Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1874-06-17
II f. p O II II
orATgl $40 II
PRELIMINARY SURVEY
OF THE
KEATING & KARTHAUS
RAILROAD.
REPORT r.
lock HAVEN, May !, 1874.

Lock HAVEN, May !, 1874.
To Il. A. MAcKEy, ESQ.
SIR i: have the honor to submit Ia
you the following report concerning
the contemplated railroad between
Keating station on the Philadelphia
and Erie Railroad, in Clinton county,
and Karthaus on the West branch Of
the Susquehanna River, in Cloarfeld
county.
The distance between the above
points was carefully chained and found
to bo twenty. one and one-half miles /;
the Typographical features of each mile
were carefully observed and noted.
The line was commenced ut point
on the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad
a few hundred feet east of Heating
station. The line from thence follows
the bank of the West branch of the
Susquebanna in Southwesterly di.
rection over ground generally favora.
BILE for the construction of a railroad.
The river runs very serpentine; the
road will therefore require numerous
curves, but none OF very short radii ;
about one-half of the line will be over
very favorable ground, upon which
railroad can be constructed at small
cost, but at every loop of the stream
narrows occur, and generally on steep
side hills, abounding in large loose
stones and often solid rock. The
grading on such parts of the line will
be somewhat expensive, owing TO the
character of the material and the dc.
struction of the common road that will
have to be rebuilt. Only two truss.
bridges will have to bo built, one of
fifty feet span over Birch Island Run,
and one of sixty feet span over Upper
Three Rum the rest of the streams
will be crossed by means of stringer
bridges, box and open culvcrts.
Land damages will no doubt be
very light, as the line seldom passes
over arabic land fences will be re.
qnired at n few points only, and as
the railroad when completed will en-.
hancc the value OF land a hundred fold
the owners no doubt will cheerfully
donate as much land as will be needed
for the use uf the road.
The grades will be very easy, aver
aging about five feet to tho mile
Some points may require level grades;
in that case tho grades at other points
would have 10 be slightly increased; but
under any circumstances the grades
will bc very light, and will either bo
level or descending, which will DO in
favor Of the heavy transportation.
This will be emphatically road for
heavy freight, that will consist prin-
cipally'in coal, iron, lumber, bark, fire
brick and iron ore; those articles
abound oil along the road.
From Karthaus tho road might be
extended along Mosquito Creek into
the Green-W Wood, ESQ called), tho very
heart of the greatest pine forest in
Pennsylvania, from which point no
doubt large amount of lumber would
find its way to market over this road.
Tho Snowshoc coal mines are but ten
miles South of Karthaus these two
points might also be connected by q
railroad and much of the Snowshoe
coal find an outlet by way of the West
branch roads ; but independent Of the
above extensions there will be ample
business along this line to sustain the
road.
The furnace of Karthaus went to
ruin simply for want of an avenue to
carry is products to market. Bog
ore is found at numerous points on
Mosquito Creek, and coal, and iron Of
superior quality, and great abundance,
are found in the immediate vicinity of
Kartbaus, and no doubt as soon as
this railroad becomes a fixed fact, the
furnace at that point will again be put
in blast. At Buttormilk Falls, four
miles below Karthaus, bog ore,is found
in great abundance much of this ore
was taken in canoes and scow boats
to the furnace at Karthaus.
Mr.. John Jones, gentleman resid-
ing at Lock Haven, has spent much |
time and labor in opening the mines
and investigating the mineral re-
sources Of Keating Township. In his
statement to me he speaks as follows
/ have opened in close proximity to
the contemplated railroad (and only
about seven miles above Keating sta
tion), the following veins Of Coal, Iron
ore, Fire Clay and Limestone: