The Austin weekly statesman. (Austin, Tex.) 1883-1898, 1891-03-26
MAP OF TIE ROAD.

MAP OF TIE ROAD.
neers of one road or another have not
driven pegs indicating either prelimi-
nary survey or 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 a
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 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 an(
New Germantown to White House, OF
the New Jersey Central railroad. Sucl
a road, he explained, would traverse &
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.
Melck told them, except as to theil
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 neighbOrhOOd;
they would see him again. Mr.. Melicl
went to work with great energy and
did scarcely anything else for six months
but agitate this question along and al
either end of the line. But he could not
bring the different neighborhoods to
gether so that there was any cnnCef'
of action. Twenty-Five miles OF rotG
seemed too much for them. When Mr.
Melicl reluctantly abandoned the ides
7 pf building the whole twenty five miles
ak once, he hit upon the plnn OF Dulldlhg
itln short sections.
This was happy idoa, and he put il
in mediate action. He formed q
comnan,v called the Rockaway VALLEY
railroudN and solicited subscription
from the ,famers5 from White Hous,
to New germantown, a distance o.
five miles, and explained that eacl
subscriber would get the full amount o.
his subscription in stock and an elua
amount in first mortgage bonds, ant
that each subscriber should also hay,
the privilege of paying his subscription
with work or i'll railway ties or othe,
material. OF course some of the sub
scrbers preferred to pay in money, aut
there were enough of these to euabl
him to put up with the secretary o
state thu amount necessary to seclre tn
charter which tht gGaGsai railway &C
:o9 1ircE.
This having been done, work was be
gun, and in very many instances tn
! grading of the road was done ny eaC
farmer through his own farm. Thi
went on gayly for season, and the raj
way for the first section of five mile
was built at such times as farm wor
was not pressing. Money-that is cas-
had only to be spent for tue railwa
iron and bridge timber, and enough c
this was easily borrowed from the loca
banks and elsewhere.
This section having been built al
other was planned, five miles lnllenGtl
to Potter,y!!lc in Somerset county. an
pursuing the same plan as to means an
work this section was completed befor
the next seu-on WAS over. Then thir
section of three miles was begun an
this reached to Pcapack, still in Sonel
set county, but very near the Morr
county line. This was finished last VIII
ter, aud fUra time it looked as if tht
would be The eastern end of the farmer
railroad.
Over the Morris county line the farlr