History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 110

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372

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RAILROADS.

April 7, 1826, the legislature of Pennsyl- vania granted a charter for the Columbia, Lancaster and Philadelphia Railroad. The chanical skill of the country offering liberal object of the contemplated road was to di- inducements for the production of locomo- vert the trade which came down the Sus- tive steam engines. It was the first pro- quehanna at that time in keel-boats to Co- posal ever issued in the United States for lumbia, from going to Baltimore.

The locomotives of American manufacture. work of constructing this road was begun Four thousand dollars were offered for the in January, 1829, when the building of it best engine delivered for trial on or before was divided into seventy-nine sections. June 1, 1831, and $3,000 for the one ad- judged the next best. One of the most im- portant requirements was that the engine Five years intervened before this road was completed to the Susquehanna River. On March 31, 1834, three passenger coaches, must burn coke or coal and consume its drawn by horses, arrived at Columbia from own smoke.

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dishonest. There was a constant clamor going up from the people asking the legis- lature to take measures to dispose of the public works to private parties. Both of the political parties were tired of the scram- ble for office, and desired to take this dis- turbing element out of the field of politics. The railroad was purchased by the Penn- sylvania Railroad Company for the sum of eight million dollars in 1854.

On January 4, 1831, the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company issued an adver- tisement to the inventive genius and me-

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TURNPIKES, CANALS, RAILROADS

York Wins the Prize.

During the summer of 1831, in bearings, plate wheels, etc., is due the honor of solving most of the problems which pre-

response to this call upon American genius, three loco- sented themselves first in connection with motives were produced upon the railroad, only one of which, however, was made to answer any good purpose. This engine, called the " York," was built in York, at the establishment of Davis & Gardner, on the west side of the Codorus the great system of railroad travel and in- land transportation. The first steel springs used in this country were placed upon " The York," Davis' locomotive and tender, in September, 1832. As an experiment it demonstrated their utility in regulating the Davis. Creek, and was the product of Phineas motion and greatly diminishing the jar and It was accepted as the best, consequent injury to the road. This experi- which gives to York the undoubted claim of having constructed the first loco- motive ever built in the United States, that burned coal and was put into active use ment, under the superintendence of Phineas Davis, led to another, that of placing steel springs on freight cars, by which it was found they admitted one-third more loading upon the railroad. After undergoing some without any increase of damage to the road modifications, it was found capable of con- or car. Three years after Davis' first ex- veying fifteen tons at fifteen miles an hour, periment, the Baltimore and Ohio Company

on a level portion of the road. It was em- had but three engines in use : " The York," "Atlantic " and "Franklin." In 1834 a number of new ones were added. ployed on that part of the road between Baltimore and Ellicott's Mills, and gener- ally performed the trip to the mills in one After the death of Phineas Davis, which hour with four cars, the gross weight of occurred by accident on September 27, 1835, Gillingham and Ross Winans took charge continued the manufacture of locomotives and railroad machinery so successfully com- menced by Mr. Davis. which was about fourteen tons. The en- gine was mounted on wheels, like those of of the Baltimore and Ohio Company, and the common cars, of thirty inches in diam- eter, and the motion was obtained by means of gearing with a spur wheel and pinion on one of the axles of the road wheels. The The legislature of Pennsylvania, in March, 1832, passed an act to curvatures were all passed over with ease York and by this engine. Its greatest velocity for a short time on the straight part of the road was thirty miles per hour, while it frequently attained that of twenty miles, and often traveled in curvatures of 400 feet radius at the rate of fifteen miles per hour. The fuel used in it was anthracite coal, which an-

Maryland extend a road from York to the Line. Maryland line, to join the Balti- more and Susquehanna Rail- road, to be completed that far under a Mary- land charter, and intended to run from Bal- timore through York to the Susquehanna at Wrightsville. In some respects there were swered the purpose well; but the engine obectionable features in the act of 1832, and

