The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1869-09-27
A GRAND RAILROAD CONTEST.

II
THE RACE TO THE PACIFIC-FoUR RIVAL RAILROAD
LINEs-How FAST TIME is MADE AND BY WHOM
HOW THE COMPANIES ARE MANAGED-SwoRN STATE
MENTS OF THEIR OFFICERS.
The rivalry between the four great Trunk Railway
lines of New York. Pennsylvania, and Maryland has
reached crisis worthy of public attention The
"common point for the departure OF westward
bound trains is New York city, and from that place
four different locomotives like nmble racers plunge
towards the setting sun. One Of them crosses the
central part of the State of New York. another Nhe
Erie) follows the northern boundary of Pennsylva-
nia another the Pennsyvania) strikes boldly across
our Allegheny Mountains; and still another the
Baltimore and Ohio gides through the Cheat river
wilderness in Maryland. AS New York is the COM
mon place of departure so Chicago and St. Louis
the common places of arrival, and the efforts to
reach these points ''on time" are the struggles OF
iron giants There is reality well as romance in
this contest. The cheats" Of the engines Ito a
sporting phrase) average about thirty miles in
length, and they not unfrequenty run forty miles
without any stoppage except for wood and water
Conductors, engineers, and brakesmen are, like
Othello 'perpleXd in the extreme" and the reality
OF the contest consists the hard work accomplished
by the companies and their executive officers. The
romance of the matter is the fact that the traveller
appears almost endowed with wings. When a man
can eat his supper in New York and his breakfast in
Pittsburg (as is now the case), there seems little
more to desire. In single nights dream he can
span nearly five hundred miles!!
The Of this rapid running, and of the strug-
gle between the companies, was the opening OF the
Union Pacific Railway to California. The man who
is destined for the shores of the Pacific does not
want to loiter between the Atlantic and the great
prares The four trunk lines realized this fact, and
forthwith arranged schedules" between New York
and Chicago, which put them all "on their metal"
Now it is easy thing to make schedule, but it is
sometimes a hard thing to keep it, and
this is where the great victory which
the Pennsylvania Railroad has gained is
| apparent. II makes its adUertiSed tnlei And this
is where its three competitors show their weakness
They strain every nerve and yet miss their
tto7S There is a reason for this as there is for
everything else in the world, and the reason simply
is, that the Pennsylvania trains have the shortest
distance to run, as will be seen by the following
| table showing the number of miles from New York
to Chicago by the different routes pursued by the
respective companies. These figures are stern, hard
| Gradgrind facts-
| NEW YORK TO CHICAGO.
Pennsylvania route .012 miles
New York Central route. 961 miles
Erie route. .95S miles
Baltimore and Ohio route. 1915 miles
With this advantage OF forty-sx miles in favor of
our own road the opposing companies under any pos
sibe state of AFFAIRS sure to be beaten. But Just
| now they are struggling desperately the New York
Central and the Erie being the most exercised. The
Central has the better track but the Erie has the
shorter line. Their schedule time is necessarily so
l
then endeavor "to make up me," their speed is tre-
mendous They are taxed TO the extent of their ca
| pacty. Meanwhile the Pennsylvania with its heavy
rails (well joined), stone ballast, and short route
could easily make quicker time than present IL is
only of the situation in this respect but
in another, viz, that controls the whole route be-
tween Philadelphia and Chicago, and works in the
most perfect sympathy with the hrst-class line be-
tween this city and New York. 1t need consult no.
body about its business, while the other competing
/ nfao0 nd Of fnau
cannot act without the consent OF each other
Is tme In fact, that the public had better appre
citation OF the magnificent enterprise OF the Pennsyl
vania Railroad. Perhaps not five men In a hundred
know that 1t will in short time control a new anf
independent route (the shortest of any
direct TO Omaha. In its present position 4
controls rails from Rochester on the North {,
| Chicago and st. Louis in the West and Louisy
. | on the South. 1t has made ag0ress,v
warfareson the other routes by tapping their owl
cities. It's cars leave Jersey City and Baltimor
three times daily for the West, and take freight an
passengers direct from the clutches OF the rival cor
. porations. In the language OF Quaker gentlema
who made thorough investigation OF the hnancis
affairs OF the company, 'Its enterprise Is wonder
full and thee can form no idea the foresight OF IL
> managers"
But one OF the objects of this article was to con
= - pare the three Great Trunk lines not by mere 2
parte statements, but by the sworn statements {
o their own officers. These sworn statements hay
, been made to the Legislatures OF New York an
Z Pennsylvania and are now before us. They ar
tabuated In form to show the reader all the pon
o at glance;-
10 LENGTH AND COST.
~ Pennsylvania. 1854 91O miles. cost 500 76i 81
y New New York Central sSix " go. SS,sSS,S