HE. AA2.2 Allegheny Pobta&e KailtioaiiHepouts This book was digitized by Microsoft Corporation in cooperation witli Cornell University Libraries, 2007. You may use and print this copy in limited quantity for your personal purposes, but may not distribute or provide access to it (or modified or partial versions of it) for revenue-generating or other commercial purposes. Digitized by Microsoft® fliUfc.-. a ,iia«HH>fc.' REPORT OF THE ENGINEER AND SUPERINTENDENT OF THE> EOAB TO AVOID THE iNCLIMD PLMES OH THE ALLEGHENY PORTAGE RAILROAD. For the fiscal year ending Norember 30^ £855. Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® REPORT- To the Hon. Board of Canal Commissioners: Gentlemen : — The road avoiding all the inclined planes of ^e Allegheny Portage railroad, is now so far completed as to admit of its being opened for gener,al use. The only work remaining to be done is a portion of the arching of the tunnel, and a small amount of embankment where the 'new road crosses plane No. 8, which could not be done while the plane was in use. The con- struction of this work, however, will not interrupt the passage of trains, nor in any way interfere with the working of the road. That portion of the tunnel not arched with brick and stone, is firmly secured with timber, so as to render it entirely safe ; and the balance of the arching can be readily done while the road is in operation. The continued wet weather during the past season has not only delayed the progress of the work beyond all reasonable anticipations, but has added, largely to its cost. The heavy rains of the summer, occurring while the work was in progress, have thoroughly settled the embankments and brought down from the hill sides all the sliding material, leaving the road in a safe and permanont condition. This result has added to the cost of construction a large amount, which, under ordinary circumstances, would have been chargea- ble to the 'repairs of the next two years, but will be ultimately beneficial as the cost of the maintenance of way will be comparatively small in future, and the working of the road relieved from any danger of accident or interruption by slides or yielding embankments. The contract for furnishing iron rails with the Cambria iron co., is com- pleted on their part, and it only remains for the Commonwealth to furnish them with the amount of old iron due to close the account, which now stands as follows : CAMBRIA IRON CO. CR. Tods. owt. qr. }b.«. By 3,357, 15, 2, 13 of new rails at $70 per ton, DR. To 1,4'59, 9, 1, 4. of old rails at $50 per ton. To 899, 14, 2, 16 of old castings at $30 do., To amount paid in cash To amount to be paid in old iron $235,044 65 235,044 65 That portion of the old road about to, be abandoned, will furnish a suffi- cient amount of old iron to pay the balance due the Cambria iron co., and probably leave a surplus to be apj)lied to other purposes. Of the new rails there is a sufficient quantity on hand to lay four or five miles of single track, which can be used !idvalQJ^gf^^\f)^iMtSf&s6fM)^^^ tracks at the termini of the road. REPORT OF ENGINEJMDF THE In completing the road, the entire amount of the appropriation has been exhausted, and a debt created of one hundred and forty-five thousand four hundred and fifty-three dollars and sixty-six cents, which is distributed as follows: Names of Constractors'i Kean & Cummins., Huyett, JSTeff&Co...... John Burkhulder & Co.. I Moorhead & Patterson. . John Glover Moorhead & Patterson.. John Pries... '..'a Glo-v^r Jf? Wiley. , S. JI, %ith. ..., J.J, Dull ,& Co.,.,..,.. Moorheaii & Patterson. . Jacob Bailey Brawley & Baily. . ., Snodgrass h JI'Ginley,. T. J. Laughlin & Co. M'Glnley & Correll.. ^ppkefeUow & Hamilton, Tl)om^s l^randon Porter, Rolfe & Sweet. . . S. H. Smith Jacob Fronheiser , No. of section. 10 to 23 20 20 20 & 29 21 21 21 21 21 22 25 2ti 24 to 27 28 30 to 33 32 Kind of work done. Furnishing cross ties and ballasting, track laying, removing slides, &c ^Do do Grading Do .., ,.., Fumi^ing and layin'g water pipes Excavating tunnel Furnishing cut stone Do .... brick Do ... . cement ,,...., ArcbijDg tunnel '. , Grading Do Do Furnishing cross-ties and ballastijig, track laying, removing slides, &c Grading .....'. Furnishing cross-ties and ballasting, track laying, removing slides, &o Grading Couplings for track Spikes Couplings Switches, frogs, &c Amount. $4,470 11 9,273 27 3,0C0 50 13, 148 40 789 62 31,052 12 8,440 00 3,790 00 4,-688 39 28,3,34 00 9,433.70 2,299 72 8,988 55 2,880 10 605 61 1,868 17 12,363 72 3,547 90 2,335 10 3,315 02 984 76 145,453 66 For completing the unfinished portion of the work^ the amount? required will be as follows: Section No. 21. Do 21. Do 21. Do 3-2. For furnishing brick $9,620 00 For furnishing cement ■ 7,800 00 For arching tunnel.: ' 14,300 00 For completing embankment, (plane No. 8J.. . 