Clearfield Republican. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1851-1937, 1878-07-03
THE OLD PORTAGE ROAD.
A TALK WITH THREE PITTsBURGERs WHO
WORKED ON THE FIRST RAILWAY
THAT CROSSED THE ALLEoHE-
NY MOUNTAINS.

I
WORKED ON THE FIRST RAILWAY
THAT CROSSED THE ALLEoHE-
NY MOUNTAINS.
In this city, and in the employ Of
the p. II. r. company, are three old
railroaders who were railroadcrs long
before the festive sound of the locomo-
tive whistle was heard in these parts,
and the ideas of any such cheerful di-
version as a railroad strike or riot had
not occurred These men are John r.
Black, the day watchman at the round
house; VIM. S. Mccoy, engineer at
the machine shop at Twenty eighth
street, and Henry Cassiday, one Of the
Oldest locomotive engineers on the
road. These men all began railroad.
ing on the old Portage road, over the
Allegheny mountains, work ofwhich
there are but few traces left after the
existence almost as brief as the
work was wonderful. The road, how.
ever, has taken its place in the history
of the State, where its stupendous de-
tails will be narrated after those in
whose memory it is still fresh, have
taken passage with chairs.
In an interview with the gentleman
named, the following recollections of
the old road were obtained The idea
Of the road was first laid before the
Legislature on March IA, 1927, and
very soon after the scheme was placed
in the hands OF Sylvester Welsch, an
able engineer, who pushed the work
SO steadily and rapidly that in the
spring OF 1884 it was turned over to
the State as completed. The work
contemplated connecting the canals,
which were built from Columbia to
Hollidaysburg, on the eastern side of
the mountain, and from johnstown to
Pittsburg, on the western side, over
coming the hitherto insurmountable
barrier to through transportation to
the west other than wagons. The
feat was accomplished in the construc-
ton Of ten inclined planes, which oc-
Cured in a road less than forty miles
in length, and overcame a height OF
2,570 feet, 1898 being on the eastern
and LIZ feet on the western side of
the mountain. These incllnes were
operated very much on the plan which
the numerous incline plane companies
about this city have followed, the chief
difference being the magnificent scale
upon which they were required to be
built, tho engines stationed at the top
of the dizzy incline being perfect mon
sters in their way. The mountain was
crossed at what was known as Blair's-
gap summit, the descent being made
along the mountain branch of the Con-
emaugh. The shortest of the ten
planes was 1885 feet in length and 1870
feet of direct rise, the longest was
3, 100 feet in length and 307 feet high.
At the staple bend of the Conemangh
river tunnel of $40 feet IN length
was pushed through the mountain,
and over the Horseshoe bend viaduct
was built in the shape Of semi-circu-
lar arch, OF eighty feet span, which
alone cost s54, ,562. There are several
other viaducts Of less Importance, be-
side a number OF culverts, all built of
the most substantial masonry, and the
iron rails were of the very best quail.
ty. On the leves at the different ele-
vations the cars were hauled upon the
track and then attached to locomo-
tives, if the run was a long one, or if
short, were hauled by horses, as the
case might be, to the next plane, where
they were again hoisted by the sta
tionary engine TO the next level.
The original design Of the road was
to run the canals on either side of the
to points as near each other
as possible. A separation Of about four
miles Of sturdy mountain being thought
to be about as near as could be reach.
ed, and then to tunnel through. This,
however, was abandoned. The work
as finished, road of less than forty.
five miles in length, cost 81 $1,000
Upon the completion of the road, the
canal boats landed on one side at
Johnstown and on the other at Holli.
the load of merchandise
they bore was transferred to the cars,
carried over the mountain, reloaded on
the boats at the other side and sent
on their way.
In October of 1884 one Jesse Chris.
man came out of the Lackawanna
country TO make q venture in the far /
west He had his mind and heart set |
on Illinois. He gathered all that he ]
OF this worlds goods, and {
with his wife and children and some {
domestic animals, placed them on his
boat, which he named "IIit or Miss !
and embarked toward the new coun- ,
try. His intention was to sell the boat 1
at Hollidaysburg, but upon his arrival s
there the enterprsing agent of the re- 4
lance transportation line noted the {
snug arrangement and conceived the {
idea of shipping il entire over the
He arranged car special. |
Iy, had the boat placed on the wheels
The same day, and il began the ascent {
toward the top Of the mountain, where \
II arrived at noon. "Like Noah's ark
Dn Araratp it rested there during the 9
night and made the descent the follow q
ing morning, and was quietly landed in '
waters directly connected with tho Q
all without disturbing the ,
cooking and sleeping arrangements of
The family. 7
The trip was conducted by Major {
G. Williams, and was the first boat {
that was ever transported over the
Both Mr.. Black and MIR.
have o perfect recollection of Q
the circumstance, the former being 10. 7
Gated at the summit at the time, and {
saw and examined the apparatus. 1t 1
was the success of this trip that sug. t
gested the idea to Mr.. Dougherty. that
be subsequently carried out 80 salts
that Of building the canal l
boats in sections and transporting O
Lhem over the mountains entire thus '
saving the time and trouble Of loading 4
and reloading the cargoes. The trucks a
we're gotten up on an original plan Of
Mr.. Dougherty's. The track was run c
iown into the water, the truck was '
run under the boat, which was prcvi- i
ously divided into sections, and one !
section hoisted out of the water, fol- 4
owed by tho others in the same way Q
4 Al