Shawmut News Items from the "Bolivar Breeze" and other newspapers
Gleaned from newspaper microfilm by Richard Palmer, whose eyes will never be the same! Thank you Dick, on
behalf of all railfans. rt/2007
Shawmut News Items from the "Bolivar Breeze" and other newspapers
(UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED, Contributed by Richard Palmer)
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Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Feb. 21, 1899
Truman Pierce of Richburg was among the callers at this office on Saturday. He is very anxious to
have the Shawmuit Line built through Richburg, not because the survey runs through a house owned by
Mrs. Pierce but because he wants to see the big coal trains go roaring by and to have the southern part of
the county connected with the northern part by ribbons of steel.
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Bolivar Breeze, Thursday, Aug. 10, 1899
THE NEW SHAWMUT LINE
____
Interview with Vice President,
Frank Sullivan Smith.
______
(The following dispatch appeared in Tuesday's Buffalo Express based on a personal interview with
President Byrne and Vice President at Angelica by J.P. Herrick. It covers the ground to date).
____
Bolivar, N.Y., Aug. 7 - After three years of preliminary work a syndicate, headed by Major John Byrne,
of New York, has consolidated six short lines of railroad in Western New York and Northern Pennsylvania
into a trunk line that will connect the great soft col fields of Elk, Jefferson and Clearfield counties in
Pennsylvania with the five trunk lines that cross New York state from east to west, finally, when
connections are perfected, forming a through line from Pittsburg to Rochester.
The consolidated line will be known as the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern. Included with the railroad
properties the syndicate secured the Shawmut coal property of 10,000 acres and mines with a daily
output of 160 cars. In addition long time options have been secured on 30,000 acres of valuable coal land
in the Shawmut section, some of it underlaid with veins six feet think. Along the line of the road in
Pennsylvania is an immense body of virgin fores, a big block of which is owned by the syndicate.
In McLean county the line passes through the Hazelhurst district where several big glass factories
have been built in the past two years, a section that is bound to become famous as a glass making region
and will furnish heavy tonnage. There is natural gas in unlimited quantities, and the hills are covered
with rock that is 96 percent glass. In Allegany county the line passes through the center of the oil belt at
Bolivar. From Friendship to Macedon the road travers one of the finest farming regions in the state.
The The properties included in the transfer, which was recorded at Harrsburg and Albany, are: The
Clarion River road, from Hallton to Croyland; the Buffalo, St. Mary's & Southwestern, from Hydes to
Clermont; the Clermont, Mt. Jewett & Northern from Mr. Jewett to Smethport; the Smethport & Olean,
from Smethport to Okeab; the Central New York & Northern, from Perkinsville to Macedon, the present
terminus with a spur from Honeoye village to Hemlock lake.
The new road will cross the Philadelphia & Erie at at St. Mary's, the Western New York & Pennsylvania
at White House, the western division of the Erie at Friendship, the Buffalo division of the Erie at Swains,
the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western at Wayland, the Lehigh Valley, the Lehigh Valley at Farmington
and the New York Central and West Shore at Macedon. Work is now under way on the extension from
Perkinsille to Macedon, sixty-five miles.
The narrow gauge division of the Central New York & Western from Olean to Bolivar will be widened
out. From Bolivar to Angelica, twenty miles, the new line will follow very closely the grade of the
abandoned narrow gauge line that was ripped up six years ago, avoiding as far as possible the trestles on
the old line. Th only difficult hill on the entire line is between Richburg and Friendship, where a long
detour will be made to avoid a tunnel. Surveyors will begin on the hill within ten days. Much of the right of
way from Bolivar to Angelica is still held by the railroad company. The line passes through the towns of
Bolivar, Wirt, Friendship and Angelica. The total length of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern is 358
miles.
The capital stock of the consolidated lines is $12,000,000, divided in 120,000 shares of $100 each.
Bonds to the amount of nearly $6,000,000, have been placed, largely in Chicago and St. Louis. The
Vanderbilt interests have fought the consolidation bitterly, and when an application was made to the
railroad commissioners for permission to extend the line from Perkinsville to Macedon it was strongly
opposed but unanimously granted, When an attempt was made to float the bonds in the East the same
interests were at work to discourage investors. Western capitalists were interested, and after a careful
investigation of the properties the gold bonds secured by a first mortgage were quickly taken. The
consolidation scheme was ready to be floated last year but the war delayed it.
The officers of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern are: President, John Byrne; first vice president,
Henry Marquand, New York; second vice president and general counsel, Frank Sullivan Smith, New York;
treasurer, H.M. Gough, New York; secretary, Lewis F. Wilson, New York; auditor and assistant treasurer,
H.S. Hastings, Angelica. The head offices are at No. 54 Wall street.
President Byrne is now a guest at the summer home of General Counsel Frank Sullivan Smith at
Angelica. In an interview Mr. Smith stated to The Express correspondent that the work of connecting the
lines would go forward as rapidly as possible. Heavy purchases of steel rails were made before the recent
advance in prices, in anticipation of the consolidation, and these will be delivered promptly.
Six hundred new coal cars, with steel-pressed trucks, air brakes and the latest coupling devices, have
been purchased and delivered at the mines. The railroad shops at Angelica are busy building freight cars
and rebuilding engines, and the force will be greatly increased at once. There will not be a grade crossing
on the line, and the new bridges and trestles will be of steel. The work of filling the wooden Horseshoe
trestle, 2,200 feet long, over the Erie tracks at Swains, which was begun two years ago, will be hurried to
a finish.
Mr. Smith states that no traffic arrangement has been entered into with any of the great trunk likes that
the new road will cross, although he has been approached by representatives of each. He says that no
traffic arrangement will be entered into, and that the property will be operated as an independent line,
delivering freight to all connecting roads and extending special privileges to none. The name selected for
the property is the Sawmut Line, and it will be conspicuous on all rolling stock. Shawmut coal is well
known all over the country, and the aim of the syndicate will be to make it better known.
Mr. Smith is very enthusiastic over the outlook for the Shawmut Line. Ever since he became interested
in railroad properties in 1882, he has kept in mind the idea of a line from the coal fields of Pennsylvania to
Central New York, and in a large measure he is entitled to the credit of the consolidation. With Mr. Byrne
he bought the Central New York & Western property when it was about to be sold for junk, and converted
it into a paying property. He says that the officers of the short lines will retain their old positions for the
present.
It is said that Charles H. Hammond, general passenger and freight agent of the Central New York &
Western; Henry S. Hastings, auditor, and Mitchell S. Blair, general superintendent, all personal friends of
Major Byrne and Mr. Smith and old employees will be well taken care of when executive officers of the
Shawmut Line are picked out.
Mr. Smith believes the immense coal and lumber tonnage that will come to the Shawmut Line will make
it one of the best paying properties in the country, not counting a big passenger traffic, which seems
certain, as the new line is 30 miles shorter than any other that covers the same region. It is estimated that
the coal properties alone will furnish tonnage for at least 100 years if the present daily output is trebled.
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Bolivar Breeze, Aug. 17, 1899
PITTSBURG, SHAWMUT & NORTHERN RAILROAD
ENGINEER CORPS HERE.
Work of Locating Railroad Line Under Way. The Crossing of the West Notch Hill is the
Most Difficult Feat on the Shawmut Line. Talk With Chief McComb.
_____
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railway’s corps of engineers arrived in Bolivar
Monday evening [Aug. 14] and Tuesday morning began the work of laying out the route
from Bolivar to Friendship. The first stake was set at the crest of West Notch Hill and the
corps is working towards Bolivar. A. G. McComb of Bradford is chief of the staff and he
willingly answered all questions asked him by the writer. His information is summed up in
the following paragraphs.
The survey of the line from Macedon to the coal fields is completed with the exception
of the link between Bolivar and Friendship. The crossing of West Notch Hill he considers the
most difficult job on the line. The thing sought is to get an easy grade hat will not require a
pusher to boost the heavy coal trains over the crest. He also wants to avoid deep and
expensive cuts and high trestles.
The distance of the line from Bolivar to Friendship is eleven miles. He estimates that the
railroad line owing to detours will be thirteen miles long. The line will go through the West
Notch somewhere near the roadbed of the old abandoned narrow gauge line.
Mr. McComb estimates that it will require four weeks to complete the survey. The
engineers are divided into three parties and they will make Bolivar their headquarters.
Down in the coal country the engineers discovered many rattlesnakes while running
lines. The killed four, skinned them and tried out the oil. Engineers dread poison ivy more
than they do rattlesnakes.
Mr. McComb says that the Shawmut Line will be 40 miles shorter than any other from
the coal country to Macedon [New York] and it will be one of the finest equipped roads in
the country. The work of grading the Smethport and Hazelhurst branch was completed
yesterday [Wednesday, August 16th, 1899] and the laying of rails will begin at once.
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Bolivar Breeze, Aug. 17, 1899
Shawmut Line Mortgage Filed.
There was entered for record in the Allegany county clerk’s office at Belmont, August 4th,
a mortgage not to exceed $12,000,000 in favor of the Colonial Trust Company of New York
to secure the payment of that amount of 5% 50-YEAR GOLD BONDS. The mortgage covers
all the railroad and coal property, telegraph lines, franchises, contracts and privileges of the
Shawmut Line. It is agreed that $4,000,000 of the bonds par shall be disposed of and the
proceeds used to extend and connect up the different short lines that will compose the trunk
line. It is provided that no less than 1,000,000 gross tons of coal be mined on the Shawmut
property and delivered to the railroad annually.
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Bolivar Breeze, Sept. 28, 1899
ON THE SHAWMUT LINE.
Road Possesses Many Natural Advantages. It Taps Coal Beds and Timber Lands. Coal is
Now Mined by Electricity. The Outlook.
St. Marys, Pa., Sept. 22.—Knowing how interested any of the readers of my own
newspaper and those of the other local newspapers along the line of the Pittsburg, Shawmut
& Northern are in the prospects and plans of the new trunk line. I sailed over here on the
steam cars and sized up the situation from the highest hill on the line. Through the
courtesy of Major Byrne and his assistants I was allowed the freedom of the town and
shown through the manufacturing plants that are springing into life here and at other points
on the system and enjoyed a side trip to the famous Shawmut coal mines.
At Larrabee I ran across Mr. H. S. Hastings, auditor and assistant treasurer of the
Shawmut Line, a gentleman extremely well qualified for the work he has to do and who is
very closed to Major Byrne. At Smethport Major Byrne boarded the train. We stopped at
Clermont for dinner. Clermont is a little coal town set down at the head of a valley just on
the edge of the Big Level. Some fifty men are now employed in mines which are owned by
the WNY&P railroad. The coal is of a rather poor quality. Clermont is the end of the
Clermont division [branch] of the WNY&P and the present terminal of the St. Marys division
of the Shawmut Line.
The ride from Clermont to St. Marys, 28 miles, is nearly all the way on a mountain
top. The road bed is in good shape and the train races along at a fine rate of speed. There
are no wooden structures on the line and only two or three deep “fills,” and about as many
deep cuts. It is a well built road. G. C. Wollard, formerly a civil engineer on the western
division of the Erie, is the maintenance of way engineer and I heard nothing but praise for
his work by the officials of the road. A big steam stone crusher near St. Marys is grinding
out many carloads of ballast every day which is being distributed along the line. From
Clermont to St. Marys the road runs through many miles of virgin forest, so the trip is a
picturesque one. Just now, when the frost has arrayed the woodland with all the glories of
rainbow tints, it is twice picturesque.
St. Marys is a town of some 4,000 population. It straggles along the slopes of several low
hills. Originally it was settled by a lot of Germans who imagined they were going into a
settled and paid for region. When they arrived here and found the land agent had deceived
them, they didn’t pack up and go home.
One reason was that they had no home to go to and the other was that they were
broke.” So they set to work to battle with the forest and to clear up little farms. In time a
settlement sprang up in the wilderness and then a church and school house followed. One
day some bright fellow discovered a soft coal bed. The coal and timber finally attracted
capital here, but the town didn’t profit much by it because the coal was hauled away and
the timber was shipped to other places to be worked up.
So the town, though it grew slowly, failed to amount to much. A couple of years ago it
woke up. The citizens realized it was about time to do something. So they decided to have
the timber that grew on the ridges fashioned into useful articles here at home. A chair
factory that employs 150 men was secured, a hub factory followed, and now there are a half
dozen wood working establishments either running or in the course of erection and the
town’s future has a roseate hue.
The Shawmut Line has a finely equipped foundry and machine shop here. The business
offices are temporarily located in a private residence. Mr. Hastings has a corps of clerks
that work over time. B. E. Cartwright, general manager of the Shawmut properties, is said
to be one of the best posted men in the state on coal and timber properties. I remarked to
a native of St. Marys that Mr. Cartwright belonged in the hustler class. “He is the greatest
hustler in the state,” was the quick rejoinder of the native. Hall, Kaul & Co., who are the
whole thing in St. Marys in a financial way are building a fine office building in the heart of
town. It is of buff Shawmut brick and modern in every detail. When it is completed in a
month or so the Shawmut offices will be moved into it occupying the entire third floor and a
part of the second floor.
This region is very rich in natural resources that have lain dormant awaiting the advent of
capital and push. The Shawmut mining property of ten thousand acres, one of the best
properties in the state, is owned by the Byrnes syndicate, of which Henry Marquand & Co. of
160 Wall street are the financial agents. Two of the group of eight mines have been
equipped with electrical plants of the latest pattern. The coal is now mined by electric
machines, and the cars and ventilators are run by motors. The present output of the mines
is 200 cars a day, which will be increased to 400 as soon as all of the mines are equipped
with electricity.
In addition to the Shawmut property the syndicate has options on 30,000 acres of
additional coal lands that have been thoroughly tested by the syndicate’s experts. The
experts estimate that th3e coal lands owned and under options of the syndicate will produce
400 cars a day for two centuries. Some of the properties are underlaid with four veins,
some of them six feet thick. The mines at present employ 800 men.
For miles the Shawmut line runs through a solid forest that is under contract to be
shipped over the syndicate’s trunk line. Experts estimate the timber at 800,000,000 feet
which it will require at least 25 years to saw out. In addition there will be an immense
tonnage of hemlock bark from the timber land and of leather and hides from the tanneries
on the line of the road. There are erected or under way five chemical plants on the
Shawmut line. St. Marys has a big chair factory, hub and handle factories, and others are
planned. These plants will work up the hardwood timber. The Sugar Trust is erected a big
stave mill here, and a big carbon works is nearly completed.
Two immense kindling wood factories, on in St. Marys and one of the Clarion river division
of the Shawmut Line are working up the slab wood. The manner in which the timber is
worked up today is very different from the wasteful methods employed fifteen years
ago. Then only the perfect trees were cut and the slabs were burned up. Today every tree
as big as a telegraph pole is cut and hauled to the mill. The band saw has replaced the
circular saw because the kerf is less. The circular saw cuts out an eighth of an inch for
sawdust every time it rips off a board. The slabs are cut into kindling wood or lathe, and
even the sawdust and shavings not needed for fuel is baled and sold.
The Shawmut coal lands are underlaid with a four foot vein of fine clay and a big brick
plant has been erected at Shawmut, where a superior building brick is made. The natural
color of the brick is buff and already an extensive market for Shawmut brick has been
secured in New England. In addition to fine pressed brick, paving brick and tiling will be
made. A fire-proofing works is to be erected at Shawmut. Fire-proofing requires clay,
sawdust and cheap fuel for raw materials, all of which are at Shawmut.
The Shawmut Line is encouraging manufacturers to locate along its lines by offering
free sites, cheap raw material, low taxes, cheap fuel, and unsurpassed facilities for the
distribution of manufactured products. The Shawmut Line when completed will cross or
connect with every trunk line in New York state. As fast as the forest is cut away colonies of
emigrants will be settled on the rich lands along the line and thriving towns will spring
up. This district is in the hemlock belt, one of the healthiest sections of the United
States. Today the Shawmut Line is the newest and liveliest factor in the development of
this section of Pennsylvania.
The work of connecting up the short lines that comprise the Shawmut trunk line is going
forward rapidly. On the mountain grades 100 pound rail is being put down, the line is being
ballasted with stone, grades are being cut down and work on the extensions is being
rushed. The motive power will be 100 ton engines and the 4,000 new coal cars will have a
capacity of 40,000 pounds. Only the best white oak ties are used and there is not a wooden
structure of a grade crossing on the line. The equipment will be of the latest model. As
soon as the connecting links are completed a through train service from th4e coal fields to
New York will be established via the Erie and the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western.
Our people at home need not get nervous for fear that the Shawmut Line will not be
extended across the state line into Allegany county and beyond. The Brooklyn bridge was
not built in a day, and the work of building a trunk line railroad cannot be pushed as rapidly
as that of a four foot board walk. It is doubtful if the work of standard gauging the division
from Olean to Bolivar will be started before spring [1900], although the rails will be
distributed this fall. Major Byrne is as anxious to get the short lines connected up as
anyway, but he know better than anyone else the difficulties that must be overcome. – John
P. Herrick
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Bolivar Breeze, October 19, 1899
One thousand telegraph poles have been loaded tag Bolivar, Little Genesee and Ceres this past week for shipment to Smethport. They will be used on the telegraph line for the Smethport division of the Shawmut line, from Smethport to Mt. Jewett. It is expected that trains will be running over this division by November 1.
Bolivar Breeze, November 16, 1899
F. P. Byrne of Detroit, who is president of the Interior Construction & Improvement Co. of New Jersey, which company has the contract for building the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad, and who is personally overseeing the construction of the same, says the work of laying track from Smethport to White House will be used as rapidly as possible, says the Olean Times
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Bolivar Breeze, February 22, 1900
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad is unloading ties at Angelica now and there are 21 car loads of fish plates in the yards here.
Practical railroad men claim that the steam shovel at work on the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad on Andrew Campbell’s flats, just outside of Smethport, will do as much work in a day as 120 men.
Homer Munich and Merle Patridge have returned from Smethport where they have been employed on the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad telegraph lines being constructed on that division.