400 00 Amount required , 32,120 00 The total cost of the work will amount to two millions one hundred thousand and twenty-seven dollars and twenty-seven cents, as exhibited in the follow- ing • SUMiURY. Appropriation of April 15, 185.1 $175,000 CO Do May 4,1852 243,034 40 Do Apri Do May Do SLirch 12 Do May 7. ^■7, 1853 ' 413 000 00 1854. 1855. 1855. •605,783 CO 80,000 00 lt.7,730 00 Amount received from sule of materials 165 096 72 Amount of old iron du.': to Cambria iron co 4"!809 49 42,809 49 Amount of indebtedness ns before stMted" 145 453 -- Amount required to complete unfinished work. ! ." ii i .*. ] 1 ! [ 1 ' 32^120 00 Digitized by Microsoft® 2,100,027 27 ALLEGHENY PORTAGE RAILROAD. 5 In the spring of 1853, a contract was entered into with the Pennsylvania railroad company for the use of their road between the mouth of the South fork of the Conemaugh^and the connection with the State road above Johns- town.' In this contract there is a stipulation that the Pennsylvania railroad company shall grade a road-bed for the State between the mouth of the South fork and the stone viaduct, to be finished on or before the completion of the State road avoiding the planes east of that point. Nothing has as yet been done by said company towards this work, and if they are to be released from the expenditure it would require, the Commonwealth would be justly entitled to an equivalent, in the shape of a reduction in the rates to be paid the com- pany for the use of their road. In addition to this, the price agreed to be paid by the Commonwealth, was based upon the carrying of 100,000 tons pe^ annum over the company's road, but since the transporting lines have bee^ purchased by the company, the amount has fallen far below that sum, which would in equity require a corresponding reduction in their rate of charges. 1 would suggest a re-adjustment of this question, on such terms as the changed circumstances would seem to demand. The road avoiding the inclined planes of the Allegheny Portage railroad being completed, all that is necessary to enable the " main line " to do a large and profitable business, is some settled policy on the part of the State in regard to it. The agitation of the question of sale during the past two or three years, has rapidly depreciated the value of the public works, as no persons were willing to invest their means in consiructing boats or establishing trans- portation lines, without some security for the future. The avoidance of the inclined planes has removed the only serious obstacle in the way of cheap and rapid transportation, and if the enterprise of our citizens shall be perma- •nently protected by the Legislature, there can be no doubt but the "main line" will receive a full share of the large and growing trade of the west seeking the Atlantic seaboard. Very respectfully, T. G. POMEROY, Engineer. Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® AliLEGHKNY PORTAGE RAILROAD. SDPEMNTENDENT'S REPORT, FOR THE FISCAL YEAR ENDING NOVEMBEK 30, 1855. Digitized by Microsoft® Digitized by Microsoft® REPORT. To the Board of Canal Commissioners : Gentlemen:— ^Inmakingthis, my third and last annual report to the Board, as Superintendent of Motive Power and Supervisor of Eepairs on the Allegheny- Portage railroad, I beg permission to say, that I retire from the position which I have held for the last three years, deeply impressed with a sense of grati- tude for the favors conferred upon me, and the confidence reposed in me. I have the consolation of being conscious of having discharged my duties as a public officer, influenced by the proper desires; and if, in any instance, I. failed, it was not an error of intention. The Allegheny Portage railroad was opened on the 1st day of March last, for the transaction of the business of transportation for the ye^r 1855. The prospects, at that time, for a fair trade, were flattering ; but by an arrangement, 1st July last, between the Pennsylvania railroad company and the several companies of transportation upon the .State improvements, the cars of the latter were withdrawn from the Allegheny Portage railroad. This unlocked for withdrawal at once paralyzed the business of the road. In a short time, how- ever, the blight to the heretofore bright prospects of a year of prosperity, was in some measure removed, by the increase of section boat transportation ; the augmentation of the coal and lumber trade ; and the putting in operation of a "New Way Line" by R.