Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1883-07-12
VANDERBILT'S LINE.
GETTING READY TO BEGIN WORK.

GETTING READY TO BEGIN WORK.
The Location Adopted AID . Committee Ap-
pointed by tho Syndicate to fut the
kosd Under contract.
An important step toward the pushing
forward Of Mr.. Vanderbilt's project for a
new trunk line through PENNSYLVANIA was
taken in New York on Tuesday, when the
location was adopted and COMMITTEES
appointed I" to represent the syndicate for
the construction of the South Pennsylya-
MIA and for other purposes" The CALI
was signed by w. Fl. Vanderbilt. VIC.
Whitney, D. o. Mills, II. G. Frick. II. w.
Oliver, jr,, H. D. Brookmau, J. U. Brook
man and G. Meyer.
President Franklin B. Gowen, of the
Reading, was called to the chair, and
Ralph Bagaley, of Pittsburgh, was
chosen secretary, there being about
twenty gentlemen present, representing
subscriptions of $l4. COG, 900 to the ayndi-
cate. John Kean, jr., and Z. G. Knight
were chosen tel!ers, and a ballot showed
the election of tho following executive
committee of five, with full powers II.
Hostetter, of Pittsburgh; w. K Wander
bilt, of New York Franklin B. Gowen, of
Philadelphia; Il. Mckay Twombly, of
New York, and w. G. Whitney. of New
York.
There was full and free discussion of
tho location of the road, which was care.
fully explained in detail by Mr.. Sayre and
Engineer Oliver w. Barnes The latter
| was resident engineer on the Western en-
gineer division of the Pennsylvania during
its construction from 1S47 to 1854, and
subsequently chief engineer aud president
Of the Pittsburgh & ConnelIsvilie They
gave full details of the route adopted, and
from their report it appeared that two
thirds of the land owners along the line
had already been settled with for the
right of way, and that the total cost would
be less than mad been originally ex-
pected.
The road will start from Junction with
the Reading, a short distance East OF
Harrisburg. the passenger station being
located at Second and Vine streets The
| bridge across the Susquehanna at Harris
burg, which will be below that of the
Cum berland Valley and the Northern
| Central. will be the most important on
the line, and will probably cost little
| over half a million. 1t will be an iron
truss bridge of the most improved pattern
and the contract will very shortly be given
out. After crossing the Susquehanna the
road will run in a pretty direct line to
Bedford, then to Somerset, to near Mount
Pleasant and down the Big SewickIey
Valley to its mouth, where it intersects
the Pittsburgh, McKeesport and Youghio
gheny railroad, twenty nine miles from
| Pittsburgh, thus forming line from Har-
risburg to Pittsburgh 229 miles in length
1t is proposed to extend branch from a
point east of Mount Pleasant and thence
via COnnellsville direct to Wheeling. The
road will cross the Charters and YOughiO-
gheny by co overhead bridge in the Big
Sewickley valley. Two overhead bridge
crossings of the southwest Pennsylvan ia
| will be made, one near Mount Pleasant
and the other near Plautersville, West.
moreland county.
There will be no less than ten tunnels on
the line, aggregating almost eight miles
in length. Three OF them will be more
than a milo in length. The general
maximum grade going east is fifty two
feet to the mile, but large proportion of
the road is on grades of twenty six feet to
the mile. The ascent Of the Eastern slope
of the Allegheny mountains will bs made
| with grade of ninety five feet to the mile
on tangents, reduced Oh curves in proper
portion to the rate of curvature iu such
| manner as to make the cures equivalent to
! strait lines. This rate of grade is the same
as that used on the Pennsylvania railroad
in the ascent from Altoona to the summit
| length, ten miles.
Terminal facilities will bs provided in
Pittsburgh by the Pittsburgh, Mckees
port and Youghiogheny. The Mononga
| hela river is recrossed within the city
limits, aud then, over another line, the
passenger depots are reached. This new
bridge will be the junction railroad bridge
at Four Mile Run, for which Jones &
Laughlins hold the charter. The company
has secured a tract of land on the west
| side of the Susquehauna opposite Harris
burg, known as tho Walton farm, con
tanning 245 acres, for terminal facilities
there. At other points along the line
ample grounds for station purposes have
been secured. When shops are required
they will be erected at Harrisburg. The
road is to be built in the best manner, " ith
steel rails and every known improvement.
The contracts will be let by September 1,
and work commenced at once. The first
labor will begin at the heaviest work, on
the tunnels. 1t is proposed to prosecute
construction with energy and finish tho
road in two ycars-the shortest time in
which the tunnels can be finished.
1t is probable that the capital stock of
the road will be fixed at twenty millions.
Its cost is not estimated at less than $780,
600 mile, and there will bo tho equip
ment to pay for after that. 1t will be
, twenty five miles shorter than the Penn.
sylvania to Harrisburg; and the Reading
, line from between Harrisburg and New
| York, with which it will connect, being
five or six miles shorter than the Pennsyl
| vania, the new line will be the shortest
between New York and the west. The
! traffic contracts made with the Reading
on the eastern end and the Vanderbilt
lines on the west provide that each shall
pay guarantee of 20 per cent. upon the
traffic coming to their lines from the new
road for period of ten years, unless prior
to that time the road shall be able to earn
it's full interest without such guarantee.
When the road has once earned it's full
interest charges the traffic guarantee is to
| terminate.
CRIME AND CALAMITY.
EVentfui Occurrences at Home and Abroad.
On Tuesday night four harvesters board
ed freight train at White Hall, Illinois,
i L.