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This is the annual report of the Lewisburg, Centre and Spruce Creek Railroad. Your directors submit the following report of the progress of your road towards completion and of the business done during the year ending April 29, 1876 on the part completed and in operation extending from the junction with the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad at Montandon to Laurelton Station a distance of 18 66/100 miles. Notwithstanding the financila continued to retard the business of the country and almost check the progress of public improvement. Your road has moved although cautiously, toward a final completion. Since the last annual meeting, James Moore and Company, contractors on sections number 24-27 a distance of 4 45/100 miles. Have completed ithe graduation, masonry and bridging on said sections amounting in,the aggregate to $60,335.13 which has been paid thus leaving unfinished between Laurelton Station and Penns Creek Fords opposite Millheim 8 18/100 miles being sections number 28, 29, 30 and 35 including Beaver Dam Tunnel allotted to M. Howley and Company on which they drove work and were paid $42,150.49 and sections 31,32,33 and 34 embracing the Paddy Mountain Tunnel let to David Williams on which he did work and was paid to the amount of $42,095.10. As the embarrassed state of finances was such as not to admit the contractors prosecuting the work with as strong a force as they desired they were by permission of the railroad company allowed to abandoned their contracts which they did and were paid for the amount of work done and since your last annual meeting the same were relet. The work done by the new contractors on the 8 sections above referred to up to May 1, 1876 amounting to $49,592.26 on which has been paid $31,751.00. Work done from that date and up till finished estimated at $46,243.31 making the cost of the entire work of the 8 sections from the reletting ready for ballast $95,835.62. The Beaver Dam Tunnel on section No. 35 allotted to VanDykes and Wilson is worked through and nearly finished, carriages have been driven through. It is 260 feet in length, not as long as was expected, as the digging away of the approaches in order to get a solid covering or roof shortened it considerably. The tunnel at Paddy’s Mountain. At section No 32 reallotted to Bridgens and company presented at first rather a difficult task. In excavating the approaches seams were found in rocks and large boulders were encountered which had to be moved but afterwards rock was reached which makes a solid and safe roof. In consequence of extending the approaches in order to reach solid rock the tunnel is very much shortened, consequently the length will now be 200 feet instead of 320. The heading is with 85 feet of being through but as the rock is so very hard the work of drill is necessary slow. It is likely that with a proper force the tunnel can be finished in the course of 8-10 weeks. The distance from end of track to Spring Mills is 24 74/100. The estimated cost of the balance of graduation, masonry and bridging including all other costs and expenses to make these 24 74/100 miles of road ready for running of the cars embracing ballast, water stations, sidings and necessary depot buildings, is estimated by the chief engineer at $238,000.00. By deducting what is expected from local subscription fund to finish up some work on section formerly allotted to D.H. Lutz may reduce it to $220,000.00 which will be required to have an operated railroad from the junction of your road at Philadelphia and Erie Railroad at Montandon to Spring Mills a distance of 43 40/100 miles. The distance from Spring Mills to Lemont is 14 84/l00. The graduation masonry and bridging of which can be finished in the course of two months and will be paid for out of local subscriptions, 3 miles of which have been ballasted and all but a few sections near Lemont ready for ballast. The super structure of this link is estimated by the engineer at $97,920.00. This expenditure would give you a railroad completed ready for the cars a distance of 58 25/100 miles reaching within 6 miles of Bellefonte. The cost of graduation, masonry and bridging of about 22 miles of which is provided for by local subscriptions. Section No. 54-60 both inclusive have been allotted to Thompson and Vandykes who commenced at section 54 and done work towards Lemont up to May 1, 1876 to the amount of $16,811.91. From Lemont to the graded road near Pennsylvania Furnace a distance of 12 89/100 miles but little work has been done. The estimated cost of graduation, masonry, and bridging and superstructure of that like is estimated at $223,100.00. The remaining part of your road from Pennsylvania Furnace to the junction with the Pennsylvania Railroad near Tyrone a distance of 16 27/100 miles as appears by former report the graduation, masonry, and building has been completed and 5 miles ballested. For this, including the removal of barn and other buildings on the Bransetter Farm $293,877.97 was expected. The super structure including sidings, water stations, and depot buildings taking into consideration the reduced price of labor and materials and the fact that considerable number of ties have been purchased and paid for it is estimated at $142,500.00. To finish your whole line exclusive of the branches is 87 4/10 miles in length and will require the following additional sums over and above what is provided by private subscriptions and other payments made. From Laurelton Station to Spring Mills $220,000.00. From Spring Mills to Lemont $97,920.00. From Lemont to Pa. Furnace $232,645.88. Superstructure from Pa. Furnace to western terminus $112,500.00. Making a total of $663,065.88. And to put the road in running order to Lemont will require $317,920.00. The board recommended the completion of this road to Lemont as speedily as circumstances will permit believing it to be the advantage of the stockholders and all others interested but do not wish to be understood as intimating a desire to delay the progress of the road to the western terminus knowing it to have been located through and near excessive iron ore beds or superior quality which with other productions will furnish a large tonnage to the road and we look to the final completion at an early day. We might hear remark that the tardiness manifested by some of the stockholders at the western end in paying up their subscriptions tend very much to delay completion. Of the 2 million dollars of bonds issued as stated in former report 1,500,000.00 were purchased by the Pa. railroad company and $15,000.00 paid to Philadelphia and Erie Railroad on an indebtedness to said company leaving bonds to the amount of $455,000.00 undisposed of. Recapitulation of distance composing the mail line from junction with P and ERR at Montandon to Laurelton Station 18.66 miles. from Laurelton Station to Spring Mills 24.74 miles. From Spring Mills to Lemont 14.84 miles. From Lemont to graded road near Pa. Furnace 12.89 miles. From Pa. Furnace to the junction with Pa. Railroad near Tyrone 16.27 miles, total miles 87.40. The capital stock credited up to May 1, 1876 amounts to $268,840.00. For a more full statement of former expenditures former reports are referred to the earnings of 18.6 finished miles of your road from Montandon to Laurelton Station for the year ending April 29, 1876 were from freight $19,599.77, from passenger $11,974.l0, from express $360.00, from mail $2,209.80 total earnings $34,173.76. Express from same period conducting transportatation of passengers and freight $14,677.53. Motive power for passengers and freight $6,639.21, maintenance of cars for passengers and freight $112.50, maintenance of way for passengers and freight $5,104.86. © Copyright 2012 by Mifflinburg Telegraph Weekly Newspaper Top of Page |
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