The Jeffersonian. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1853-1911, 1869-01-14
A New Railroad Route.


old settled country, as the traversing of both
This is the experience of all sections through
which railroads now pass, and it will be the ex-
perience of all sections through which these
great abettors of business and travel may yet
be built.
The benefit accruing to this section, (and not
to it alone but to the point from whence 1t starts
and to the points where its gathered business
ends, as WE'LL by the building of the Delaware,
Lackawanna and Western Railroad, and Its
dependencies, is case in point, and can hard
ly be estimated in dollars and cents. Many
times its cost would be no inducement to our
citizens to forgo its advantages and we are sat
isfied that many more millions than were ex-
pended in its construction could not coax Its
stockholders to tear up Its rails, Level Its en-
bankments, fiji mp its cuts and abandon Its d.
yidends. And vet its beneficial influence flows
upon our citizens only incidentally. Nothing
comes Oh purpose; and its aids to our business
are only accidental scintilations, inyoluntarliy
dropped down upon US By a monopoly, as un-
bending as the strict requirements of our laws
will permit it to be. BY the shortness Of the
route between its beginning and end, it is ena-
bled to 'buli" the coal markets of the country
and while it accidentally helps US by the COM
parative monopoly of trade which it holds, it
cannot fail to make princely fortunes for its
stockholders so long as the hills and valiics Of
the Lackawanna, and its tributaries in the Lu-
zerne basin, continue to yield the "black dia-
mond" in such marvellous abundance. But we
can easily strip the d. l.. & W. Railroad of its
monopolizing character if we but half manage
our opportunities and we can, too, make it of
far more convenience TO ourselves and TO all
the country besides by means which viii in
volve an outlay wholly insignificant when COM
pared with the end sure to be gained. We can
retain all its advantages and gain independ-
ence from its control, by simply securing the
opposition which would naturally grow ont of
the building OF another road, having independ-
ent interests.
\ few weeks ago, we mentioned the fact
that We were, by other routes than that held
b. the Delaware, Lackwanna and Western
Railroad, within fifty miles of the Luzcrne coal
fields, and that these routes were perfectly
practical. We have since learned, what we
did not then know, that one Of these routes had
been thoroughly examined, and It's feasibility
placed beyond peradventure. SO well salts
fed were those who take interest in such mat
ters of the entire practicability Of the route,
that, at the last session of the legislature, the
passage Of an act was procured incorporating
a company to be styled the Lehigh and Eastern
struction of a railroad from any point in Car
bon or Luzerne counties, through the counties
of Monroe and Pike, TO the Delaware river
The road is proposed to start from Hazleton
in Luzerne county, and running through Mon
) roe and Pike counties, to strike point on the
Delaware river, above Bushkill. This route
has every requisite for the building Of frst
class locomotive road-following streams ot
gentle declivity nearly the whole distance, and
having length of only about tifty-five miles,
At short distance from Hazleton the routs
strikes Laurel run, and follows along its bank.
to the Lehigh river, near Rockport; theme,
up the Lehigh river TO the mouth of Mud run
and, along the samet to Mount Pocono; thence
down the South side Of Mount Focono to Rec
der's Run thence down Rceder's TO Poconc
creek, and along the same to Brodhead's creek
thence, over comparatively level country, Il
the point designated above Bushkill, or to the
Delaware river at the Water Gap which would
shorten the distance considerably for this portion
of the road for be it understood, that the de-
sign is grand one, and contemplates neither
more nor less than a great chain of railway
leading from the Coal Fields of Pennsylvania
TO the New England States, Boston itself being
one of the termini Of the chain.
And why should this route fail to engage tho
attention of capitalists, not only here but, also
everywhere along its route until its end i,
reached in Boston, and there most of all. Ii
is easy and entirely practicable, and no better
time for It's construction than now, while mo.
ney is so plenty in the hands of capitalists
will probably ever dawn upon this or any 9th.
er enterprise of like Importance. Saving no.
thing of the advantages which would accrue tc
us from its construction, in the opening up OF
our country, and furnishing facilities for trav-
ell and for the transportation to market of ouI
surplus produce, who can estimate the advan-
tages which must accrue to the vast manufactu,
uring interests at the other end of the line
4 growing out of direct connection with our
inexhaustable coal fields?
1t is fact freely conceded by all engaged in
the mining and transportation of coal, that tn,
demand for this article is far ahead of the trans
porting means of supply, and still rapidly in
creasing. Millions of tons are now annually
consumed, and many millions of tons more
would find a ready market, were the means at
hand to get it there. In this connection con-
1 slider the fact that New Englands supply OF
coal, both for manufacturing and domestic pur-