Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1870-04-20
GEORGE b. GooDLANDER, Editor.
rhc RniI,rnu EDroieci.


the veto by Gov. Gcary OF the OMNIBUS
Railroad bill, and now recur to 1t IN
order to show in some slight degree
its value to us as n people and to the
State as q whole.
At the threshold We may repeat
what we have often said in regard to
the securities now in the sinking fund
that it is foregonc conclusion that
they will be taken thereirom under
some bill of this kind and applied to
purposes of a much less important
and valuable character TO the people.
Under the bill vetoed, those sections OF
the State which have never had aid
from public works by the Common
wealth received substantial assistance
by the loan of these securities, whilst
the ultimate payment Of the money
was provided for. In this feature OF
the bill equity was subserved and
even handed justice attained. Under
some future bill we may be left with
out the help of the State and those
localities already highly favored be
made the recipients Of the benefits Of
such an arrangement.
The contemplated line Of the Clear
field and Buffalo Railway would be a
most valuable improvement as well TO
us as the State. Its route could have
been made almost purely a water
grade line, without any gradients
exceeding sixty feet per mile and
that for a very short distance.
Starting at the town of Clearfeld
the terminus of the Tyrone and Clear
field Railway and following the river
to the mouth of Anderson's creek,
and thence by its valley to the triple
summit of Anderson's creek, Sandy
aud Benefits Branch about fifteen
miles from the river at Curwensville,
it would there connect with the ALE
gheny Valley r r., thence crossing the
same and skirting Boone's mountain
TO the waters of Little Toby creek
and thence down the same TO its
junction with the Clarion, thence up
the Clarion TO Johnsonsburg on the
Philadelphia & Eric r. r, and thence
by the East Fork of the Clarion to the
summit known as Bishops Summit
where the waters of the Allegheny
are reached, thence down those tribu.
taries to the Allcghenyrverin mexican
county and there form a junction with
the Buffalo and Washington Railway
Ito which the State of New York is
now voting millions) would have been
such a line as can rarely be obtained
through the broken country in North
western Pennsylvania The total
length of this line would have been
about eighty miles, and the whole
distance from Clearfield to Buffalo less
than 17j miles, or but II miles more
than the distance from Clearield to
Harrisburg, and making the whole
distance by way of the Tyrone branch
and the Penn'a Central from Buffalo to
Philadelphia but about 425 miles.
The expenditure Of moderate sum Of
money upon the mountain grades be
tween Clearfeld and Tyrone would
have secured the shortest and easiest
Zine Of communication from the lakes
at Buffalo to Philadelphia and New
York by this line and its connections,
and by short link from Mt. Union
in Huntingdon county, by way of
Aughwich creek TO the Maryland line,
a very direct route would be secured
from Buffalo TO Washington city
This line Of Railway opened for us
direct communication with Pittsburr, |
and by its completion and that of the
Allegheny Valley, Pittsburg is placed 4
in direct connection with the city off
Rochester, by a short and easy line
The twelve feet veins of coal that
underlie all Of western Clcarfeld and
eastern Jefferson along the Sandy
Lick Valley would by this route have
found its natural market; without
such line it is valueless, for il can.
not be taken west where coal already
Rbounds, and to take it oast is impoo
sible by reason Of the competition
from tho coal fields so much nearer the
markets. 1t would have developed all
of the immense deposits of coal, iron,
fre.clay and other minerals that line
the tributaries Of tho Susquehanna
and the Allegheny in Clearfeld, Jcf.
ferson, Elk aud Mexican, ard capital
and energy would have speedily crea.
ted there a second Lehigh Valley
Nature has made it the equal Of any
locality in Pennsylvania for mineral
resources. 1t needs but to be placed
in communication with the wealth and
business capacity Of its natural mar.
kets to cause it to grow with astoun-
ding rapidiiy. This line as we have
already said taps the Allegheny Val
ley r. r., aud opens communication
both east and west by it, il also crosses
the Philadelphia and Eric r. r., and
opens communication for our products
with the harbor Of Erie, il also con.
meets with the Gonessee Valley canal
and enables us to ship coal to Rochos.
ier and central New York, and Rail.
say connection by this route Is also
progressing rapidly, it also connects
with the New York and Eric and
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