^M. Lemon & Co. From the 1st day of July until the close of the fiscal year, the " Old Line" having ceased to exist, the business of the road flowed from these sources alone. As a matter of course, the tonnage, for the last five months, suflfered a very material decrease. It is to be desired that the Legislature, during the approaching session, may clothe the Board of Canal Commissioners with the power necessary to win back the trade, which is now lost to our improvements, by giving to capital a secure investment in, the stock of transporting companies. This can only he done, by abandoning, at once, the agitation of the question of "a sale of the main line," and the adoption of such a tariflfof tolls as will enable transport- ers on the State improvernents to compete successfully with rival lines on others. That portion of the new Portage railroad, avoiding planes Nos. 9 and 10, was opened on the 23d day of April On the 1st day of May, the repair force upon the entire line was materially decreased. During the month of June, however, it became necessary to increase, for the balance of the year, the number of repair hands upon the new grade, on account of the numerous slides and the giving way of the embankments. The operations upon the road were conducted during the entire year with- out any casualty of imp0;^ffi^CfJ!)^/W(^A€S?flP#on- On the 23d day of July an accident occurred on the " new grade" west of Hollidaysburg. The loco- motive " Hercules," and tender, ran into a land slide, and were precipitated 4 REVOkT OF StJPEfilNTENDENT OF THE down a bank, a distance of thirty feet, entirely destroying the " tender,*' atid causing serious damage to the locomotive. It cost five hundred dollfirs to re- pair the engine. The tender was replaced by a new one, at a cost of sixteen hundred and fifty dollars. There are, at this time, eight first class locomotives belonging to the Portage railroad, Viz : Forsyth, Philadelphia, Jupiter, ' ;Pittsburg. Hercules, Blair. Bedford, Morrison. Of this number, the Blair and Morrison are new engines, and are running temporarily on the Philad'elphia and Columbia railroad. In addition to the eight first class locomotives, which now constitute the entire available power 'of the road, the new road with its increasejl grades, beipg just on the eve^jf being opened throughout its whole length„there will be required three addi- tional: engines, for the business of 1855. None others than locomotives of the fiifflt class will, for the future, be of any service upon the Portage railroad; The heavy grades, which have taken, the place of the inclined planes, can only be worked hy engines, the weight and power of which rank them with those of the first class. There are now in use upon the road; thirteen sets of section boat trucks, \vhich, aflerhaving undergone the necessary repairs, may be relied upon for the business of 1856. In view of the anticipated increase in the amount of transportation by section boats in 1856, at least four additional sets' of trucks sliouM be built jiuringthe present winter. These, with tha thirteen sets now running, will be sufficient for the transit of all the section boats; which may be' in serviceupon the main line. I would agkin call the attention of the Board to the necessity of laying a new track with heavy rail, from the basin at Bollidaysburg to the intersection of the new road at Duncansville ; also, a new track with heavy rail from the basin at Johnstown to Conemaugh station, on the Pennsylvania railroad. The old tracks on these portions jaf the roadj are nearly worn out. The locomo' tives running on them have been much damaged, in consequence of the frail condition and weakness of the rail. The Superintendent of the New Pcirtage submitted to the Board an estimate of the cost of this suggested improve' ment, the amount of .which is trifl.ing, compared with the saving of the wear and tear of machinery which would be realized. - The last Legislature made the following appropriations for this road, viz-; Fo^ the payment of motive pnwer debts of 1854.. $lljl35 03 For motiv,^ power expenses of 1855 173,358. 00 Do...., .,^d,o. . ..after December i, 1855 .,. 