The Elk County advocate. [volume] (Ridgway, Pa.) 1868-1883, 1881-07-14
Railroads,


field county. Surveys have been
made, plans talked of, and at times
rumors have been rife that the con-
tracts had been let for the grading of
the road. All the railroad building
has ended in talk until recently. The
last week in June and first week in
July there seemed to be storm brew
ing again in relation to the railroad,
and for once talk seemed to be taking
shape. AL the idle men about were
hired, prices ranging from 40 to
$500 day. Parties of surveyors
were rushing hither and thither, until
to u casual observer the woods seemed
TO be alive with railroads and railroad
men. The widest of wild rumors
were afioat. One day 500 men were
going at once to work on the grading,
the next gang OF Hungarians were
| coming; then that JAY Gould was TO-
ing to build road. Shanties for the
accommodation of workmen were
hastily constructed along the proposed
| line from Johnsonburg to the mouth
of Toby. The Huugarians came, lots
of other men came, and on Monday of
This week the work of grading on two
railroads was actually commenced.
n company chartered under the
name of the Howard Hill Improve
mCnt company, of which General
! Thos. l.. Kane, was the leader, built
Il section of road several miles long
ending at Johusonburg, about nine
miles west OF Ridgway on the p. & t.
r. r Recently the name of this
company has been changed to the y.
| y. Lake Erie e. Western Coal and II
II. company. (Which name it will no
| doubt be observed sounds strangely
| like the n. Y. Lake Erie and Western
Z. II. Co., still another company }
OF the new company Gen. Thos. l..
! Kane is President. The Erie road is
supposed to be furnishing the money
for the new enterprise, this supposi-
ton is strengthened by the fact that
the Chief Engineer of the Erie road.
! O. Chanute, was here few days ago
looking over the road. This company
proposes to build a road from Butts
| vile, Mexican county, which is near
Alton, and the southern terminus of
the Buffalo, Bradford q: pittsburg
road to Falls Creek II point on the low
grade road in ClCartield county sixty
two miles from the mouth of Red
Bank. Then they propose to con-
struct branch road from Brockway.
vile, Jefferson county, to the Dagus
Mines in Elk county. They have
commenced grading on Diciinson's
flat beginning near the house at
the head of DicHinson's race and pro-
cecding in II Southcrly direction down
the Clarion river. j. l.. Murphy is
the contractor for this grading and
has gang OF twenty Hungarians do
ing the work under the direction OF
Michael Luby. About twenty five
rods Of the road il graded all ready fol
J the ties. The work of grading is be-
ing pushed right along. This road
will be obliged to cross the Clarion
river near the head Of Dick inson' 5 race
and across by Oaterhout's tannery.
The PittsLurg and n. Y. r.. Il. Co.,
recently organized company are
building the rival road. This 0rgani-
Zation is following the surveying
parties with gaugs for grading, and
have done and are doing considerable
work on the >ide-bill on the west side
OF the Clarion river along from the
head Of Dickinson's race to Il point
opposite OstprhOutA tannery. Tom.
Miller and II. ;. Thayer each have
gangs of dig4Grs' and jim. Rhincs has
charge of a squad of aXGmCn. This
morning when we passed along the
line they were working as busy as
nailers. And all day long the sound
of axe and pick may be heard along
the rugged hillside. If any OF our
! readers have doubts about the rugged
part Of the story let them take trip
from the Bull OF the Mountain shanty
near the bulkhead to Il point where
Hank Thayer has his gang of dirt
hcavcrs. 1t is an inpossibility to build
two roads on this side-hill and as both
|
is in IL measure the battle ground OF
the tight. The pittsburg & n. Y.
road have the advantage as they have
bought of Jas. McFarlin, DR.. B0rd-
| well and others owning land along the
side-hiIl, not only the right OF
way but the land in fee simple. They
also have possession which is sun.
posed 10 bc about nine points in law.
| t[biIa nt fhis IlYCn all IL trninCr nlCDu
peacefully as the gangs have nC
chance to work side by side, at John.
sonburg there sccns TO be great deal
Of bitterness as the men of the respCc
tive roads are working side by side
1t was rumored this morning that Que
side built shanty close TO the Others
line The side opposed to the one,
building had occasion To remove &
rock near the shanty and blew til,
| wLole business up. This we give fOl
what it is worth, and it may only be /
| rumOr.
The line Of road between RidgwaS
and JohnsOnburg seems to be most il
dispute, and is at present occupiet
more or less by both companies. The
Pittsburg & y. Y. company having
the road occupied by large force 0
men the whole distance.
The Governor has but recently is
sued charter TO the Pittsburg and \
Y. railroad company, which will con
stlTlct road extending foom poin
on the Pittsburg d; Western railroad
opposite the mouth of Red Bank creel
Armstrong county, to the mouth o
) Mahoning creek, thence by the Brook
vile & RidgWay railroad to BradfOrC
/ To- ~