The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. III, Part 48

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870
Publication date: 1828
Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ;
Number of Pages: 440

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l'am aware that such a plan cannot be executed with- out a considerable draft on the patience of the commit- tee; but I am also convinced that many facts having a direct and necessary influence on the decision of the question, are not generally understood. I believe fur- ther, that such a statement calmly and temperately made, may greatly relieve the anxiety of the public, by showing that their interests have not been neglected, and that the real questions at issue, are far less momen- tous than has generally been supposed.

railway in a more favourable position for reaching the neighbourhood of the Permanent Bridge.

The season was now far advanced, and very few days remained to the meeting of the Canal Commissioners, when a report from the Engineer would be expected. - As therefore the time necessary for a re-examination at the Spread Eagle, or even for a proper survey betweens the five mile stone and the city could not be spared, it seemed improper to agitate the public mind by raising a question upon the termination of the road, while im- portant facts remained to be investigated. The Engi- neer was accordingly directed to stop his location at the five mile stone, and thence to take such levels only as would settle the practicability of reaching the city by some route or other. His report to the Canal Commis- sioners, and the subsequent report of that body to the Legislature were in conformity with these instructions. They designated a line to a given point on the Lancas- ter turnpike, and stated the practicability of reaching the city from that point, but expressed no opinion upon the course it should afterwards take, or upon its point of contact with the city.

In April 1828, an act of the Legislature authorizing the commencement of the Pennsylvania Railway pass- ed, and it became my duty to direct the measures pre- paratory to its construction. From the rapid manner in which the last year's survey had been made, I enter- tained no doubt that improvements of great importance to the value and convenience of the line could be made, and the Engineer himself was anxious to re-examine the whole, before hazarding his reputation upon the result. Instructions to this effect were accordingly given, in- cluding a particular request, that every route which promised to reach the Schuylkill at a point nearer the city than that of the preceding season, might be accu- rately investigated. The results so far as material for the present purpose are as follows:

The Rail Road line reaches the dividing ground be- tween the Susquehanna and the Delaware, at the Gap of Mine Ridge, and thence gradually descending along the side slope of the hill, until it passes the West Branch of Brandywine at Coatesville, and attains the level of the great . Chester Valley. Thence to Downingtown, (where it crosses the main branch of Brandywine) it pursues the general course of the valley and of the Lan- caster Turnpike. From Downingtown the natural shape of the country would indicate a route through the valley to the Schuylkill, near Valley Forge, and down that river to Philadelphia. Its circuitous charac- ter, is, however, a decided objection, independent of many local difficulties which it presents. The peculiar form of the country suggested another plan, which at first seemed plausible. The great valley of Chester county ascends in a direction towards the Schuylkill, to a point near the White Horse Tavern, 23 miles from Philadelphia, on the Morgantown road, where the wa- ters of Schuylkill and Brandywine divide, and the valley of course falls off towards the Schuylkill. It was hoped that by ascending with the natural inclination of the val- ley to that summit, a sufficient elevation might be at- tained to clear the hill on its southern side, and either reach the Lancaster turnpike, near the Spread Eagle, or pass into one of the slopes leading into the Schuylkill, between Norristown and Philadelphia, Upon the for- mer of these plans, the survey of 1827 had been con- ducted; but the Engineer was not yet satisfied with its practicability. He therefore devoted much time to its ' examination, and became fully convinced that the loca- tion of 1827 was clearly erroneous, and that a mistake in the report of an Assistant Engineer, who had been entrusted to make some lateral surveys, had misled him to regard as easy, what was really impracticable. A subsequent attempt to gain the slopes leading into the Schuylkill was equally unsuccessful. No choice now remained but to abandon his location for many miles, and returning to a convenient point in the Chester valley,

