Lancaster daily intelligencer. [volume] (Lancaster, Pa.) 1864-1928, 1885-08-17
THE STORY OF \ RAILROAD.

THE STORY OF \ RAILROAD. r,
From the Philadelphia Record y
The following is sOmo of the inside history | ,
of the South PENNSYLVANIA railroad winch II | -
Is now proposed to transfer To- the Ponnsyl- | a
Nania railroad company, that has never been | =
given to the public
In ls7S certain parties largely Interested in | |
manufacturing enterprises in pittaburg, con-
ceiVed the idea of u new competing railroad |
between Pittsburg and Harrisburg, as the |
| chief link in an Fast and West trunk line, |
| which would have tho advantage over the |
| pennsylvania railroad of lighter grades, |
| fewer curves and economy in mileage. They |
| knew that ii could DO built at a comparative |
| Iy moderate expense and operated moro |
| economically than the Pennsylvania railroad. |
| The Western end OF tho line started at
| point on the south side of tho Monongahcla |
river at Pittsburg and passed to the west
bank of tho Susquehanna river at Harris
burg, allowance being made in tho plans for |
10 per cent. Cor twenty milcs) Of siding, |
and the bridges tunnels and culverts to be |
constructed for double track whole length |
of main line, 30 miles. |
MR. M'GRANN's ESTIMATE.
| II. j. McCrann, of Lancaster, Pa, one Of
, the largest contractors in the country made
|
mitted n bid to construct the line complete
for S6,50O,OO0. lie guaranteed iirst-class
a work and materials, the rails to DO of GS-
t pound steel. AS the original plan contem-
s | plated direct connection with the
r lines Of the Philadelphia d Reading rail
= road company from Harrisburg, the
project was laid before Franklin b.
Gowen, its president, and received his
approval. Later Mr.. Goweu proceeded to
| London made
ing-house III that city for placing the $4,000
600 OF per cent bonds at par. With S6,5OO,-
of 900 of tho proceeds it was intended TO con-
,r struct the road, the remaining So 500, 000above
#, | the contract price therefor to be applied to
the purchase of motive power, full compile
ment of passenger rolling stock and as much
freight rolling stock as could be had for the
'u balance. The stock of the new road was to
s- be divided into three equal parts and owned
sh by the Philadelphia IL Reading railroad,
NJ Dr. David HOstetter and Ralph Bagaley, oi
al | Pittsburg The Reading company agreed to
at construct bridge across the Susquchanna at
"' Harrisburg to junction with its lines, all
re terminal facilities at that point, and also fur
u nish on liberal wheelage contract, its i'm
he | mense complement of freight cars for use
,as | over the new line. The enterprise would
~ | have been carried out on this basis but for
" the fact that Mr.. McCamont, the English
Oh capitalist and Gowens baCker who was
tic. heartily in accord with it, became i'll, and the
lg- bankruptcy of the Reading followed closely
be- | on that event
full ENTER NA$DERBILT.
ar. Mr. Gowen soon afterward suggested tc
vas the others in the South Pennsylvania scheme
re the advisability Of laying before Mr. Wander
lvo | bilt the plans in regard to the proposed new
ma line, in which, through his ownership o
ur- Reading stock, he had an interest Tit
pa railway magnate thought the scheme gooC
hip one, and disposed to take charge Of ii
one The market value of labor, rails, spikes
ties, etc, were at that time rapidly deClin
i'm I'M tp bn a n Inn al
lelr the good man felt entirely safe in his abilit
hey to construct the road at or below McGrann'
figure. lie thereupOn set about reOrgani2n
the project on basis satisfactory to him sci
,, whereby he would become the owner Of
will crs yyomid nav Tho tnnmev Ton million do
nts. lars capital was not big enough to suit h
ian ideas, and il was increased to sl50oOHOD, an
lbli- | later on provision was made for S5.O0UOl
amt | more \ syndicate was formed and t
,ont | stock allotted among its members. I
''"' justify the increase in capital Vanderbilt d
hch creed some changes in the plan Of tho TOa'
the TO begin with, he made Port Perry II
lead western terminus, thus cutting OH tWcnl
hese miles of road with the bridges at EliAbet
10 oF | and West Newton, the tunnel at PIttsbui
dai and those at the crest between the rivers an
49,, at West Newton, and provided for an q
thc trance TO PittsDurg over his own road at tn
lie time approaching cOmpetou-thc Pitusbur
.ster McKeosport e YOughiogheny. The cost
all building the bridge over the Susquehani
T., was added, however. While these chang
- were supposed to Justify large increase
J the the estimates of construction they really :
iood | duced tie cost of the work very material
ones | The saving rights OF way into PIttsDur
place judging by the experience ol "Ihcr ROAD
was very largo
BIG FIGURES FOR TnE WORK.
Under tho new arrangement NandeTb
fail put MS own cohIracV"i7 |" ""iN' "'"i
T'iGc oNo'y oho uoha''hS ''o i'B"t Va WY IA @ ~ "
TO encourage the new competing line. Soi
interesting figuring can be donO here. y
| TwOmllpy al of ~D.FIH !
'r2ry | cash by the syndicate has been expended
that work done, aud 3, 3,OOO,;rO Is due the contra
that tors. Engineers Of the Pennsylvania railro
and also engineers in the employ Of
,, South Pennsylvania railroad company
'"e present who will likely be heard i'll COZ
T." before long, assert thatths work could not
,eaus any possibility have been done at a cost
or or | exceed g., 100000. Give Mr.. TwOmbley I
with ,nrSa,,ar, rr ot,,t sam 7GD Which Ia cI,i,
;, in to have made to procure certain charters ct
H. | and we still have deficiency of S2,JOO,C
from moneys actually paid in. Mr.. Nand
.Irv bilt is alleged to have contributed to the :
100000 his proportion, or about el,lVO,UOO.
is asserted openly by certain people that
IT, has not contributed a single penny; that
ming the contrary, by the operation above
scribed, he has had his Sl,GOO,O 900 paid for hi
by the other subscribers, and in addition
redt pocketed S5OoOOo III ulS capicitY as cohtracl
from TO- ,,,;th thao,tnrnrisa I-ndcr thiS osn,
more of the case. AT what price could Mr. Wand,
with bilt afford TO sell his interest of Sl7OOOOO
ltion | the Pennsylvania railroad and still get G
\ use | even?
that IN oIGer 10 arrive AZ a better unuofSIa'lu %
ny bits probable profit from the construction
win the South Pennsylvania road, Nanderb
'ty Is himself being the whole concern, some /
,man ures in regard to the cost OF material a
not iaDor nave peen TesorIeu l." All inc hea
,oves cutting and all the tunnels are now abe
,oah three-fOurths done; the bridge over the 81
'"i quehanna is practically finished, the pie
| ahntmnntg