Republican news item. [volume] (Laport, Pa.) 1896-19??, 1912-08-16
The Wiliamport And
North Branch Railroad
The Short Line Route Across
The Allegheny Mountains

Branch Railroad has become an inn.
portant factor in the trans portatior
business of Central and Northeast.
ern Pennsylvania. 1t forms con.
Meeting link between the important
systems of the Philadelphia & Read.
ing and the Pennsylvania railroads,
traversing central Pennsylvania al
the south, and the Lehigh Valley
system, traversing northern Penn
sylvania and southern New York
at the north.
1t may he of interest to our
readers to know something of the
history of this road. Its beginning
dates back to the early Seventies,
when, under the corporate name OF
"The Muncy Creek Railway Com
pany," it secured from the State a
charter, most liberal in its provis-
ions, for the construction of a rail
road from the West Branch TO the
North Branch of the Susquehanna,
through the valley of the Muncy
Creek or along its tributaries. Suf-
ticient capital was raised to make
a begin Iing and the road was COM
pleted as far as HughesvilIe within
a few years after the charter was
obtained. For many years, Hughes
vile remained the northern term
mus of the road, the necessary
funds not being forthcoming To con
tinue it further, although some
grading north of Hughesville was
done. Old residents will remember
the line from Hughesville Quite the
Reading connection at "Halls
Station" The Company was the
proud owner of an engine and a
few cars and these did good service
for years. They will remember
the little train of two or three box
cars with a small passenger coach
attached, that daily made trips over
the line on a schedule rather
uncertain, depending somewhat up
Oh whether there was demand for
freight or passenger service on Il
particular day and considerably
more upon the mood OF the little,
old, asthmatic locomotive that con
stituted the sole motive power of
the line. Those were the days
when the late reg Mehrling had
charge of the road and took orders
from no one but himself. He was
superintendent, conductor, train
dispatcher, baggage master and
general "Hail fellow, well met. y
About 1880, the road changed
hands and the late Benjamin c..
Welch assumed management. Mr..
Welch was a man of great ability,
untiring energy, and undaunted
courage. He at once resolved that
the road should be pushed through
to a Lehigh Valley connection at
the north. Although part of the
route lay over the summit of the
AllegNanies, two thousand feet
above v,de, and through rough,
sparsely settled A,ction of country,
he did not falter. The financing of
project was take.N up and Mr..
Welch succeeded in interesting
capital. Year by year the road
was pushed up the valley a little
further until, about 1885, it had
gone well toward the headwaters
of Muncy Creek, at the foot of
North Mountain. Upon this term
mus, Mr.. Welch bestowed the
highly appropriate lame Of Nord-
mont" Here again there were
delays owing to the great cost of
construction through the noun
tains. But Mr.. Welch was steadfast
He went into the market with the
bonds of the Company and after
several years of hard work placed
a sufficient amount to take up the
work. In 1898, the road was COM
pleted to it's connection with the
Lehigh Valley r. r. and the name
"Satterfield" given to the junction,
in honor of the late John Satter-
field, of Buffalo, who had become
the purchaser of the bonds, to a
large extent. The first through
trains Iegan running in September
1898.
In 1891, the Eagles Mere branch
was constructed. This now fam
GUS resort was then beginning to
attract attention. To the persist
ent advertising of Mr.. Welch
can be attribeted much of its sue
cess. The Eagles Mere branch, al
though operated only during the
short summer season has proven a
source of much revenue for the
main line. For several years pre-
Yious to the construction OF the