Source:Fleming-trading
George T. Fleming. "Trading growth is notable in this section: Historian tells of railroads and other routes to Pittsburgh in 1851: Our Western outlets." Pittsburgh Gazette Times, Dec. 17, 1916, sec. 6, p. 2. Newspapers.com 85515599, 85514935.
THE STORY of the railroads that came into Pittsburgh is a story of marvelous progress in transportation. It will have been noted that the canal was the first great step in that progress, but was inadequate by reason of not being in all-the-year-round service—there was no way to prevent its freezing. Likewise there was no way for many years to prevent the shallow Monongahela River going dry or nearly dry at times and that once great highway of commerce thus unavailable. The stages to Brownsville via the National road and navigation from that point cut a large figure in passenger transportation to and from Pittsburgh.
In 1843 the improvement of the Monongahela by locks and dams was begun; slack water navigation, it was termed. We call it canalization now, and hear much of the "canalization of the Ohio;" "On to Cairo," etc. These canals will have no towpaths.
The slackwater system on the Monongahela was completed to Brownsville and formally opened to that place November 13, 1844, "and has ever since," remarks the Pittsburgh historian, Neville B. Craig, "formed the route of a large amount of travel and transportation."
November 7, 1850, the improvement of the Youghiogheny River in a similar manner having been completed, a great celebration took place at West Newton. The slackwater system having been thoroughly tried and approved on the Monongahela, the logic of those advocating similar improvements on the Youghioghany [sic] was unanswerable and the improvements were made to last but 15 years, having been washed out in the great freshet of March, 1865.
These "river improvements" were of inestimable value to Pittsburgh. In the years we have seen the Allegheny and the Ohio likewise improved. Remember the first slackwater improvements long antedated the railroads in Pittsburgh. When the railroads paralelled [sic] the shores of our rivers the whistle of the locomotive silenced the resonant ring of the steamboat bell, put the steamer into junk and finally made a lawn of the Monongahela wharf. In summer the grass grows green where once hundreds of drays and great piles of merchandise were the most prevailing evidences of Pittsburgh commercial activities.
The great changes about the Pennsylvania Station long since have removed all traces of the canal days and their activities. Not so the wharf. The river flows by as always, but the deserted wharf boats and the long vacant stretch from Smithfield street to the Point are silent, but none the less reminders of stirring steamboat days in Pittsburgh.
One gasoline motor freight boat traverses the Monongahela. The Brownsville packets that departed twice daily from the wharf where the Baltimore and Ohio Station now stands, after the completion of the present Smthfield [sic] Street Bridge in 1882, landed immediately below the bridge. There is now no wharf above the bridge.
The steamboat had its era in developing Pittsburgh and Pittsburgh trade, the slackwater system, a great factor in that development. With railroads lining the banks of all our rivers, there is no business for steamboats. They are too slow, and too expensive. If they existed now they might be extemporised for slow freight carriers between certain points when there is a chronic shortage of freight cars and an embargo on certain products. We are becoming familiar with embargoes.
When we consider existing conditions in transportation we can revert to earlier days and more completely estimate the value of the canal as a carrier, the slackwatered river's share in their hey day of prosperity—even the plank road had its utility as late as 1850. The National road has gone into the history of the nation. While not close to Pittsburgh slackwater navigation made it near. The National road, too, did its share in our upbuilding.
Craig remarks. Since that time (November, 1850) navigation has been interrupted but a few days by the ice, and the work promises to be of great advantage, especially after the completion of the plank road from West Brownsville to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad at West Newton.
The dams and locks on the Yough had not been rebuilt. Efforts have been repeatedly made to have Congress rebuild them, but it has become evident that that law making body considers the river not worth a lock.
The railroad did not at first seriously affect river transportation. The rail routes led away from the navigable rivers. Note the map today. The value of the easy grades and lower cost of construction along waterways having been recognized, every stream has now its attendant rail route. Even creeks have been utilized, Chartiers, Pine, Saw Mill Run; also larger streams but not navigable, the Beaver, Mahoning, Kiskiminetas, Cheat and others.
Today many roads, millions of cars, immense and powerful traction power, embargoes, delays and car shortages, high prices of all commodities, great scarcity of necessities at times—a nice modern jumble truly, even if a unique one.
How in the days of our grandfathers? Nothing like it.
The pioneer railroad builders to the East from Pittsburgh have been mentioned, Thompson [sic], Scott, Foster and their associates. The builders to the West antedated those to the East in this vicinity. Chief among the railroad pioneers came Gen. George W. Cass and his associates and their part in the history of railroads and railroad transportation in Pittsburgh and from Pittsburgh is to be noted.