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Bolivar Breeze, June 14, 1900
STANDARD GAUGE TO CERES
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Shawmut to Lay a Third Rail from Mesereaus to Ceres.
Work Began Yesterday.
The Shawmut Line will be widened to standard gauge between Ceres and Mesereaus, where
a connection will be made with the W. N. Y. & P.
The work began yesterday. The ties needed will be taken from the stock piled up in the
yeards in Bolivar.
This move is made for the benefit of F. M. Van Wormer of Ceres who has several million feet
of logs and several thousand cords of bark to ship. There are not enough narrow gauge cars
to handle the lumber and bark and standard gauge cars will be run direct to Ceres. A narrow
gauge engine will handle the cars.
There will be no change in the passenger service at present. Bolivar people would very
much like to see the gauge widened all the way from Olean to Bolivar.
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Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, July 15, 1900
The Shawmut Line _____
Narrow Gauge Taken Out of Service
____
Ceres, July 14. – The work of standard gauging the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railway from Ceres
to White House was completed today, and the first train of the standard gauge cars reached Ceres this
afternoon from White House, where connection is made with the Western New York & Pennsylvania.
It is expected that the narrow gauge system of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern, from Olean to
Bolivar, would be standard gauged at an early date. Just when the work of connecting up the Smethport
division of the Shawmut line with the Angelica division will begin is uncertain. The railroad people asked
the towns to contribute money to buy the right of way, and in the event it was done, the line would be built
this season. Ceres has raised $1,400, Little Genesee $1,200, Bolivar, $900, Richburg $800, and
Friendship $800, about two thirds of the amount required to buy the right of way.
When completed, the Shawmut line will connect the soft-coal fields of Pennsylvania with Central New
York, the terminus of the line being Macedon, N.Y.
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Bolivar Breeze, July 9, 1900
CHANGING GAUGE
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Improvements on the Line of the Pittsburg,
Shawmut & Northern Road
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Special to the Buffalo Express
CERES, July 14. The work of standard gauging the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad from Ceres to Whitehouse was finished today and the first train of Standard-gauge cars reached Cefres this afternoon from Whitehouse, where connection is made with the Western New York & Pennsylvania. Its is expected that the entire narrow-gauge system of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern from Olean to Bolivar will be standard-gauged at an early date.
When the work of connecting the Smethport division of the Shawmut line with the Angelica division will begin is uncertain. The railroad people asking the towns to contribute money to buy right of way and, and in event that it was done, the line would be built this season. Ceres has raised $1,400, Little Genesee $1,200, Bolivar $9,000, Richburg $800, Friendship $8,000, about two thirds of the amount required to buy the right of way.
When finished the Shawmut line will connect the soft coal fields of Pennsylvania with Central New York. The terminus of the line will be Macedon.Bolivar Breeze, July 26, 1900
SHAWMUT LINE NOTES
_____
Outlook For Bolivar Getting The
Main Line is Quite Bright
____
The right of way for the Shawmut Line through Friendship will cost $20,000.
_______
Passenger Agent Hammond says that the excursion business on the branches of the
Shawmut Line is excellent.
_____
Five carloads of new steel have arrive at Olean for use on the line between Olean and
Bolivar. This looks encouraging.
_____
Major John Byrne, President of the Shawmut Line spends most of his time at St. Marys,
from which point he directs the business of his different coal and railroad properties. He is a
busy man.
____
Vice President Smith of the Shawmut Line went to the Jefferson county coal fields on
Tuesday where he will spend a week closing up options on additional coal properties that
recently been acquired.
____
The expense of making the survey for the Shawmut Line amounts to about $500 a mile.
The cost of the recent survey from Angelica to State Line was about $16,000. It costs
money to find the best grade for a trunk line across a broken country.
____
A legal notice published in this issue of The Breeze looks very encouraging for the
Shawmut Line. At Buffalo, August 9, application will be made to the Railroad
Commissioners for permission to widen the gauge of the Shawmut Line between Olean and
Bolivar, and Bolivar and Angelica.
____
The Shawmut Line offices in the new Hall & Kaul block in St. Marys are among the finest
and best equipped railroad offices to be found in Pennsylvania. In Auditor Hastings' office
are ten employees, in General Manager Cartwright's office are ten employees and in
Passenger Agent Hammond's thee are three employees.
_____
Forty cars of steel rails arrived at St. Marys last Friday for use on the fourteen mile
extension of the Shawmut Line from Paine to Weedville, to reach a new coal property
recently purchased by the Shawmut Line. The grading is completed and the rails will be
down within sixty days. It is known as the Kersey branch.
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Buffalo Express, Aug. 11, 1900
ON THE SHAWMUT ROAD
Work of Construction is Progressing – Delay By
Inability of Mills to Deliver Goods
(Special to The Buffalo Express).
Bolivar, Aug. 10. – Mitchell S. Blair, general superintendent of the Central New York & Western
Railroad and purchasing agent for the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern road, said today that the first
consignment of 10,000 tons of 85-pound steel rails for the Shawmut line has been shipped by the
Pennsylvania Steel Company, and will be unloaded at St. Mary’s, White House and Angelica this week.
Fifteen thousand tons more will be shipped from the mills in a few weeks. The order for these rails was
placed ten months ago. The first car of spikes for the new road arrived in Bolivar today.
Mr. Blair states that work on the construction will be delayed sometime, owing to the trouble in getting
iron and steel material. It is said there is not a firm in the world today that will accept an order for
switches, frogs or any other structural material to be delivered within twelve months. There is also a tin
famine. Mr. Blair has been able to buy 13,000 ties for sue between Smethport and Mt. Jewett were
35,000 are needed.
Orders were some months ago placed with the Pittsburg Locomotive Works for two 90-ton and two
100-ton freight locomotives. Two have been delivered and the others are promised soon.
The work of equipping the Shawmut mines with electricity and compressed air is now under way.
These mines, which are owned by the Shawmut line, are among the most valuable soft-coal properties in
Pennsylvania. After several months’ investigation a party of experts has reported that there are six veins
of coal on the Shawmut property, some of the veins six feet thick. Many holes were drilled and the test
was thorough. The report says that the mines will produce 300 cars of coal a day for 110 years. In
addition to this property the options on 26,000 acres more will bring the coal supply that will be controlled
by the Shawmut line up to a daily capacity of at least 300 cars a day for 350 years.
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Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Nov. 15, 1900
SHAWMUT LINE COMING
____
All Indications Favorable to The Bolivar Route.
_____
After lying dormant for several weeks the proposed building of the Shawmut Line through Bolivar and
Friendship is again the paramount issue. The question will be decided within ten days, and every
indication is favorable to this route. The maps designating the property it was proposed to cross in this
county were filed at Belmont yesterday. This is purely a legal matter and has no special significance.
Vice President Smith came to Bolivar yesterday and met with the right of way committee. He stated
that it was desirable to close up the matter of right of way at once. Where a reasonable price is made on
the land needed it will be paid but no fancy prices will be paid to anyone.
Where a settlement cannot be made promptly condemnation proceedings will be instituted at once.
The work of building the road will begin at once through Bolivar or by way of Belfast, with indications
favoring this route. Already an order has been issued doubling the force of men employed on the
extension this side of Angelica.
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Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Nov. 29, 1900
SEVENTEEN ACRE GRAVEL PIT.
____
Shaumut Line has Purchased One of That Near Canaseraga
____
The Shamut Line has closed the purchase of 12 acres of gravel near Canaseraga, from S.N. Bennett,
making 17 acres purchased in one body. The gravel is said to be of excellent quality for railroad work and
sufficient in quantity to ballast the entire line.
As soon as the lines are connected either via Belfast or Friendship and Bolivar, it is proposed to put a
steam shovel in the gravel pit and load returning empty coal cars with gravel for the Pennsylvania
division, thee being no gravel there.
Work Begun on the Shawmut Line
Col. W.M. Rixford, Superintendent of construction for the Warren-Burham Co. has arrived and directed
work to begin on the cut across the Phillpen farm. Clearing was commenced Wednesday and ground was
broken for the cut which is to be from 15 to 20 feet deep.
Saturday night a carload of Italians arrived in Angelica as an additional force in the work of taking out
the Joncy cut. A number of dump cars and a large supply of tools have also been received.
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Bolivar Breeze, January 17, 1901
The new train despatcher of the Shawmut Line in the Hornellsville offices is M. H. Carney, who formerly was station agent of the Western New York & Pennsylvania railroad at Canisteo.
The Shawmut Line has ordered 500 twin hopper gondola cars of 70,000 pounds capacity from the American Car and Foundry company. They will be 38 fee long and feet, 7 1/2 inches wide.
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Bolivar Breeze, July 18, 1901
Change in Railroad Rates
____
Shawmut Line Reduces Rates on Narrow
Gauge System to Three Cents a Mile
An important change in railroad rates went into effect on the Shawmut Line narrow gauge division on
Tuesday, July 16. Heretofore the rate from Bolivar to Olean, 18 miles, has been 75 cents and round trip
tickets have cost $1.50. Under the new tariff the rate is three cents a mile, 54 cents one way or $1 for a
round trip ticket.
The fare from Bolivar to Little Genesee is now 10 cents, to Bowler 15 cents, to Ceres 24 cents, to Main
30 cents, to Portville 39 cents, to Gordon's 42 cents, to Weston's 45 cents, to Olean 54 cents. From
Olean to Weston's the fare is 12 cents, to Gordon's 15 cents, to Portville 18 cents, to White House 31
cents, to Main 27 cents, to Ceres 33 cents, to Bowler 42 cents, to Little Genesee 48 cents, to Bolivar 54
cents.
----------------------------------
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Sat., July 20, 1901
Work on Broad Gauging the Pittsburg,
Shawmut & Northern to Begin Monday
____
At a meeting of the officials of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern held in Bolivar yesterday afternoon,
it was decided to begin work at once on the widening of the narrow gauge system from Olean to Bolivar,
converting into a standard gauge,
eighteen miles in length, making connection at Olean with the Buffalo division of the Pennsylvania
railroad.
All of the material has been purchased and is stored along the proposed route. The rails will be eight
five-pound steel and new rolling stock will be purchased for this division. The route will be a new one,
surveyed last year, and will be on the direct line of the Shawmut Trunk road from the coal fields of
Pennsylvania across New York State to Macedon.
Work will begin Monday, the first gang of men arriving from Pennsylvania yesterday. The standard
gauging of this division leaves only a twenty-mile open link between Bolivar and Angelica to connect up
all the standard gauge division and that will probably be speedily constructed. Vice-President Smith, of
the Shawmut line, states that the failure of Marquad & Co., for which he is assignee, in no way affects the
Shawmut line, and that the road is in better shape today than ever before. The people of Bolivar
voluntarily contributed $10,000 to the right of way fund and other towns in the county have done as well.
The Shawmut line owns 35,000 acres of the best coal lands in Pennsylvania and its trunk line when
completed, as it will be speedily traverses a region rich in coal timber, clay, glass rock, natural gas and
petroleum in fact the richest manufacturing country in Western Pennsylvania. In New York it runs through
a rich manufacturing and agricultural country. The work of constructing the new line will be in charge of
Frank P. Byrne, of Detroit, president of the Interior Construction Company and a brother of Mayor John
Byrne, president of the Shawmut line.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Aug. 1, 1901
Work Under Way
____
Force of Men and Teams Making Roadbed for Shawmut Standard Gauge
The work of widening the gauge of the Shawmut Line between Bolivar and Olean is under way in
earnest. Engineer Macomb said yesterday that 80 men and 20 teams were at work just below Little
Genesee where a camp of eleven tents has been made for the Italian laborers. A well has been drilled for
water and in honor of the Chief Engineer the camp has been named Camp Macomb.
The Italians are paid 13 1/2 cents an hour and the teams are paid $4 a day. The Italians observe
Sundays, all feast days and holidays and an interpreter keeps things moving smoothly between the men
and their employees.
Engineer Macomb says that the Shawmut's steam shovel will be put at work in a couple of weeks and
that a standard gauge work train will be put on as soon as the steam shovel comes. He says that most of
the work will be done by the steam shovel and the teams, and there is really not much of the work that will
be done by the Italians. The right of way contracts are being closed up rapidly and the engineers are
blazing the way close on the heels of the right of way men. It is expected now that the standard gauge
trains will be running into Bolivar by the first of December.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Aug. 8, 1901
Railroad Work Humming
Work on the construction of the roadbed of the standard gauge line of the Shawmut Line between
Olean and Bolivar is humming in the vicinity of Little Genesee where 30 teams and about 150 men are at
work. In all but three cases the new right of way between Bolivar and Main Settlement has either been
bought and paid for or can be closed up at once. The steam shovel is expected to be in use on the new
line in a few days.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Aug 15, 1901
THE RAILROAD SITUATION
The citizens of Bolivar have reason to shake hands with themselves over the present
railroad situation. For half a century, ever since the Erie railroad was built across Allegany
county and gave Bolivar the go by, the people of the town have hoped that some day a
standard gauge railroad would be built through here. When the oil boom came it brought
with it two flimsily constructed narrow gauge railroads which answered the purpose of
transportation as well as narrow gauge railroads can, but when the boom went out one of
the narrow gauge roads went with it and the other faded into a right of way and a streak of
rust. The owners did not want to spend any more money on it because it was rough and
crooked and they hoped some day t build a full grown, standard gauge road on a new
survey road on a new survey to replace the little road that had answered when the boom
was on.
And the work of constructing the new line is well under way, so there is no longer doubt
of the completion of the enterprise. President Byrne of the Interior Construction Company
who has charge of the construction of the new line states emphatically that standard gauge
trains will be running between Bolivar and Olean by Thanksgiving Day. Before another ear
has rolled away there is every reason to believe that the open link of 20 miles between
Bolivar and Angelica will have been connected up and coal trains running from the mines
down in Pennsylvania out across to Wayland, and beyond.
The policy of the Shawmut Line is to help develop the towns along the line through which
the road passes. If you don’t believe this, visit St. Marys, Smethport, Hazelhurst, Coryville
or ay of the towns through which the line runs. And this spirit is not altogether unselfish,
for every industry located in a town along the Shawmut Line means more freight, more
passengers, increased earning power—and larger dividends for stockholders. A standard
gauge railroad for Bolivar means the same freight rates that Olean enjoys, means a two
cent mileage book, means that Bolivar will become more important as a shipping point for
hay, potatoes, live stock and other farm products, means that with the natural has supply
that has lately been acquired, and the nearness to the coal beds of Pennsylvania that
Bolivar will be in just as good position to secure manufacturing plants as Olean, Wellsville,
Bradford, or any of the cities and towns in this part of the country.
Now—right on the eve of the consumation of hopes long deferred is it wise to
antagonize our friends, the railroad men, by granting permission to a trolley line to come in
and carry off the passenger traffic that is rightly theirs? If they take hold and help build up
Bolivar are they not in justice entitled to fair treatment? Should they not be encouraged
rather than discouraged? The writer believes that the railroad people intend to faithfully
carry out every promise made to the people of Bolivar—if they don’t—well, they’ll wish they
had—that’s all.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Aug. 15, 1901
Railroad News
____
Standard Gauge Trains Promised For Thanksgiving
_____
Thee are no indications that the Shawmut Line will run any Sunday trains between
Bolivar and Olean this summer. The Sunday excursion trains last summer did not pay
expenses.
__________
Yesterday the Shawmut Line purchased of William Bowler of Little Genesee the fifteen
acre gravel pit at the mouth of Slade Hollow, and within a few feet of the Shawmut track.
The bed is 30 feet in thickness and will be used for grading between Bolivar and Olean.
______
A foundation was completed on Monday for the new steel turntable to be placed in the
Bolivar yards. It is located just north of the old turntable and will be used by the narrow
gauge engines until the gauge is widened and standard gauge trains are running to Bolivar.
'______
The Shawmut engineer corps is now working between Olean and White House. The work
of laying out the new line in Olean was completed Monday. For a long distance between
Gordons and Merserveau's the new grade will be three feet higher than the old grade and
big fills will be made. The new tracks will be above high water mark.
______
There will be no change in Bolivar terminals when the standard gauge trains are put on
between Bolivar and Olean, for the present, anyway. The station and yards now occupied
will be used as heretofore. When the line is completed through to Angelica, it is expected
that a passenger station will be established uptown.
_______
Hundreds of pounds of dynamite wa was used by the Shawmut Line construction crew in
the rock cut between Ceres and Little Genesee during the past week. A new and wider
roadbed has been blasted out along the rocky ledge and the standard gauge track will set
on solid rock. The new grade is six feet lower th n the old grade, the grades have been
eliminated and the sag in the line will be filled in. The line for a distance of 2,000 feet in the
cut is being relaid with heavy steel and yesterday the trains ran over the new right of way.
________
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern R.R. Co. commenced, on Friday last, to run through
passenger trains between Smethport and Larrabee to connect with all passenger trains on
the Buffalo and Allegany Valley division of the Pennsylvania R.R. The Shawmut trains use
the Clermont branch between Coryville and Larrabee. This arrangement will be of grate
convenience to all Smethport passengers, as it will land them right in town, thus saving the
trip back and forth between this borough and East Smethport. - Smethport Democrat item.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Aug 20, 1901
LIVELY SUNDAY IN CERES.
______
Shawmut Line Builds 1,600 Feet of New and Heads off the Trolley Line.
There was considerabl excitement in Ceres last Sunday. At four o'clock that morning the
Shawmut Line engineer corps headed by Capt. A.G. McComb, and reinforced by 150 Italians
and 30 teams invadced Ceres and began the work of laying out, grading and completing a Y
1,600 feet in length.
The Y was built on the Carter lot just below Ceres, on which the Olean Electric railroad
had filed notice of location of their line two days previous The 1,600 feet of track was
surveyed, graded, ties and rails laid and switch connections made before midnight on
Sunday.
In addition a standard gauge engine was brought from Smethport to Ceres and placed on
the Y along with a number of cars to prevent the track from being torn up. The Ostrander
lot on which the Shawmut Line had previously surveyed a Y was purchased Saturday night
at a fancy price by the trolley people. The reason for building the Y on Sunday was that no
injunction could be served on that day by the trolley people, thus interfering with and
stopping the work.