The first survey for a Rail Road between the Susque- hanna and Philadelphia, was made late in the season of 1827, and was in every respect a hurried one. The in- structions given to the Engineer required him to follow the most direct route to the city, and it was then taken for granted that he must reach the Schuylkill at some point opposite the city. This survey advanced without any material occurrence to a point near the five mile stone on the Lancaster Turnpike. At this point, while pushing his line as directly as possible for the Perma- nent Bridge, the Engineer found himself involved in difficulties which seemed to be insuperable. Hle made report to me immediately, that the route which he had so far adopted, could not be extended to the Permanent Bridge, and that from the appearance of the ground, he had no choice but to diverge towards Gray's Ferry, or to strike the Schuylkill near the residence of Judge Pe- ters. He informed me at the same time that an inspec- tion of the profile of the line, at an important point near the Spread Eagle 'Tavern, 13 miles from the city, had induced him to doubt the correctness of the loca- tion, and to hope that some change might place the | to ascend gradually to its southern slope till he attained

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thé elevation necessary to clear it. In the distance between Downingtown and the Warren tavern, this object is ac- complished by regular graduation. At the latter point the Lancaster Turnpike suddenly breaks from the val- ley with a bold acclivity, and is then placed in contact with the Rail Road line ..

To the position at. the Warren I must beg to invite your particular attention; because it furnishes the key to the rest of the location. Its elevation above tide wa- ter is about 560 feet, and it stands on the high ground, ·`which . every where interposes between the Chester Valley and Philadelphia; and which, therefore, no line of rail way can avoid. At the same point, a broad spur of nearly equal elevation leaves the Valley Hill, passes by the Spread Eagle and Buck taverns, and ends upon the Schuylkill, at Judge Peters'. This spur, which has rather the character of high table land than of a ridge, is in its whole length, the dividing ground between the head waters of Cobb's, Darby, and Crum Creeks, which run south-eastwardly, to the Delaware, far below Phila- delphia, and certain branches of the. Schuylkill, which run north-eastwardly, and enter far above the city. A line; therefore, from the Warren, or from any point be- tween it and the Buck, pursuing the natural slope of the country, in either direction, would find its way towards Chester, or to Norristown. To avoid such a consequence, the dividing ground must be maintained by the rail way from the. Warren to the Buck. The same reason has governed the location of the turnpike between those points, and has induced (as an inspec- tion of the map will show) a considerable departure from the straight line to Philadelphia. To slight occa- sional deviations from the dividing ground, in order to save distance, we must attribute all its important undulations between the Warren and the Buck; and the frequency with, which, in that distance, it crosses the rail road line. In the neighbourhood of the Buck, the turnpike, in order to reach the permanent bridge, is compelled to leave the dividing ground, even at the disadvantage of encountering great inequalities of sur- face. This the rail road cannot do with equal impuni- ty, and consequently, the Engineer has kept the same eminence, until it naturally led him to Schuylkill, at Judge Peters'. In this single peculiarity attending the formation of the country, is contained the whole secret of Major Wilson's location. If he had attempted to turn off at the Buck, and follow the route of the turn- pike to the bridge, he must have crossed all the ravines leading into Cobb's Creek, at an elevation always ex- pensive, and often hazardous, or he must have cut down a summit between every two of them. He would not have proceeded more than three miles, before the sudden fall of the ground towards Schuylkill would have rendered it impracticable to graduate the road, and obliged him to descend by a stationary engine to about the level upon which Hamilton Village is situated, from which stationary power would be necessary to reach the Schuylkill. All who have travelled the Lan- caster turnpike are aware that, after crossing the Per- manent Bridge, an ascent is suddenly made to the ta- ble land of Hamilton Village; and that thence, the ele- vation is nearly uniform for about three miles, when the ground suddenly rises to the height near the Buck ta- vern. This feature in the formation of the country -the fact that it exhibits no continued slope towards the Schuylkill, but rises suddenly by benches or tables, renders it impracticable to overcome the descent by re- gular graduation, and requires the use of stationary power. The position at Judge Peters' has this advan- tage :- that there, the same ridge which is found at the Warren reaches the Schuylkill; and there, of course, the whole descent is accumulated at a single point.

