The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-08-06

even DN tnOSe contemporaries "npWNlN WILLING
TO sanction so much Of the project "a couirru.
plated the reaching Of Lake Erie Ivy an iron
road. III we go thus far" they said "u'hrr
railroads will come from the West to meet II, "
Not only did their forecast prove we'll founded
but. as the Eric plan took definite shape tina
Eastern States were aroused to action AMI
Massachusetts, began to push railroad west.
ward and 1t was also the prospective unIttux
OF the Hudson with the lakes by tho Erie Ran.
way that hastenrd the building OF the local
lines between Albany aud Buffalo. which
were consolidated under the name OF the Noy
York Central soon after the Erie was com.
pleted to Dunkrk. Thus it may bo sad
that the story OF the Erie constitutes the FIRST
and principal CHAPTER in the history of Amnr,.
can railroads. and for that reason IL Of national
rather than of local interest. A word should
be added az to the difficulty OF compiling
book like that before US. The work represents,
we are told. the labor of five years. during
which the records Of thrce-quartcrs uf a ron.
fury have had to be examined records exist.
Ing not only in the form of railroad reports
and Wall street records. but in musty files OF
newspapers and controversial pamph cts lonR
since forgotten and hard to find.
1t seems that Gen James Clinton moro than
a hundred years ago suggested the curstrur-
ton OF great wagon road between III" Hud-
son River and Lake Erie over tho route now
covered by the Eric Railway Thirty years
later state road to connect the great lake.
with tid"water through the same part uf tho
state was the object Of IA popular demand.
The first suggestion for a railroad over The
route was made in Il pamphlet issued by WI.
liam G.. Rcdied of New York in 1879 THIS
pam phlet was widely circulated. and. two year,
later. Col DE Witt Clinton. son of the great
Clinton. aud member Of the L. = Engineer
Corps. was detailed to make a reconnaissance
OF the country along tnp route of tha
posed railroad 1t was not until April ~.
1S}2. however. that charter for tns
projected railway was granted by the L"r--
lature. The survey of the route was not
completed until two years later. 1t is n,rr-
csting to recall that the survey, which. by the
way. was made at the expense Of the stats,
gave IA choice between three Eastern tcrmiu.
ais, namely. Tappan. Nyack and Saughtcrs
Landing Opposite Sing Sing" all on tbs
Hudson River. For reasons which are st
forth al length in the book before us. the Erie
Company decided in 1885 to begin coustruc-
ton work in the Delaware Valley. For time
construction was pushed rapidly there. but ~
April. 1897. all work was suspended for the
reason that the funds of the company were eX-
hausted. The next year work was resumed.
but it was not until the spring OF 1870 that
much activity was exhibited. BY Jun" II.
1s41. tn" Trail had been laid upon the track as
far Ramapo and locomotive was run from
Piermont to the station named on that day.
The state Of the work along the line at ths
close Of 1871 was this: -Four hundred and ten
miles OF the road were under contract. The
grading between Goshen and Middletown was
nearly finished. The Susquchanna division. III
miles in length. was two-thirds constructed.
Sixteen miles OF the road eastward from Dun
kirk. the western terminus. had been pre-
pared for the superstructure. The SUPER.
aISD being laid hptwppn IIIHon
and Cuba. Half of the rest Of the Western
division was graded The sum OF $4.5OOUOO
had been spent thus far on the road. and s2Ou-
600 worth of roadway had been coded gratu.
tousy The companv's treasury. however,
was empty, and during the next four years
nothing was done on the main road. Work was
resumed on Aug. %. lS48. and, on Nov. Of
the same year. the railroad was ready for
business as far as Otsville. siIty-two miles
from Piermont The official opening OF the
railway to Port Jcrvis took place on Jan q.
1S4S. To build the road to this point from
Piermont had cost S3.2T,i.d7s At this time
the Erie Company possessed on its eastern
division scventy-fou miles of track. ten loco
motives. nine passenger cars. seventy freight
cars and seventy-sevcn mail aud baggage cars.
1t has now fortytwo miles OF track in the Port
Jervis yard alone and single freight train
frequently consists Of sixty cars. On Dec. %.
1S4S. an excursion train left Piermont at 5
A. NJ. for Binghamton. which town It reached
at midnight. The first train from New York
to Elmra reached the last-named town on Oct
?, 1919. The work was now pushed forward
vigorously in both directions on the VEST
ern division. and on April IL. 1851. ten and
half years after tho nrst spike had been
driven at Piermont. the last spike was set in
the last rail that mado OF the New York and
Erie Railway continuous track between tho
Hn6sOD and | nka Eric Tha Of
the railroad celebrated at Dunkirk on
May Is of the year last named. 1t had been
early recognized that a Jersey City terminus
was Indispensable. In September, 1852. the
Union Railroad Company was organized for
the purpose Of building a railroad from the
terminus Of the Paterson and Ramapo Rail-
road at the state line to connect with the New
York and Erie Railroad at Sui1ern. Eight DAYS
later the new CORPORATION leased the Paterson
and RamapO Railroad. and was itself on the
dayfollowing leased to the Erie Company. Thus
the Erie acquired terminus opposite New
York City. but II was not until June |,
1906. that work was begun upon the contract
for boring the great tunnel through Bergen
Hill The financial troubles of the Erie him
dered the prosecution OF this tunnel. which
was not opened to traffic until Feb o. 1851.
simultaneously th" Erie company revived the
Pavona Ferry. The completion on Jun" no.
way. which formed the link between the Eric
and the Cincinnati. Hamilton AMI Dayton
Railroad. provided six-foot gauge track
from New York to st. Louis. 1t is well known
that the rails OF the Erie are now OF tho
| standard gauge.
What may be termed tho anecdotcal history
OF the Erie Railway will be found in two chap
tors, respectively headed: The Turning q
Its Wheels" and Under the Legislative
Probe" We should add that the vcissituieS
OF the rond under It's various ad m Illustrations
are set forth at length and In a thoroughly dis
interested spirit. We owe. in a word. TO Mr.
Mott magazine OF important Information.
which has cost him a vast amount OF labor. and
for which we should seek In vain elsewhere
Where There Is No Twilight.
FroDr the Chicago Record.
SuAYAourr. July 9.-The days and nights are
| OF equal length. The sun knocks on promptly