W.R. Page hurried from Olean to Ceres on Sunday morning and served a notice of
location on Engineer McComb, who stuck it in his pocket. After watching the Italians stack
up clay for a few minutes, Mr. Page drove down the road that leads to Olean. The building
of the Y shuts the proposed trolley out of Ceres and the matter will likely be fought out in
the courts.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Aug. 22, 1901
PITTSBURG, SHAWMUT & NORTHERN RAILROAD
----------------------------------
About 20 dump cars were delivered at the rock cut this side of Ceres this week and are
being used in place of dump scrapers for carrying grade material.
----------------------------------
One construction gang is working on the new roadbed at the A. J. Hall farm between
Little Genesee and Bolivar, and the work is being pushed along rapidly.
----------------------------------
Just above Bowler’s a new channel has been cut for Bolivar creek and the course of the
stream changed for 300 feet in order to save the water cutting into the Shawmut Line
grade in times of flood.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Oct. 3, 1901
THE LATEST RAILROAD NEWS
The Shawmut Line steam shovel is now at work at Swains filling in the great horseshoe
trestle, work on which was partially completed two or three years ago. As soon as he work
at Swains is completed the steam shovel will be moved to the Bolivar division. It will arrive
next week.
____
The New York & Pennsylvania railroad company is expected to be running trains over their
new extension from Shingle House to Ceres early in November. The grading has been
completed to Myrtle, within two miles of Ceres and nearly three miles of ties and rails are
down. The longest bridge on the line is across Honeoye Creek and is built of heavy timbers.
___
Joseph Way, conductor on the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad was run over by
the cars at Hornellsville on Monday of lasxt week. His leg was broken just above the ankle
and he was badly bruised. He in some manner caught hold of the car just as the wheels
passed over his leg, and he was dragged a long distance before the train was stopped. He
was taken to his home in Angelica on a special train.
____
A Shawmut Line train is stationed on the switch at White House constantly to prevent
the trolley line from being thrown across the Shawmut tracks on a grade. Steam is kept up
in the engine and a train crew is on duty day and night. The Pennsylvania is also watchful
and has two night patrolmen and one day patrolman on guard constantly to see that the
trolley line is no rushed across their roadbed on a grade.
___
There was a small railroad war at Smethport on Tuesday morning of last week between
the employees of the Shawmut Line and a crew of Italians in the employ of E.K.
Kane's Kushequa Route. About one o'clock Tuesday morning he Shawmut Line force went
to work on a switch across land owned by Kane to connect their line with the glass works
and put them in line to receive a share of the freight.
At daylight the work was well underway and soon the Kane forces appeared and the air
was full of rocks, pick handles and Italian swear words. Several of the men were injured but
none seriously. A truce was agreed on and the matter was referred to to Judge Morrison for
adjustment. The Shawmut Line switch is still uncompleted but what was built has not been
disturbed.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Nov. 28, 1901
STANDARD GAUGE
First Train Reached Bolivar on Sunday, November 24.
_____
The first standard gauge train to run into Bolivar reached the Shawmut station at five o'clock, Sunday afternoon,
Nov. 24, a date to jot down in your diary. A work train drawn by Engine 9 with S.E. Heers at the throttle and John
Jacques in the fireman's seat came first, followed by Engine No. 11, in charge of Maser Mechanic L.B. Heers and
fireman John Van Brunt. No. 11 pulled a fine new coach destined for the Bolivar and Olean run. the new combination
smoker and baggage ca will not reach Bolivar from the shops for a week yet and in the interim a box car will answer
for a baggage car. The trains arrived at the lower end of the yards at three o'clock and as both engines began
tooting their whistles a mile down the valley, many people thought there was a fire down near the station, and
naturally a big crowd ran down that way and was on hand to greet the trains when they arrived. A keen wind was
blowing and a light rain falling. When the trains came the track through he yards was not widened out but in two
hours the narrow gauge switches had been torn out by the roots, the big rails were down and spiked, and the edge of
the station platform sawed off so that the standard gauge cars could run by. The trains remained at the station but
a few minutes and all who desired were given a free ride to Ceres and back. The narrow gauge engines made their
last trip over this end of the line on Sunday afternoon when they left for White House. The work of standard gauging
the line from White House to Olean will proceed rapidly, and President Byrne of the Construction Company says that
with favorable weather he will have standard gauge trains running into Olean from Bolivar one week from next
Monday. Mr. Byrne says that under the new schedule soon to go into effect that the running time from Bolivar to
Olean will not exceed 40 minutes and may be reduced to 35 minutes. It is expected that the number of trains will be
increased though no official statement to that effect has been issued. The old narrow gauge line is to be ripped up
at once and the iron shipped to the mines n Pennsylvania for use on the company's coal roads. The old roadbed will
be abandoned on Jan. 1. The new road bed which has been built under the supervision of Chief Engineer McComb,
is a fine one, substantially and nearly all of the curves in the old line have been eliminated and the grades reduced.
The roadbed is still a little "soft" but the work of ballasting and leveling up is proceeding rapidly. The first regular
run over the new road was made on Monday by Engine 11, in charge of Engineer William Johnson and Sam Smith as
fireman. Conductor John McLaughlin was in charge of the train and John Hale and Len White were the brakemen.
James McLaughlin will continue as American Express messenger. The new coach is finished in oak, the seats
are upholstered in elegant red plush. The train crew transfers to the narrow gauge at White House and completes
the regular run to Olean and return twice a day.
----------------------------------
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Dec. 10, 1901
LINE FROM CANISTEO THROUGH CERES
______
The new extension of the New York & Pennsylvania railroad from Shingle House to Ceres,
five miles, was opened for traffic yesterday, giving the New York & Pennsylvania a through
line from Canisteo to Ceres, fifty-seven miles. At Canisteo the New York & Pennsylvania
coinnects with the Erie railroad, at Ceres, with the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Norther, making a
valuable feeder for both the Erie and
Shawmut lines.
During the past two years many manufacturing plants have located in the Oswayo valley,
along the line of he New York & Pennsylvania, for the purpose of working up the hardwood
forests that cover the hills. At Shingle House, which is located in the famous Potter county
gas belt, one of the largest glass factories in the world is building; the plant covers nine
acres and will use a million feet of gas a day. Natural gas is furnished to the plant the first
year for three cents per thousand, and the ten-year contract calls for gas at an average
price of about six cents.
An unlimited amount of glass rock, that is 92 percent silica, lies a few miles out of
Shingle House, on one of the hills. Through trains will be run from Canisteo to Ceres and
connection made with the Shawmut Line passenger trains from Bolivar for Olean. The New
York & Pennsylvania will use the Shawmut yards, water tank and station at Ceres, and for
the present F.H. Call will act as agent at Ceres for both roads.
The last strip of oil region, narrow-gage railroad in New York state is being ripped up, and
within a month the narrow gauge division of the Shawmut Line, eighteen miles in length,
connecting Bolivar and Olean, will have disappeared. The gauge has already been widened
out to White House, where the Shawmut line crosses the Buffalo division of the
Pennsylvania, and work is well underway on the strip between White House and Olean, a
distance of seven miles.
The standard gauge line between White House and Bolivar has been constructed on a
new survey, the grades and curves have been eliminated and the rails are 85-pounders. The
steam shovel is working in a twenty-acre gravel pit between Bolivar and Ceres, and two
work trains are hurrying along the grade. The work of construction is in charge of Colonel
F.P. Byrne of Detroit, president of the Interior Construction Company; and A.G. McComb, of
Bradford, chief of the engineer corps of the Shawmut Line, lays out and directs the work of
the forces. About 150 Italians are working on the grade.
When the new line is in operation, the running time from Bolivar to Olean will be reduced
from one hour and ten minutes to thirty-five minutes, and the freight and passenger service
both materially improved. With the coming of spring, it is expected that the line between
Bolivar and Angelica, twenty miles, which line had been surveyed and cross-staked, and
right of way secured, and the line between Larrabee and White House will be pushed to an
early completion, thus realizing the dream of the owners of the Pittsburg, Shawmut &
Northern, a trunk line from their bituminous coal properties in Pennsylvania to Central New
York and the lake beyond.
The narrow gauge iron will be shipped to the company's mines in Pennsylvania, for use
on new mine lines that are being constructed. The assistant auditor's office at Angelica has
been abolished, and the work will all be done hereafter at the main office in St. Marys.
Assisant Auditor E.B. Tilden and his clerks have been ordered to report to St. Marys.
----------------------------------
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, January 20, 1902
Twenty-four Miles in Twelve Hours.
The high winds of Sunday and Sunday night drifted the snow so badly that the
Shawmut road was badly crippled and only one train was run over the line Monday. That
train left Wayland at 7 a.m. and ran to Hornellsville, a distance of twenty-two miles, in just
twelve hours.
The train got stalled in a drift when three and a half miles out from Wayland and could
not go either way. Crews were sent from both Wayland and Hornellsville, and work was
begun on both ends of the blockade. It was slow work and it was nearly 6 o’clock before the
train could proceed toward Hornellsville.
----------------------------------
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, March 1, 1902
Allegany In For It
_____
Travel Suspended on Olean Division of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern River Rising.
__
Bolivar, Feb. 28. - Rain has been falling steadily in Allegany county for fourteen hours and the great mass of snow
that covered the ground like a blanket to a depth of three feet has melted away rapidly.
Every stream is over its bank, small bridges are washed out, cellars are filled with water, stage lines are
abandoned and the words flood in years is feared tonight.
Traffic on the Olean division of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railway is suspended. One passenger train is
stalled in the flood between Bolivar and Little Genesee, with the trucks of one car off the track. The passengers
reached safety this afternoon by walking a plank to high ground. The Allegany river at Portville is rising steadily and it
is not likely that the Shawmut line will be able to move trains into Olean for several days, as the track for a long
distance follows the river bank.
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, March 22, 1902
Possibilities of the Shawmut
________
Almost Completed Up to Wayland
____
The latest move of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad is to seek an entrance
into Pittsburg from its coal properties in Jefferson, Elk and Clearfield counties in
Pennsylvania, and a connection with the Wabash. The financial interests that have recently
been allied with the Shawmut line are largely interested in the Wabash and the intention is
to mutually benefit both systems.
During the past three weeks A.G. McComb, chief engineer of the Interior Construction
and Improvement Company, with assistants, have been in Pittsburg looking the ground over
and planning an entrance into that city. The engineering difficulties are rather complicated
but the intention is to enter the city over the Wabash terminals. The Buffalo, Rochester &
Pittsburg found it very profitable to extend its lines from the coal fields on down to
Pittsburg, and the Shawmut line officials believe it will be just as profitable for their road,
especially with a Wabash connection.
With the exception of a twenty-mile link and a seven-mile link, the Shawmut line has its
different divisions connected up between Wayland on the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western
and Brockwayville in the Jefferson county coal fields. Three corps of surveyors are now at
work running lines over the open links and work on the construction will begin in a short
time. There are now being loaded at Burnside, Ky., for the construction between Bolivar and
Angelica. The Shawmut line passes through Steuben, Allegany and Cattaraugus counties in
New York and McKean, Elk, Jefferson and Clearfield counties in Pennsylvania.
The completed line will run from Pittsburg to a point on Lake Ontario, beyond Macedon,
crossing all the trunk lines in Pennsylvania and New York, and giving the Wabash an open
field into New York State, with connections for New England points and the sea coast.
Primarily the Shawmut line will be a coal carrying road. It owns 60, acres of rich bituminous
coal lands in Clearfield, Jefferson and Elk counties, including the famous group of Shawmut
mines. The mines are now shipping several thousand tons a day, and are all equipped with
electricity and electrical mining machinery, and the output will be double within a year.
At Byrne, in Elk county, is a thriving town of several hundred population that has been
created during the past year and named after President Byrne of the Shawmut. The town
has a complete water plant, natural gas, schools, churches, houses that are plumbed and
fitted with many modern conveniences, a town that is occupied by the employees of the
new mines recently opened by the Shawmut line. The company operates hotels and stores,
and where this thriving town stands today there was nothing but stumps and brush
eighteen months ago.
In addition to coal properties which provide a heavy tonnage and will for a century at
least, the road taps rich timberlands, clay beds, glass sand and runs through gas and oil
territory. There are today nearly a dozen glass plants on the line of the road, numerous
furniture factories, sawmills, chemical works and other industries that employ much labor
and afford a large tonnage. The industrial department of the Shawmut line which is
maintained at large expense seeks to secure free sites for all manufacturers who desire to
locate along the line of the road.
It is anticipated that this work now being laid out by the surveying parties will be under
way as soon as spring opens. The consulting engineer, William Barclay Parsons, of New
York, who has charge or the rapid transit tunnel in New York, is a frequent visitor along the
line of the road. He was in Bolivar a few days ago and stated that the hardest proposition on
the line was to get over the mountain between Bolivar and Friendship, the summit of which
is five miles from Bolivar and 361 feet above this village.
----------------------------------
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, April 17, 1902
Beginning Work on P.S. & N.
_____
Forty Miles of New Line This Summer
___
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad will build forty miles of new line this season
and connect the Pennsylvania and New York divisions. Forty miles of new steel rails are now
stacked up at White House and Angelica and 150,000 ties are being loaded in Kentucky for
use on the new line. The fish plates, bolts and other needed material are stored in
Bolivar, Angelica and at White House.
The rails are eight-five pound and the ties of best quality. The surveys are about
completed, the corps having been working steadily over a year, and thousands of dollars
spent in preliminary work. The contract has been let to the Interior Construction and
Improvement Company, of which Frank P. Byrne, of Detroit, is president. The sub-contracts
will be let just as soon as the plans and specifications are ready and work will begin in a
short time.
It is planned to have through trains running from Cool Spring, Armstrong county, Pa.,
the southern terminus in the Pennsylvania coal fields to Wayland, N.Y., the present northern
terminus, by next Christmas.
Next season will see the norther terminus extended to a point on Lake Ontario and the
southern terminus to Pittsburg, where a connection will be sought with the Wabash. General
Thomas Hubbard, of New York, a director of the Wabash, is none one of the strong financial
men in the Shawmut line syndicate and this is significant. M.F. Bonzana, formerly with the
Pennsylvania and Lehigh, is now chief engineer of the Shawmut line and has active charge
of the new surveys. The completed line will be 250 miles long.
The longest link to be built this season will be between Bolivar and Angelica, twenty-five
miles. it will also be the most expensive. Mr. Bonzana has modified the survey made last
year, which cut through the residence part of the village, and the new line will follow the old
survey of the valley to Richburg and the present yards and station will be used.
The new survey will be what is known as a 70 percent grade between Bolivar and the
summit of the West North, midway between Bolivar and Friendship. Over this summit a
pusher will be used on all heavy trains. The right of way for long distances between Bolivar
and Angelica will follow the old narrow gauge line of the Shawmut, the rails from which
were ripped up several years ago when the line came into the possession of the present
owners.
During the past year the narrow gauge division between Bolivar and Olean has been
made a standard gauge, so thee is only a short line between White House, where the
Shawmut line crosses the Buffalo division of the Pennsylvania and Larrabee, Pa., where
connection is made with the Smethport division of the Shawmut and a little five-mile strip
between Clermont and Marvindale to build after the Bolivar and Angelica link is completed
to connect the entire system.
The new locomotives of the latest improved type are to be placed in service on the
Shawmut line this year. Two are now building and the specifications are completed for eight
more. New passenger and freight cars are building and the equipment throughout will be of
the best.
The mines of the Shawmut line are now producing and shipping 4,000 tons of coal a
day. If cars could be secured the present output could be increased to 7,000 tons a day.
The mines are equipped with electricity and compressed air mining machines and a large
part of the output of the mines goes o Buffalo. The Grand Trunk and the Wabash railroads
and the Buffalo waterworks receive their coal supply from the Shawmut mines. The rest of
the coal produced is shipped into New England. The Shawmut line owns 80,000 acres of the
best soft coal lands in Pennsylvania and has options that will be closed on 20,000 acres
additional.
Asked if the fuel oil from Texas was not likely to injure the coal trade of the
Shawmut mines Mr. Byrne stated that he had no fears in that direction. The market for fuel
is expanding so rapidly that there will be territory always available to be supplied with both
coal and oil. Points on the sea coast and along the Gulf he thought will be invaed by the
tank steamers and coal displaced perhaps by oil, but there will be no marked cut into the
coal markets in other parts of the country. he believes that oil will more readily find a
market as fuel for the great steamship lines and that an increase in manufacturing
industries on the gulf coast section will make way with a large portion of the fuel oil
produced by the Texas wells.
Mr. Byrne states that all sub-contractors will be required to give heavy bonds and that
no contracts will be made except with large contractors who can furnish the men needed to
complete the work in the shortest possible time after it is begun.
The Olean Electric Railway, wich parallels the line of the Sawmut from Olean to White
House, seven miles, is fighting for three crossings at grade for an extension from White
House to Bolivar, twelve miles. The grading is nearly all finished, the rails strung or laid and
the poles set from White House to Bolivar, but the work is now held up by litigation, the
mater having been sent to a referee.
The street car company has erected a large power house, six miles below Bolivar, and is
drilling a gas well to supply fuel for the power house. The trolley survey crosses the
Shawmut line at White House and at Ceres and the main line a mile east of Ceres.
In event of being unable to secure a grade crossing, it is likely that the street car
company will either cross over or under the Shawmut line. At White House the electric road
survey also crosses the Buffalo division of the Pennsylvania and a grade crossing has been
asked for and denied. This will also be fought out in the courts. The trolley company is going
ahead and completing the line with the exception of the crossing asked for. The Shawmut
line and the Pennsylvania declare that they will carry the cases to the court of appeals
before they will grant a grade crossing. President Byrne, of the Shawmut, does not intend to
have a grade crossing on his entire line when it is completed.