30,0.00 00 Fortepairs of 1855, including amount set apart out of appro- priation of 1854, for, repairs, after, December 1st, 1,854 35,000 ^0 The amount appropriated for motive power of 1855, as. shown by the ac fompanying tabular statement No 1, has been found insufficient to meet the whole expeflditures in that departm.ent for the year. After having disbursed the balance now in my hands, there will exist liabilities amounting to the smn oi"„$i2,5,U0 58, to be provided for by the next Leg/islatare. Included in this, sum is.a bill of eight , hundred dollars^ being the amount of what might, be considered., equitably, due Ridgway & Co., of Philadelphia, for ot1< delivered previous to the fiscal y.ear of 1855. This oil bill I did not include in tjhe repartefi-deht of 1854, fpr the reason, tbat the oil, when -delivered, was found; to, bft of a very inferior, quality, and it was my intention to return the whqiis of it, to, the firm ffom '^^W)Jjcf&i^llM'^^ i*' Subsequently it was foutid praqticfible.tpiu^e apportion of it,, t&pl},alancie having been. returned. I ALLEGHExN'Y PORTAGE EAILR0AD. 5 refef thus partiiculaply toithis bill, in order to explain a cause of the deficit in my estimate of nsotive power indebtedness for 1834. That the Board may be satisfied that the existing motive power indebted- ness for 1855 was unavoidable, it is only necessary to state that my estimate for motive power of 1855, was based upon the expectation' that the inclined planes would be avoided, at least by the first day of last Septembev. The members of the Board were even pnore sanguine than myself, which led them to hope that. the new road would be opened by the first day of June. This expectation induced them to curtail my estimates for motive power, some fifty.five thousand dollars. As the new Portage railroad is not opened at the present time, (but will be in a few days,) there can be no surprise that a debt exists at the close of the fiscal year. In like manner, the appropriation for repairs of 1855 was not sufficiently large to defray all the expenditures of the repair department for the year, as shown by accompanying tabular statement, No. 2. An appropriation of $7,766 75, will be required to cancel the indebtedness existing at the close of the fiscal year. Of course no portion of the appropriations for motive power or for re- pairs, after December 1st, 1855, has been drawn from the Treasury by me. They will be drawn and disbursed by my successor in office. I have made a careful estimate of the appropriations that will be required for the motive power and repair departments of the Allegheny Portage rail- road, for the year 1856. Those estimates are based upon the actual require- ments of this line, and I feel well assured, that to diminish the amount, must ne'cessarily result in leaving a debt at the termination of the coming year. In order to exhibit, at a glance, the amount of the respective appropriations that will be required for the liquidation of existing indebtedness on the road, and for the payment of motive power and repairs of 1856, I annex the ac- companying statement, viz : For motive power debts of 1855 ^ ., . ^25,110 58 For repair debts of 185,5 .■ ,. . . ..... 7,766 75 For motive power of 1855, exclusive of the $3Q,000 appropri- ated for motive power after December 1st, 1855, and including fiost of three jlocomotives'. ......,..'.' ; . , .- 137,4^35- 00 For repair expenses of 1856, including the amount that may be set apart, by the Board out of the- appropriation for- repairs, after December Ifet, 1855 , 37,500 00 207,812 33 it is unnecessary that 1 should refer, in this rejiort, to the old claims prior to December 1st, 1853. Provisions for their payment having been embraced in the unfinished business of the last session of the Legislature, the subject v/ill, no doubt, be again brought to the attention of that body at the approach- ing session. The great object so long and so anxiously wished for, the opening of the new road to avoid the inclined planes, has at length been realized. Truly, this is a consummation upon which the friends of the State improvements may look with much satisfaction. Taking into consideration the almost insurmount- able difficulties to be overcome, the great cost of accomplishing the under- taking, the difficulty of reconciling public opinion to so large an expenditure, at a time when the indebtedness of the Commonwealth had reached its present amount, it may be now considered a matter of surprise that the end was ever reached. But the difficulties have been surmounted, and we may look for- ward with certainty, to (ffi^*fc[fl6yil>fiM0aJlSClfif^romised advantages of this important improvement. 