· weighing but three and a half tons was found too light for advantageous use on ascending grades. The performance of this engine fully convinced the board of direc- tors of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad and its engineer corps that locomotive en- gines could be used successfully on railways having curves of 400 feet radius, and from that time forward they began to be used in this country. To Phineas Davis of York, whose biography appears on page 461, was due the credit of successfully introducing locomotives that burned coal in America. He soon after became manager of the com- pany's shops at Baltimore, and to him, Ross Winans, Engineer Knight and John Elgar, the inventor of switches, turntables, chill

it was not until 1835 that a satisfactory ar- rangement was entered into between the legislative body and the stockholders of the road. Railroads at this time were in their infancy. Outside of military operations, civil engineering had not developed into a science, which may explain the cause of some mistakes that arose in the construction of these two roads. The southern division ,of the Baltimore and Susquehanna was com- pleted to the Relay House, and opened July 4. 1831, and to Orwig's mills in 1832. It was the first railroad corporation in this country to undertake gradients of any con- siderable magnitude ; a grade of eighty-four feet to the mile for two and seven-tenths miles was overcome, which in that early

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

day was considered a marvel. The first all roads in England, but rare in America. locomotive used was imported from Liver- By its extension north into New York pool, England. It was ordered in March, 1831, but a vessel to bring it over could not be obtained until six months later. It was the third locomotive put into successsful op- eration in America that burned anthracite coal. The railroad was completed to York in August, 1838, and extended to Wrights- ville in 1843.

The provisions embodied in the original Civil War it was the main line for the trans- charter of the Baltimore and Susquehanna Railroad were now carried out. For sev- eral years transportation across the Susque- hanna was by means of boats until the track over this route.

was laid in the covered bridge which spanned the river at that place. The link between York and Wrightsville completed a line from Baltimore through York, Co- lumbia and Lancaster to Philadelphia. It was controlled by different companies which in 1854 became a part of the Pennsylvania Railroad and the Northern Central Railway. The arrival of the first train at

First York was welcomed by hundreds

state, it passes through rich agricultural and mining regions, and has become a great and important line for the transportation of coal, petroleum, grain and live stock, and with its connection at Harrisburg with the Pennsyl- vania Railroad, constitutes the main line to the west, with all the advantages of through passenger and freight traffic. During the portation of soldiers and army supplies from the west and north to Washington and the "front." Hundreds of regiments passed

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, during the war, on several occasions was torn up by Confederate raids and hence not considered as safe a route for the transportation of sup- plies and for the movement of troops as the Northern Central, uniting with the Penn- sylvania Railroad and the Reading at Har- risburg.

Originally there was but one track. In 1871 a double track was completed as far north as York. In 1904 the Pennsylvania

Train of spectators who assembled at at York. the station and stood on the hill- Railroad Company decided to construct side to await its approach. The lines of track from Marysville through first station was a short distance southwest Goldsboro and York Haven to the mouth of the town. Later it was removed to the of the Codorus Creek. In 1905 four lines foot of Duke Street. The old station house of track were extended over this route and a bridge built across the Susquehanna, reaching the Lancaster County side a short

was used until July 1, 1890, when the pres- ent one was built at a cost of $20,000, under the auspices of the Pennsylvania Railroad distance above Marietta. The object of the Company.

construction of these lines of track was for NORTHERN CENTRAL RAILWAY. the purpose of diverting the immense freight traffic through the city of Harris- burg. This line extends eastward from Marietta and north of Lancaster, joining the main line of the Pennsylvania Railroad east of that city. Several million dollars were used by the company in the completion of Baltimore to Harrisburg. The legislature this road and now freight trains do not pass through Harrisburg or Lancaster, the main

The York and Cumberland Railroad, ex- tending from York to York Haven and thence along the Susquehanna to Bridge- port, was completed in 1850, and with the road built to York gave a direct line from of Maryland, on the 10th of March, 1854, and the legislature of Pennsylvania, on the line being used only for passenger trains.

3d of May following, passed a joint act which read as follows : "An act to authorize the consolidation of the Baltimore and Sus- quehanna Railroad Company with the York and Maryland Line Railroad Company, the and southern direction.

The Northern Central Railway extends from Baltimore to Canandaigua, New York, and is the only line that passes across the entire breadth of Pennsylvania in a northern It has contributed much to the material interests of Pennsyl- vania and especially to York County.

