Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1850-1859, 1857-09-18

The Spruce Creek RAILROAD.

! gion oil country which Will Ind their way 10 II
| am satisfied that many Of the articles are to'
| low. The first item on the list, is 10000 ton
Of wheat This is about the amount exportc'
, from that beautiful and fertile section Of coun
try during the times of the elder Duncan an'
| Foster, SO long ago as 1915 or 'l6. Who il
Lewisburg Of that day, do not remember th'
miles Of wagons and seds that arrived ant
departed. dragged by the fat horses and con
Quoted by the industrious farmers Of Penn:
Valley! Who Of them do no not remember
the numbers Of teamsters who nightly founc
shelter at the old Black Horse Tavern, thatir
its day fourished on the spot where now stand.
the Lewisburg Bank, Who of that day does
not remember Denau's ware house, Hayes
store house, Gfaham's, Green's, Blacks, &c
&c, all filled TO their utmost capacity, nearly
all of which was the product Of what was
then called Penns Valleyi But who Of the
present day is not able 10 tell of reduction
of this businessi II is not on account OF any
decrease in business capacity in Lewisburg,
or want o. confidence in their old customers,
but it is the result of other more expeditions
and cheaper transits TO market Since the cor.
struction of the Juniata Canal, about thirty
years ago, most of the business of Penns VAL
ley has taken that direction, the distance from
Aaronsburg, near the eastern end, being about
equal distance 10 Lewisburg. And itmust be
recolecled that the imports of the country fol-
low The same track of the surplus products.
Does this not show that Lewisburg has deep
interest in the prosperity Of Centre county,
and the only way 10 secure that interest 49,
the speedy completion OF the Railroad! II
those 10000 tons of wheat were delivered al
Lewisburg, when it cost 25 cents per bushel
for transportation, how much more will be
raised aud delivered al cost Of cents
Nearly the same may be said of every arti-
Gle in the list Of supposed tonnage; but as
coal is Of different character, and does not
come within the commodities Of the
region OF country Immediately gaining the
road, but which wlll greatly incrase their pros
perity, il may be we'll to show that il, too, is
much undsrvaIued. The bi,uminous coal of
the mountains not far west of the Spruce
Creek, is about as near tide water, as any
found IN Pennsylvania, and, being more easily
mined. will bear competition with any other
now taken TO market. BY the extension Of
and the introduction Of gas
lights, the demand for this article has already
almost reached It's supply, and made il prof
table business for those who had engaged in
it. BY making this road new highway will
be opened 10 it, and hundreds Of thousands of
Ions will be mined from deposits now useless
for want Of a conveyance 10 market. BY this
road, too, it must be recollecIed, The bitumi-
nous coal finding its way To market will pass
through the finest anthracite regions Of Penn
sylvania. The cars that convey the one TO
he East, will return laden with the other for
The West! This is an important considera-
ion in the construction Of railroad. With
light grades, such as this will have, the differ
.nce between the expense Of loaded Train
and one OF empty cars. is but trihing, while
with both loaded the profits are doubled. The
amount and importance OF the coal trade upon
his road, can only be approximaied by
and comparison Of the business OF
other roads in operation. The Sunbury q
Erie foad commenced shipping coal North,
about one year ago, then an entirely new oP-
pcraiion. This summer, am informed BY
authority, one thousand tons
per day have been transported over that road.
This amount is about double the estimate oil
the engineer, and is more likely to be under
than over the actual amount that will be car
ried over the road. The amount Of bltumIn-
Gus coal, too, there is no reason 10 suppose,
will be any less. Nor is the estimate Of pas
sengers any nearer the proper number. The
through passengers. have no doubt, will
reach that amount. but with the establishment
of the Farmers High School, in that most
beautiful agricultural and mineral section OF
Pennsylv vania, the amount of local or way
will be increased three-fold the
present estimate. So might proceed from
item 10 item, and name others no, noticed,but
il is not necessary. The great question is,
who will raise the money! Let this question
be settled BY those most interested. That this
interest alone is sufficient for its accomplish.
ment, ! have every reason TO believe. Butwe
must not be deceived in supposins that Lew.
isburg, and Buiialoe and Penns Valies are The
ONLY parties interested. The Northern Cen
traI Railroad, the Cattawissa Railroad, the
New Jersey Railroad, and the cities oi New
York and Baltimore are all interested, and no
doubt, in the prop er time, will be found among
its most substantial supporters. To bring 10
the favorable notice Of these parties, the i'm
por,ance of the Spruce Creek Railroad, has
been more my objec. than any hope enter
tanned of inducing the people of Centre coun-
", TO extend their subscriptions. But even
they, when they become aware Of the fact,
that, to procure this outside aid, those along
the line Of road must show by their conduct
lha, they have confidence in its success, will
make still another effort. Let this be done,
and let the right Of way be granted on liberal
terms, and there will be little danger Of put
ting the road under contract, Immediately.
Thus, my dear Chronicle, have given you
my views in regard to the Spruce Creek Rail-
road. have done so believing it necessary
for the development Of the resources Of one
Of the most inierestino sections of our STATE