The New York herald., 1870-02-07
ATLANTIC AND GREAT WESTERN RAILROAD,


noble enterprises
ATLANTIC AND GREAT WESTERN RAILROAD.
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Resume OF Its History-A Splendid Enter.
prise md Its Early Mismnnagement--
Visions Of the Proiectors--The Ruin of the
KOad-FisIS and Gould to the Rescue
Future Prospects.
MEANWHILE Pa Feb A. 1870.
The history OF the Atlantic and Great Western
railroad which has OF its principal stations at
this point, furnishes curious aud instructive
lesson In commercial enterprises IL was projected.
under splendid auspices ten years ago. from the
Indian village Of Salamanca on the Erie Railroad
the well known James McHenry being contractor
foster-father, and finally came near being funeral
undertaken. Thomas w. Kennard who came 1t is
alleged, TO this country with hardly enough means
to pay his passage, was chief engineer but
when he severed his connection with the road
ne claimed the wealth OF q bonnaire The
stockholders hailed from England, and among them
figured Sir Morton Peto who freely unlocked the
fountains Of his and poured 1t into the new
enterprise, which the dauntless McHenry undertook
TO carry through. High hopes accompanied 1t.
Visions OF graspng the whole traoe OF the West
Northwest and Southwest, the lakes, the Mississippi
and finally the Pacific coast noated before the fancy
the wildly exciting intelligence tnat oil of precious
properties was springing like fountain OF living
waters from the soil almost directly In the path OF
lts progress. An immense force OF men was placed
upon the work and 1t was hurried forward under
the inspiring genius of McHenry at as rapid pace
as the Union Pacific. English capital was lavlshed
upon it as capital was never aylshed before. Here
at Meadvile station was put up rivalling In the
style and beauty CT its surroundings any OF those
YOU may notice the best railroads in England
charming cottages for the officers OF the road; q
park at the rear with winding walks nr trees rose
and jasmine bushes. A hotel OF over 100 rooms ana
dining room as long as train Of freight were
porrion OF the grand enterprise. In the fall OF
1862 the road reached here after creating two towns
named Cory and Jamestown, on its way from Sala.
manca 1t was pushed steadily alOng-broad gauge
all the way to Day ayton-and from there by laying
down third rail another road to Cincinnati ultl-
mately reached the Queen City Of the West-strking
the Onio and aiming for the Mississippi. A branch,
called the Franklin, was built from here to OIL CITY,
and another from Braceyille to Cleveland. The
region OF nowing petroleum was tapped at the
opporbune moment, and by way OF the line to
LOOKING over the railroad map Which, % represeats
one continuous broad gauge road, extending from
New York trst by the Erie, then by Atlantic and
Great western TO Cincinnati, you Will readily admit
tnat the visions of James MclIenry and his con-
hding English friends were none too sanguine.
nave become had the two roads at that time been OF
one construction and management, the Erie stretch
iag to the lakes through the great state Of New
coal beds OF Pennsylvania while the Atlantic drew
or the abundant and exhaustess riches of the oil
region Such IL the state OF affairs now, but 1t was
not reserved Tor Mcenry to be the instrument OF
realization. The road started out with really magn
ficent prospects 1t opened up new and'wonderIuly
ricn region; 1t struck for the carrying trade or the
mighty West it Infused qulcKening growth into the
old and fossilized towns through which it passed
hutI1 II ira fip,r
New York.
per and went steadily down until the beginning Of
the year 1862 Grossly corrupt and inetficent man.
agcment brought this splendid highway to a condl-
ton OF reproach. The directors and others ident-
fed with 1t appear TO nave shown strange lack OF
energy and foresight when little OF either might
ruptcy at which II arrived The present manage
ment of Erie, which succeeded IN saving that road
from bankruptcy or absorption by that hardy mari
ner the mucn-bronzed Vanderbilt, Is the only one,
1t to me- that bring back the prestige ana
carry out the destiny OF the Atlantic and Great
Western Railroad.
WHAT THE ROAD CREATED
That this destiny Is one OF vast import may be
seen by brief study OF the map. The hrst station
OF note alter leaving Salamanca Is Jamestown 1t Is
situated at the mead OF the rapids at the outlet of
ply to Mayve, station on what Is cal led the Cross
Cut Railroad. Vast quantities OF lumber are noated
down to Jamestown and from thence sent by rall or
river IN various directions. jamestown was created
by the Atlantic and Great Western road than ten
years ago, and Is lively busting town. The next
place OF Importance is Cory, similar creation
the one already mentioned but OF larger and more
earnest growth. 1t Is the terminus OF the OIL Creek
Railroad the BroctOn Cross Cut Railroad and the
crossing point OF the Philadelphia ana Erie Railroad.
IL has railroad communication IN five different
directions and Will shortly nave sixth. 1t has
large machine shops. w0olen and hardware fac
tories, three national banks and seven churches
yet twelve years ago 1t was dreary wilderness.
Next comes Meadyie, an old village lingering for
years In venerable vegetation, but touched by the
magnetism OF the railroad, bloomed into willing
and Colleges and popnlation Of About Is oDS In.
habltantS line oil boats run TO Plttsourg ana TO
Erie on the lake by the Erie Canal, OF which the
Nenang0 river Is the feeder at this point West OF
here are other towns the line OF the Atlantic and
Great western, which have been either called into
existence or impclled to prosperous expansion by
the road.
one WAY or RosBING THE ROAD STOPPED
IL should be understood tnat before the projection
OF the line tins section OF Pennsylvania was q com
paratlve terra iiicOgnltu Its resources unknown
and means OF communication rude and primitive in
the last degree The measure or DEVELOPMENT nc
mas received through the agency OF this railroad
cannot be adequately gauged by figures. but that
ward for the benefits 1t conferred ls question
winch resolves Itself into the simple solution that
heard good Joke at Salamanca going to illustrate
the light III which the former conductors this
road viewed the change OF management. which 0c-
CURED over year ago. The road had deprecated
so much It's receipts had diminished so low, that
1t went into the hands OF TWO receivers, one of whom
was Jay Gould. The latter set TO work with
ms accustomed energy, ana pursued the same
plan OF action In striving TO resusctate the
FALLEN fortunes OF tue Atlantic which he had pre-.
viously used Ill the OF Erie. He saw one leak III
the receipts the stealings Of conductors and
cerdng to all accounts these were nOt0rl0usly whole
sale. Whether American prejudice to many things
English got the better OF their conscences not,
certain II Is the conductors ndulged an easy swing
Of the passenger receipts and made beggarly show
TO the treasurer. 'sN0w don't see why Jay Gould
should nave discharged us,n observed an ex.con-
ductor shortly after his dismissal .for II we had not
Knocked down the stamps as we did he would never
nave been made recoiver.n
The doin0S cOnduotorz na rim nufot oo thav