The Ohio and Pennsylvania Railroad was begun in 1848. It was not until July, 1851 that it was opened to New Brighton, 28 miles, "with most encouraging prospects up to to [sic] this time, September, 1851," says Craig in his "History of Pittsburgh." Even the first railroad to the West is within the memory of men yet here.
Craig in one chapter in his history published in 1851, heads it: "Advantages of the City of Pittsburgh and Vicinity for Manufacturing and Commercial Purposes." He recounts the advantages of our rivers; notes the convergence here of navigable streams, enumerates artificial improvements either by canals, locks and dams, railroads, plankroads or other works, and asks attention of distant readers to the little diagram or map, a copy of which is shown today. He wishes to point out "the more important artificial works which have been constructed to multiply the means of intercourse with our "city of three rivers," meaning to include in that name both our cities, and the adjoining boroughs."
All this sounds strange to this generation. Pittsburgh and Allegheny City, we readily remember as the two cities, but who can tell all the boroughs—Manchester, Birmingham, Lawrenceville, etc.?
Enumerating further the artificial improvements, Craig dilates on the Pennsylvania Canal, then the steamboating on the Allegheny—100 miles above the Kiskiminetas, the rafting on this river—beautiful white pine, etc., the flatboats with their blooms from the charcoal furnaces that were numerous along the tributary streams, and the agricultural products that came to Pittsburgh from the Upper Allegheny.
Craig discusses the navigation of our other rivers and says, concerning the Ohio first, noting a coal road along Chartiers Creek:
"Along this stream a railroad is projected to cross the neck of land formed by the Mononghela and Ohio rivers and thus reach the heart of Central Ohio, by a short and direct route through a very fertile well-settled and highly cultivated country. Already the Pittsburgh and Steubenville Railroad Company has been organized by the election of a very able and wealthy board of directors—liberal subscriptions to stock have been made and sanguine expectations entertained by its active and zealous friends of its speedy completion. This road followed the Ohio only a short distance.
We now refer to this road as the Panhandle; on account of its crossing the Panhandle of West Virginia. When it entered Pittsburgh ready for business in 1865, Neville B. Craig had been dead nearly two years. He wrote of it in 1851.
Continuing his story of transportation possibilities craig comes out strong on canals. He did not know railroads yet. He discusses canal routes to Cleveland, Erie and via the Sandy and Beaver Canal runs, passing through the rich counties of Columbiana and Starke to enter the great Ohio Canal at Bolivar and thus obtain access to the great state of Ohio.
All of this is apt to evoke a smile, but Mr. Craig is coming to the consideration of railroads and railroad building. He says:
"We reach Wellsville, a very flourishing town on the north bank of the Ohio River whence a railroad is now being constructed to Cleveland on Lake Erie, about one-half of which is already completed and in profitable use. From Wellsville the route of a railroad has been surveyed up the Ohio to the mouth of Big Beaver, there to connect with the Pennsylvania and Ohio."
The connection is there yet. We know this road as the Cleveland and Pittsburgh—the "old road," some call it, in contradistinction to the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie.
Continuing Mr. Craig says:
"Descending still farther about 16 or 17 miles (from Wellsville) we reach Steubenville, the Western terminus of the direct road west from Pittsburgh, of which I have spoken, and also the Eastern terminus of the Steubenville and Indiana Railroad, for the construction of which a large amount of stock has been subscribed, a board of directors elected, and an advertisement has been for some time published calling for proposals for constructing a considerable portion of the road."
The road was built, united with the Pittsburgh and Steubenville Railroad, and has long since been part of the "Pan Handle Route" of the Pennsylvania Lines.
Mr. Craig says:
"The Cleveland and Pittsburgh Railroad have authority under their charter to construct a railroad from Wellsville through Steubenville to Bridgeport and many intelligent persons believe that when a railroad is completed from Wellsville, and from Wellsville to Steubenville, it will be a cheaper and speedier route than the Pittsburgh and Steubenville Railroad. Experiment, which is the best test of such matters, may perhaps settle this one, and to that we are content to leave it."
This road became part of the Cleveland and Pittsburgh, its river division. Experience settled it.
"Below Steubenville the beautiful Ohio and the vast Mississippi and their innumerable navigable tributaries are open to the visits of our many steamboats, but our design is not to travel beyond the limits of our little diagram of the country around and adjacent to the head of the Ohio.
