Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1892-01-17
THE OLD PORTAGE ROAD.
Wonderful Structure Now to Be Utilized by
the Pennsyivania-The First Cable Line
How it Connected the Cansis-Its Sub


The proposed "cut off :" on the line OF
the Pennsylvania, just announced by teie-
graph, by which the company Will save 10
miles OF distance between Philadelphia ana
Pittsburg, is of far more interest to the
public than are most of the similar economic
measures of railway Management. In the
first place the "cut off" Is to he made right
at the world-famous "horse-shoe curve"
where the scenic beauty of the pennsylvania
Railroad is at its best, and series OF views
are presented which are in all prooablilty
uneQualed along any line OF fallroao
east of the Rocky Mountains. Secondly,
the Improvement in the interest OF
economy to the company, will because oil
its being made right Mt this particular spot
be productive of greater saving oil the
travellers time than would saving Oh the
same number of miles almost anywhere else
along the line because the Is miles to be cut
Off is a section of heavy grades and difficult
curves
Thirdly, it involves the adoption of an old
line which is full of historic and picturesque
interest, and brings into prominence one OF
the earliest and most daring and peculiar
fcats of railroad engineering in the United
States. This is the old Portage road by
which connection was originally made De-
tween the old canals of the State-or rather
between the mlQule ana bne Western sCOSAOi@
of the Pennsylvania canals.
Proposed to Carry Boats Bodily.
The canals could not well be dug through
or under the Alleghenies, nor lifted over
them by a system of locks, and so the novel
scheme was introduced of pulling the canal
boats out of the water and transporting
them up and over by railroad and then
committing them again to the waters Of the
1oft - 49, I0fe, of thair
was completed. This system was not, how
ever, put into practical use, but was tested
experimentally, while'for the most part the
freight was tran sferred into cars.
Very plainly discernible traces Of this old
ness on top of the Alleghenies, and even the
traveller who is swiftly whisked along on the
trains see plainly the old grade. 1t was the
first cable road in the country. The place
where the old line is most commonly OBJ
served is on the Pittsburg or western side of
the Horseshoe Bend, p" where it parallels for
some distance the present railroad track
although with deep ravine between. This
is on the travellers right, supposing he is
journeyin2 eastward.
Avery Substantial Structure.
One reason why the long abandoned
road remains so conspicuously visible is
that 1t was built in very superior and sub
stantial manner, and was for the time-60
years ago-a work of truly gigantic char
acter. Another reason is that it is region
where other improvements have not been
found necessary, nor has the land been
titled nor towns built to erase the old
lines so vigorously drawn on the face OF the
earth.
During the second decade of the century
it became obvious that as the territory of
Western Pennsylvania had become pretty
thoroughly settled and an increased COM
merce was demanded upon the Ohio, some
measure must be resorsed to for the better
conveyance of freight across the great bar
rier nature had interposed between the
eastern and western parts of Pennsylvania.
The canals of the State had been con-
structed and we're in successful operation,
except that their commerce was restricted
by tho difficulty of getting over the noun
tains which was only accomplished by team
ing. 1t was a subject which interested the
best minds OF the State and was much
lature authorized the construction of the
Portage road.
The Public scoffed at 1t.
This was on March 81, 1881. Railroads
were just then in the experimental stage. 1t
was less than two years before that the first
locomotive in America had been given its
trial Tin Wayne county. Pa.), and the great
mass of the people scotfed at the idea OF sur
mounting the very palpable difficulty by
any such tangled, foolish machine con-
trivance." Engineers and surveyors pro-
nounced the scheme perfectly feasible how
ever, and the latter went to work 70 make
practical survey. The results of their ex-
aminstions were such as to settle the form OF
the road one combining inclined planes
and levels with the use OF both stationary
engines and locomotives-that is to say
road with the paradoxical features Of planes
on the hills, levels on the plains
Thus the "Old Portage ROAD was designed
and built upon the identical plan now in use
in numerous localities, notably on the now
misnamed "switchback' at Mauch Chunk,
but better exemplified by the Delaware and
HUDSON Canal Company's famous gravity
road" between Honesdale and Carbondale,
crossed. In the case of the Portage road ten
planes were established, five on each side OF
the mountains, operated by stationary en-
gines and endless ropes, on the same princi-
pie as. the many planes with which Pitts
burgers are familiar, or for that matter on
the now common cable system, though OF
course containing the idea of the present
day in only it's crudest and most primitive
form.
1t Covered 1,4O0 Feet Elevation.
The road extended from the canal near
Jonnstown to Hollidaysburg. about Sc miles,
and surmounted height of almost exactly
1.4OO feet. The fifth plane from Johnstoun
reached the top OF the mountain very near
the site of Cresson Inn
Once begun the work was pushed forward
with a rapidity which would be creditable
within a short distance, the mountaineers
and the casionaily passing teamsters were
astonished to find an army of 1000 men at
work. 1t was completed in three years.
The bed of the road had been graded to q
uniform width of 25 feet, and several stone
bridges were for the times maryels Of
massiveness ana strength. Tracklaytng was
carried on upon scale OF solidity commen-
surate with the other work. The rails them
selves were not ponderous-they were nine
Qi0 q Tlia
except on the curves. where they were but
a ward in length-but the manner in which
they were fastened down was peculiar and
characteristic of the age. Heavy hewed
stones were sunk in holes upon beds Of
rammed rock In these large holes were
drilled and plugged with locust wood, and
into these were sunk bolts of iron holding
down iron plates or "chairs" as they were
called which held the rails.
1t Was Operated by Cable.
During the first few years although the
people had q railroad they saw nothing of
the wonderful locomotive. Stationary en-
gines communicating power to an endless
cable-a great hempen rope as large rs a
mans arm pulled the cars up the planes and
on the levels between they were drawn by
horses: As to the cost of the Portage road,
the old records show it to have been a trif1e !
over 81, ,6S4, 600, every cent of which was hon !
estly accounted for. although the road was |
not exempt from stealings in subsequent |
years. The road paid from the start.
As business grew and the usefulness OF |
locomotives was demon strated by numer- |
ous practical tests on Eastern roads they |
displaced horses upon this curious r,ilroad,
and those upon the Portage were the nrst
used in the central and western parts OF the |
State From time to time several OF the
planes were abandoned. this work being ac-
complshed on tracks built at easier grades,
by locomotives, and finally in 1854 the Whole
system WAS lanuOnPd for the new portage,