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Bolivar Breeze, Thursday, May 15, 1902
President Byrne and Other Prominent Shawmut Line Officials Were in Bolivar, Monday
President John Byrne of the Shawmut Line came to town Monday in company with a party of his able lieutenants
and advisors. They were on a tour of inspection and remained here only two hours, returning to Olean on the
afternoon train. The party was made up of General Manager Maroney, Chief Engineer Bonzano, Auditor Hastings,
Trainmaster Hufstader, Engineer Derr, and Superintendent of telegraph lines Tarbell.
Mr. Maroney stated in an interview that work would shortly begin on the line between Bolivar and Angelica and
that three crews would be put at work, one at Bolivar, one at Friendship and the other at Angelica. He stated
emphatically that trains would be running between Bolivar and Angelica before snow flies.
Major Byrne was in particularly fine spirits but he won't be happy until he sees some tall factory chimneys in
Bolivar. He says that the Shawmut Line will do everything in its power to build up the towns along the line and that
the railroad company will expect the hearty cooperation of the citizens and property owners of the towns.
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Bolivar Breeze
Thurs., May 19, 1902
The Shawmut Line has completed a new switch 675 feet in length in the Bolivar yards to make room to store the oak ties that are arriving daily from the south.
There are now 10,000 ties piled up in the yards here for use on the line between Bolivar and Angelica.
Engine No. 15, which was recently thoroughly overhauled in the shops at Angelica was brought to Bolivar, Friday evening and was put into service on the Shawmut Line this week. Twenty new flat cars have arrived from St. Marys and with engine 15 will compose a work train.
The Bolivar extension of the Olean street railway is completed from White House to Ceres with the exception of the crossing of the Shawmut Line wye at Ceres. The crossing will be fought over before a referee at Olean, June 2. The heavy machinery for the power house on the Case farm this side of Ceres is now being placed in position.
A contract has been let by the Shawmut Line for the building of the link between Clermont and Kasson, five miles. The work will start at once. The link will connect up the St. Marys branch with the Smethport branch and give a continuous line from the coal field to Coryville where a connection will be made with the Pennsylvania for the present.
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Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Friday, July 4, 1902
Action To Set Aside Foreclosure Sale.
____
More P., S. & N. Litigation
____
Are the Shawmut Interests Trying to Secure New York
and Pennsylvania Property as a Profitable Feeder -
Allegany County.
___
Hon. Frank Sullivan Smith, of Angelica, general counsel for the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern
railroad, has brought suit against William Richardson, of Hornellsville, Cobb Brothers, of Spring Mills, and
the other parties interested in the recent purchase of the New York & Pennsylvania railroad, to have the
recent foreclosure sale set aside on the grounds of collusion and fraud.
Mr. Smith is the owner of $13,000 of the bonds of the road and is protecting his interests, as well as
the interests of other bondholders. An injunction asked for has been granted and a long and bitter fight for
the possession of the road is in prospect.
The line is fifty-two miles long and runs from Canisteo to Ceres, looping through Potter and McKean
counties in Pennsylvania. Thee has been litigation over the road almost from the day the first link from
Oswayo to Genesee Forks was completed. J.B. Rumsey, who made $75,000 in cash in the gas business
in Ohio, organized the company originally and invested all his money in the road. An effort was made to
freeze him out and the matter has been in the courts for several years, being carried to the highest
tribunal. Rumsey won but before the matter was adjusted by the courts the road was sold foreclosure by
the holders of the mortgage.
It is not likely that Mr. Smith is representing the Rumsey interests also. Mr. Smith is a consulting railroad
attorney for Andrew Carnegie and for many large corporations and has been very successful. His
appearance in the litigation may mean several things.
The New York & Pennsylvania has a connection with the Shawmut line at Ceres and it may be that the
Shawmut interests are concerned in acquiring the property as a feeder, as the road passes through a
region that furnishes a large tonnage of lumber, bark, leather, hides, heading, glass and other freight
beside a large amount of passenger business for points reached by the Shawmut line and its
connections.
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Bolivar Breeze, August 7, 1902
(Advertisement)
TEAMS WANTED
___
Fifty teams wanted to work on Shawmut line railroad between Bolivar and Friendship. Apply to M. J. Burke, Superintendent for Lathrop, Shea & Henwood Company at the Newton House, Bolivar, N.HY., at once. Steady work.
------------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Aug. 14, 1902
ODD SIGHT IN BOLIVAR.
_____
Forty-Five Ton Steam Shovel Run Up Main Street on a Movable Steel Railroad
Track. Located Near Richburg.
A big steam shovel owned by Lathrop, Shea, & Henwood, the firm having the contract
for building the Shawmut Line grade between Bolivar and Friendship was moved up Boss
street onto Main street on Monday and headed for Richburg where it will be used in cutting
away a hill and furnishing gravel for a big full on the Richardson farm.
The shovel weighs 45 tons and is moved along under its own steam o a sectional
railroad track about 50 feet in length. The ties have handles on them and the rails are in
sections of about six feet. Then the ties and rails it has passed over are taken up and the
track extended in front for another forward movement. The work of moving is in charge of
“Noisy” Murphy, a big strapping fellow who knows how to get a big days work out of his
Italian assistants.
Usually long sections of rails are used which are moved by a team but they failed to
reach Bolivar in time so the short rails were used and they wer moved by the Italians. With
the long rails it is possible to move the steam shovel a mile a day. The only serious
difficulty in this village was in making the curve at the corner of Main and Boss streets,
opposite the bank. There the rear wheels of the shovel jumped the track and some time
was lost.
The shovel is a powerful machine and in ten hours working at full speed it can load 600
dump cars with gravel or at any rate of one a minute, thus doing the work of one big gang
of men. It works with almost human intelligence and the mechanism is quite
complicated. Such a steam shovel as this one costs from $7,000 to $8,000. Lathrop, Shea
& Henwood own dozens of them. More than one hundred people spent all day Monday
[August 11th, 1902] watching the work of moving the shovel and handing down decisions
as to the best way in which to do such work. “Noisy” Murphy is a great and he refused to
receive any advice. He told anxious inquirers that the shovel weighed 90 tons and cost
$120,000.
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Bolivar Breeze, Aug 14, 1902
THE SHAWMUT LINE
Work Between Bolivar and Angelica Going Slowly
Probably the work that apparently presents the most engineering difficulties on the
Shawmut Line is the construction of the large concrete abutments and piers for the bridge
over the Genesee river. It used to be thought that concrete could not be laid in cold
weather but modern skill and methods now accomplishes this the same as in warm
weather.
The north abutment is completed, says the Angelica Advocate. This extends twenty feet
below the level of the river and over thirty feet above it. After the work on this abutment
was completed the most accurate measurements failed to detect a variation of one onehundredth
of an inch in the elevation of the bridge seat from the original plan. The
abutment on the south side of the river is many feet above the level of the water and out of
all danger from high water.
There are to be three supporting piers between the two abutments. It has proven much
more difficult to keep the water out of the casements for these piers than in ordinary bridge
construction owing to the gravelly character of the underlying soil but the contractors have
several large centrifugal pumps at work and are proving themselves masters of the
situation. The big fill on the Youngs farm is nearly completed to the river.
The long deep cut on the Anglican Church property is progressing as rapidly as can be
with one steam shovel. With one more cut through this it will be nearly completed. The
work between Friendship and Bolivar is mostly light work and what remains to be done can
be quickly completed in the spring. This is true between Friendship and West Notch, with
the exception of the big cut and fill at Nile where a steam shovel is working
continuously. From Richburg to Bolivar the work is all very light.
It is now expected by the Shawmut Line officials that trains will be running from Bolivar to
Angelica by July 1. The great fill on the Richardson farm on the East Notch road will be
completed by the last of March.
One mile of the Shawmut Line’s new grade between Clermont and Marvindale will cost
$100,000. Within that distance there are three fills, one of which is 1,500 feet long, 100
feet high, and 300 feet wide at the bottom of the deepest point of the gorge which it
crosses. An arched stone culvert seven feet wide, six feet high, and 300 feet long passes
under the fill and carries away the water of a small creek. The bed of the culvert is of
cement. This great fill will be completed by April 1.
B. C. Mulhern, trainmaster of the Shawmut Line, was among the visitors in Bolivar,
Tuesday. J. C. Leggett of Cuba, Stanley N. Wood of Hinsdale, and Frank N. Godfrey of
Olean have been appointed by the Court as commissioners in the condemnation case of the
Shawmut Connecting Railroad Company against William E. Hornblower, a proceeding to
acquire a right of way in the town of Portville. The first hearing will be at Olean January 22.
Frank S. Smith was in Buffalo Monday on the condemnation case of the Shawmut against
Lucinda Norton, a case to acquire an additional width of right of way in Friendship
village. Judgment of condemnation was granted and J. C. Leggett of Cuba, George A. Beers
of Bolivar and Charles F. Ingham of Hume were appointed commissioners. The final hearing
will be held at Friendship on January 24.
----------------------------------
Whitesville News, Thursday, October 30, 1902
Shawmut Now Open After Being Closed 107 Days
After a tie-up of 107 days, the Angelica branch of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad was opened Saturday and a train ran from this city to Angelica over refillings, new bridges and culverts which have just been finished.
Not since the memorable flood which nearly washed Angelica off the map, has a train been run over the Shawmut into the town. The trains have been running as far as the county house and from that point a stage route has been maintained over the Shawmut into the village. It was, therefore, a welcome sight to the people of Angelica, Saturday, to see their long-absent friend, the Shawmut locomotive, come into town and were delighted to know that railroad communication with the outside world has been resumed. - Hornell Times
-----------------------------------
Belmont Dispatch, Nov. 21, 1902
No traffic for the Shawmut.
Only seven passengers in one week is reported on the Bolivar to Olean division of the Shawmut railroad. This dearth of passengers is laid to the absorbing ability of the new electric road between those places and unless there comes an increase of trade on the steam road that division of the Shawmut is destined for the woodchucks and overgrown weeds and grass.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Nov. 27, 1902
Since the Olean Street Railway Company has been running its cars into Bolivar the effect
on the Shawmut Line's passenger traffic over the Bolivar division has been very marked.
The trolley line now carries at least 80 percent of the passengers between Bolivar and
Olean.
The Shawmut rate is $1 for the round trip and the trolley rateis 60 cents. It was
anticipated that the Shawmut Line would cut the rate to meet the competition of the trolley
but so far no effort has been made to meet trolley rates.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Oct. 9, 1902
AMICABLE ADJUSTMENT
The differences between the Shawmut Line and the Olean Street Railroad Company
which have been before the courts for some time have been adjusted satisfactorily to both
parties. The Shawmut Line has granted the trolley company a right to cross their Y at Ceres
and to cross under their tracks at Cases.
The track has been taken out of the highway below Ceres and relaid over the Y. It is
expected that the crossing at Cases will be completed within sixty days. This will give the
trolley company a clear from White House to Bolivar. For the present, there will be a
transfer at Cases.
It is expected that cars will be running into Bolivar within a short time now. The
Pennsylvania has to pay part of the expense for the Pennsylvania management is dead
against grade crossings on its main lines and the Buffalo division is daily becoming more
and more important as a course for through traffic.
It is a matter for congratulation to all concerned that the differences between the
Shawmut Line and the trolley company have been settled.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze,Thurs., Oct. 9, 1902
INTERLOCKING SWITCH
___
The Shawmut Line is installing at White House where a grade crossing is made on the
Pennsylvania railroad tracks an international interlocking safety switch. It is a complicated
device and by its use it is impossible for a collision to occur on a crossing.
The switches are operated by a series of levers from a tower located near the crossing.
The tower is about 24 feet high and has lookouts of glass so that a train can be seen as well
as heard a long way off. An operator will be stationed in the tower. Instead of wires, such as
are used in operating the block system, gas pipes are used to control the switches and they
move back and forth on rollers. The device cost $6,000, and will be in operation about next
Monday.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Oct. 9, 1902
Shawmut Terminal at Olean
___
Since last Friday the Shawmut Line trains have not been running into the Pennsylvania
railroad station at Olean owing to the fact that the Pennsylvania is now using the track on
which the Shawmut Line trains formerly ran into the station on exclusively for southbound
traffic. The other track is used for northbound traffic and a regular double track service is
now maintained through the Olean yards and beyond.
It is only a question of a short time when the entire Buffalo division will be double
tracked. Shawmut Line trains now receive and discharge passengers at the foot of
Barry street, opposite the Acme Mills, about 260 feet from the south end of the
Pennsylvania station platform.
The Olean papers printed erroneous statements regarding a row between the
Pennsylvania and the Shawmut, stating that trains were not allowed to proceed beyond the
highway bridge. It is possible that within a short time that the Shawmut Line will establish
an independent station at Olean, but no decision has yet been reached in the matter.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Oct. 9, 1902
SHAWMUT'S BIG FILL
____
One Fill Near Palmerville is 100 Feet High and 1,200 Feet Long
____
The big fill at Palmerville is said to be the most expensive piece of railroad construction
on the entire Shawmut line; there are 250 men employed, which are apportioned into day
and night shifts, each shift working eleven hours out of 24, says the Smethport Democrat.
There are two immense steam shovels at work on this fill, each shovel having a capacity
of handling 44 tons of earth and rock every ten minutes, giving one a slight inkling of what
is being done in the way of railroad construction in that vicinity.
In coming from Clermont the survey of the Shawmut gives a perfect loop across a deep
ravine at Palmerville, the road crossing the ravine twice, the two crossings being within a
few rods of each other. The largest fill at its base is 370 feet across and will be one hundred
feet high and about 1,200 feet long when completed.
This fill is pierced by a sluceway of solid masonry 370 feet long by 6x10 feet inside
measurement, containing 1,200 yards of masonry, to accommodate a small stream that
flows through the ravine. About 30 feet of this fill has been completed.
----------------------------------
Auburn Weekly Bulletin, January 16, 1903
Will Build a Short Railroad.
Albany, Jan. 15. – The Northern Shawmut Railroad Company was incorporated here with
a capital of $30,000 to operate a steam road 2 ½ miles long from a point on the line of the
Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Railroad Company in Grove, Allegany county, to Michael’s
Mills, Ossian, Livingston County.
The directors are: C.W. Artz, F.H. Mollenhauer, F.J. Fieker, H.F. Granger and G.C. Atkins
of New York city; A.M. Wellman and Guy Wellman of Friendship, S.M. Ayers of Jersey City
and F.W. Frost of Brooklyn.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, January 29, 1903
LATEST SHAWMUT LINE NEWS
____
Batch of Resignations and Appointments.
Sections on Olean Division Consolidated.
Nubs of News
B. C. Mulhern, trainmaster of the Shawmut Line with headquarters in Olean, has resigned and W. H. Hufstader of Hornellsville has been promoted to that position. Mr. Hufstader will now have charge of the Smethport, Olean, Wayland and Angelica divisions and will move from Hornellsville to Olean. C. M. Carney, Assistant Trainmaster, has also resigned and will be succeeded by H. R. Watkins, an employee in Mr. Hufstader’s office at Hornellsville. It is given out that Mr. Mulhern will likely join the Grand Trunk forces.
___
The three sections of the Olean division have been consolidated into two by the abolishment of the Ceres section. John Dillon, foreman of the Ceres section, has resigned. The Bolivar section will now extend as far down the line as Main Settlement and the Olean division will embrace the track between Olean and Main. Charles Young will have charge of the Bolivar section and E. F. Bell will have charge of the Olean section.
___
R.D. Coyle, station agent for the Buffalo & Susquehanna at Costello, has accepted a position as trainmaster in the dispatcher’s office of the Shawmut Line at St. Mary’s.
___
Friendship parties recently attacked the validity of the Shawmut Line charter. The decision of the referee affirms the validity of the charter and hands out a bill of $150 and costs.
___
A commission award L. M. Wait of Friendship $375 damages for land taken by the Shawmut Line for right of way. About two acres of land was involved.
___
The commission awarded Mrs. Lucinda Norton of Friendship $450 damages for land taken by the Shawmut Line. The railroad company had offered her $500.
-----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Feb. 19, 1903
TO CONNECT WITH P.R.R.
________
It is given out semi-officially that a trackage arrangement has been made between the
Pennsylvania railroad and the Shawmut Line by the terms of which the Shawmut Line trains
will use the track of the Pennsylvania between Larrabee and a point near Millgrove when
connected will be made with the Sawmut Line to Olean Junction on the Langworthy farm,
two miles below Ceres.
A link two and a half miles long between Olean Junction and the Pennsylvania will be built
as soon as possible. When this is completed and the Marvindale line is finished through
trains can be run from the Shawmut mines to Bolivar. Then only the link between Bolivar
and Angelica will have to be completed before through trains can be running from the coal
mines to Wayland on the D.L.& W.
The expense of a new track from Larrabee to Millgrove will be heavy as he Allegany river
must be crossed and much of the land is low and subject to overflows in flood time, making
high and expensive embankments necessary to carry the track above high water mark. The
trackage arrangement seems like a very easy solution of the problem, but it is not likely
that the Shawmut Line will long be satisfied with anything less than their own rails all the
way.
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Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., April 17, 1903
DEATH OF MITCHELL S. BLAIR
____
Well Known Railroad Official died Monday at His Home in Hornellsville
____
Succumbs to Blood Poison. Was for Many Years, a Leading Citizen of Angelica. Funeral Takes Place at Angelica
Today.
____
Mitchell S. Blair, general superintendent of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad, died at his home in
Hornellsville, Monday morning. Mr. Blair had been sick for several weeks and had recently submitted to an operation
for a carbuncle on his neck from which it was believed he would recover but grew rapidly worse Sunday night and
passed away at an early hour Monday morning.
Mr. Blair was born in Durham, Greene county, N.Y., Dec. 15, 1838, and moved to Angelica in Oct. 1850. he was
married to Miss Harriet Denison of Forestville, Dec. 23, 1860. For many years he was engaged in the mercantile
business at Angelica being associated with William Franklin and operating one of the largest grist mills in the county
which was located about a mile from Angelica village.
Mr. Blair served as supervisor of Angelica in 1870, 1871 and 1875 and was appointed postmaster in 1878. He was
one of the county's leading and influential citizens and was prominent in Allegany politics, being a staunch
Republican.
