The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1894-11-25
cyr or IT'S Isolation.
n Rniiropa Boom UrIrenued or Kss
M struet he IIemlock ReIt.

VI ialltOao Wttnm ljs DOrUerh, BOtter county hni
all at once come Into the enjoyment Of q rail
road bui lding boom that promises to gridiror
her territory with iron thoroughfares and
make ~, entirely new railroad system in north.
ern Pcnnsylvunia For years after the great
forests Of pine that once covered n large portion
Of the county had been cut and conveyed &c
market By riffs eli the Allegheny and Susque.
hanna Rivers, the equally great forests of hem
lock stood practically worthless on the hills.
Tho tniuing industry that had once predom-
lnated In the counties Of Sullivan. Ulster. and
Delaware In New York state, and Wayne. Pike.
and Monroe, In Pennsylvania. had hcen forced
to abandon those regions because the supply Of
hcrnlock bark WINS exhausted there. and had
established itsol in Northwestern Pennsylvania,
on the very border Of Potter county's vast hem
lock domain. But the tannerics had concern
tratcd themselves in the very heart OF equally
vast hemlock ucres In Warren. Mexican, Elk,
and adjacent counties, and their supply Of bark
Pin their Immediate vicinity was so great and APP
parcutly ineshRustiblo that tho Potter county
forests were not regarded as either profitable or
necessary supplies 10 draw from, there being no
railroad or other communication by which the
bark from those forests could be transported to
the tanneries.
The first railroad TO penetrate this isolated
wilderness was one which Is a part OF the pres
eat Western New York and Pennsylvania Rail-
road system. This road. after a long struggle
with adverse circumstances. was completed
rem Buffalo to Emporium, Pa, with a branch
'ront larribies, Pa, down through the Mexican
comfy wilderness TO Clcrmont. This road mere
ly touched the border OF Potter county at Keat-
ing Siimf2it. and was built with no intention OF
developing o: aiding in the development OF its
Wilderness, the rosd having been especially con-
struoted In the interests of capitalists who we're
seeking to uncover and utilize the coal and iron
deposits OF Mexican and Cameron counties.
But II was the entering wedge for opening this
county TO outside communicate ion by rail. Tn
til the building OF the railroad from Buffalo TO
Emporium, the nearest railroad station TO Cou.
dcrsport, the county seat of Potter. was Wells
Vile, y. L., OH the Erie Railway. twcnty-scven
miles distant. The completion Of the new line
brought the county seat within eighteen miles
OF a railroad. at Port Allegany. Pa. a company
Of local capitalists built the Coudersport and
Port Alleeany Railroad, soon after the buffalo
ana emporium road was completed. and VIXEN
county saw u locomotive and u train Of cars tor
the r,r first time; sa6scausntiy q narrow gauge
Pike Mills; now Galeton, a small numbering
the Iioga county border. This railroad fell
into the banas of Thomas c. Piatt OF
ex-senator Plat. owns this railroad. il is o /
P PiSsd; sn 't Of itS %nf TSIt ns & states n%t Is1ss;, H hem is
pany. The only connection he has as AN Quite,
Halfway. The Eric il one OF n' ti,e r iIS.. over ~ 1ns sb Er!s
the United states Express COmpany's particular
trolls tho express freight privilege. The United
states company can ship no goods over the Erie
boss his own express business over his own rail-
road, the addison and Pennsylvania, but has to
and messengers of that company in charge on
mis- trains and at his railrosd stations.
aoout me time ex-senator Plat got control of |
the auulsDn anu Pennsylvania Railroad tho
Goodyear brothers OF Buffalo had purchased a
Potter county, and built the Sinn m n"inonffpn
valley hnilToad from the Western New YORK
through tho forest twelve miles. The terminms
became tho village OF, Costello. and immense
tanneries were built there. Three miles from
COSTELLO, IN their forest possessions, the Good
years erected the biggest steam sawmiils in the
world, and n . few months had a town. around
seat. The town Is called Austin. after Souirs
austin IN, who vi owned The site; Before people cams
IN mind, the pushing Buffaloniaps had pur.
chased nearly all the hemlock area in both Pot
troll or the henlock lumber and tan bark supply
OF the whole region.
to iI Saild 'T another g. sAF FsilrS SsaF' i FtIs they sss D fso%
, oste!lo northward through Potter coun.
MIA, NTioga county This 0r rsiiroad DO k Aos9,
as the Buffalo and sus9uehanna Railroad. was
rnites the Goodyear railroad system with the
Brook Railroad system. A large part of
which $1,000, 900 feet a day. finds a market at
lnt rraI By the e0nnection of the Good ,
ielphia lumber dealers are able TO get ,
freight rate 90 cents IA ton less than {
IsS' is are snlS SS%apf fHS@ K Re.tRFS pay { SUMMIT shs i T@s; /,
ft ns Mss'er 1h,s Ne% YORK and Psnnsyiyania 4
item from the receipts Of that hat r rasIroad q 's Tss q
lSnnsction Of the Goodyear, Railroad with the 8
J al brooS system has also drawn a large trade 4
nSidentally from the Erie. 4
solsted 50 long, and raise the rather insignia, 4
rom a little local railroad that ends nowhere 10 :.
n es position OF an important link in an entire 7
tunalo and susquehanna Railroad has diverted 9
x senator Plat has obtained a ehsr ua,i for n
abroad TO extend from Galeton, in the extreme 4
miles west OF Potter COUNTY. r wher at reSany n
ion will be made with the Western New YoTk =
no Erie Railway directly with the Westsrn n
,ew 4 ork and Pennsylvania system in the coal Il
les and make Of the Plat railroad sometbine CT
p parrS sI"9 ahe tGSsi Ilns; T ans has has, apparently
Iailroad Company to lo""k ro sbo AAt'egsnS
ITO SoIRiffs e OI but is sudden awakening ?
purring OF the tioodyesrs than to- any JS the :,
* ot If own The move this company has de. n
oItleastern part OF the county 10 unite with IL
mother branch OF the Fall Brook system. W NH ar
as extended into the county Three years ago ~
~ y csmeht sun stronger It's own union "
llh the Eau Brook system, the Goodvssr vi
Irothets are losing no time in building a branch Ia
aher buualo and SusquehRnna Railroad a.
a point near Cherry Springs TO sweden 10
alley, where Il win connect directly with tSs In
ouasrsport and Allegany Railroad. AZ
AnOther railroad, independent OF All ths.. h,. ~
necessary TO Mellsyille and other psrts 81 10
liskshy county. n. u, II they would save Ibs NJ
on'aDte trade from upper Potter ennatE 49, ts
enjoyed ever since the country was - III
M, Is also 70 Do put under way between VVsiIs a.
III another connsc,Nn WI give the Erie m
region. ~ NS " long ne
do