Source:Pgh-castle-shannon-rr-co
"The Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon Railroad Company: Their lands, roads, franchises, capital, improvements, purposes, etc." Pittsburgh Gazette, Oct. 7, 1871, p. 1. Newspapers.com 86354114.
Pittsburgh and Castle Shannon
RAILROAD COMPANY.
Ten years ago real estate in Pittsburgh was dull, cheap, and generally an unprofitable investment. After the beginning of the war, and our means, as well as our population, began to grow through the fresh impetus given to us, the suburban property as well as the thickly built streets of the cities assumed a valuation at once surprising and apparently unexpected to all. It became all at once evident to the most unintelligent and unthinking observer that Pittsburgh was entirely too small and compact, with insufficient room for breathing purposes, to accommodate her fast growing population. The advent of street cars about that time lent an additional charm to, and created a demand for outlying property, as they brought one in a few moments to his home, though it was situated four and five miles from the old city. A few years ago Lawrenceville was thought to be further away than Turtle Creek or Sewickley is to-day, and with omnibuses for the only conveyance, it was true. Now a merchant or mechanic engaged in the city thinks nothing of living five, ten, and even fifteen miles out of town, as he can jump aboard the cars when the day's work is done, and be carried at a trifling cost to his home, sooner than he could formerly reach it, by walking, when living within the heart of the city, and only a few squares away from his work. Another reason for the wonderful growth of the sub-urban districts, is the black and unpleasant atmosphere of the city. After being compelled to work all day in the midst of surrounding smoke and murky air so dense sometimes that it has been said of it, it could be cut with a knife, the tired workman would be only too glad to throw himself down in his home, and breathe the pure air of heaven undefiled by alien smoke, if it were in his power. It is for the purpose of assisting him to secure such a home beyond the impure atmosphere of our smoky city that this company is formed and to enable him and his family to enjoy the sweet balmy country breezes, whilst he may still continue his labors within the city.
This enterprise has been started with a capital of one million dollars, with the design of building, or completing a railroad to the new village of Castle Shannon, in Baldwin township, where lots unsurpassed for beauty and fertility will be offered for sale, at such low prices, and on such easy terms of payment that the poorest can buy and procure for himself a home in the country.
The company as organized at present consists of the following well known, energetic and responsible citizens of Pittsburgh and Birmingham. President, Milton D. Hays, Esq.; Vice President, Wm. H. Edgerton, Esq.; Secretary and Treasurer, Edward W. Rolfe, Esq.; and among the Directors we find the names of Messrs. H. M. Rolfe, W. P. Logan, Wesley Wilson, Josiah Reamer, J. H. Miller, Thomas J. Burchfield and August Ammon. They have purchased the coal railway of Messrs. Bailey & Co., on the South Side, near the lower bridge, and intend improving it and turning it into a passenger and freight inclined railway, in connection with the road on the top of the hill, which when finished will communicate with the new town of Castle Shannon. Tickets will be issued by the company which will carry passengers on the cars of the Birmingham passenger railway and thus connect with the heart of the city. The road now completed on the top of Coal Hill is three miles in length, two additional miles will finish it to the spot where it is proposed to lay out the new town, being exactly five miles from the end of the Smithfield street bridge, by the old survey of the Monongahela Valley railroad. This distance can be traversed by the new narrow gauge railroad of the company in twenty minutes, and trains will leave the depot every ten or fifteen minutes during the day.
In addition to the passenger traffic of the road, which will be considerable from the day it is opened, as it taps a country thickly settled for over a mile back from the summit of the hill, the company intend working their extensive coal lands, which will enable them to run their trains much oftner [sic] than if depending on the passenger business alone.
The company own about eleven hundred acres of land, as beautiful and productive as the eye of man ever was gladdened with the sight of, and all underlaid with a five foot vein of our best coal. It is the intention of the company to work about fifty acres of coal per annum, each acre containing 110,000 bushels of coal. Thus for twenty-one years to come they will bring at least five million bushels of coal annually into the Pittsburgh market. This coal will find a ready demand on the South side among the mills, factories, shops and dwellings. The purchase of this immense territory of coal lands, lying almost contiguous to the hills which border the river, has been quietly and completely effected, without creating any particular excitement or opposition, and the bulk of it has been secured at about the actual price of farm lands. The grade of the proposed railroad from the head of the inclined road now being worked by Merrs. Bailey & Co. to the new town of Castle Shannon, is a gradual and easy one, not exceeding at any point twenty-five feet to the mile. The inclination is towards the city, and the curves are all easily adjusted. The coal works of Messrs. Bailey & Co., which come into the possession of the new company on the 1st of November, as part of the assets, now mine about two and a half million bushels of coal per annum, and the road cars, tipples, locomotives, etc., are in good condition and complete running order, up to the mines. The company will commence operations on the 1st of November, in a farm of over one hundred acres of coal, and continue thenceforward without interruption, whilst pushing their road through the balance of their lands, out to the town of Castle Shannon. We know of no prospect which promises such a return on the investment as this one. The company is in the hands of reliable, energetic business men. The President, Mr. Milton D. Hays, is an active and pushing young man, who has had a large experience in the management of coal and lumber interests, is Vice President of the Mechanics. Bank of Birmingham, and the financial manager of the extensive lumber business of Messrs. J. & A. Hays. He is thoroughly versed in the affairs of the company and gives promise of success, by his able and judicious management. The same can be said of Messrs. W. H. Edgerton, the Vice President, and Edward W. Rolfe, Secretary and Treasurer, of the firm of Dilworth, Porter & Co. They are both active, industrious, and in every way thoroughly competent gentlemen. Among the stockholders we find the names of the following well-known citizens of this city and the South Side, in addition to the officers and Board: Messrs. W. C. Auchenbaugh, Wm. B. Hays, Sr., Wm. Redmon, D. O. Cunningham, Robt. Cunningham, Jas. McMasters, Dr. Jas. Kerr, Wm. Finch, John Adams, Edward Finch, Ernest Rocast, John B. Heisel, James M. Taylor, Isaac McKinley, Robert J. Grier, Henry Voight, J. H. Ortman, Kim & Co., S. Slocum, Fred. Moul, Jacob Uhlrich, John Neusser and Strentz & Wetzel, with many others, for whose names we cannot make room to-day. As we stated above the company already have nine hundred thousand dollars subscribed, and only one hundred thousand remain untaken. Subscriptions are still being received, and so far as we can see, after being over the grounds and improvements of the company, we do not know any investment which promises such a prompt and satisfactory return.
So far as the demand for the surface of the company's property is concerned, we might state that the entire tract can now be placed to outside parties at more than the original cost to the company, leaving the eleven hundred acres of coal, with railroad, engines, inclined road, etc., clear. But it will not be disposed of in this way. With the cars running direct to their doors, and these within five miles of the city, and situated in a most beautiful, healthy and picturesque country, there will be no difficulty in disposing of every foot of it in half-acre and acre lots. There is an abundance of good water, the ground is far enough from the city to be entirely removed from the smoke and dirt, with freedom from the taxes of the city, &c., purchasers will readily seek homes in the beautiful suburban retreat of Castle Shannon. Persons wishing to subscribe to the stock of this favored company are requested to call at the office, No. 75 Fourth avenue, up stairs, where maps and full descriptions of the lands and resources will be shown. We feel perfectly safe in advising our friends to invest in this company, as with good, careful management it is sure to pay handsomely. We are informed that only twenty per cent. of the stock will be called in at present, and it is confidently expected that no further payment will be required. Call at No. 75 Fourth avenue and examine the plans, &c.