Eighteen years go Mr. Blair entered the employ of the Lackawanna & Pittsburg Railroad as an auditor, and he has
since been connected with the road, which became the Shawmut Line. Mr. Blair was promoted to general
superintendent and for a time had his office in Hornellsville.
Later it was changed to St. Marys, Pa., but he lived in Hornellsville. The Shawmut is indebted to him for its
present prosperity, as he was a hardwrking official of the highest ability.
He is survived by a wife and three children, Charles E. of Denver, Colo., Frank S. of Angelica, and Miss Mary of
Hornellsville.
The funeral will be held this (Thursday) afternoon at the Presbyterian Church at Angelica, of which his father was
pastor for many years. A special train will carry the body, escorted by St. John's Commandery No. 24, K. T., of Olean,
of which Mr. Blair was a member and DeMolay Commandery, No. 22, of Hornellsville. The burial will take place at
the Angelica cemetery.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, May 21, 1903
The Shawmut Line has contracted for 2,250 tons of 85 pound steel rails to be delivered at Bolivar, Smethport and St. Marys next month. The rails cost about $29 a ton. Two years ago the Shawmut Line bought 40 miles of the same weight rails for $19.50 a ton.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., May 21, 1903
THREE BRIDGES BURNED.
____
Three Howe truss wooden bridges which spanned Toby Creek on the Clarion River
division were burned by forest fires on April 30, together with a section house and tool
house with tools. One bridge was 120 feet long, another 65, and the third 68 feet.
The section and tool houses were located at Finland. The bridges and buildings were
valued at $8,000, and were covered by insurance. About all of the big railroad companies
now insure their wooden bridges, buildings, engines and cars. The engines are insured
against explosions.
The insurance companies send inspectors to examine the engines once a year. By using
the B.R. & P. and P.R.R. traffic moves over the Clarion River division as usual. The burned
bridges will be replaced with steel.
----------------------------------
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, July 30, 1903
HORNELLSVILLE WILL BE NORTHERN TERMINAL OF SHAWMUT RAILROAD
_____
Hornellsville, July 30.- The relative importance of this city as a railroad center will be
greatly increased in a short time, as it will become the northern terminal of the entire
Shawmut Railroad system.
A party of Shawmut engineers have been in this city for the last few days completing
surveys of the land between the Shawmut and Erie roads, with the view of greatly
improving the facilities of the Shawmut for connecting with the Erie. As soon as the new
disconnected branches of the Shawmut Railroad can be connected into one line all the
products of the Shawmut coal mines will be shipped in this direction, and the Erie is
expected to take a large part of the coal from the mines.
In order to do this the present transfer tracks of the Shawmut will have to be extended
into a railroad yard capable of holding hundreds of cars. At the present time a single switch
serves as a source of transfer between the two roads. This will, it is expected, be enlarged
into a yard covering several acres of land.
In order to accommodate the increased coal traffic as soon as the lines of the Shawmut
are joined a great deal of work on the road is necessary between this city and Angelica.
About three hundred Italians are now working day and night between Hornellsville Junction
and Angelica, putting in all new ties, grading and cleaning up the roadbed. The men work on
the ties during the day and at night another force is kept busy hauling gravel from the bed
near Canaseraga. Every preparation is made to get the roadbed into immediate condition
for the hauling of coal trains.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Sept. 10, 1903
(Editorial)
ANGELICA'S GOOD LUCK
____
There is a well founded rumor afloat that the Shawmut Line shops are to be located at
Angelica and that within two years that village is to have 6,000 population. This much can
be relied on: If Frank Sullivan Smith's influence is powerful enough in the councils of the
Shawmut Line, Angelica will gather everything in the industrial line that can be secured.
As Vice President and General Counsel for the company he will no doubt be able to wield
much power in the matter. If Angelica gets the shops and the big increase of population that
will follow, Angelica will be by far the largest village in the county.
The building of the Shawmut Line across the county will be of great benefit, not only to
Angelica but also to the other nine towns which the road crosses, for the policy of the
company is to do all that is possible to do to locate factories in the different towns. This will
not be entirely a charitable work on the part of the railroad company for that corporation it
will mean more tonnage and more passenger traffic, and of course more earning power and
dividends. It will be simply good business policy.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Oct. 8, 1903
APPOINTED TRAINMASTER.
____
John McLaughlin of Bolivar, for many years a conductor on the Shawmut Line has been
appointed trainmaster of the Olean, Smethport and Angelica divisions, with headquarters in
Olean. The position became vacant some time ago by the resignation of W.H. Hufstader.
Mr. McLaughlin was offered the position a month ago but declined it, preferring to have a
run as conductor, and expecting the best passenger run when the road was completed as he
had been with the line ever since he began railroading. But the Shawmut officials insisted
on his taking the place anyway. If he does not like the work he will have his old place again
as conductor. Mr. McLaughlin began his work Monday morning.
"Jack" McLaughlin as he is familiarly known is one of the most popular railroad men in
Western New York. He is courteous, obliging and possesses good executive ability. The
appointment of trainmaster came to him as a surprise and as a reward for good work.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Oct. 15, 1903
COST OF CROSSING $10,000
____
Work is progressing rapidaly on the excavation for the underground crossing of the
Shawmut Line at Cases, a mile this side of Ceres. To make this tunnel under the railroad it
is necessary to move 10,000 cubic yards of earth and grave. A large number of men and
teams have been to work for three weeks and it will be a month yet before the work is
entirely finished.
From one end of thexcavation to the other is a distance of 600 feet. The retaining walls or
abutments on which the steel bridge will rest will be of concrete. The walls will be about 57
feet in length. The bridge will be 40 feet in length and the roadway under the track will be
24 feet wide and 14 feet in the clear. The 24 foot roadway will be occupied by the trolley
track and the highway. The rasilroad track crosses the highway at an angle which adds to
the length of the excavation.
A temporary hemlock trestle has been set up and all trains reduce speed to four miles an
hour crossing it. James K. VanCampen of Olean has the contract for the excavation and
concrete work and is hurrying it as fast as possible. The steel bridge has been on the ground
for several days. The cost of the crossing will be about $10,000.
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Oct. 29, 1903
Shawmut Opened South
____
Extension to Coal Fields Completed and Regular Train Service Began Monday.
_____
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad Company have completed the extension of
their line from Clermont to Kasson, near Smethport, Pa. This is the line on which the great
Loop-the-Loop has been constructed, which has attracted much attention throughout
Western New York and Pennsylvania for the past year or more.
This connecting link of the road now makes a direct short route from Olean, Bolivar,
Eldred and Smethport to the Shawmut Co.'s bituminous coal fields of Elk, Jefferson,
Clearfield and Armstrong counties.
Through train service was established on Monday, October 26, which will make all
through connections with the Pa. R.R. at St. Marys, Pa., and Olean, N.Y. and with the B.R.&
P. Ry. at Mt. Jewett, Pa.
The Shawmut Passenger Department has issued a very neat little pocket timetable,
which gives detailed information. A copy of same can be obtained by calling on your ticket
agent.
C.J. Renwick, General Passenger Agent.
D.F. Maroney, Vice President.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Nov. 26, 1903
NEW LINE IS OPEN.
_____
Special Train Run From Hornellsville to Olean Last Friday.
Regular Service Promised Soon.
____
The first train over the Shawmut Line from Hornellsville to Olean was run last Thursday,
Nov. 19. It was a special consisting of Engine No. 2 and a passenger coach. The only
passengers were Major John Byrne, President of the Shawmut Line, Col. Frank P. Byrne,
President of the Interior Construction Improvement Company and Engineer McComb. The
party was on a tour of inspection and pronounced themselves as well pleased with the
progress of the work, The train passed through Bolivar about 6 p.m., passing the regular at
White House and arrived in Olean at 7 p.m. On Friday the trip was continued to Mt. Jewett
and the train returned to Bolivar Friday evening, leaving here for Hornellsville on Saturday
morning. George Cooper was engineer and Edward Pettibone, fireman.
Old P. S. & N. RR Coach, probably at Angelica (submitted by Richard Palmer)
Bolivar Breeze, Dec. 31, 1903
New Train Schedule.
_____
The First Regular Through Trains Passed Over the Shawmut Line, Monday, Dec. 28.
- The Time Card.
The Shawmut Line began operating trains from Hornellsville to Mt. Jewett on Monday,
Dec. 28 on a new time car which went into effect on Sunday. It is an experimental time card
and if not satisfactory is likely to be altered. So far as Bolivar is concerned it is not
satisfactory for it is not possible to go to Friendship, Hornellsville or Angelica and return the
same day and there is no train to Olean after 10:45 a.m. The first train to reach Bolivar
is a local freight which starts from Angelica at 7 a.m., arrives here at 8:30 and leaves here
at 9 a.m., arriving at Olean at 10:20 a.m. the next is a passenger train which leaves
Hornellsville at 7:55 a.m., arriving at Bolivar at 10:45 a.m., arriving at Mt. Jewett at 12:50.
Those are the two southbound trains. The first train to arrive in Bolivar from he south is a
train which leaves Olean at 12 p.m. reaching Bolivar at 1:45 p.m. and arriving at
Hornellsville at 5:36 p.m. The second train leaves Mt. Jewett at 3:06 p.m., arriving at
Bolivar 6:55 p.m., connecting at Olean Junction with the Mt. Jewett at 6:10. This run
ends at Angelica where the train arrives at 8 p.m. The new time card gives Angelica and
Friendship excellent train service and the people there are well pleased with the schedule.
The mail service has not been improved as yet, but it is expected that within a few days
that it will be greatly improved as the matter has been taken up by the superintendent of
the railway mail service. The southbound through train makes connection with the B. R.&
P. flyer both to and from Pittsburg at Mt. Jewett, making a short cut to Pittsburg from this
section. Bolivar people will be pleased when the schedule is modified so that they can go to
Friendship, Belmont and other Allegany counts points and return the same day. Now it is
necessary to return by way of Olean.
----------------------------------
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Sat., Jan. 23, 1904
Railroads Are Under Water and Stage Lines Are Tied Up.
______
Bolivar, Jan.22. – Two inches of rain has fallen in Allegany county during the past fortyeight
hours, and it is still raining tonight with the mercury 50 above zero. Yesterday
morning there was from two to four feet of snow on the hills and valleys and it has been
steadily melting. The prospects are for the worst flood in years. There is six inches of water
over the Shawmut line rails at Little Genesee, three miles south of Bolivar, and water covers
the rails at two of three low places on the Smethport division. Regular trains are still in
service, but unless a cold wave comes tonight the traffic will be tied up
by tomorrow.
The tracks of the Olean street railroad, leading from Bolivar to Olean, are covered with
several inches of water at Little Genesee, but care are still ploughing through it tonight.
Every little brook is becoming a torrent and the ice has gone out of many of the small
creeks. The stage line from Bolivar to Wellsville is tied up. The driver had to swim his horses
this morning and could not return this afternoon , the stage and mail service being
abandoned. The Friendship and Bolivar mail stage could not get through on account of high
water and is tied up.
This has been the hardest winter known in Allegany county in many years. Today made the
sixty-first consecutive day of sleighing. The snowfall was very heavy and so for this has
been the worst month ever known on the oil leases in Allegany county. Hundreds of oil wells
have been shut down, owing to the cold and deep snow, and the oil production for this
month will be 50 percent below the usual monthly output.
Tuesday morning it was 25 below zero and Wednesday it was 33 above zero, a lightning
change of 58 degrees in thirty hours. The streets of Bolivar are flooded and a steady flood
of melting snow is pouring down from the hills in all directions. Only a cold wave can
prevent great damage to the residents of the valleys throughout Allegany County.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Feb. 4, 1904
THROUGH COAL TRAIN.
______
The first through coal train from the Shawmut Lines to Hornellsville passed through
Bolivar shortly before midnight, Thursday evening, Jan. 28. It consisted of a big mountain
locomotive, 25 cars of coal and a caboose. The train left St. Marys, Thursday morning and
felt its way over the line carefully.
On the grade just out of Bolivar station the train became stalled but after a short stop
during which more steam was raise, the big engine picked up the train and whirled it over
the West Notch and on to Angelica. At Angelica the big engine was detached and a lighter
one coupled onto the train for the run to Hornellsville.
There are a number of trestles on that part of the line and the Swains bridge was not
considered safe for the big engine so it was thought best not to take any chances. The big
engines will not be used on the line beyond Hornellsville until the bridges are made
absolutely safe for them.
Every day now a coal train passes through Bolivar and the sight will soon be too common
for remark. At present the coal is delivered to the Erie at Hornellsville.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Feb. 4, 1904
WRECK ON THE SHAWMUT
___
One Passenger and Several of the Crew Were Injured. Caused by A Broken Axle Box
A bad wreck occurred at about noon Tuesday on the Shawmut road in East Olean about
opposite George Pfeister's residence and near Quirin's tannery, says the Olean Herald. The
train leaving Olean for Bolivar and consisting of two freight cars and a combination express
and passenger car left the rails except the engine. The draw-head between the engine and
the first car broke and after running on the ties for 100 feet or more all three cars went into
the ditch.
There were four passengers on the train and of these only one was badly hurt. He is A.E.
Brandon of Allentown, N.Y. His nose and left wrist were badly cut. In the express part of
the combination car were four of the train crew and Express Messenger H.J. Thayer. The
latter received an injury to his right hip and Brakeman John Connors had his nose cut open.
Conductor Hathaway received a bad cut to the forehead.
Just how the train came to leave the rails is at present unknown. The first car, which was
loaded with feed is a total wreck. The second car rolled over on its side and slid into a deep
ditch on the north side of the track. The third car, which was the combination car, rolled
over on its ditch and finally in the ditch bottom side up and then rolled back on its side. A
passenger, who was sitting in the front seat was thrown into the closet and the stove
against him. he however escaped injury.
Later
Wednesday's Olean Herald says the wreck of the Shawmut train Tuesday noon nearly
opposite the home of George Pfeister, who resides in East State street, was caused by the
dropping of a part of an iron axle box on the first freight car which derailed the trucks of
that car and caused the three other cars to leave the tracks on the curve at that point
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, February 11, 1904
Reduced Rates on the Shawmut
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad Co. have placed on sale at Olean, Portville, Ceres, Little Genesee and Bolivar a 200 mile ticket at the low rate of 1 1/2 cents per mile which will be honored for passage between Olean and Bolivar, and intermediate points. This will make the rate of fare as follows:
Stations One Way Round Trip
Bolivar and Olean, 27c 54c
Little Genesee and Olean, 24c 48c
Ceres and Olean, 16c 32c
Portville and Olean, 9c 18c
C. J. RENWICK,
Gen’l Passenger Agent.,
20-tf St. Marys, Pa.
----------------------------------------------
Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, April 15, 1904
GENUINE BOOM STRIKES OLEAN
____
Olean is about to pass through one of the most prosperous years in her history. The
immense plans of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company are in a measure responsible. These
consist of the erection of an immense machine shop, a car shop, a boiler shop, and
roundhouse, together with a large railroad yard of the gravity pattern. The machine shop is
now in process of construction, the contract having been let to the Millard-McGraw Company
of Philadelphia, which has the foundations already laid. This main shop, on which many men
will be employed the coming summer, will be about 200 feet square, 75x200 of it being high
enough to arrange for the use of huge traveling electric cranes, while the rest of the shop
will be one story high.
The walls will be of brick and cement construction, arched with iron spans. In this
building will be man ducts and engine pits to the number of nine. There will be doors on all
sides. The west end will be of temporary construction, so that at any time an addition may
be put on.
The big gravity and classification yard, for which the company last year purchased about
100 acres of land, will be about two miles long and extend from the city line to the St.
Bonaventure College at Allegany. It will be about 800 feet wide.
All these improvements on the part of the Pennsylvania road will bring people here and
keep money in circulation, but in addition to this the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern
railroad are also to make a number of improvements. They, too, will arrange a local yard
and erect a freight and passenger station in the center of the city on land recently
purchased.
This company was compelled to buy a number of residences in order to get the central
land they desired, and they are now having these moved to lots they have purchased near
the proposed freight depot for the use of their employees, when they claim they will have to
house themselves, so scarce are houses of low rental.
There is a big demand for houses now, the boarding houses being overcrowded. Few are
for rent. Generally the rents went up here this spring.
Now there is a prospect for the moving here of a silk mill and a wooden pipe factory, the
latter employing about twelve married men. These have got to be supplied with houses
also. The demand has caused several moneyed men to believe that here will be money in
real estate and a large number of houses are being planned.
Several of the business blocks are to be added to this year and it is rumored that there
will be one or two large structures built. Stores are at a premium, there being at the present
time several businessmen who are desirous of locating here, but they cannot find a store.
Bolivar Breeze, Thursday, April 21, 1904
BAD SHAWMUT WRECK
____
Coal Train Ran Away Sunday Morning, This Side of Clermont. One Man Killed, 23 Cars
Wrecked.
_____
A Shawmut Line coal train, consisting of mountain type engine, No. 53, 34 cars of coal,
a car of lumber, a car of tile and a caboose ran away down the hill from Clermont, at 4
o'clock Sunday morning, and a few minutes later the engine tender jumped the track in a
cut, three miles above Smethport, wrecking 23 cars and the tender of the engine, killing
the fireman, Ernest Brown of St. Marys and injuring Engineer Krouse and brakeman Clinton
Hall.
The train started down the Clermont hill where the grade is 70 feet to the mile at at a
15 mile an hour clip, which steadily increased until the train was running 90 miles an hour,
beyond control. The heavy snowfall of the previous night had made the rails a glare of ice,
and whether the air refused to work or what the trouble really was, is not known at this
time. The rule is to control the first 15 cars with air and the rest of the train with hand
brakes.
Down the mountain, around the loop where the fill is 100 feet high, dashed the train, the
crew every moment expecting the engine to leave the rails. The splendid construction of the
track was fully shown by this incident. When the old track was reached below Kasson and
the speed of the train had slacked to 50 miles an hour, fireman Brown went back to set
some hand brakes.
