Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1879-06-26

transportation and travel might
justly be charged. No people were
more generous and prompt in hber-
allty, or contributed more to the en-
thusiasm that carried our rrad to
its present terminus than those Of
Potter and Harris townships and
the interests that have been so ma
terially served by tue completed
part of the road would not hesitate
to contribute toward securing COM
mon advantages to all who have
made common sacrifices.
Including large item of profit and
loss, we have gross investment of
s., 59l, 2S6.5S and but forty-three
miles Of completed road.
From our preseDt terminus TO
Lemont, a distance Of l4'9-l0 miles,
10 lilo Of which were graded and
partly ball0sted in 1874; the re-
naming 1 $40 miles are now fully
two-thlrds graded with sufficient
local subscription pledged to pre-
pare them for superstructUre. About
the time OF our suspension of work
Chief Engineer Leuffer reported
that outside of local subscriptions
pledged, sos, COS .0O would be requlr-
ed to complete our road to Lemont.
Thus, a comparatively small addi.
tional outlay would add over one
fourth to our length of track and
and by reaching the heart of the
valley, greatly increase our freights
aud travel. and would undoubtedly
result in a western connection at
that point-au accomplishment es-
sential to profit of our Investment.
Every consideration Of justice to the
people who have, at their own cost,
prepared a roadway for supecstruc-
ture, and of interest to the holders
of our bonds would be subServed by
such a conSummation.
Lack of local interest on our pro-
posed line of improvement between
Lemont and PENNSYLVANIA Furnace
does net give hope for present effort
| to build a road between these points;
and most probably that portion OF
our line will remain untouched un-
til future railroad rivalries seek au
air line to connect New York with
our rapidly growing west.
In ths meantime, we owe it to the
people who have been so liberal in
their support of our enterprAe be-
tween Pennsylvania Furnace and
Tyrone that our work there should
be utilized. An expenditure of
nearly three hundred thousand dol
lars, with which sixteen miles of
road haye been graded and bridged
ready for the track, is an invest
ment too valuable for Abandonment.
If toe cannot command the means to
complete that part of our work, a
liberal and just policy would dictate
that we, by and with the consent of
our Lessee, offer IL to local or other
interests for completion and use,
we reserYing the right to resume
possession on such conditions as
may be agreed upon in the transfer,
whenever it shall become necessary
to form Fart of our through route.
Such arrangement would serve i'm
portant local interests, and preserve
to ourselves a prospective value in a
work which, without early care,
must fall into complete decay.
Our Improvement has not, thus
far, met the expectation of its
friends !; but, having 50 much of our
investment in unfinished work, and
our flushed portion depending for
success, upon The development of
trade and business in period of
general collapse aud unprecedented
shrinkage Of values, fully accounts
for temporary failure. A small ex-
penditure to make available invest
ments now dormant, andgreatly en-
larging our access to population that
is rich IN agricultural and mineral
resources, must, under favorable
conditions of business, realize sue
cess.
For the financial condition of the
Company, you are referred to the re-
port OF it's Treasurer.
BY order of the Board.
ELI SLIFER, Pres't.