Valley at the Warren, there seemed reason to hope that some route might be found which would give greater facilities for reaching the Schuylkill, in front of the city, than had occurred upon the former survey. The Engineer was therefore instructed to pursue the most direct line, to the Permanent Bridge, which the nature of the ground would permit, and to note every point at which there appeared to be a chance, in case the direct course failed, to attain the same object by making a circuit. This was done as far as the Buck tavern without any departure of consequence from the line of the turnpike. But it became obvious that the railway must diverge to the left, and pursue a course corresponding more nearly with that of the old Lancas- ter road. He returned immediately to his position at the Spread Eagle, and endeavoured to pass off' in a more southwardly direction, along a spur of the divi- cling ridge, which he hoped would conduct him to the - high ground near Haddington. It was found, however, that an impassable chasm intervened, and the route was accordingly abandoned. At the Buck, a similar attempt to pass to the southward proved equally fruitless.

These facts having been communicated to me, I re- quested the Engineer, before fix'ng his choice, to make a complete reconnoisance of the whole country between the Spread Eagle and Philadelphia; extending his ex- amination to the Schuylkill on one side, and to Cobb's creek on the other. After spending several days in this manner, he was unable to discover any route which could furnish greater facilities for reaching the Perma- nent Bridge, than his position near the Buck, and he re- ported accordingly. Ile was then instructed to follow the best route which offered, from the Buck to the Schuylkill, and returning afterwards to the point at which such a line began materially to depart from the course of the turnpike; to carry a level to the Perma- nent Bridge, and one also to the Schuylkill, at Gray's ferry. This point of departure was found to be near the five mile stone on the Lancaster turnpike, corres- ponding with the seven mile stone on the old road, and from it levels were taken to the Permanent Bridge, and to Gray's ferry. From an intermediate point between the five mile stone and Judge Peters', another line was explored to the Upper Ferry bridge. The report of the Engineer after these examinations, was perfectly conclusive, namely: That an eligible line could be car- ried to the verge of the Schuylkill, near Judge Peters', there let down to any level required by a single stationa- ry engine, and crossed by a bridge, so as to reach the line of the old Union Canal: that any line to the Per- manent Bridge, to the Upper Ferry Bridge, or to Gray's Ferry, would require two stationary engines, at a dis- tance of three miles apart, would pass over ground un- dulating in its surface, and independent of the inclined planes, far more expensive. And lastly, that the dis- tance from the five mile stone, by the railway, crossing at Judge Peters' to Broad street, would be rather less than by the turnpike and Permanent Bridge, to the same point.

Convinced by these reasons, I then requested him to examine the west side of Schuylkill, below Judge Pe- ters', in order to ascertain whether the line might not advantageously be carried, for a part of a distance, on that side before it crossed. This was done down to the residence of Mr. Breck, and far enough to ascertain that while no preferable position for a bridge could be had, every yard of descent on the western side would greatly enhance the cost of the line. A bridge was then loca- ted at Judge Peters', and a route traced along the old Union Canal, till it reached a position back of Fair Mount. In answer to a question from the Engineer, where he should end, I directed him to select a line which would best accommodate the mass of our citi- zens, and yet preserve the means of communication by branches, both with the Schuylkill and Delaware. When afterwards he reported, that he deemed it inex-

Having thus carried the line to the margin of the Schuylkill, and given the results of the examinations made by the Engineer, I proceed to explain what those examinations were. When the Engineer reported to me that he had extricated himself from the Chester | pedient to descend below the level of Broad street; and

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that the line of the canal, to its intersection, with that street, afforded the most favourable line he was. in- structed to turn into Broad street, and stop for the pre- sent at the line of the city.

This course, it must be observed, had reference to the practicability of branch lines, to various parts of the city but not to their precise location. The season was then so far advanced, that the Engineer without neg- lecting more imperative duties, would not have been able to attend to the location of branch lines, and no ex- pression of public sentiment in regard to the accommo- clations desired had then taken place. In order to elicit. such an expression, the corporations of the city & the dis- tricts adjoining, were apprised of the course which the Engineer had pursued, were invited to confer with him by committees, and were informed that at a meeting of the Canal Commissioners on the 5th of December, a de- cision would take place on the report of the Engineer, and an opportunity be afforded for any suggestions they might be pleased to makc.