The tender suddenly left the track and was followed by 23 of the cars. They were piled
up and literally ground to pieces. The body of the fireman was taken from under the wreck
on Sunday evening. The engine did not leave the track.
Conductor McMarrow was uninjured. The track was clear on Monday. The loss to the
railroad company will exceed $25,000. The coal cars cost $800 each. The engine was a
practically new Baldwin and cost $12,000. The damage to the engine is not heavy but the
tender is smashed.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, June 9, 1904
P. C . Mulhern is now chief dispatcher of the Shawmut Line with headquarters at St. Marys. He was formerly employed by the Shawmut Line but left the employ of the company last year.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, August 18, 1904
All Shawmut enginemen and trainmen who have been employed three months have been notified by posted bulletins that no orders for board or other things will be accepted or allowed by the company.
---------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., Oct. 13, 1904
KILLED BY P.S. & N. TRAIN.
____
Daniel Crowley of Eldred, aged 65 years and deaf, was struck Tuesday afternoon by north
bound Shawut train No. 2 at a point near Duffey's tannery at Eldred and almost instantly
killed.
He was walking on the ties outside the rails and when the warning whistle was blown he
did not heed it. He was struck in the middle of the back by the engine and thrown quite a
distance. The train was stopped and the limp form picked up and carried to a nearby house
and medical aid summoned. Crowley lived only a few minutes. The train which arrives in
Bolivar at 3:33 p.m., was in charge of engineer H.C. Mead of Angelica and conductor John
McLaughlin of Bolivar.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thursday, December 1, 1904
DEATH OF L.M. JOHNSON
___
The Shawmut President Died at St. Marys
on Monday Night. Body Taken
to Chicago
L.M. Johnson, the president of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern R.R., died about 9:30 o’clock Monday night at St. Marys, Pa., where he was taken ill. His wife was with him when he died. A special train, which consisted of a baggage and parlor car, conveyed the body to Olean on Tuesday morning, where the cars were transferred to the Erie and attached to train 7, the remains being taken to Mr. Johnson’s late home in Chicago.
Mr. Johnson had only been connected with the Shawmut road in an official capacity for a short time. He was a very popular official and had made many improvements in the line during his short time in office.
Mr. Johnson had been in ill health for about two months. He had been at Atlantic City for sometime recuperating, but went from that place to St. Marys last Thursday.
--------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Dec. 15, 1904
BRAKEMAN GETS VERDICT
_______
In the United States Circuit court yesterday a verdict for $13,660 was returned for the
plaintiff in the suit of Joseph R. Lamphere of Erie, against the Pittsburg, Shawmut &
Northern Railroad company, says the Pittsburg Times of Dec. 7.
The plaintiff was employed by the defendant as a brakeman and while passing under a
bridge near Mt. Jewett, Pa., was knocked from the top of a box car and had his feet taken
off. The defendant claimed the accident was due to the carelessness of the of the plaintiff,
but this was denied, Lamphere alleging it was his first trip over the road. The jury was out
about 2 1/2 hours.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., January 12, 1905
PATTERN SHOPS BURN
_____
ST. MARYS, PA., Jan. 12. - Fire destroyed the big pattern shops of the Shawmut
railroad pattern shops of the Shawmut railroad, the offices connected therewith and
damaged five engines last night. The St. Marys fire department by heroic work saved the
adjoining shops and a large amount of valuable property belong to the railroad company.
The fire was discovered about 10:30 and an alarm brought the firemen and railroad
employees. Many valuable patterns and records were destroyed. The cause of the fire is
unknown. It is understood that the burned property was insured.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thursday, January 12, 1905
NO UNDERGROUND CROSSING
The New York State of Railroad Commissioners has decided against the Village of
Bolivar in the matter of an underground crossing on the Richburg road in this village. The
board decides that an underground crossing is not feasible, and the present grade crossing
will continue to be used.
The matter has been in the courts for several months, and the cost of the litigation to the
taxpayers of the village will be between $300 and $400 so President Newell says. The
village was represented by E.M. Worth of Bolivar and DeMerville Page of Hornellsville. Hon.
Frank S. Smith, general counsel for the Shawmut Line and his associates represented the
railroad.
When the matter was first broached the railroad company offered to construct an
underground crossiing and pay all of the expense and the matter was agreed to between
the village and the railroad. Later the village board decided that the opening ought to be
high and wider and asked the railroad company to modify the plans. This the railroad
declined to do. Litigation followed and the decision of the Railroad Commissioners is final in
the matter.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Thursday, January 19, 1905
INTERVIEW WITH MR. SMITH
___
George H. Parker Relates an Interview
He Had With the Shawmut Line
President in Albany
“I had a talk with President Smith of the Shawmut Line in Albany,” said George H. Parker yesterday, “and he told me that for the present the local trains between Bolivar and Angelica would be continued though they were not paying runs for the railroad company. The company is anxious and willing to give Bolivar and Friendship as good train service as possible.
In return Mr. Smith thinks that the town ought to appreciate what the railroad is doing by patronizing all of the trains as much as possible and favoring the railroad with freight business. The Shawmut Line is a heavy taxpayer in Bolivar and the laying over of train crews here is a distinct help to the business of the village. Mr. Smith says that personally he has a very friendly feeling for Bolivar and whenever possible the railroad company is willing to cooperate in doing anything that will benefit the town. He says that new engines and more new rolling stock has been ordered from time to time as fast as the business will warrant it, the number of trains will be increased and the service improved.”
Bolivar Breeze, Thursday, January 19, 1905
AFTER SHAWMUT SHOPS
______
Every City and Town Along the Line
Would Like to Have the Industry.
Bolivar After the Industry
The destruction of the Shawmut Line’s pattern shops and offices and damage to the engine house at St. Mary’s on Wednesday night of last week by fire, causing a loss of $25,000, brings up the possibility of the shops being rebuilt elsewhere.
Olean, Hornellsville, Smethport, Angelica and other points are trying to induce the Shawmut Line to consider propositions to move the shops elsewhere. The Shawmut has shops at Angelica and for a time the extra work will be done there.
Bolivar will make an effort to secure the shops if they are to leave St. Marys. The latter town has the strongest card for the reason that it is likely to be advisable to keep the shops at St. Marys, near the mines, as the latter enterprise calls many times a day for work from the shops. Barring St. Marys, Boliver offers as good a location as any town on the line. It is located near the center of the system, agt the foot of the West Notch grade, and is a coaling and watering point.
---------------------------------
Whitesville News, February 9, 1905
A passenger train on the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad crashed into a sleigh containing 13 women, killing seven of them outright and so seriously injuring the remaining six that three of them died after being taken to a hospital. The accident occurred near Arkport, N.Y.
--------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, February 16, 1905
It is reported that the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad have plans prepared for the construction of a combination freight and passenger station near the corner of South Union and Green streets in Olean. The proposed structure is said to be 24x74 feet, one story high, the waiting room to be 14x22.
Mrs. W. J. Hogan is visiting in Smethport, the guest of Mrs. Daniel Sheehan. Mr. Hogan spent Sunday in that village, returning home Monday on the Shawmut snow plow.
-------------------------------
Whitesville News, March 9, 1905
According to newspaper reports the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad Co. has decided to discontinue all Sunday excursions.
-------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, March 23, 1905
S.C. Mulhern, chief dispatcher of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad, has been appointed trainmaster of the road to succeed G. A. Cox, who has left the service. H. J. Copy, of Virginia, has been appointed got the vacancy in the position of chief dispatcher.
Bolivar Breeze, June 8, 1905
TO ENTER PITTSBURG?
___
That is the Report Concerning the Shawmut Line. Extension of 110 Miles Now Underway
That the Shawmut Line is destined within a year ot two to gain access to the city of
Pittsburgh appears to be a good guess. Work is now under way on an extension of 110
miles that will bring the Shawmut Line within some 30 odd miles of Pittsburgh. Whether the
Shamut will enter the smoky city or over the tracks of the Wabash or over those of the
Bessemer & Lake Erie is not known but negotiations are under way for an entrance over one
of the lines.
The new extension of the Shawmut Line taps rich coal districts where several new mines
will be opened and oerated. That powerful financial interests are back of the Shawmut Line
cannot be doubted. They have spent money lavishly during thepast three or four years in
extending their lines north through McKean and Allegany counties and south into the coal
districts.
The construction has been very costly and has been first class, showing that the
extensions were built for traffic, not for barter. The Pittsburgh district is the richest for
tonnage in the world and for a long time was monopolized by the Pennsylvania. There is a
belief quite prevalent that the Wabash folks or their friends are financially interested in the
Shawmut Line, so it would not be strange if these two lines should
arrangement a working agreement that would be mutually profitable. That the
Shawmut Line is destined to be a great coal road within the next five to ten years there is
no doubt.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Aug 3, 1905
RECEIVER FOR PS&N
Frank Sullivan Smith Was Appointed on Tuesday
Default in Interest
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railway was put in the hands of a receiver at noon
Tuesday [Aug. 1 by order of Justice Kenefick of the Supreme Court. The order was made in
chambers on application of Arthur H. Van Brunt of New York, representing the Central Trust
Company, which is trustee for the bondholders.
Frank Sullivan Smith of Angelica was appointed receiver. He will take charge of the road
at once and will keep it in operation. His bond was fixed at $100,000. The reason for the
receivership is because the road today defaulted on its semi-annual payment of interest on
bonds. The demand for interest was made in New York City and was refused. The
outstanding bonds amount to about $15,000,000. It is said the railway has no other debts
of consequence.
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern is a coal and freight carrying road running from Olean
to the mining districts of Pennsylvania.
Mr. Van Brunt says it is an independent road and that a reorganization may come about
soon, but for the present there are no matured plans. There was no opposition to the
appointment of a receiver. Attorneys representing various interests were on hand and the
appointment was made in a few minutes after the situation was stated to Justice Kenefick.
----------------------------------
Nunda News, Aug. 5, 1905
Receiver Appointed for Shawmut R.R.
____
The Shawmut Railroad has gone into the hands of a receiver and Frank Sullivan Smith, of
Angelica, who was the principal promoter of this railroad, is the receiver, who qualified by
filing a bond of $100,000 and he will take possession of the property at once. The failure to
pay the semi-annual interest of $300,000 was the reason for a receivership. The
outstanding bonds amount to $15 million. It will be no surprise to people in this section,
who are so near the Shawmut line, to know that it has gone into the hands of a receiver.
Bolivar Breeze, Aug. 10, 1905
THE SHAWMUT LINE (Editorial)
The receivership of the Shawmut Line appears to be, judging from the official statement
printed in our news columns, simply a means to an end. That is to say the road needed
several extensions, some 300 miles that would cost many millions of dollars. The financial
arrangements under which the road was working did not provide the necessary funds. In
order to make the necessary extensions and increase the earnings and profits, a new and
larger mortgage was necessary and this could be brought about only through a
reorganization. The short cut was through a receivership. So with consent of a majority of
the bondholders this step was taken, and the reorganization plans are now being worked
out.
Work is steadily progressing on the southern extension of 100 miles which will result in a
Pittsburg connection and the receivership will not alter the plans under which the company
was operating nor will it shut down work on any of the extensions now under way. The
reorganization means that the Shawmut Line will connect the coal fields of Jefferson, Elk,
Armstrong, and Clarion counties with Pittsburg, Buffalo and New England, the latter through
an extension to Lake Ontario.
The appointment of acting president Frank S. Smith as receiver was the logical result of
the untiring work he has performed on behalf of the Shawmut Line for many years and is a
splendid tribute to the faith of the bondholders and stockholders in his ability as a lawyer
and knowledge of practical railway management.
One of the things that will receive special attention in the reorganization plans is the
industrial department and a determined effort will be made to locate manufacturing plants
at all available points on the line. The future of the Shawmut Line is nothing, if not
promising.
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Aug. 10, 1905
SHAWMUT LINE PLANS
Three Hundred Miles of Extensions To Be Built.
Reason Given For the Receivership by High Official
This newspaper has received from a high official of the Shawmut Line a statement
concerning the receivership of the company that will be of interest to the people of Allegany
county for it shows that instead of being in hard financial straits, the default in the payment
of interest due on bonds was for another reason than that, and that within the next three or
four years the line will be extended and trains running to Pittsburg, Buffalo, and Lake
Ontario, making the Shawmut Line a formidable railroad property.
This news will be welcomed by the people of Bolivar and other towns in this county
through which the line passes as well as the towns over in Pennsylvania which it touches. It
means that the financiers back of the Shawmut have faith in the proposition and are going
to put many more millions into construction and the purchase of coal properties. One of the
many rumors floating about is that the Gould interests are now interested in the welfare of
the Shawmut and that entrance to Pittsburg will be gained over the Gould lines. The fact
that Acting President Frank Sullivan Smith was appointed receiver shows conclusively that
the control of the stock has not passed from the Byrne-Smith crowd. The official statement
furnished this newspaper is as follows:
“The default in interest and the receivership of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern
Railroad Company has become necessary in order to effect a reorganization of the financial
plans for the purpose of providing for the extension of the road to Pittsburg, Buffalo, and
Lake Ontario, involving the construction of 300 additional miles of road, and the acquisition
of additional coal lands.
The present mortgage of $15,000,000 it has been found is entirely inadequate for the
purpose of extension and improvement, and with the underlying mortgages is to be
supplemented by a larger single mortgage. It was first thought that a general mortgage
upon the property providing for the underlying mortgages might be practicable, but
financiers objected to what is termed a subordinate lien, therefore it has become necessary
to revamp the financial structure, and to save time and expedite the plans, the company
has consented to the receivership upon the appeal of the large majority of bonds.”
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, Jan 4, 1906
SHAWMUT TO EXTEND
Contracts Let For Building the Road to Freeport,
Where Connection to Pittsburg Is to Be Had Via Pennsylvania R.R.
Those who have been skeptical about the building of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern
railroad, or the Brookville & Mahoning as part of it is called, can now set all their fears at
rest, for it is an assured thing. A great portion of the grading from Brookville to Mahoning
has been done, and last week gangs of laborers were put on between Brookville and
Brockwayville, one camp of 120 men being established at Port Barnett, on the opposite side
of the creek from the Humphrey Brick and Tile plant. Humphrey Brothers have sold them
the right of way for three miles up Mill creek, and the company’s agents are busy securing
the right-of-way all along the line where it has not been secured. The engineers are busy
establishing the grade, being out every day, and the work will be pushed along just as
rapidly as the weather will permit. The Pittsburg Post of a recent date has the following to
say about the extension of the road:
“The energy with which the new Brookville & Mahoning railroad, the extension of the
Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern toward Pittsburg, is being constructed is indicated by
announcement of the awarding of contracts for the construction of about 21 miles of this
road, beginning, it is understood, at the northern end. Contracts for this work have been
awarded and include clauses providing for an immediate start upon the grading ad
excavation involved.
“The work includes the excavation of about 500,000 cubic yards, placing of 200,000 cubic
yards of embankment, construction of 20,000 cubic yards of bridge and culvert and
masonry, and of 700,000 pounds of 12-inch, 18-inch, and 24-inch culvert pipe; also 1,000
tons of steel bridges and viaducts. Pittsburg firms will bid on the excavation and masonry,
and the American Bridge Company will be among the bidders on the structural steel which is
used.
“According to a statement of the chief engineer, work is to go forward all winter whenever
the weather will permit, and it is expected that a large part of the grading will be completed
late in the spring or in the summer. Further contracts for excavation and grading will be let
in the spring, and Mr. Henshey hopes to have the entire road graded [and] ready for ties
and rails within from twelve to eighteen months. No time will then be lost in laying track,
and it is possible that by the spring of 1907 trains will be operating over part, if not all, of
the new road.
“The Brookville and Mahoning starts from Hyde, Elk county, and extends to Freeport,
Armstrong county, a distance of 103 miles. Contracts have already been placed for much of
the grading, which has been under way since last spring. About 15 miles of the road on the
west bank of the Allegheny river between Mahoning and Freeport, are graded, and
excavation and grading is in progress on most of the rest of this end of the line. Plans for
the road so far include no construction south of Freeport. Its purpose is to open the coal
lands on the west bank of the Allegheny river and elsewhere along the route laid out, and
the connection to Pittsburg will probably be via the Pennsylvania’s West Penn division from
Freeport.”
----------------------------------
Bolivar Breeze, March 15, 1906
SHAWMUT WRECK
_____
The morning passenger train on the Shawmut from Wayland ran into an open switch just
above the station in Hornellsville about 9 o'clock Saturday morning. The train was filled with
passengers and it is a miracle that no one was injured.
The accident occurred near the Erie cross-over, where the train ran into a switch that
had been left open. A string of box cars were standing on the switch, all of them empty,
with no brakes set.
Before the engineer, Henry Mead, could check the speed of the train, it smashed into
the cars. The fact that the brakes were not set removed much of the force of the collision.
The first car was demolished and the pilot of the engine was smashed, besides other
damages. None of the passengers were injured. The Shawmut officials do not understand
how the switch came to be open, and are making a rigid investigation.
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Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., March 29, 1906
DEATH OF W. H. COSTIGAN
___
Road master of the P.S. & N. Railroad Died of Paralysis at His Home in Friendship, Thursday
Night. Aged 61 years.
W.H. Costigan, road master on the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad between
Bolivar and Wayland, died quite suddenly of paralysis at his home in Friendship Thursday
night, aged 61 years. Mr. Costigan arrived in Friendship on the Shawmut train reaching
there at 8:20 Thursday evening. At 9 o'clock he was stricken with paralysis, his death
resulting 24 hours later.
Mr. Costigan had been road master on the Shawmut Line for the past three
years. Previous to that he served as road master on the Allegany Division of the Erie
railroad for forty years. Mr. Costigan is survived by his wife, three daughters, Mrs. P.F. Lynch
and Mrs, George Russell of Friendship, Mrs. Samuel Baker of Rochester; and two sons,
James and John Costigan of Friendship. The funeral was held at the Church of the Sacred
Heart on Monday morning. Rev. Father Hardigan officiating.
