Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-03-16
The Atlantic s Great Western
.. Railway,

The Atlantic S Great Western
Railway.
The London Raillgay Nelos for Feb. Is,
has an article on the Atlantic 4 Great
| Western Railway, from which we make
the following extracts: a1 > soar p e.
The history of modern engineering can
not produce more remarkable instance
of successful achievement of great results,
under the most adverse circumstances,
| than that of construction of the Atlantic
and Great Western Railway The untir-
ing energy and heroic perseverance of its
promoters the confidence which they
have shown in the undertaking, and with
which they have inspired all with whom
they have come into contact; the re-
sources which they have enabled to apply
to carry on the work the marvellous
power of organization which has been
| displayed: the rapidity with which the
railway has been constructed, the success
which has already rewarded their labors.
and which has more than fulfilled the
most sanguine expectations, combine
to make this railroad one of the most in
teresting works of the present century,
If We say, at the outset. that the railway
has been built during time of terrible
civil war, that more than 5000 laborers
have been carried from this country across
the Atlantic to execute the work, and
that it has been built at the rate of one
mile per day, we shall have stated suf-
icient to interest our readers in some of
the salient features of this extraordinary
work. ..s-
A glance at the map of the United
States will suffice to show the vast terrific
ry which the Mississippi and the Missouri
drain, and how important must be any
line of communication which will convey
the produce which they bear to the At
lantic sea-ports for shipment, or for distri-
button among the populous States which
lie eastward of the great father of wa
ters." 1t is this which the Atlantic and
Great Western Railway seeks to accom-
plish-to gather up at st. Louis, Chicago,
and Cincinnati the produce of two mil
lions of square miles, the grain Of temper
ate climes and the cotton of the semi
tropical regions; TO convey these TO the
great depots of trade at New York or
Boston. and to give to their producers
in exchange the manufactures of the Old
World. 1t must not be supposed, howev-
er, that among the 10000 miles Of rail-,
way, or thereabouts, which exist in Amer
lea, there are not already some means by
which the Mississippi may be reached
from the Atlantic; but the existing lines
either involve break of gauge, or have
a most circuituous route, and are therefore
unsuited for the character of leading
trunk lines. There are three lines COM
munieating with the West-the Lake
Shore line, in connection with the New
York Central the Pennsylvania Central
and the Baltimore and Ohio. The Lake
Shore line has not less than four changes
of gauge the Pennsylvania Central has
some most terrible gradient-averaging
one in fifty for twelve miles in succession,
and break of gauge; the Baltimore and
Ohio Railway has to cross the Alleghanies
at summit elevation of $500 feet. The
Atlantic and Great Western Railway will
when completed, provide continuous
line of six feet guage, of l 200 miles in
length, without involving a single change
of carriage; and there are no tunnels, no
deep cuttings, no ferries, and an unusual
ly small number Of bridges. OF the 200
miles between New York and st. Louis,
about 500 miles lie in the most fertile por-
tions OF New York, Pennsylvania, and
the State of Ohio. In its course the line
traverses fourteen populous counties in
Ohio, and accommodates seventeen cities
and towns in New York and Pennsylva-
mia, which were hitherto unproyided with
railroad accommodation.
The Atlantic and Great Western COM
mences at Salamanca, on the New York
and Erie Railway, Ala miles from New
York, then passes in a westerly direction
through the States of New York, Penn
sylvania, and Ohio, forms a connection |
with the Cincinnati, Hamilton, and Day. !
ton Railway, at Dayton; and completes
the uninterrupted line of communication |
between New York and st. Louis. This |
route was originally surveyed bS the cele- |
brsted American engineer, G. De Witt |
'@ton, in the year 1928; and the rail- |
-0uld unquestionably have been
Ia wears since, but for the hostile |
" ". Used by local and rival in
lde many occupies the natural
luence excer,- road to the West,
'est. 1t clearly -4hany Noun
e for grand trunk Ugh lands /
tirely avoiding the Allee lie on
ms on the south, and the L. Il
nning along the shore of Lake Ia
9 north thus obtaining q remarkabi>
rel line. From Salamanca the line was sa
ened last year to Akron, and is now be- D,
: rapidly pushed forward to Cincinnati, co
miles from Salamanca, where it meets be
. Ohio and Mississippi Railway, and up an
this line the remaining distance of $40 be
les to St. Louis is completed. A branch III
rmerly the Mahoning) already reaches na
eyeland, 2l4 miles from Salamanca, oU
lence express trains start daily over ? in
form six foot gauge for New York in
e oil region of Pennsylvania and Ohio VI
5 very near the line of the Atlantic and he
eat Western, and is tapped by branch in
running from Cory to Titusville (the a
Creek, and from Meadville TO Frank in
PENNSYLVANIA. The oil of itself fur TO
hes to the main lines more freight than yc
can move, though large addition to dC
rolling stock has been contracted for, yC
d will soon be forthcoming. The New be
rk and Erie Railway Company consid-i
the connection thus formed with the
Q to be of such importance, from the 70
ge and valuable traffic which IT viii ST
and throw on their road, that ST.
" have agreed to pay to the Atlantic pc
Great Western q bonus of 10 per cent ar
the gross receipts from freight, and on
> dollar for each passenger, during tve iu
lrs. The different laws of the States pl
New York, Pennsylvania, and Ohio, th
'ough which this railway runs, render
,arate organizations necessary; but
.ctically, the Atlantic and Great Western oa
,neline. The several corporations have fis
lsolidated their interes IS, making each j
ntly and seyerally responsible for all N
dertakings- ..- .....t t. Il
The Ness9 goes on to give 8 history OF l;
, building of the road, which we have g
eady described in our col lumns. II then %
v on to say: ~