York and Cumberland Company, and the Susquehanna Railroad Company by the name of the Northern Central Railway The Baltimore and Susquehanna, now a Company." It will be noticed that the part of the Northern Central, extending word "railway" is used, a name common to from Baltimore to the Pennsylvania line,

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TURNPIKES, CANALS, RAILROADS

was chartered by. the legislature of Mary- from Baltimore, and the passenger travel land, February 13, 1828, and organized as a up to that time was less than one-tenth company May 5, of the same year. In

what it is in 1907. It was during the Cen- March, 1828, General Swift examined the tennial Exposition of 1876 that the passen- topography of the country between Balti- ger travel toward Philadelphia greatly in- creased. This diverted the trade as well as the travel toward Philadelphia and New York. In the year 1907, the amount of freight monthly sent from York and re- ceived at this station equals 70,000 tons. With this prospect before the city of York, it has unlimited advantages for future prog- ress and development. more and the Susquehanna river by way of York, for the purpose of directing a survey of the proposed railway, of which he after- ward proved to be the projector and man- ager in the construction. George McNiel and G. W. Whisler were engineers from 1827 to 1830. Major Isaac R. Trimble was chief engineer in 1834, and surveyed the road to York and continued in service until March 24, 1873, a bill was intro- 1837. J. M. Goldsboro afterwards became Hanover duced into the legislature by and George W. Heiges, then a mem- engineer and managed the construction of the road from York to Harrisburg.

York. ber of that body from York Thomas C. Hambly, one of the leaders of the York County Bar, was president of the York and Cumberland Railroad from 1848 to the summer of 1850, when he was suc- ceeded by Eli Lewis, a prominent financier County, to incorporate the Han- over and York Railroad Company. A char- ter was granted April 21, 1873, appointing as commissioners to organize the company : George D. Klinefelter, Samuel Shirk, H. M. of York, who later became president of the Schmuck, William Young, Samuel H. Bech- First National Bank of York, when it was organized in 1863.

Robert Bruce became the first agent of the railroad company at York. On May 12, 1846, James Hopkins, of Baltimore, suc- ceeded and was assisted by his two sons, Belt followed in 1864.

tel, P. H. Glatfelter, W. Latimer Small, John S. Young, David S. Tanger, E. H. Etz- ler, William J. Young, David P. Forney, Michael Schall, W. H. Jordan, James W. Latimer, and M. B. Spahr.

After subscriptions to stock to the Samuel B. and James G. Hopkins. T. W. amount of $105,000, at $50 a share, were re-

ceived, a meeting was held in Hanover, on Saturday, August 16, 1873, to elect officers, which resulted as follows: President, John S. Young; directors, George D. Klinefelter, William Young, Sr., Isaac Loucks, Dr. J. P. Smith, Samuel H. Bechtel, all of Hanover; David E. Small, Philip A. Small, A. J. Frey, Michael Schall, all of York: William Mc- Conkey, of Wrightsville. The board of directors then elected Samuel Shirk, treas- urer ; Dr. J. P. Smith, secretary. The route was surveyed by Joseph S. Gitt, of New Ox- ford.

He was succeeded in 1872 by John K. Gross, who served in the capacity of freight and passenger agent from this date until 1890, when J. H. Shamberger was appointed passenger agent and served until 1899. Since that time, Isaac Harrington has been the efficient ticket agent. Since 1890, John K. Gross has been the freight agent for all the interests of the Northern Central Rail- way at York, including the Baltimore Di- vision from Harrisburg to Baltimore, and the Frederick Division to Frederick, Mary- land. Owing to the development of the The entire line is eighteen miles. When the amount of $200,000 had been subscribed the board of directors gave out the con- business and manufacturing interests of the city, the amount of freight handled at York is fifteen times what it was in 1872, when he tracts by sections for grading and masonry first became freight and passenger agent. to different persons. Colonel Cyrus Diller, Nicholas F. Fliegle and Jacob F. Frederick, of Hanover, and Rehill & McTague, the former from Allentown and the latter from Columbia. were the contractors to build the road. On the 5th of February, 1873, the directors contracted with the Lochiel Iron This shows a substantial development which was brought about by the increased railroad facilities afforded by the Pennsyl- vania system, and the other lines connect- ing York with the important business cen- tres of the country. Previously to 1876, most of the freight received at York came Works, at Harrisburg, for 1,600 tons of rail-

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

road iron at $62 per ton of 2,240 pounds ists. For many years, the road was man- each. The bridge across the Codorus at aged by Colonel John M. Hood, who died in 1906. In 1902, the road was purchased by a York was built at a cost of $5,760. It was a combination bridge of wood and iron. A syndicate for the sum of eight and a half new bridge was erected, which was taken away by the flood of 1884, the third bridge being built that year. In 1904 the covered bridge built in 1884 was replaced by an iron bridge.

