Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-05-28

| :. f@> by the river, and II
Strpt. Robert Pitcairn. he had prophesied
| it would nave grown so enormously he would
have been called fool. Continuing. he
said:
| On April l3, 1916, an act Incorporating the
PENNSYLVANIA Railroad Company was passed
| with capital of $40 900, 600 the charter being
| granted and signed bv the Secretary of State
| o Pennsylvania on February %, 1s47. July
| 16. 1S47, tho contract for the first 20 miles
west of Harrisburg was let, and the same
| month n section of l5 miles east of PlttsDurg
On September ], ls49. the first division, 81
| miles long, from Harrisburg to Lewistown,
| was opened for traffic, and one year later the
| line was completed to a mile cast OF Holt
| daySburg, where a junction was made with
| the Portage Railroad. In August, 1851, 81
| miles west from Johnstown we're completed,
| leaving only IS miles to join up with the
Pittsburg sections running east. This was
completed, and from December III, 1897,
| through trains ran from Philadelphia to
| Pittsburg via the Portage Railroad, using the
| inclined planes for more than year. the
through line not beng completed till FED
| ruary 2, 1854, when it was launched as full
| hedged trunk line.
Starting with a movement of 23S 724 tons
in and out of Pittsburg and vicinity in 1874
we reached in 1861. l620 $50 tons: in 1871, G,575
| S43 tons in 1881, is, 22936) tons, and In 1891.
37 999 49, tons. With 2.Sll freight cars in 1854
we have, in 1891. SS,7l7 cars belonging to the
Pennsylvania Railroad lines east of Pitts
| burg. And now we have one OF the best
| equipped lines, might be pardoned in say
ing, i'll this or any other country. To no one
is the credit of this more due than to the
city of PittSDur@ and vicinity.
Inspired by Pittsburs Business Men.
The Pennsylvania Railroad and the city
of Pittsburg, betrothed in 1916, were fully
united in 1851, and, as far as can observe,
have been loyal and faithful to each other
ever SINCE and feel assured ever will be.
To the city of Pittsburg we not only owe
much from traffic and business standpoint,
but more. 1t was associating and coming in
contact with the brainy manufacturers and
business men of Pittsburg that broadened
the mind of our late President Thomas A.
Scott, who brought to completion the great
Pennsylvania system, which now embraces,
with its canals 7,943 miles, with a capital of
about $50 000, ,000 including the funded debt.
So with my predecessor, whose association
with the industries of Plttsburg gave him
the inspiration that enabled him to become
one of the first iron masters OF PlttsDurg, If
not OF the world
The Oldest chartered railroad of Pittsburg
is the Allegheny Valley Railroad, chartered
as the Pittsburg, Kittanning and Warren
Railroad April t. lS37;only organized however
February Il, 1882; chartered as the Allegheny
Valley Railroad April L. 1852, and opened as
far as kittanning January 80, 1856; It having
| become part of the Pennsylvania Railroad
system, 1 will merely give you the figures,
| which make the total tonna re of ], ,049, ,443 in
1871, reaching a total of 4.2GS SIS in 1891, most
| burg and vicinity. will also briefly mention
| the Pennsylvania Company system, west of
| Pittsburg: The Panhandle. Incorporated in
Pennsylvania March 81, 1S49: Pittsburg, Fort
| Wayne and Chicago, April II, lS4s; Erie and
| Pittsburg April l. 1858, and Cleveland and
| Pittsburg, April S, 1850, reporting total ton
| mage in and out OF Pittsburg and vicinity of
| l,s9l,4l2 tons in 1871, increasing to 1891, ,6S9
| tons in 1891.
The old Iron City, restive with having but
one alliance, and fearful that perhaps her
- low of.r1,f OlNst,.
| sought other affiliations, and looked to the
| Baltimore and Ohio which had control OF
| the Pittsburg and Connellsvflle, which was
| chartered June IL, 1886 completed to Con-
nellsvile October TO- 1860, and to Cumber-
| land, June, 1871, thus securing another
| through line to the East and South, with the
| following result: Commencing with 5000
tons on the Pittsburg and Connellsvile
Railroad in and out of Pittsburg, thew
reached, in 1851, a. 439 tons; in 1871, 266, 934
tons, and in 1891, e25 tons, not including
| the Pittsburg junction Railroad, which
| should be added, and probably double it.
| Not content with that the Baltimore and
Ohio had to build branch to Wheeling,
| giving another outlet west
Coquettfng With Other Roads.
One would think that would be enough for
the giddy old girl. but no: she must need CO.
quette for other applications to connect
| them with the New York and Lake Erie
trunk lines and induced the Pittsburg and
Lake Erie to come to live with her. The
| Pittsburg and Lake Erie was opened for
| business August 10, 1879, starting with ton
| mage OF 81. 459 tons that year in and out of
Plttsburg and vicinity, and reaching 7S4 927
tons in 1881, and 45j 1877 tons in 1891 (includ-
| ing the Pittsbur2, McKeesport and Yough-
| iogheny). And no sooner did this new love
| come here and find such a pleasant and
| rich home, than it must need go farther and
| build the Pittsburg, Mckeesport and Yough-
| iogheny, which was opened November 10,
1883, making a third line from PittsbuTg to
laa inh onl- nd fald do e
| Pennsylvania. This was not enough and
| she must needs seek another af1fliation and
| induce the building of the Pittsburg and
| Western railroad, which was opened for
| business June 8. 1881, with the following
| result: In 1SSl-79346 tons in and out OF
| Pittsburg reaching S72, ,8I5 tons in 1891. 1t
may be stated here that the tonnage in and
| out of and through Pittsburg, 1 noticed
| some year or two ago, exceeded any city in
| the United States.
Surely she must be satisfied now, per-
| chance she is forced to be- as every available
| channel of approach has been occupied, and
any other line will have to get in surrep-
titlouely or bore through the hills. Should
she not be grateful for all this? 1t has not
| been done with her own money, but at
| tracted by her wonderful resources and
| situation as the center of the iron, coal and
| mineral fields, foreign capital built the lines
| and am glad to say has been amply repaid.
Appreciation for this RaiIro ads
| One more thought and am done. Do you
Am 1 not correct in saying that the
railroads should be maintained in a
| healthy condition by generous ac-
| tion on the part of the city, in
| awarding to them all reas asonable privileges,
| and no longer restrict them or cry monopoly
| or soulless corporation? SQulless corpora
| ton! 1t is true that the people of Pittsburg
| and Allegheny county, wnen the Civil War
| broke out were among the most loyal and
| among the first to respond with men, money
| and influence. The company l represent
was no less active and gave 500 0J0 to the
| State for bounties for soldiers for the Union.
| Soulless corporation! When the great ca
! lamity befel the Conemaugh Valley, Pitts
| burg, it is true, was first to respond; and I
| shall never forget the part taken by our
| worthy President, Mr.. George B. Roberts,
whose line was utterly paraly zed. and whose
company was the greatest sufferer.
When communicating with him as
promptly as possible after the dis
aster, and giving him q faint
idea of our deplorable condition, he prompt
ly replied: Subscribe Hberally for the
Pennsylvania Railroad. Put your whole