The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-02-05

neers of one road or another have not
driven pegs Indicating either prelimi-
nary survey or a final location. In this
way the word of promise has been con.
tinually made to the ear to be broken to
the hope.
Finally there appeared on the scene
young man, the son of farmer in
the neighborhood, who suggested
plan by which these farmers could build
a railway for themselves. He had had
some experience in the west, where he
had practiced somewhat as a surveyor
and engineer, and he was therefore list
ened to with respect, if with nothing
more.
He told them that they at present had
no need of a very expensive railroad, but
merely required one with capacity suffi-
cient to safely do the business which the
road would have at the beginning, He
saw that the farmers could themselves
build such q road, and he suggested one
which should start at Morristown, ON
the Morris and Essex division of the
Delaware, Lackawanna and Western
railroad, and go southwest through Nor
ris, Somerset and Hunterden counties,
passing through the towns of Brookside,
Mendham. Peapack, Pottersville and
New Germantown to White House, on
the New Jersey Central railroad. Such
a road, he explained, would traverse a
beautiful, healthful and fertile section
peculiarly adapted to the growth of
small fruits and hardy vegetables, be.
sides making each hilltop desirable
villa site for city people who wanted
summer homes.
The farmers believed in all young Mr..
Melick told them, except as to Their
ability to build the road, and the only
encouragement he got from the meeting
was that after he had consulted the
farmers in the other neighborhoods
they would see him again. Mr.. Melick
went to work with great energy, and
did scarcely anything else for six months
but agitate this question along and at
either end of the line. But he could net
bring the different neighborhoods to-
gether 50 that there was any concert
of action. Twenty-Five miles of road
seemed too much for them. When Mr.,
Melick reluctantly abandoned the idea
of building the whole twenty-five miles
at once, he hit upon the plan of building
it in short sections.
This was Il happy idea, and he put it
in immediate action. He formed a
company called the Rockaway Valley
railroad. and solicited subscriptions
from the farmers from White House
to New Germantown, distance oil
five miles, and explained that each
subscriber would get the full amount OF
his subscription in stock and an equal
amount in first mortgage bonds, and
that each subscriber should also have
the privilege Of paying his subscription
with work or in railway ties or other
material. OF course some of the sub
scribers preferred to pay in money, and
there were enough of these to enable
him to put up with the secretary OF
state the amount necessary to secure the
Charter which tho gJiic1aI railway act
gc2Iircg.
LAO Aeh ms bSCu uOuCS WOIh Woo w
gun, and in very many instances the
grading of the road was done by each
farmer through his own farm. This
went on gayly for season, and the rail.
way for the first section of five miles
was built at such times as farm work
was not pressing, Money-that is cash
had only 10 be spent for the railway
iron and bridge timber, and enough of
this WAS easily borrowed from tee local
banks and elsewhere.
This section having been built an,
other was planned, five miles in length
to Pottersyile, in Somerset county. AID
pursuing the same plan as to means and
work this section was completed before
the next season vas over. Then third
section of three miles was begun, and
this reached to Pcapack, still i'll Somer-
set county, but very near the Morris
county line. This was finished last win.
ter, and for time it looked as if this
would be the eastern end of the farmers
railroad
Over the Morris county line the farm