This was familiarly known for many years as the "Shortline" from Hanover to York. Previous to the construction of the road, railway travel from Hanover to York was carried on by way of the road to Hanover Junction and the Northern Central Railway. The completion of a line direct from Han- over to York was for the purpose of con- necting with the road from Hanover to Lit- tlestown and the construction of a line from that town to Frederick, joining the Balti- more and Ohio at that place. It was fur- ther intended to complete the road from York to Marietta and join the Reading Rail- Hanover road near there, thus forming a complete line from the Baltimore and Ohio at Fred- erick to New York City.

The Hanover and York Railroad was run as an independent line for a time and was then purchased by the Pennsylvania Rail- road Company, which extended the line to Frederick and the road from Lancaster to its terminus was known as the Frederick Division of the Pennsylvania Railroad until June 1, 1902. While still a part of the Penn- sylvania Railroad System, it was placed under the control of the Northern Central Railway, which is also one of the roads of the Pennsylvania System.

WESTERN MARYLAND RAILROAD.

The Western Maryland Railroad, which traverses the rich agricultural regions of the western part of York County, with an east- ern extension from Porters to York, has exerted an important influence in develop- ing the manufacturing, farming and busi- ness interests of York County. The road originally extended from Baltimore to Hagerstown, which was known as the Main Line. The Baltimore and Harrisburg Di- vision extends from Emory Grove, on the main line, through Hanover, New Oxford and Gettysburg to Highland, where it again joins the main line. The Western Mary- land was built largely by Baltimore capital-

million dollars, and passed into the hands of what is known as the Wabash System, controlled by George J. Gould, of New York City. The same interests own and control the Missouri Pacific, extending from St. Louis to Ogden, Utah. About the same time that the Wabash System gained con- trol of the Western Maryland, it extended that road to Cumberland, Maryland, and purchased the West Virginia Central, run- ning from Cumberland through the rich coal mining regions of West Virginia, to Durbin, where it joins the Chesapeake and Ohio. This connection forms a complete line from Baltimore and York to Pittsburg, St. Louis and Ogden, Utah, there joining a Pacific coast line.

The Western Maryland Railroad is a combination of several

Branch. roads. The first railroad in York County which now forms a part of the Western Maryland, was con- structed from Hanover Junction, on the Northern Central Railway, to Hanover. It was known as the Hanover Branch Rail- road.

It had its origin at a public meeting held December 26, 1846. This meeting was con- vened for the purpose of laying plans to con- struct a railroad from Hanover to intersect with the Northern Central at the nearest and most practicable point. Henry Reily presided at this meeting. A. P. Winchester had made a survey of the proposed route. After their report was read, committees were appointed to solicit stock subscrip- tions. When $100,000 had been subscribed, a public mass meeting was held at Hanover, August 28, 1847, which was addressed by James Cooper, J. J. Naille and Captain A. W. Eichelberger.

The company was chartered March 16, 1847. The commissioners were Samuel Mumma, Joseph W. Schmidt, Jacob For- ney, David Diehl, Jacob Young, Daniel P. Lange, Eli Lewis, F. E. Metzger, Michael Bucher, David Slagle, Jacob Wirt, John R. Hershey, Jesse Frysinger, Henry Reily, A. H. Barnitz, William S. Jenkins, H. W. Em- mert, Joseph Althoff, Peter Flickinger, Amos Lefever, D. M. Myers, George Eich-

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TURNPIKES, CANALS, RAILROADS

elberger, Samuel Diller, Jacob Dellone, evening, September 29, 1852, with a large Joseph Bittinger, John Trimmer, Joseph number of passengers. Jacob Forney was Fink, Henry Leib, Henry Sherman, Jacob elected president, in 1851, to succeed Jacob Forry, John E. Zeigler and Andrew Dear- Wirt, who resigned. He served until 1853, dorff. Committees were then appointed to when Captain A. W. Eichelberger was elected. He occupied this position until his death, in 1900. Robert M. Wirt served as secretary for a period of twenty years. visit the cities and canvass the county. Meetings were called and strenuous efforts made to dispose of the stock. It appears, however, that delay was experienced, as it The Baltimore and Harris- was not until October 18, 1849, that the re- Baltimore burg Railroad extends from quisite number of shares (1,000) to incor- and Emory Grove to Highfield, porate the company under letters patent Harrisburg. and is composed of what was originally the Baltimore and was fully secured. An election was held November 10, which resulted in choosing Hanover from Emory Grove to Intersec- Jacob Wirt for president, and Jacob Young, tion, the Bachman Valley to Valley Junc- F. E. Metzger, Philip Kohler, H. W. Em- tion, the Hanover and Gettysburg, and the mert, Samuel Diller and Jacob Wortz, as managers. The board organized on the 18th of the same month, but it was not until October 28, 1850, that any definite action was taken to build the road. In addition to other causes, the estimate of the cost of the road made by A. P. Winchester, civil engi- neer, who had made a survey the previous year, and which was far in excess of the actual cost, as subsequently shown, helped to discourage the friends of the project, many of them believing it was beyond the financial ability of the community to build the road.