In this situation matters remained until the meeting of the Canal Commissioners in December, when a report was received from the Engineer. No particular commu- nications were made by the corporations of the city or adjoining districts, the members of the Legislature from the city and county, with a single exception, had noth- ing to offer in opposition to the plan, and the board had every reason to believe either that the location was gen- erally approved, or else that extraordinary apathy prevail- - ed in regard to it. The gentleman alluded to appeared before the board and urged the importance of so loca- ting the main line, or so adjusting its branches as to en- sure a communication with the marine trade of the Schuylkill. In this general principle, the board acqui- esced, and this with other important considerations en- tered into their decision.

It was perfectly clear that in approaching the city, the interests upon the Schuylkill and Delaware fronts, and of the intervening population also, must be consulted; and that no location of a main line which accommodated one to the exclusion of others could be admitted. The board then believed, and all subsequent inquiry has con- firmed the opinion, that the line surveyed by Major Wil- son possessed this advantage in a pre-eminent degree. They well understood that branches from the main trunk in various directions would be required to diffuse the trade through convenient channels; and they be- lieved that from the line proposed, every necessary branch could be made to pass. Thus far the informa- tion before them was sufficiently complete. But they had no means of ascertaining what particular lines pas- sing through the city or districts would be desired by the public, how far they would affect the regulation of streets and the value of property, or be deemed admissi- ble by the local authorities. They preferred, therefore, to reserve such questions until a better opportunity, and fclt themselves at full liberty to do so, as no operations cast of the Schuylkill were contemplated within the pre- sent year.

I have remarked, that the board fully acquiesced in the opinion, that a communication with the marine trade of the Schuylkill, was an object worthy of serious atten- tion. They were informed that such a communication must either be cffected by means of a branch, or that the main line must be so altered as to answer the purpose, and that in the latter event, a level must be assumed which would render its future continuance to the Dela- ware very difficult at least, if not utterly impracticable. Upon the principle I have before stated, they could not consent to exclude, or appear to exclude, an interest so important, as that in the Delaware, and they therefore rejected the idea of locating the main line, to the sloop navigation of the Schuylkill. The proposal for a branch was merely postponed for the reasons which I have en- deavoured to explain as applicable then to all branches whatever, and yet with a confident hope that either by the state or by individuals it would in due season be ex- ecuted. The principle of reaching the free navigation

of the Schuylkill, and a wish to accommodate a section on its western shore, induced them'also to suppose that a branch from the inclined plane near Judge Peters' on the western side to a point below the Permanent Bridge, would be an object worthy the expenditure it might oc- casion. To this line, as. it interfered with no streets and passed through no property of very great value, the difficulties felt in regard to branches did not apply; and the board, therefore, said in their report to the Le- gislature, that if they had authority under existing laws, they would have included such a branch in their ar- rangements for the railway.

By these views of the subject I understood the board to be governed, when they passed a resolution locating . the line from the borough of Columbia, to the corner of Broad and Vine streets. in the city of Philadelphia, and a subsequent resolution, directing that twenty miles westward, from the foot of the inclined plane at Judge Peters', should be put under contract. By the terms of the law, they were bound to locate a definite line to the city itself, before they proceeded to enter into con- tracts for any part of it. Such a line had been presented by their engineer, with good reasons for believing, that its mode of entering and its point of contact with the city were on the whole the most adviseable. They were aware, however, that in adjusting its details, and espe- cially in regulating the various branches which should emanate from it, some minor particulars might require alteration. They were also aware, that further inquiry, as to the views, interests, and localities, about the city of Philadelphia, might suggest some changes of still grea- ter magnitude, which it would be expedient to make. To leave room for this, and for the admission of any ad- ditional light on the subject, they resolved to do no act within the present year, which would prevent them from improving their mode of entering the city of Phila- delphia, if it should be found practicable to do so. Here I beg leave distinctly to explain, what I have found occa- sionally misunderstood-namely, that the board of Canal Commissioners have never regarded their resolutions lo- cating particular routes, as conclusive on those subjects. A peculiar feature in the first improvement law requires such resolutions to be passed, before they proceed to make contracts for a line. But as the public interest often requires that the general course of a line shall be" determined, while some of its details are yet imperfectly understood, their practice has been in all doubtful ca- ses, to regard the locating resolution as a matter of form only, which upon better information they are at liberty to rescind: Hence by their practice, a location however formally made, is always open to inquiry and correc- tion, until the passage of an order for placing it under contract, and whenever a particular part is exempted from the operations of an order for contract, the infe- rence should be that they have acted thus far upon the best information within their power, but that the aven. ucs are not closed against additional light.