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Bolivar Breeze, May 24, 1906
SHAWMUT TO SPEND $2,100,000
____
Courts Have Granted Necessary Permission
___
Great Victory for Receiver Frank Sullivan Smith. Work Will Likely Begin Right Away.
Frank Sullivan Smith, receiver for the Shawmut Line, was on Saturday granted permission
by Justice Kenefick of Buffalo to borrow $1,100,000 on receivers's certificates for the
purpose of completing connecting links of the Shawmut Line, reducing grades and improving
the mining properties.
The Boston parties who have been fighting Mr. Smith's plans opposed the matter before
Justice Kenefick but it was no go. Among the witnesses who testified that it was necessary
to spend large sums of money before the Shawmut Line could be placed on a paying basis
was William Barclay Parsons of New York, the famous subway engineer who has gone over
the property a number of times during the past six years and has acted as consulting
engineer.
The greater part of he money appropriated will be spent down in Pennsylvania though it
is possible that some of it may be used at two or three points in Allegany county and to
extend the line north toward Lake Ontario.
Since he was appointed Receiver Mr. Smith has spent $150,000 in making permanent
improvements on the roadbed and it is believed that with the new appropriation the line can
be put on a paying basis, though the estimates of the engineers called for nearly three
times that sum.
It is likely that when the present appropriation is spent there will be such a marked
increase in earnings and improvement in the physical condition of the property that if more
money is needed the permission to borrow it on receiver's certificates will be readily granted
by the court.
____
The United States court at Pittsburgh has granted Receiver Smith the right to issue $1
million in receiver's certificates in the State of Pennsylvania. This brings the total of $2.1
million available for the new construction and betterments.
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Bolivar Breeze, May 3, 1906
SHAWMUT ANGELICA INDUSTRY
Its Coal Has Been Sold to the Erie. To Work Full Time in Shops.
Angelica, N.Y., April 27—Orders were received here yesterday that all coal stored here
by the Shawmut railroad has been sold to the Erie railroad and should be loaded
immediately. The steam shovel has been in place several days ready for the order and
work will begin today. About one hundred cars can be loaded each twenty-four hours.
The Shawmut shops here have been working on half time during April and yesterday the
en were told that the shops would start up with a full force of men on full time May 1. The
Shawmut coal mines will also begin work on full time on that date. There are now about
130 men employed in the shops here, and arrangements are being made to increase the
force during the summer, at least. The Shawmut has a contract, it is stated, with the B&S,
to carry its coal August 1, which shows that the B&S expects to be running into Buffalo on
regular time about July 1
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Brooklyn Daily Eagle, May 11, 1906
WANTS RECEIVER REMOVED
Bondholder of Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern R. R. Charges Extravagance
(Special to the Eagle.) Buffalo, May 11—Bushnell and Metcalf, of this city, have filed in the
office of the clerk of the United States Circuit Court a complaint in which the removal of
Frank Sullivan Smith, as receiver of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad Company
is asked. The complainant is Florence A. Cochran, of Boston, Mass., who is the owner of
five $1,000 5% mortgage bonds, which were issued under a $6,000,000 bond issue of
February 14, 1899, at the time the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad Company was
created by the consolidation of the Central New York & Western and five other railroads.
Other defendants are the Shawmut Mining Company, the Colonial Trust Company, the
Hamilton Trust Company of Brooklyn, and Mr. Smith, as receiver of the railroad
company. The complainant also alleges extravagance and mismanagement and waste of
moneys by other officers of the railroad, the total amount thus alleged to have been
squandered being between $10,000,000 and $15,000,000. The suit promises to be one of
the most sensational tried in the United States Circuit Court in some time.
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Bolivar Breeze, May 17, 1906
WANT RECEIVER SMITH REMOVED
Boston Woman Has a Real Grievance
She Owns Five Bonds and Wishes Someone Else Had Them
Article in Paper Amuses Folks Who Know Facts
Buffalo, May 10.—The Commercial tonight says that Bushnell & Metcalf of this city have
filed in the clerk of the United States Circuit Court a complaint in which the removal of
Frank Sullivan Smith, as receiver of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad Company
is asked. The complainant alleges that Mr. Smith is an improper person to act as receiver,
and that he has wasted the funds of the railroad company.
The complainant also alleges extravagance and mismanagement and waste of moneys by
other officers of the railroad, the total amount thus alleged to have been squandered being
between $10,000,000 and $15,000,000. The suit promises to be one of the most
sensational tried in the United States Circuit Court in some time.
The complainant is Florence A. Cochran, of Boston, Mass., who is the owner of five
$1,000 5% mortgage bonds, which were issued under a $6,000,000 bond issue of February
14, 1899, at the time the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad Company was created by
the consolidation of the Central New York & Western and five other railroads. Other
defendants are the Shawmut Mining Company, the Colonial Trust Company, the Hamilton
Trust Company of Brooklyn, and Mr. Smith, as receiver of the railroad company. It appears
by the complaint that the $6,000,000 bond issue was authorized for he purpose of taking up
all the underlying securities of the Central New York [& Western Railroad Company] and
other roads and to acquire these properties.
Of the total issue, $4,000,000 was to be spent in reconstructing and connecting the
various roads, making a continuous line of 192 miles from Wayland, N.Y., to the southern
coal fields of western Pennsylvania. Included in the underlying securities was an issue of
$242,000 in bonds of the Central New York [& Western Railroad Company]. The plaintiff
said that she bought her bonds on the representation that these underlying securities were
to be paid off and the various roads reconstructed and connected.
[Editorial] The above article form the Buffalo Commercial is very amusing to the
people of the Allegany county who know how hard Mr. Frank Sullivan Smith has worked to
put the Shawmut Line on its feet financially, and how capable a man he is. The statement
of Florence Cochran’s attorneys is of course largely a bluff, claiming everything that could
possibly prejudice the public in the interest of their client and getting the benefit that might
accrue from a newspaper interview.
Every one who is acquainted with the facts in the case knows that the Shawmut Line
will never make good until the various branches are connected up in one trunk line and a
main line open from Pittsburg to Lake Ontario as the late Major Byrne and Mr. Smith have
long dreamed it would be. The receiver’s certificate issue recently asked for by the receiver
in the sum of $3,600,000 for the purpose of completing he work outlined ought to have
been authorized by the court. Not until large sums have been spent on the work of
completion will the line be put on a paying basis. And no man is better qualified to serve the
Shawmut Line as receiver than Mr. Smith. Without his untiring energy, his rare business
ability and his undying faith in the ultimate prosperity of the road there would be no
Shawmut Line.
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Bolivar Breeze, July 5, 1906
30 Cars of Bark
First Hemlock Shipped From Bolivar in Many Years.
Comes From the Pike Lands.
Thirty cars of hemlock bark are being loaded in the Shawmut yards in Bolivar, the first bark
shipped from Bolivar in a good many years. The bark comes from the Pike lands in Alma, where
the timber was purchased last year by Elliott & Henry. This firm has a large mill in the Hog
Brook woods, cutting hemlock and sap pine.
The bark is shipped to a tannery at Olean and about half a dozen teams are hauling it to
Bolivar. The distance is so long that the teams make only one trip a day. The timber is large and
the bark of fine quality. Elliott & Henry will cut several million feet of timber from the tract.
(Editor's note: For some time we have been reprinting articles concerning our local railroads
verbatim from newspapers. Although original newspapers are considered primary source
material readers should realize these articles are not always 100 percent accurate. Accuracy was
much more prevalent in the old days than it is now, although reporters tended to generalize a
complicated subject such as the following report).
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Bolivar Breeze, Aug 2, 1906
NEW LIFE ON PS&N – Dull Season at End
And a Period of Renewed Activity at Hand
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern is issuing from its dull season, caused largely by
cessation of work in the mines and will shortly be doing business on a larger scale than ever
before, says the St. Marys Gazette. All along the line there are signs of renewed activity.
The new wood-working plant at St. Marys has been completed recently, which will
facilitate the handling of about 50% more crippled cars at this point. The locomotive repair
shop has also received a number of new machines, which puts it in shape to turn out
considerable more work.
For several months engineers have been work north and south from this point with the
object in view of cutting down grades and reducing the curves. Work has been started
along this line and it will not be long before the grades and curves will be greatly reduced.
Orders have been issued for the repainting of all freight equipment. This is a big contract
in itself as the road has a large number of freight cars of various descriptions.
The road has recently placed orders for 500 steel under frame coals cars of 100,000
pounds capacity. It has also placed orders for the following locomotives: One decapods
locomotive, have five 57-inch wheels coupled, one pair 40-inch trail wheels and one pair
29¼-inch pony truck wheels; tractive power 62,600 pounds; rigid wheel base 19 feet 9
inches, total wheel base 35 feet 11 inches, total weight of engine and tender 458,000
pounds. This engine will be used between Paine and Weedville on the hill, which is nine
miles long. Two consolidated locomotives have also been ordered.
These will have four pair 51-inch driving wheels coupled and one pair pony 30-inch truck
wheels, tractive power 45,149 pounds, rigid wheel base 14 feet 6 inches, total weight
engine and tender 320,000 pounds. Both the locomotives and cars are the best and finest
of their kind and will add greatly to the efficiency of the road.
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Bolivar Breeze, Thurs., May 16, 1907
P.S. & N. STATION ROBBED
____
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad company's station at Friendship was broken
into by some unknown person or persons shortly after noon on Tuesday and the cash
drawer robbed of $20.75 in money. The station agent, George Russell was at dinner when
the robbery was committed.
The money stolen was in the following denominations: $6.50 in quarters, 75 cents in
pennies, two silver dollars, $1.05 in nickels, two $2 bills, and one old English shilling date of
1820.
Officers in the surrounding towns have been notified to be on the look out for a man
described as follows: Age 23, 5 feet, 8 or 9 inches tall, weight 150 to 155 pounds, dark
hair, black suit, black sateeen (cq) shirt, black hat and black shoes. A person of the above
description was seen around the station previous to the burglary.
Nunda News, Oct. 5, 1907
An effort is being made to foreclose a mortgage on the Shawmut railroad of which Frank
Sullivan Smith is receiver and to punish him for contempt in declining to give testimony.
Attorney Honneyman of New York, charged that he had spent $16 million on the road since
his appointment and had nothing to show for it. He said the bonded indebtedness of this
road was three times that of the New York Central.
Receiver Smith is a son of the late Dr. William Smith, of Allegany county, who held the
office of labor master at New York City for many years and is a brother-in-law of the late.
Gov. Higgins.
----------------------------------
New York Tribune, Sep 20, 1909
NOT CONTROLLED BY LACKAWANNA
Brookville & Mahoning Extension Is
For Pittsburg-Shawmut Interests, F. S. Smith Says
Frank Sullivan Smith, receiver and acting president of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern
Railroad, authorized yesterday a denial of the report from Pittsburg that the line under
construction by the Brookville & Mahoning Railway Company was being built in the interest
of the Delaware, Lackawanna & Western, and would enable that road to gain an entrance
into Pittsburg. The name of the Brookville & Mahoning has recently been changed to the
Pittsburg & Shawmut Railroad.
This company, which is controlled by the dominant interests in the Pittsburg, Shawmut &
Northern Railroad Company, is to have a line a little in excess of one hundred miles, of
which sixty-two miles are still under construction. Thirty-six miles of this distance will be
built by contractors, the company itself undertaking the construction of the other twenty-six
miles. The new line is expected to be completed in about eighteen months, when the
company will probably be merged with the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad as the
Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railway Company.
The Pittsburg & Shawmut will traverse a territory rich in coal properties, from which a
profitable tonnage is looked for. There is reason to believe that these receipts will be
sufficient to enable the present Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern to meet its obligations and
lift the receivership. Edwin E. Tait, of Bradford, Penn., is president of the Pittsburg &
Shawmut, and Dwight C. Morgan is vice-president and general manager.
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Bolivar Breeze, Thursday, August 8, 1912
P.S. & N.R.R. TERMINAL SITE
_____
Through Service From Hornell to Kittanning Will
Soon be Installed
Dwight C. Morgan, vice president and general manager of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad, has just returned from New York, and has concluded negotiations with Judge Patton for the purchase of his river front property extending from the west end of the bridge north about thirteen hundred feet, which, together with the old hotel property, now owned by the Pittsburg & Shawmut gives them a strip along the river front about seventeen hundred feet wide.
Steam shovels are now getting ready to level off this strip, preparatory to suitable terminal facilities, including the erection of a passenger and freight station, team tracks and complete facilities for handling business in and out of Kittanning. Mr. Morgan expected to have the line completed down to Kittanning by the first of November.
The B.R. & PO. connection is nearly completed, and this will furnish Kittanning a new route for local business and to and from the Pittsburg district. Passenger trains service will be scheduled through from Kittanning to Hornell, Olean, N.Y., and intermediate points, as soon as completed.
Additional mining cars, mining machinery and equipment have been purchased for the new mines at Seminole and Chickasaw. Twenty new double tenement houses are also being erected at these plants. It is expected the output of the Allegany River mining company, comprising the operations at Conifer, Seminole and the two new plants at Hunt’s Run and Furnace Run, will by the first of January amount to over seven thousand tons per day. The Shawmut mines in the upper field, having a capacity of about five thousand tons per day will bring the total daily production up to about twelve thousand tons per day, not including several important independent operations which are now producing, and several which are contemplated, opening new fields adjacent to the Shawmut property. The coal contracts for the ensuing year, now held by the Shawmut interests will require the operation of its mining facilities to the full limit.
-----------------------------------
Syracuse Journal, Monday, Sept. 23, 1912
BUFFALO, Sept. 23.- Two people were killed and 20 injured, several fatally, when an
excursion train on the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad collided head-on with a
freight train at Nile, three miles west of Friendship, Allegany County, Sunday morning.
The misinterpretation of orders on the part of the engineer of the passenger train is
supposed to have resulted in the wreck.
The dead are W.A. Harris of Fillmore and Miss Grace Marsh of Portville. Of the seriously
injured, three at least will die.
Engineer W.H. Johnson of the passenger train is so badly crushed that his death is
anticipated. His home is in Olean. Mrs. E.J. Scott of Bolivar will die. Robert Laffain,
baggeman, will die. Mrs. Ida Sostelle of Pottsville is in a critical condition at Friendship.
Among those who condition is not considered serious are: Guy Woodard, Richburg; Mr.
and Mrs. J. Brown, Richburg; William Burdette, Portville; John Ingalls, Olean; Mr. and Mrs.
John Williams and son, Olean; Thomas Hall, Portville; Mrs. G.H. Andrews, Olean; Miss Helen
Michael, Olean; William Rowe, Portville; Jeremiah Wells, Angelica; Miss Agnes Jordan,
Friendship, and Menzo Jordan, Friendship.
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Monroe County Mail, Fairport, Thurs., Oct. 17, 1912
Nineveh Pastor Dies Suddenly.
Rev. Henry P. Margettes, pastor of the Presbyterian Church in Nineveh, Broome county,
N.Y., dropped dead in the Shawmut railroad station in Angelica, as he was in the act of
buying a ticket to his home. He had been visiting relatives in Angelica, where he was
formerly pastor, and had just stepped to the ticket window when he collapsed and fell dead
to the floor. Coroner William Todd said death was due to heart disease. The clergyman was
76 years old and was born in England.
Rochester Democrat and Chronicle, Dec. 29, 1917
Government May Stay Doom of Declining Road
Outlives its Purpose
_____
Hornell, Dec. 28. - That the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad, in
New York state will soon be junked is the consensus of railroad men's
opinion in this section as a result of the announcement of a mortgage
foreclosure sale to take place next Monday. Of course the taking over of
the railroads by the government may save it for az time, but nevertheless
it is believed to be doomed. The road in New York state runs between
Hornell and Olean and Hornell and Wayland, a distance of about ninety
miles.
The road was built piece by piece as a coal carrying road. It was
connected up from Bolivar to Hornell in 1902, the construction being of the
best, but there are two bad grades, one at Swains and another at West
Notch. The road in Pennsylvania is about 140 miles long and up to the
present has managed to pay expenses.
As originally built the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern connected the
Lackawanna at Wayland with the Pennsylvania at Brookville, Pa., and about
three years ago in order to get an entrance into Pittsburgh a new line was
built from Brookville south to Freeport, a new company, the Pittsburg &
Shawmut being formed. At Freeport the line connected with the B.R. & P. and
entrance to Pittsburgh was over that company's tracks. The line runs
through the soft coal regions and for a short time the whole line was
operated by the same officials.
About a year ago the Pittsburg & Shawmut moved its offices to Kittanning,
Pa., separating from the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern. At that time a
contract was in effect whereby the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern handed
coal from the mines to the Erie at Hornell, the Lackawanna at Wayland and
the Pennsylvania at Olean. Early in 1917 this contract expired and the
Pittsburg & Shawmut would not renew it, being able to deliver coal to the
Erie at Brockwayville and the Pennsylvania at Sinnamahoning, Pa. This
removed the greatest source of revenue for the Pittsburg, Shawmut &
Northern and since then the lines in New York have been losing at the rate
of about $200,000 a year.
Road Never Paid
The officials who operate the New York end of the line have given up
hope of ever making it pay. Ever since the appointment of a receiver, which
happened almost as soon as the road was completed, it has been necessary to
issue certificates of indebtedness. Among the intermediate towns that will
be most seriously affected are Angelica, Friendship, Canaseraga, Prosser,
Bolivar and Ceres. None of these towns produce any revenue to speak of,
with the exception of Hornell and Olean, and both those places are located
on other lines.
It is possible that under the government direction of the railroads
some arrangement will be made to again ship coal over this end of the line
and if that is done the road will be saved for the time being. It is well
equipped and the roadbed is in splendid condition. At one time it was
expected that the road would eventually be extended to Rochester from
Wayland and this plan was not given up until just recently, when it became
apparent that the coal business was not to be permanent. Some of the
Shawmut officials feel confident that the government will use the road for
the transportation of coal until after the war.