"Returning to the 'Head of the Ohio' once more, we find in the city of Allegheny the Eastern terminus of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad—a work chartered by both those great states and extending from the city of Allegheny along the Ohio, to the borough of Rochester, at the mouth of the Big Beaver River, thence up that river to the thriving manufacturing town of New Brighton and Old Brighton and from thence gradually ascending the tableland of the Ohio and Lake Erie and passing along the same to the village of Crestline, distant 185 miles. Twenty-eight miles of this road, to New Brighton, have been in very succussful [sic] and encouraging operation since the latter part of July, 1851. The portion of the road from New Brighton to Alliance, where it connects with the Cleveland and Wellsville Railroad, is already graded and the contractors for laying the rails are actively at work from Alliance towards Brighton, and also from Brighton toward Alliance, and sanguine hopes are entertained that the road will be completed between those places and the cars running to Cleveland in October next. From Brighton to Alliance is 54 miles, and the entire distance to Cleveland by railroad will be 138 miles. The road from Cleveland to Alliance is so far completed that the rails for the Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad are transported upon it to Alliance. Thus in October we will have a continuous railroad from Pittsburgh by Cleveland to Cincinnati, on which travelers will pass from the Queen City to the Iron City in 19 hours.
From Alliance to Crestline is 104 miles, passing the entire distance through a highly cultivated country and through or by many thriving towns and villages. Among others are Canton, Wooster and Mansfield, the county towns of the populous and wealthy counties of Starke, Wayne and Richland, and also through Massillon, the greatest wheat market in the state of Ohio.
"The grading of the entire distance is now under contract and rapidly advancing to completion. From Alliance to Loudonville, the most southern bend of the railroad, is 79 miles, and from that place to Springfield 110 miles, a railroad has already been located and 30 miles of this now under contract, and from Springfield to Cincinnati 84 miles, already in use. Total distance from Pittsburgh by Alliance, Loudenville [sic] and Springfield to Cincinnati, 341 miles.
"Thirty-three miles west of Loudonville is Crestline, the Western terminus of the Pennsylvania and Ohio Railroad. At this point passes (crosses) the railroad now in operation from Cleveland to Cincinnati."
This latter road, now part of the Big Four system, long was known as the Three C.s and I. (C. C. C. & I.).
Of Eastern railroad building Mr. Craig says:
"Eastward of Pittsburgh the Great Central Railroad from Philadelphia is rapidly advancing to completion. Already the cars leaving the latter city can reach a point distant from Pittsburgh only 50 miles, while from Pittsburgh the rails are already advancing Eastward, so that the time of completion cannot be very far distant. This road gives us speedy access to the heart of Pennsylvania and to all the seaboard cities. We have neither time nor space even to enumerate the various turnpike and plank roads, the latter of which are now being made in all directions, and are proved to be the most convenient neighborhood roads."
In the absence of railroads, in transporting goods away from the canals and rivers mud was reckoned with. The planks gave a solid bottom and the plank road outlasted the canal. Good roads were ever a desideratum.
The regions that are classed as highly cultivated and agricultural by Mr. Craig now contain coal mines, mills and factories and hundreds of thousans [sic] of persons are fed within them and now they produce but little in the way of food. Much of the present area of Pittsburgh in 1851 and for several decades later raised much in the way of foodstuffs that helped largely to feed the old city, the city of Allegheny and the nearby boroughs. What a small factor today are these once producing areas in the way of food production. Hence embargoes, tie-ups and car shortages pinch. We are a dependent people.
A friend in Sewickley familiar with the development of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad has brought in a bound volume of the early reports of the board of directors of that road. Included is the first annual, printed in Pittsburgh in 1858, which includes the 17 months ending December 31, 1857.
It includes also the report of the president and chief engineer of the Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad Company, printed in New York in 1854, and a large folding map showing the rail connections from the seaboard to the Missouri River for that period.
The volume includes also the second annual report of the board of directors of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad, for the year ending December 31, 1863; also the voluminous lease of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad to the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, dated June 7, 1869, the lease being for 999 years.
This lease is signed by George W. Cass as president of the road and by F. M. Hutchinson, secretary, and sealed and delivered in the presence of Thomas D. Messler and J. N. McCullough, J. Edgar Thomson, president, and Joseph Lesley, secretary, sign for the lessor and the document is for them witnessed by H. J. Lombaert and William J. Howard.
The parts in our railroad history played by George W. Cass, Frank M. Hutchinson and Felician Slataper, long the chief engineer of the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad, were large and important. These phases of our railroad history must go over.
The old grade crossing at Liberty and Eleventh streets as it existed for 12 years prior to the riots of 1877 is shown today; also the short curve, a heavy drag around always.
The Pittsburgh, Fort Waye [sic] and Chicago Railroad was a merging of three roads—the Ohio and Pennsylvania, its route described at length by N. B. Craig; the Ohio and Indiana Railroad from Crestline to Fort Wayne, and the Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad between those terminals.