Since the adjournment of the Board of Canal Com- missioners; their course in relation to this subject, (the termination of the rail road,) and its probable effects upon the interests of Philada. have elicited much discus- sion. As soon as I perceived that public feeling was alive upon the subject, and had ascertained the points up- on which this feeling turned; I felt it my duty to ob- tain the most accurate information in my power, as to the several plans proposed in lieu of that adopted by the Commissioners. For this purpose two competent Engineers in the service of the commonwealth, whose employment had related to the subject of Rail Roads, were instructed to join Major Wilson. Their joint re- port has already been communicated to the public,* and will be read by the committee in connexion with this letter. I shall therefore confine myself to a few plain inferences which suggest themselves to my mind, without venturing an opinion upon matters beyond my province.

* See page 123-this volume ...

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From the common point at Judge Peters', two modes of reaching the city, different from that of Major Wilson, are proposed:

1. To descend the Schuylkill on the west side to the Permanent Bridge, or to some point between it and the Upper Ferry Bridge, and there to cross to the city side.

2. To descend the Schuylkill on the west side to a point between Fair Mount Dam and the Upper Ferry Bridge, there to cross, and thence to continue a line either down the Schuylkill to sloop navigation, or to- wards the Delaware. To this latter project is annexed that of a Branch Line from the crossing place at Fair Mount, down the west side, to terminate below the Permanent Bridge.

The first of these plans is by the opinion of the En- gineers placed out of competition with either of the others. At greater expense to the state and with much more inconvenience to the city, it would afford less ac- commodation to the owners of property and to persons doing business on the Schuylkill front. For the western side of Schuylkill it would have no advantages over the branch connected with the second project. It would, moreover, so increase the difficulties of reaching the Delaware, that the interests in that quarter might well regard themselves as excluded. I will here remark, that although the opinion of the Engineers on this head, is confined to a single site for a bridge, yet as they have selected the one most advisable, and where the ground on the city side will require least alteration, there.rea- soning applies with additional force to any other posi- tion below the Upper Ferry Bridge.

The arguments in favour of the. second plan are at first . view plausible, namely-that by shortening the branch line proposed to terminate on the west side of Schuylkill, it would create a saving of expense, and that by placing the main line in the neighborhood of Fair Mount upon a lower level than that of Major Wil- son, it would render it practicable to continue a rail way down the very margin of the Schuylkill to any point on its sloop navigation ..

The answer to the first argument is, that a line on the west side of Schuylkill, from Judge Peters' to Fair Mount, kept up to the height required for crossing with a bridge, and preserving the necessary limits of curva- ture, would be immensely expensive, while a simple branch from the same point to the Permanant Bridge, by pursuing a low level, can be made within a fair aver- age of cost. By actual survey it is ascertained that in order to turn upon the bridge proposed at Fair Mount, a tunnel 31 chains in length, or a corresponding deep cut 60 feet deep, through solid rock, would be neces- sary; and a summing up of the estimates annexed to the engineer's report will show that this line, as far as Fair Mount, will cost enough, in addition to Major Wilson's to the same point, to make a single branch line, from Judge Peters', below the Permanent Bridge, and leave a surplus of $72,000. This additional expense must therefore be incurred for the sake of a line which is ac- tually 13 chains longer, and which comes to the same point on this side of the Schuylkill, with that of Major Wilson.

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The Register of Pennsylvania : devoted to the preservation of facts and documents and every other kind of useful information respecting the state of Pennsylvania, Vol. III, Part 48

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870 Publication date: 1828 Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ; Number of Pages: 440

Author: Hazard, Samuel, 1784-1870
Publication date: 1828
Publisher: Philadelphia : Printed by W.F. Geddes ;
Number of Pages: 440