Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1882-07-30
TINE CeNrINEyTAL RAILROAD.

The organic stion OF railway cOmpa-
nv contemplating the construction OF
double track freight railway from New
York Bay to Council Bluffs, Iowa. with
double track branches TO Chicago and
ST. Louis, has been completed, and its
prospectus ia now before the public.
While the present organization Is Of re-
cent formation, the project is not, strict
" speaking, entirely new. As early as
1877 a company was formed under the
presidency of Edward Dodge, of New
York city, but little was done further
than TO obtain the necessary franchises
and charters in the several States
through which it WAS proposed to run.
he company, under the name OF the
Continental Railway Company, has nov
been reorpanized with tbs following Of
ficers: Milton Weston, Illinois, Presi-
dent: William Ii. Smith, Illinois, Vice
President; A. G. Day. New York, Treas
urer; Thomas j. johnson, New Jersey.
Secretary. The capital stock OF the new
company il put at one hundred million,
dollars.
According to the prospectus, the COM
pany has obtained the necessary frau
chises and charters fer the construction
Of this road, which follows in the main
tho forty-iirst parallel of latitude, and
greatly shOrtens the distance between
the western terminal points and New
York bay.
These charters were obtained in the
States Of New Jersey, Pennsylvania. In
diana, Ohio, Illinois and Iowa, all of
which have been legally consolidated
and now form an unbroken line between
all the points mentioned above Oh
which the company has the right to con.
struct, maintain and operate q railroad
with one or more tracks perpetually.
The line has been surveyed, and the
saving of distance over present trunk
lines between Chicago aud New York
bay are found TO be as follows: Over
the New York Central q Hudson Iii ssr
Railroad, $50 miles; over Pennsylvania
Central Railroad, lib miles; over Bal.i-
more 4 Ohio, pa miles; over New York,
Lake Erie Il Western Railroad. 1Ga
miles.
Its grades will in no case exceed fifty
two feet per mile, while on the above
mentioned roads they are respectively
sc feet, s. feet and over l2G feet to the
mile.
The Continental Railway will bring
Chicago within 500 miles Of New York
Council Bluffs within 1870 miles, and St
Louis within nine hundred and fifteen
miles.
The cost Of this road with adequate
equipment and ample terminal facilities
to handle 100000 tons carried east.
ward, and 3, 100000 tons carried west
ward, will not exceed $4,000 per mile OF
double track, while the other trunk lines
are stocked and bonded for much lar.
ger SUN.
The total cost of tho Continental
Railway, with its 16O0 miles of double
track and 5000 miles of single track
with II per cent of sidings, will not OK.
ceed $40. 100000.
It is proposed.to operate this road fol
tue carrying of freight only, running
each train at the same rate of speed, say
twelve miles per hour, trains stoppinG
only at their regular stations for fuel
aud water, using two engines and two
sets of hands on every go miles, and in
every "a hours each train to have one
combination car attached for the con.
venience Ut shippers and people along
the line.
The company claims that tho entire
line can be completed in two years, and
the largest portion of its mileage can b.
put in paying operation in less than fit
teen months.