Comparatively few of our readers are aware of the extent to which the narrow gauge railroad system of northwestern Pennsylvania and southwestern New York has been carried, much less do they realize the extent of that system when pushed to perfection. Two interests, those of Erie and its allies, and the Buffalo, New York and Philadelphia, with its syndicate associates have, within the last three years, purchased and constructed the Olean, Bradford and Warren, the Kendall and Eldred, the Bradford, Bordell and Smithport, Allegany Central, the Tonawanda Valley and several other lines. The roads thus far constructed are largely confined to the oil regions of Bradford, Allegany and Clarendon. The lines now being built and projected will not only reach the Warren, or Cherry Grove field, but will cover, as by a network, the forest and mineral region of Pennsylvania, embraced in the counties of Potter, McKean, Tioga, Clinton, Lycoming, Forest, Elk, Warren, Venango, Clarion, Indiana, Armstrong: and Allegheny, but have connections in this state covering equally the counties of Allegany, Cattaraugus, Steuben, Livingston and Wyoming, reaching out to Erie at Buffalo.
Of the narrow gauge roads thus far constructed and being operated, it can safely be said they have proved the most profitable investment of the times, paying, it is reported, in no instance less than eight percent annually upon their stock, but in a majority of cases from fifteen to seventy per cent. Mr. A. N. Cole, of Wellsville, Allegany county, has just returned from Harrisburg, bringing a new grist of charters in addition to those already granted. Among others is one for the Garfield and Cherry Grove railroad, running from a point on the line of the Philadelphia and Erie road between Tiona and Sheffield to Garfield, and thus through, among the great “‘gushers” of the Warren field to its limits and beyond, connecting with the Buffalo, Pittsburg and Western. Besides this, Mr. Cole brings charters for the State Line, Brookland and Pine Creek railroad, making connection with the Wellsville, Coudersport and Pine Creek, now being constructed, and the Wellsville and Ulysses, the charter for which was granted several months ago. The State Line, Brookland and Pine Creek, just chartered, will be twenty miles long from State Line to Pike Mills, Potter county, Pa.
Next comes a charter for the Sinnemahoning and Pine Creek railroad, from Pike Mills to Wharton Mulls, Potter county, a distance of about thirty miles. Next in order is a charter for the Pike Mills and Kettle Creek railroad from Pike Mills to Westport, on the line of the Philadelphia and Erie railroad, an estimated distance of forty miles. There are still four other charters which have been apphed for and will soon be granted, which, coupled with those for roads constructed, being constructed and projected, will aggregate from one thousand to fifteen hundred miles in length.
The newly chartered lines in Pennsylvania will make connection with Erie’s system of narrow gauge tributaries, embracing the line from Addison to Gaines. The links in the chain between the state line above Wellsville to Buffalo consist of the Tonawanda, Genesee Valley and Pine Creek, from Wellsville to Caneadea, twenty-six miles; the Tonawanda, Wiscog and Genesee Valley, twenty-six miles from Caneadea to Pike station, and the Buffalo, Cayuga Valley and Pine Creek, from Pike station to Buffalo forty-five miles. The system complete will reach and develop the greatest timber, bark, oil, coal, iron and gas region on the continent and the lines now constructed and projected bid fair to prove more permanent and quite as profitable as those hitherto finished and running. The road into the new oil field of Warren county cannot fail to prove a bonanza. The parties associated in this great network of narrow-gauge railroads, rank among the first capitalists of New York, New England and Pennsylvania, all of whom clearly mean business. We are assured that the entire system will be complete, running, and paying dividends within a few months, something of which no room is left for doubt.