Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1891-10-30
Strong Efforts Being Made by the
Erie System to Capture the
Allegheny Valley.
ANXIOUS TO REACH PITTSBURG.
Will Remove Shops and Build Large Pas
senger Depot Here, if They
Can Secure the Line.
OPPOSED BY THE PENNSYLVANIA
The Latters officials Talk Of Making FveCent Fare
TO Williamsburg.

The Pennsylvania Railroad will probably
meet another lion in its attempt to swallow
at one gulp the defenseless and bankrupt
Allegheny Valley. The Erie Company,
operating the Nypano system, has suddenly
appeared on the field, and with an eye on
Pittsburg's metropolitan future has deter
mined to battle with fortune for the route
that will give them an entrance to the in
dustries of the Iron City. The contest for
possession has been a secret in railroad cir
cles for several days, and has now cropped
out in challenge for a fierce financial war.
The sale of. the Allegheny Valley, if the
present programme is carried out, Will be
by auction on December Is. The Pennsyl-
vania Railroad when they forced the issue
had accumulated what was considered
enough mortgages to prevent any other
company from bidding over them. The
road is only important to them to shut out
other companies from Pittsburg, but for
this it is invaluable.
AGreat shipping Center.
On the other hand the Erie road, ready
always to compete with its rivals, realizes
that Pittsburg is the shipping isthmus
through which trade passes from East
to West, and the managers have formed
the determination to bid against the Penn
svlvania until the hammer falls. The war
wears a merry aspect already to Plttsburg
people, who feel assured that no matter on
which side of the fence the fruit falls they
will be gamers.
If the Erie takes the plum it has been
stated on good authority that fine pas
senger station will be built where the
ALE gheny Valley offices now are on Pike
street, and that sharp competition will be
started on the day of possession. The
Erie's only opening into Pittsburg now is
over the Lake Erie, and that by round
about way. They have lines from Oil City
to New York over the famo1s Nypano, and
with the river division of the Valley "a
direct route between New York and Pitts
burg would be established. 1t is Stated
that the company would double track the
entire route and put on fast Passenger and
freight trains.
Would Move shops Here.
A portion of their shops at Meadville
would probably be brought to Pittsburg,
and like HSmlet's ghost the Allegheny
Valley would rise from its sleep of death to
aid the/ Erie system in its attempt to lay
out TIE Pennsylvania
The Low Grade, which has hitherto been
a white elephant, is already planned as an
the Jefferson and Clearfeld region, and
with a little elixir of life squirted
into the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg
it is intended that Falls Creek Junction
will become junction in fact to open any
one of the richest territories in the State
that has hitherto been Handicapped with
stage coach trains and mountainous freight
rates The castle in the air has been fin
ished with the brightest colors by the Erie
people, who now only want the Valley to
put a solid foundation under il.
Meantime the Pennsylvania people
have been hustling with old-time ability.
They will not give up the road they con-
sidered their own without a fight, and the
battle is to be to a finish. They will attempt
to prevent the action sale, and in case they
fail in that, they claim they can bid
as long and as high as the
Erie. The Allegheny Valley, they
claim. will on account of its easy grade be
useful as freight road to the East, and be-
sides with its acquisition the last railroad
opening to the city will be closed. The
company officials feel confident that the
Allegheny Valley will soon be part of the
Pennsylvania system and that Pittsburg
will be benefited thereby.