Western Extension to Highfield. These roads pass through a well cultivated, rich and productive agricultural country. After leaving Emory Grove on the line of the Western Maryland, seventeen miles from Baltimore, the road gradually ascends, run- ning parallel with and in close proximity to the Hanover and Baltimore Turnpike. One great point gained to the southwestern part of York County by the building of the Balti- more and Hanover and the Bachman Valley railroads, was that they opened up a section of country, in which the soil is susceptible of being highly improved by the application of fertilizers, especially lime and phos- phates. The facilities thus offered for their introduction at a moderate cost, were promptly availed of by the industrious and enterprising farmers, the results of which are now shown in crops, which compare favorably with those raised in limestone land.

At the meeting of the directors referred to, a resolution was adopted to put the road under contract. Theophilus Sickels was employed as engineer, and negotiations re- sulted in making a contract with Joseph Gonder for completing the road according to specifications. The agreement was closed March 1, 1851, by Jacob Forney, president pro-tem, Jacob Young, Jacob Del-

When the railroads constructed under lone, Samuel Diller, Philip Kohler and Jesse the presidency of Captain A. W. Eichel- Frysinger, as directors, on the part of the berger were transferred to the Western company, with Joseph Gonder, Jr. Ground Maryland System, this road became a part was broken at Jefferson on the 20th of the of the Baltimore and Harrisburg Division of same month, and October 22, 1852, the road the Western Maryland System, and ex- tended from Emory Grove to Highfield. The Western Maryland Railroad joins the Reading Railroad at Shippensburg, the Norfolk and Western and the Baltimore and Ohio at Hagerstown. A line also extends from Highfield through Hagerstown to Cumberland, Maryland. was opened for business, notwithstanding that some delay was occasioned by the death of the contractor and the loss at sea of a cargo of iron ordered for laying that portion of the track between the York Road and Hanover. The place for the station at Hanover gave rise to an animated contest, which was finally decided by a vote of the stockholders, May 13, 1851.

The first train after the completion of the Extension. road arrived in Hanover on Wednesday

The Baltimore and Harrisburg

Eastern Railroad, (Eastern Extension of the Western Maryland Rail- road System) was built in

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HISTORY OF YORK COUNTY, PENNSYLVANIA

1892, and put into operation in the follow- pany of which A. W. Eichelberger was ing year. This road extends from Porter's president.

to York, a distance of fifteen miles. It was originally intended to continue the road along the Codorus Creek to its mouth at the Susquehanna and cross that river, joining the Reading Railroad near Marietta, thus

This railroad, which was constructed at a cost of half a million dollars, passes through a fertile and productive country. It furnished an additional line of transporta- tion between York and Hanover, and re- sulted in great benefit to Spring Grove. Nashville, Thomasville, Porters and West York Borough, traversed by this road, are prosperous towns which have grown up since its completion. Charles C. Burgessor was the efficient general freight agent at York for a period of ten years, when he was succeeded by E. P. Bachtell, and Mr. Bur- gessor was transferred to the responsible position of general freight agent at Han- over for the Baltimore and Harrisburg Rail- road. Captain Lanius continued in the office of president of this road from the time of its completion until 1905, when he was succeeded by George S. Schmidt, who had previously filled the office of sec- retary.

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History of York County Pennsylvania, Volume I, Part 110

Author: Prowell, George R. Publication date: 1907 Publisher: J. H. Beers Number of Pages: 1372

Author: Prowell, George R.
Publication date: 1907
Publisher: J. H. Beers
Number of Pages: 1372