Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1890-07-20

The bankruptcy of the Reading Railroad
soon followed, and this led to the necessity
of complete change from the basis on
which the Pittsburgers originally started
out to build the South Penn road. As the
friend of Gowen, William II. Vanderbilt
then came into the company. Vanderbilt
engineered the great dicker to sell the road
out, and he died suddenly just after the
courts stopped that proceeding. DIR. Hos
tetter, of Pittsburg, perhaps the warmest
opponent the wicked scheme for abandon.
ment had, died also at this period of the
case. And in less than year after the road
was finally squelched for good, Franklin B.
Gowen was either murdered or committed
suicide in Washington Hotel.
The deaths of SO many of the leading
characters Of the project formed a chain of
condolences, but of course nothing more,
though there are those who believe that had
DR.. Hostetter lived longer the enterprise
would not have been so easily throttled.
INCEPTION OF THE ENTERPRISE.
In 1873 parties largely interested in man.
ufacturing enterprises in Pittsburg con-
ceived the idea of a new competing railroad
between Pittsburg and Harrisburg, as the
chief link in an east and west trunk line,
which would have the advantage over the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad of lighter grades,
fewer curves and economy in mileage. These
parties had familiarized themselves with the
topography of the country to be traversed,
and knew that while the new road would
have some serious obstacles, it could be
built at comparatively moderate expense
and operated more economically than the
Pennsylvania Railroad. They had a baro-
metricsl survey made o. the route, and plans
and profles drawn.
AT the western end the line started at
q point on the south side of the MonongaheIa
river at Pittsburg, and by tunneling through
the rage of hills, reached the valley of
Sawmill Run. Thence it passed up the
Monongahela to point four miles below
EHzaDeth, where itcrossed on steel bridge;
thence through tunnel on the crest-llne
between the Monougahela and Youghio-
gheny rivers, on a steel bridge over the
latter stream, through tunnel in the hills
DaeH OF west Newton into the Sewiekley
valley, hVe tunnels through the Allegheny
hou9oaIns, and thence to the west bank of
tne Susquehalna river at Harrisburg, al
1owanee being made in the plans for 10 per
cent or ~ miles OF sidings, and the bridges,
tunnels and eulverts to be constructed for
Couole uacGs. The whole length of main
line was TO be 21O miles.
THE FIRST ESTIMATE
They then had B. j. McC1ronn -
caster, Pa, one of the largest contrsc.o-. -
the country, make careiu ul Examination Of
the line, with a view to making estimates on y,
the work, and he submitted b;d tses a. On
struct the line complete for Sc, 500 GOO GI Te
guaranteed hrst-elass work aud mster;oI0
the rails to be OF 6S-pound steel. Negot;a,'
81.
Ions were tneR m opened Mas with j. NJ Hood,
road Company, and a traffic contrac. 1-s.,- XII
concluded on satisfactory basis Wber"h.
the interest On proposed bonded debt os
SO, ,OO0, 900 was provided for beyopd ,er,S u
venture by pledge of all the earnings iron,
business created by the new line.
As the original plan contemplated a