The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1876-02-10
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.
Report npOn the Panhandle
Route from New York 10 the

hcSt.
HARRISBURG, February SIT Is un-
derstood here that Nathaniel McCon.
aughy, ESD Chief Engineer OF the Peo-
pies Freight Railway Company, who for
a year past has been engaged in survey
ing route Tor railroad from New
York to the great West, and who within
the last few weeks has completed his
labors, will lay his report before the New
York Cheap transportation Association
at meeting to be held in the associa.
tons room, in Pearl street on Tuesday,
FcbruaryS. II is known to be the desire
OF this association TO secure the constrnc-
ton Of a cheap freight railway from the
harbor oi New York through the coal
producing regions OF Pennsylvania 10 the
corn producing regions OF the West, and
this survey was undertaken iOr the Pur-
pose OF ascertaining whether u railroad
could be made between these points with
a maximum grade OF fifty feet to the mile
going west and forty coming east. The
problem has been solved by Mr.. McCon.
aughy. lie has found it to be practicable
to construct n railroad with the maxi.
mum grades stated, and 10 -caCh import.
ant points IN the great West by shorter
line than any now in existence.
The route surveyed hy Mr., McConaug.
hy after crossing the Delaware passed
westward through the lower part Of
Northampton county, Pa, and thence on
through Lphigh, Berks, Lebanon, and
Dauphin counties, crossing the Pcnnsyl-
vania Railroad and the Su1luehanna riv.
ell about five mIlcI north OF Harrisburg.
Thence it strikes up through Sherman'S
Valley, in Perry county, AT the head Of
which surmounting mountain barrie r,
il passed into Path Valley, in the extreme
northern part OF Franklin county.
Thence it passes by gap through the
Tuscarora mountain into the northern
part Of Fulton county, and crosses that
county on the shed which divides certain
waters that flow into the Potomac. Near
the western border VI Fulton it encOunt.
ers the mos, formidable obstacle in its
whole cOursc-the Sideliug mountain
but hv means OF "A tunnel it gcts over and
through this mountain, at n rise OF fifty
feet to the mile, about halt the rise per
mile at which the Pennsylvania Railroad
gets over the Allegheny above Altoona.
Continuing westward through Bedford
county, it strikcs the Allegheny range,
climbing over which at the maximum
grade mentioned, it runs through Somer-
set, Fayctte and Washington counties to
the western boundary OF the State, and
thence on through Ohio to the heart oi
the great West.
Alter it reaches Franklin county, this
route purlues course parallel with that
OF the Pennsylvania and Baltimore and
Ohio Railroads, and about midway be-
tween them. They lie from acvcniy.ivc
to one hundred miles apart.
In its passage through I.chiSh, Bcrk',
Lebanon, and Dauphin counties, this
route skirts the southern border 0l the
| great anthracite coal field Of renusylva.
mia. In it, passage through Fulton COun-
ty, il skirts the southern border Of the
Broad Top sCmi.bituuinous coal field;
and in Somersct, Fayeltc, and Washing
ton counties, it picrcC1 the centre OF the
great bituminOus coal field OF southwest
ern Pennsylvania 1t runs through val.
| Irya OF great fertility, and over by Tue
side OF mountains covered with valuable
timber, and along it, entire couraelh through
this Sta" iron ores Of superior richness
abound
Grca, inlrrrI wa taken ~ this survey
by the people along the route. The hope
OF being connected ly u cheap freight
railway wlih the great commercial me.
trOpOli1 "i the country induced them 10
gub.crihr lihcralIyIo dcirry the cypcnacs
Of the survey, 1t il believed Tint a
freight railway, with low grades aud with
trains running nt uniform rate ui speed,
would be grandly 4uCCcs-tul The carry.
ing capacity Of low grade road with a
lonbIr track and a uniform rate oi apccd
all trains going west On one track aud
coming cast on the other would be "uor
nous, and freight could he moved On II n
greater distance in one day than it i now
moved in thrice that period ol time,
The meeting in New York on Thursday
will he attended by number ol gentle
men from points along the route Of I'll,
proposed road in this State.