Ashtabula telegraph. (Ashtabula, Ohio) 1874-1880, 1877-10-26
Prrsburuh hALake ErIe.RaiIway.

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Though illusions have been made on one
OF two occasions 70 this movement,
our readers, we spprehend are not
generally posted with regard to it. As Its
construction will have considerable ntiu-
eDee upon the future Of Ashtabula, it may
be well to learn something of its design
and bearings. as well as the progress
that is making towards its ultimate
completion fact. The extent of the line is
IS miles. and it is to close the gap between
Pittsburgh and Youngstown, in an approx
imately direct line of rail from the Lake
at Ashtabula Harbor-to the city of Wash
ingt0n. The Baltimore & Ohio runs to
Pittsburgh. the new line will start from
Pittsburgh, skirting the Ohio river to
Rochester, where the river will be cross
ed near the mouth of Beaver river. Il
will then follow the valley of the Beaver
to the valley of the Shenango. and then it
follows the Mshoning valley to Youngs-
town. Here it connects with the MahOn-
ing coal road to Andover, where it will con-
meet with the A., ]. & F. to the Lake. 1t
is claimed to be an enterprise of the busl-
ness men Of Pittsburgh, designed to be free
and kept free from railroad monopolles,
and its traffic and policy under ihe manage
ment of men whose interests will be 10 run
it economically and under such tarl1s Us
will relieve them from the burdens hereto-
fore imposed upon them. Though II Is
not to be the Baltimore s. OHIO road 1t VIII
connect with that road all the facilities re-
ouired for reaching the Lake at this place,
and Cleveland, by the Mahoning road-or
the Atlantic and Great Western road.
The letting of the contract for building
the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie was effected
on the eth ult., to J. B. McGran, by
whom it was sub-contracted to some
eighteen or twenty sub-eontractors, who
take, none over four miles, and most of
them three, two and one mile each. The
contracts require the finishing of the work
in twelve months from the time of letting.
Mr.. McGran reserves the heavy job of
building the bridge over the Ohio to him
self. His bid for the whole line is 81, 5O0,-
900. OF this amount 81, $50, 900 is to be
paid in cash, the contractor agreeing to
take 81, $50, 900 in first mortgage bonds,
and 200, 900 in the stock of the company,
that being the amount yet unsubscrlbed.
The contract calls for ten per cent. addi-
tional track for sidings, at various points
on the line. The contractor is to put the
road in complete running order, including
grading, cross ties, steel rails, turn tables
at each end, and iron bridges wherever
required.
An associated press despatch from Pitts
burg, last Tuesday says:
The line of the new railroad which is he
ing built by capitalists of this city, known
as the Pittsburg & Lake Erie Road, cross
es the tracks of the Lawrence & New Cas-
tie, leased line of the Pennsylvania Road,
at Mahoningtown, Pa. Last week the lat
ter road began grading for a side track to
be placed four or five feet below the grade
Of their main track, with the intention of
preventing the new road from crossing
their line The Lake Erie Road, however,
put large force of men on and succeeded
in making the crossing last night. A
large force of workmen employed by the
Lawrence & New Castle Road marched to
the crossing and tore up the newly laid
track of the Lake Erie Road. The latter
road, with still larger number of work
men, relaid the track to-day, andit was
torn up again this evening.