The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1876-04-14
Original.
History Of Columbia County.
Copyright secured according TO act Of Congress.
NUMBER XIV.

IMPROVEMENTS AND PRODUCTIONS.
The public roads of the County are nu-
merous, and new ones are constantly being
opened. making access to all parts of the
County possible by the shortest routes They
are generally in good condition, well sup
piled with index boards, and the bridges
over the various streams safe and plentiful
The North Branch Canal passes through
the County. Since the sale of the canals,
that portion of them running from North
umberland to Will'es Barre, Ga miles in
length, has come into the ownership of the
"Pennsylvana Canal Company" During
the year 1869 the following tonnage pas sed
through the canal.
Lumber and shingles, 1916 tons
Anthracite coal 502l3S 4"
Bituminous coal 1905 d"
All other freight 1GS,4S6 "
In 1874 the freightage and tonnage are
given as follows
Anthracite coal 234019.25 tons
BituminOus coal 40S,97l.S4 "
Pig iron 14249.76 q"
Other articles l24,ll7.SO
The capital stock of the company is five
| millions of dollars, and the whole length of
canal owned by it is 33S miles. The officers
are all Philadelphians, except Thomas F.
Wierman, the chief engineer, who resides in
Harrisburg. In this County William Grier
Quick, Of Rupert, and Hudson Owen, OF
Berwick, are the active, viglant and compe-
tent local superintendent
The Catawissa Railroad runs from Tama-
mend to Williamsport, "a miles having de-
pots in Columbia county as follows Rupert,
Catawissa, Mainville, Beaver Valley, Gil
lease to the Philadelphia & Reading Rail
road Company, and no separate statistics are
published.
Expenses for 1868, SAG, 1919 receipts,
1925, ,l3l.G6; freights, 454,SOl tons.
The Danvlle, Hazleton & Wilkes Barre
Railroad, now under lease to the Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad Company, runs from Sunbury
to Tomhickon; and in Columbia county on
the east side of the river having depot at
Cataw issa, Mainville, Mif1in 4 Roads and
| Glen City. 1t is 40 miles in length and is
new and important outlet for coal and pro-
duce heretofore mostly inaccessible.
The Lackawanna & Bloomsburg Railroad,
| from Scranton to Northumberland, on the
west side Of the river, is so miles in length,
and has depots in Columbia county at Ber-
wick, Willow Springs, Lime Ridge, Espy,
| Bloomsburg, Rupert and Catawissa Bridge.
Passengers carried in 1869, 253,S2S. Ton
mage for year, 1858, ,437, of which ,44S, ,79l
was anthracite coal The expenses were
1896, ,29S.59. Receipts, S966, ,S32.52. 1t is
now owned by the Delaware, Lackawanna &
Western Railroad Company, and statistics
are not separately published. Those for
1869 are sufficient for comparison.
The North and West Branch Railroad, a
most important one in this region, has been
authorized by act of Assembly approved
May l3, 1871; empowering the company "to
construct q railroad from the borough of
Wilkes-Barre in the county Of Luzerne, along
the south side of the North Branch of the
Susquehanna river, to point opposite the
town of Bloomsburg, in the county of Co
lumbia, and thence by bridge over said
river and by the valley of Little Fishing
creek to the city of Williamsport, by the
name, style and title of the NORTH AND
WEST BRANCH RAILROAD COMPANY, with
power to construct branch from near the
town of Bloomsburg up the valley of Big
Fishingcreek to connect with any existing
or projected railroad in Sullivan county.
with the right to connect with or cross at
grade any railroad now made or hereafter TO
be made within the counties of Luzerne, CO.
lumbia, Montour, Sullivan or Lycoming,
and with the right to build branches not ex
ceeding ten miles each in length"
Hunlock's Creek is another projected
road, "from near the mouth of Hunlock' 5
creek in the county of Luzerne, through the
township of Huntingdon to the borough of
Muncy in Lycoming county by the name,
| style and title of the Hunlock's Creek and
Muncy Railroad Company, with the right to
connect with the Philadelphia & Erie, the
Lackawanna & Bloomsburg, or any other
railroad now made or hereafter to be made
within the counties of Luzerne and Lycom-
ing, with the right to build branches not ex-
ceeding ten miles in length"
Several routes have been examined and
surveyed, all of which go for a shorter or
longer distance through the county of CO.
lumbia. 1t seems to us impossible to build
the road without passing through Benton or
Sugarloaf or both. Our people are there
fore greatly interested in the construction
of the road, which with the North and West
Branch road will give to us positive and
permanent advantage in the coal, iron and
lnmher trade of this reRian of country