The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1884-10-15


commenced construction.
The southern route lay dormant
until the year 1854 when the Dun
cannon, Landisburg and Broad Top
Railroad Company was organized
and chartered and became the actu-
al parent of the present company.
In 1856 the name was changed to
that of the Sherman's Valley and
Broad Top Railroad Company and
in 1857 the Legislature authorized
this company to extend its line by
the most practicable route and con-
meet it with the Pittsburg and Con-
nellsville railroad, and also with
the Allegheny Portage Railroad and
to construct lateral roads. In 1859
the title was again changed to the
Pennsylvania Pacific Railway Com
pany. This company retained all
the rights and privileges previously
granted, and was authorized to ex-
tend its line westward to the State
Line of Maryland and of Virginia.
In 1863 the name was finally chang
ed to that of the South Pennsylva-
MIA Railroad Company and during
the last session of the Legislature,
general laws were passed under
which the powers of the company
were greatly extended and authority
was obtained which enabled it to
adopt the shortest possible line be-
tween Harrisburg and the State
Line of Virginia and Pittsburgh.
The various extensions and renew
ais granted to the company seem to
haye been greatly due to the person.
al efforts and watchful interest of
Col. James Worrell, a veteran civil
Iengineer. now resident of Harris
burg. He had assisted Hage in his
original surveys in 1887 and 1888,
and always maintained the most
lively interest in .he Southern route.
He became President of the South
Pennsylvania Railroad Company
about the year 1860, and made some
Reconnaissance and surveys of his
own between Chambersburg and
Pittsburgh, and advanced some bold
theories for the engineering of the
route.
During the period between 1860
and 1880, the controlling stocllhold-
ers of the organization were the Nc
CaImont Brothers, of London, who
had subscribed for The majority OF
the stock and paid in, in cash, the
first instalment thereon. Practical
| ly, this gave the control to the Off
GERS of the Philadelphia and Read
ing Railroad Company, and SO mat
tiers remained until some time in
1881, wheh the subscription book
was opened and large additional
subscriptions were made by parties
representing capitalists in the State
of New York; Surveys were COM
menced under the supervision of Oh
liver w. barnes, of New York, Civil
Engineer, with a large force, and suf-
| ticient data was obtained to enable
him to report that new and better
line had been discovered than any
that had been heretofore known,
and upon this report being placed
before capitalists. subscriptions to
an amount sufficient to construct
the road were obtained and the COM
pany was reorganized with abund-
ant capital.
Mr.. Sarnes was selected as the
Chief Engineer of the Company and
was authorized to survey and locate
the line upon the route he had rec
commended, but in order to make as
surance doubly sure, the most thor.
ough exploration was made of every
practicable route and side line which
presented itself, or which was advo-
Gated by intelligent persons along
the line, before finally adopting the
location now under construction. A
belt several miles in width was COW
cred by these surveys. and its rugged
topograp ply carefully mapped and
lines were estimated upon and
compared in the most careful man
ner.
! One of the striking features which
is presented to the mind of the ell
gineer in considering the adopted
location is that it is summit line"
for large portion of the way and
instead of following the devious
windings of the mountain streams
as does its older brother, the Penn
sylyania Railroad, it cuts through
the mountain ranges which cross it
at right angles and seeks the crests
OF the water sheds. This is so much
the case that through the region be-
tween the Tuscarora Mt, and Side
ling Hill, and again between the Al
legheny Mountain and the Chestnut
Ridge over a wide stretch of coun-
try we failed to discover single wa
ter-way passing under the road bed
for which II #. opening was not
more than ample. There is not an
iron bridge on these crest lines for
more than 40 miles. This simple
fact speaks for itself as a meas
ure Of economy and locating
skill.
Thie location is the more remark
able when we consider that the main
direction of the railroad strikes the
ridge almost at right-angles to their
lakes, and speaks volumes for the
patience, perseverance and profes-
sional skill of the engineers in charge.
4 They seem to have considered all
the parts of the difficulties to be sur
mounted in their relation to one an
other and settled upon a conclusion
derived from the entire truth. No
line seems to have been adopted
until all the logical relations and de-
Tendencies were completely under,
stood. The great advantage of this
| line is in the fact that it is not con.
fined to the narrow limits .of the
/ valley but is direct across coun.
| try line' on ground rejected by all
previous surveyors, scarcely mile
I Of it having ever been occupied by
/ their locations. Some of them
/ thought they had satisfactory lines
/ because they were cheap, but SC
extended was their length and sc
ateep their ruling grades that had