Johnstown weekly Democrat. (Johnstown, Cambria County, Pa.) 1889-1916, 1890-03-14
THE NEW ROUTE.
The Proposed New Road to the Xorth q,
the Count.

neXed letters in reference to the proposed
new road from this city to the old State
pike ut Munday's. At an informal meet
ing of the Committee, it was agreed to
| hold meeting at the Board of Trade
Rooms at 2 p. NJ, on Thursday, March
all persons interested in any proposed
road to this city, and especially those in
terested IN the Hiuckston Run and Cone
maugh routes, will be present and be
able to present their figures and facts,
when definite action will he taken.
YINCo, PAn March 5, $780,
TO the Committee on Huieip@ Affairs Of ne
Board Of TIddp.
GENTLEMEN | would say that pike
road from your city TO the National Pike
would be a desired benefit toyour city and
country surrounding. Financially we in
the country are not able to build good
pike, but all favo or the enterprise. There
are personal interests that, 10 some eX
tent, cause or bring about n concern
for the different routes. My interests in
the location don't vary much. However,
were | to invest money in pike with the
expectation of reaping benefit, / would
invest in the Conemaugh route tor this
reason: 1t would be a pleasanter drive
for city folks through the farms, etc, etc. 1t
would make solid dry road, free of
| bridges, culverts and marshy ground.
The scenery would be grand.
The present township road, via Cone.
maugh, in case pike Is built along run,
,,noeiI,l.r Ia, a oil lauc
substituted by pike.
BY produce being shipped TO your
city it gives our farmers small profits on
home products, so that if toll road and
a free road run side by side, the free road
will be used this would be economy and
| business.
think free right-of-way could be had
along the Conemaugh route. A fine
! graded road could be made.
Were ! to invest money in pike |
would twice us soon risk it from Cone
maugh. 1t is a pleasanter route, a shorter
route, and by about half cheaper route.
l might say much more would | think
| il necessary. Yours Respectfully,
L. f. CUSTER,
To ne Honorable, The Committee on Municipal
ABab'S or the Johnsto,cp Board Qegfeae
GENTLEMEN Concerning the proposed
| turnpike from Johnstown north along
| Hinckston's Run, you learned, at Il spe-
| cial meeting of your Board of Trade held
in your hall on February Sth, last, that ii
| turnpike north from Johnstown is badly
needed. There are only four rough
mountain roads leading to Johnstown
from all the territory north of the Cone.
maugh river. These roads run over the
highest hills to be found, are very fire.
! quently blockaded by snow-drifts and are
almost impassabte four or five months of
the year. Johnstown loses much trade
on this account because, instead of trav'
cling over bad roads to JohnstOwn. their
best market, they take better roads tC
more distant points. OF this fact the
Carrolliown NeCs is fully convinced as
may be seen by referring to one of its
january issues.
The citizens of jackson and the two
Taylor townships, being almost unable tc
reach JohnstoMn at all this winter, pro
pose to construct turnpike from Johns
town alonr Ilinckston'S Run to the old
Pittsburgh turnpike.
The advantages of the Run route are
apparent to every one who is at all ac-
quainted with IT. 1t seems to have been
designed as Il natural and easy route for a
highway. The route was once surveyed
for proposed plank road and the dis
tance from Lincoln Bridge to the old
Pittsburgh pike was found to be nine miles,
fully mile shorter than by the proposed
East Conemaugh route. The grade is a
very easy one and nowhere exceeds that
of the Pennsylvania railroad on the west
ern slope of the mountain. According 10
| 80 oh ivtx 70, to q I,a
mile The right of way can he had with
out costing cent and the property-own-
ers will give all the needed material free
of cost. Many will also invest money in
the project. The material exists ready
on the surface of the ground just where
the pike should be located, so Il at there
will be no expensive hauling of material
for long distances. The Run route is
never blockaded by snowdrifts and can
be used any day or hour in the year.
There is Il township road running from
Minersvile up the run about three or
three and one-half miles. or may be four,
When all other roads TO Johnstown are
closed by snowdrifts people call them
selves lucky when they are able to reach
that road, and thus reach Johnstown.
The proposed pike would reach the city
near its center, enabling travellers to
quickly reach any part of the city. At the
fartnest there will be not more than three
bridges along this route and by cutting
away one or two bluffs only one would
be required. Neither of the bridges need
be more than twenty-five feet in length.
A turnpike along the run would pass cen
trally through all the arabic land east
of Laurel Hill and could be easily reach
ed from all sides. These are Il few of the
facts that we hope will induce your hon.
orable committee to decide in favor of
| the Run route.
Another route for the pike has been
proposed. This route runs through East
Conemaugh and follows the Ebensburg
road to the stone pike THIS route
is only mentioned TO be con-
demned. If it followed the pres
sent road it would run over the highest
hills to be found, thus making very heavy
grades. If il deviates from the present
road it would pass through cultivated
land, and the right of way would cost
considerable The grades can not he
materially lowered without increasing the
distance far beyond that of the Hinckston
Run route. In any event the road would
inevitably drift shut in winter, requiring
a good part of the tolls to keep it open OF
else it must be abandoned till spring.