6 KEPORT OF SUPEKINTENDENT OF THE The time required to transport tonnage across the mountains, from one terminus of the canal to the other, will hereafter be reduced at least one-half. The expenses for motive power and for keeping up the line (after the road hed shall have become properly settled,) will be materially curtailed. With these prospects in anticipation, it is not to be doubted, that the future of the Allegheny Portage railroad will contrast most favorably with the past. Respectfully yours, JOHN ROSS. Superintendent's Office, Hollidaysburg, Dec. 1, 1855, i TABULAR STATEMENTS. Statement No. 1, exhibits the amount of expenditures for motive power of 1855, the amount of debts stiU due, and an estimate for 1856. Statement No. 2, exhibits the amount of expenditures for repairs of 1855, the amount of debts still due, and an estimate for 1856. Statement No. 3, exhibits the amounts drawn and, disbuvsed by the Super- intendent of Motive Power and Supervisor'of Repairs on the Allegheny Port- age railroad for the fiscal year 1855. Digitized by Microsoft® ALLEGHENY PORTAGE RAILROAD. STATEMENT, No. 1. The foilowing statement exhibits the Expenditures for Motive Power for the fiscal year ending NovemberSO, 1855,- ^Ae amount of debts still due, and an estimate for 1856 : Do... Do.., Do.., Do.., Do.., Labor at Inclined planes... . Do. . . .Hollidaysb'g boat slip , .Johnstown do . . , .HoUidaysburg depot.. , .Johnstown do. . , .Summit shops , . Rigger's Loft , ., Do.. of wood & m. p. carmen Do... .truck-men and switch- tenders • locomotive engineers and firemen. , , , , .despatchers and wood inspector .Sup't,Assist's& Clerk .miss, employees.. . $10,020 576 1,182 7,130 6,182 1,037 776 1,902 Do.. Do.. Do.. Do.. * Cost of cord wood. Do... Do... Do... Do... Do.., Do.., Do.. Do.., Do... Do,., Do.., Do.., Do.. .coal .,-.. .oil and tallow .... .iron, steel & smithing .mo. power castings .postage & stationery, .miscellaneous items, .material and lumber, . ropes & packing yarn .locomo. machinery, .sawing and splitting wood .horse power .locomotive engines, .repairing stationary engines ^ Am't paid. 4,624) 48 10,451 2,242 3,151 639 58,227 11,885 8,991 6,397 3,972 137 4,440 10,469 2,104 4,175 6,405 12,250 20,750 61 00 12 96 09 35 46 24 23 44 67 86 29 70 89 25 00 1,373 29 201,500 04 Deduct m. p. appropriation after Dec. 1, '55 Amouiit required for motive power of 1856 Deduct am't of appropriations as follows For motive power of 1855. . $173,358 00 For m. p. after Dec. 1, 1854.. 30,000 00 Deduct balance in hands of Superintendent Am't due. $933 50 71 50 147 25 738 98 433 42 117 00 729 46 637 00 1,187.50 240 00 54 00 1,306 62 3,516 00 509 28 706 61 733 58 2,178 16 59 25 748 75 1,540 00 10,250 00 130 68 26,968 54 1,857 96 2^,110 58 Total. 10,953 87 648 00 1,329 85 7,869 10 6,616 41 1,154 93 776 80 2,632 26 5,261 48 11,639 11 3,151 2,482 no 12 693 96 58,227 09 13,191 97 12,507 46 6,906 52 4,678 84 137 44 5,174 25 12,648 02 2,104 29 4,234 95 7,154 64 13,790 25 31,000 00 1,503 97 228,468 58 203,358 00 25,110 58 Balance required to pay motive power debts of 1855 . Estimate for 1856. $500 00 825 00 1,200 00 8,800 00 8,800 00 2,500 00 4,500 00 13,800 00 2,190 00 2,920 00 1,750 00 40,000 00 12,000 00 6,000 00 7,500 00 200 00 4,000 00 5,000 00 1,800 00 8,800 00 3,600 00 30,750 00 167,435 00 30,000 00 137,435 00 25,110 58 Total am't required to pay m. p. expenses of 1856 and debts of 1855| 162,545 58 •There is at the close of the fiscal y_e_ar wood on hand^amounting to the sum of $13,000, all of which is included in th"^ ' '' '" -'.^--- ALLEGHENY PORTAGE RAILROAD. STATEMENT, No. 2. The following statement exhibits the Expenditures for Repairs for the fiscal year ending November 30, 1855, the amount yet due, and an estimate jor 1856 : ITEMS. Am't paid. Wages of carpenters, fore- men and laborers J$17^884 43 Cost of string timber, sills, plank, ties aod lumber.. . . Cost of repair castings Cost of iron, steel, black- smithing, &c 11,869 73 1,581 43 3,671 04 35,006 6:- Add amount due Superintendent Am't due. $2,570 70 2,975 42 2,214 00 7,760 12 6 63 7,766 7ft Deduct amount of appropriation for repairs of 1S55, Excess of expenditures over appropriations Total. $20,455 13 14,84.5 15 1,581 43 5,585 04 42,766 75 35,000 00 Total amount required to pay repair expenses of 1856, and debts of 1855 Estimate for 1856. 125,000 00 8,500 00 1,000 00 3,000 00 37,500 GO 7,766 75 45,266 75 Note. — Whatever amount of the appropriation for repairs after December 1, 1858, may be set apart for the Allegheny Portage railroad, to be deducted from the amount of the fd'reg-oing estimate. STATEJIENT, No. 3, Exhibits the amount drawn and disbursed by the Superintendent of Motive Power, and Supervisor of Repairs, on the Allegheny Portage railroad, in the fiscal year of 1855. / Am't drawn. Am't disbursed. Motive power of 1855 S-203,35'^ 00 35,000 00 $201,500 04 35.006 63 Repairs of 1855 238,358 00 236,506 67 Balance in the hands of Superintendent $1,851 33 Digitized by Microsoft® CORNELL UNIVERSITY LIBRARY 924 096 440 627 Digitized by Microsoft®