy roads, our mer-
chants can now leave their homes in the morn
ing and arrive in New ork the same day.
But our object is not to expatiate on the
advantages this Road has conferred on our
County but rather to allude to the present
able and successful management under Super
lntendent MCALLuM, and introduce some of
the statistics of the road of general interest.
1t has commonly been the history of Rail
roads that short roads were well and success
fully managed, while lengthy lines were the
reverse. Indeed, the fact had almost passed
into proverb. This Road had not been an
exception. Superintendent M'CAILuM has un-
dertaken to prove that this is not necessity.
His report fully explains the plan which he has
adopted for the government of the Road His
system hinges upon two important principles
|. A proper division of responsibilities.
IL A rigid system of personal accountable
ty through every grade of service.
The commencement of his superintendent,
and the application of his system was signaliz
ed by the celebrated turnout of the engine
drivers, which stopped the travel aud business
of the road for several days. This was caused
by the determination to place the road under the
management of proper system and while it
was the means of loss of thousands of dol
lars revenue, has proved of infinite gain to the
| Company. er
BY the most untiring energy and hercuean
| labors, Superintendent M'CALLuM has finally
consummated his SYSTEM and the Road may
/ now be said, for the first time, to be in good
working order. lie is literally the NAPOLEON
OF Railroad Superntendents. The same iron
will, the same rigid system of accountability
| which marked the career of the "little eorpo-
ration" have been introduced into railreadine.
and with the same signal success, The passen-
ger who enters car on the n Y. and Erie
Railroad feels a security which no other road
/ conveys. He-is morally certain that all that
human foresight and skill can accomplish to.
J carry him safely to his destination will be cx-.