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Whitesville News, Thursday, May 29, 1913
BAD WRECK NEAR ANGELICA
____
One Man Killed and Five Others
Injured in Heaton Collision
Near County House
One man is dead and five others are injured as a result of a head-on collision on the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad near County House, about four miles north of Angelica Monday morning. The collision occurred between freight train No. 65, northbound from Angelica and engine No. 226 drawing a string of coal cars south from Hornell. So great was the force of the impact that its could be heard for a long distance.
The blame of the accident end placed with James McMahon, the telegraph operator at Angelica. According to his own story McMahon gave orders for No. 65 to leave the Angelica yards, but neglected to give the engineer instructions to run into the siding at County House and allow No. 226 too pass. The morning was foggy, making out impossible to see far.
Fred Cooper of Hornell, one of the oldest engineers on the road was in charge of the engine on train I. 65. The fireman was Fred Lacy, also of Hornell. When the crash came Lacy jumped and escaped with several broken ribs and the loss of a thumb. Cooper stuck to the throttle until too late to jump. He was caught between the cab and tender and instantly killed. Fred Makes, conductor of No. 6t5, was in the caboose. The shock threw him against the end of the car. He escaped with slight injuries.
Engine No. 226 and four cars were derailed. The rails were torn up for a quarter of a mile, forcing passenger trains from Olean and Hornell to transfer passengers around the wreck.
Coroner A. T. Bacon of Canaseraga arrived during the morning and ordered the body of the dead engineer removed to Angelica. Cooper leaves an aged wife in Hornell.
------------------------------------
Friendship Register, Thursday, January 3, 1918
Gov't. Control Saves Shawmut!
____
Mortgage Foreclosure Held Off
When McAdoo Takes the Reins
____
IT WILL NOW BE KEPT RUNNING
____
That the action of the United States government in taking over the railroads in the country is all that saved the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern from disaster is evident through the announcement that a mortgage foreclosure sale will take place next Monday, unless postponed, which probably will by now that the government has stepped in. How much longer the road would have been kept in operation without the help of the government is not known.
During the past ten months the road has lost $168,880 and during the month of October it lost $17.456 alone on the line operated in New York state. The whole trouble is due to lack f business brought about by the failure of the Pittsburg & Shawmut company in renewing its contract with the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern for the hauling of coal from the mines in Pennsylvania early in 1917. Previous to this the road has paid fairly well.
WILL BE KEPT RUNNING.
There is no question now but what the government will operate the road for the purpose of relieving the other lines, the P.S. & N. being particularly adapted to the hauling of coal. The official figures of the Public Service Commission show hat there was a decrease of $431,680 in the earnings of the road during the past ten months, as compared with the year previous. This shows that the road earned $262,800 last year, above operating expenses.
The operating revenue for the past ten months was $1,033,030, while the total operating expenses were $1,183,988, not counting the railway tax accruals amounting to $17,9822. The part of the road affected is that in New York State.
The road was built bit by bit as a coal carrying road and was connected up between Hornell junction and Bolivar in 1902. The road between Hornell and Wayland was in operation before that. The construction and equipment is of the best, although there is a bad grade at Swains and another at West Notch. The entire road is 204 miles long of which there is about 90 miles in New York state, and it has been in New York state, receivership practically since it was built.
CONTRACT HAS EXPIRED.
About three years ago a new company, the Pittsburg & Shawmut company was formed and the road was extended from Brooville, Pa., to Freeport, Pa., where a junction with the B.R.& P. R.R. was made and the Shawmut entered Pittsburg over the tracks of that company, a trackage arrangement having been effected. There was a contract in effect between the P. & S. R.R. whereby the P. S. & N.R.R. was to haul coal from the mines in Pennsylvania to Hornell to connect with the Erie and to Wayland, to connected with the Lackawanna. Early this year this contract expired and the P. & S. refused to renew it. This removed the P.S. & N. railroad's greatest source of revenue.
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Bolivar Breeze, January 10, 1918
P., S. & N. TO HAUL COAL
____
Will Handle Transportation of Two
Other Roads Near Hornell.
HORNELL, Jan. 3. - Effective at once the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad, which runs between Kittanning, Pa., and Hornell, is to take over the bulk of the coal hauling business of the Erie and the Pittsburg & Shawmut railroads. To facilitate handling at this end the government has ordered the Shawmut to use the Erie yards here. This mean that the coal trains over the Shawmut will be hauled directly into the yards of the Erie.
Hereafter the Pittsburg & Shawmut, a separate railroad, will deliver its coal over to the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern at Kittanning, Pa., instead of to the Erie at Brockwayville. This will take all the coal trains off the Bradford division of the Erie, which runs from Bradford, Pa., to Brockwayville, Pa., over the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburgh tracks.
There is also a report in local railroad circles that the Shawmut is to abandon its depot in this city and use the Erie. Engines to handle the increased traffic will be taken off other roads in this section.
Large quantities of coal are being hauled through Bolivar every day over the Shawmut line. On Sunday a train of 50 cars and Monday another train of 45 cars passed through here, enroute to Hornell where the coal is transferred to the Erie. It required two big engines to haul the long trains.
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Belfast Blaze, Thursday, July 18, 1918
ANGELICA WILL GET BIG SHOPS
___
Shawmut is Preparing to Rebuild Plant in That Place
___
It is very probable that the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad will start the construction of its shops in Angelica shortly to replace the buildings destroyed by fire some time ago. The village had raised $21,000 to help the work along. In the meantime the Shawmut is repairing its equipment in temporary buildings there.
Editor Mills of the Angelica Advocate is confident that the road will rebuild there. The road asked for $50,000 from the village, but it was impossible to raise that amount.
The road is doing a big business and the indications are that the future will be even more prosperous. Receiver Frank Sullivan Smith and Judge Alton B. Parker made a trip over the line only a few days ago. Judge Parker is associated with Mr. Smith in the fight to continue the present arrangements for business between the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern and the Pittsburg & Shawmut roads.
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern is the northern end of the line and the Pittsburg & Shawmut is the southern and are owned by separate interests. For years the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern has been getting business from the Pittsburg & Shawmut, but the contract expired a short time ago and the business was diverted to other roads at the northern terminal of the Pittsburg & Shawmut.
The war, however, resulted in the temporary suspension of new orders and to a large extent the old arrangements has been continued in effect.
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Elmira Star Gazette, Friday. August 9, 1918
MAY ABANDON SHAWMUT DEPOT
_____
Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Road
May Use Stations of Erie Line -
Will Continue to Haul Coal
___
Hornell, Aug. 9. - The announcement that A.J. Stone, the Federal director of the Erie, has been made Federal director of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad, as well, is of much interest throughout this section, as it undoubtedly means the abandonment of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern station in this city.
It will probably mean the abandonment of other stations where the two roads run side by side, as they do between here and Olean, and on the Buffalo division. While the two stations in this city are widely separated, nevertheless the tracks enter the city together and it will be an easy matter to send the Shawmut trains into the Erie yards.
The same condition prevails at Arkport, Canaseraga, Swains, Friendship, Belvidere and many other points. The Shawmut is one of the greatest coal carrying roads in this part of the state and has been a big feeder to the Erie and to the Lackawanna at Wayland. It is expected that under the new management it will continue to haul coal as usual, only in larger quantities as the Erie will be able to supply it with more motive power.
The Shawmut is a single track line running between Hornell and Wayland on the north and Saint Marys on the south. At St. Marys it connects with the Pittsburg & Shawmut which taps the rich coal territory through western Pennsylvania. For some time previous to the taking over of railroads by the government there was talk of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern being junked simply because it did not pay, the Pittsburg & Shawmut having refused to continue its contract for the handling of coal shipments.
At about that time the government took control and the coal shipments were renewed. There is not enough local business to make the line pay, running as it does parallel to the Erie for such a way it relieves the larger line of a great burden. Nothing is known as o the project of uniting the two stations in Olean. At one time the Shawmut used the Pennsylvania station there and the tracks are still there that were used before the new one was built.
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Nunda News, Nov 26, 1920
Frank Sullivan Smith, receiver and manager of the Shawmut R. R. whose home
was at Angelica died in New York last week. The Shawmut was the last company
to operate the now abandoned railroad between Nunda and Swains, making
connections for Hornell. Most of the track was taken up years ago and the
roadbed alone now remains. Mr. Smith is survived by his wife who is a sister of
the late Governor Frank W. Higgins of Olean.
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Nunda News, Feb. 16, 1923
Old Shawmut R.R. Comes to the Front
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Railroad Expects a Boom Now That Old Troubles Have Been Settled
____
The Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Railroad,, which extends north and south from
Kittanning, Pa., to Wayland and of which the old Swains branch from Nunda to Swains was
a part, promises to become one of the most important lines in the east as the result of the
outcome of a litigation in which the property has been involved for some time. Thousands of
tons of coal are likely to be hauled northward over the line now instead of being routed over
competing lines.
Split Into Two Roads
The Pittsburg and Shawmut and the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad were
originally built as one line, but during the receivership of Frank Smith, a difference in
opinion arose and the two factions separated the property. Saint Mary's, Pa., was the
dividing line, one faction operating the southern end and the other faction the northern.
This situation proved costly for the northern end. Along the southern end there are huge
soft coal mines and practically all of the coal is shipped northward over the Shawmut. When
this split arose the faction in charge of the southern end began turning its business over to
lines competing with the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern, although the bonds are owned by
the directorate of the southern.
Decision Handed Down
This resulted in a legal action that has been pending in the courts for years. A decision
has just been handed down whereby it is understood the southern end must turn its
business over to the northern line and in addition must compensate the northern faction for
the loses sustained by reason of the division.
The road reaches almost to Pittsburgh and it is understood that plans are already
underway for continuing on to that city. The northern terminals are at Hornell where
connection is had with the Erie and at Wayland where there is a connection with the
Lackawanna.
May Install Passenger Service
It is expected through passenger service will not be installed and that the road will
become one of the most important of the north and south lines. It will result in a
tremendous increase in coal shipments over the northern end of the line and will make
Hornell a junction point of some prominence. It will permit the northern end to develop
more rapidly.
According to talk in railroad circles the parties responsible for the split have died and the
present managements of both factions are inclined to adopt a more conciliatory attitude.
A number of years ago the roadbed of the P.S. & N. between Nunda and Swains was
abandoned, the ties and rails torn up and all that now remains of what was once an
important railroad serving Nunda is the old road bed now used as pasture lands by farmers
along the line.
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Buffalo Express, March 2, 1924
Gueder Gets High Post on Shawmut Railroad
____
Olean, March 1. (Special). - Albert G. Geuder of Olean will succeed J.D. Beaver as superintendent of
transportation of the Pittsburg, Shawmut an Northern railroad. Mr. Gueder was promoted from chief clerk
to the general superintendent. He will have his headquarters in Saint Marys,, Pa. J.C. Fodge, trainmaster,
has been promoted to the place of chief clerk, and J.F. O'Leary has been promoted to trainmaster. D.A.
Fehley has been made chief inspector, with headquarters at Saint Marys Junction.
Olean Times-Herald, Sat., Aug. 15. 1936
(Excerpt from feature article about Seneca Boy Scout Council Camp being moved from
Allegany State Park to the YMCA camp near Angelica).
"The first unusual sight was a railroad coach, which seemed entirely lost in the woods,
although by no means displaced. The car, it was learned, was donated to the camp by the
late Frank Sullivan Smith, president of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad
Company. It is now used as camp headquarters."
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Bolivar Breeze, Thursday, October 15, 1925
P. S. & N. BRAKEMAN
LOSES RIGHT LEG
_____
Michael Minnich of Angelica
Fell From Coal Train,
Near Birdsall,
Sunday Afternoon
____
Michael Minnich of Angelica, a brakeman on the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern railroad, was run over by a coal train Sunday afternoon. His right leg was so badly injured that it had to be ampuated at the knee.
The accident happened in the town of Birdsall. Mr. Minnich was on the heavy coal train and evidentially fell between the cars. He was not missed by the other members of the crew until the train had arrived at Canaseraga. The pusher, returning to Angelica, saw the injured man lying along side the rails. An ambulance from Angelica removed him to the hospital in Wellsville, where the operation was performed.
Mr. Minnich is 39 years old and has a wife and two children.
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Bolivar Breeze
February 17, 1939
Conductor for 55 Years, Jack McLaughlin Has
Travelled 3,200,000 Miles Over P.S.& N. Lines
____
Jack McLaughlin of Olean, formerly of Bolivar, holds what is believed to be a unique world’s record for traveling. In 155 years of service as a conductor he rode 3.2q million miles - equivalent to 120 times around the world - over a railroad line that is less than 125 miles long.
Retired on Jan. 1 at the age of 72, by the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern R.R., Mr. McLaughlin now announces his intention of buying his first automobile and learning to drive.
Mr. McLaughlin began his railroad career at Friendship at the age of 15 years, starting as a water carrier on the iron gang which laid the first road between Friendship and Bolivar. This line, called the Friendship Railroad, was built in 1882 by Miner and Wellman, Friendship bankers, to run supplies and equipment into the roaring oil boom towns of Richburg and Bolivar.
Boom Town
Oil had been discovered only a few months when a boom town of several thousand sprang up at Richburg with no means of getting in or out except by torturous mud roads that wound through the valleys to Portville and Wellsville. The nearest railroad connection was with the Erie and Friendship 11 miles away and over the steep West Notch all which made transportation of heavy drilling equipment practically impossible.
So with pioneering courage and an eye to the lush profits through tapping this rich oil country the two Friendship bankers organized a stock company and financed the first railroad to the Allegany oil field. The survey for the narrow gauge railroad which had to climb 70 get to the mile in wide “S” curves to surmount the 300-foot-high watershed was made by John Peterson, Mr. McLaughlin recalls.
The lad who as a water carrier to the iron gang helped to build the first railroad into the Allegany Oil field rode over the completed line on the first train as a passenger. It was one of his greatest thrills, he says. Seats were fastened on to flat cars with a canopy fastened overhead. Thus the first passengers rode into Bolivar, shouting, cheering, urging the chugging little engine with its huge funnel smokestack up the steep grade.
First Telegraph Line
That same year Mr. McLaughlin helped put up the first telegraph line between Bolivar and Friendship. Returning to Friendship he worked in the office of W.O. Chapin, first superintendent of the line, until he was 17 years of age. Then he was given a job as brakeman on the line. He was promoted on April 4, 1886, to conductor, a position which he held for 55 years until his retirement.
The Friendship Railroad was later merged with the Olean Railroad, built from Olean to Bolivar to provide an outlet south. This road was called the Allegany Central. This merged with another line to become the Lackawanna and Pittsburgh and through a later consolidation became the Central New York and Western. Soon after 1900 this line was changed to standard gauge and became the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern.
Conductor 55 Years
Through every merger and consolidation Mr. McLaughlin remained as conductor, running trains first between Friendship and Bolivar, then Friendship and Olean and later between St. Marys, Pa., and Wayland, a distance of about 125 miles.
This was the farthest distance he ever travelled but he ran trains day after day along this line, piling up miles until the day he retired on full pension he estimated he had traveled 3,200,000 miles.
Mr. McLaughlin was born in Friendship January 1, 1866. He moved to Bolivar in 1898, living here about 18 years before he moved to Olean. He has one son, Frank McLaughlin, who is an extra passenger conductor on the Pennsylvania railroad lines.
Mr. McLaughlin, in spite of his advanced years, enjoys almost perfect health. He has never been seriously ill.
Accommodating
John McLaughlin was one of the most popular and accommodating conductors in this section, probably in the entire state. He has been known to stop his train far from a station to take on a passenger. Time and again he backed the train to the station for a passenger who had just missed it. He was there in person to see that his passengers were safely on or off the train when it stopped at the station. His motto was: “Safety First.”
Mr. McLaughlin showed his humanitarian side when the flu academic took such a toll in this section in 1918 and ’19. Dr. Bacon of Canaseraga, being unable to look after all of his patients, dispatched medicine to those living along the Shawmut line outside of Canaseraga. Conductor McLaughlin made deliveries at Garwood, Swain, Scholes, Birdsall and Angelica. On several occasions he stopped the train and walked to a nearby farm house to deliver medicine to a flu patient.
On two different occasions Mr. McLaughlin, after arriving home at night, hired a taxicab and drove from his home in Ceres, a distance of 11 miles, to check on some matters there. Fortunately, he found them all right. Is it any wonder that he was such a great success as a railroad man? Without doubt he would have been just as successful in any other calling.
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Olean Times Herald, May 9, 1939
Veteran Railroaders Are Guests Of Shawmut At All-Day Outing, Banquet
Special Train Carries Employees From St. Marys To Wayland - Service Awards
Presented At Dinner In Olean.
___
Some seventy employees of the Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Railroad, who are reaching or have reached
the age of retirement, relived the early days of railroading yesterday in an excursion trip from St. Marys, Pa., to
Wayland, N.Y., returned to Olean where a banquet at the Olean House climaxed the program.
The "Veterans' Special" left St. Mary's early in the morning in the charge of Superintendent J.D. Beaver, of St.
Marys. At Hornell a buffet lunch was served aboard the train. Several newspapermen and other invited guests were
also aboard the train.
The trip was arranged by officials of the road in honor of the engineers, firemen, train crew members, shop
crewmen, section men, station employees and others already on the pension roll or about to be listed there.
The banquet at the Olean House was served at 6:15. Following the banquet, several of the old-timers were called
on to tell of their experiences in the early days of railroading. Brief talks were given by John D. Dickson, receiver;
F.E. Gerg, St. Marys, general superintendent of motive power and equipment, Mayor John E. McAuliffe and J.D.
Beaver, St. Marys, general superintendent. A.G. Geuder, St. Marys, assistant general superintendent, acted as
toastmaster.
Mr. Dickson in his talk commented on the soft coal strike, saying it was affecting business of the road to a
considerable degree, since the Shawmut owns a number of mines. He expressed the hope that conditions would soon
improve and praised the employees for the loyalty and faithfulness over their many years of service.
The oldest employee present was L.H. Keller of St. Marys, retired shop watchman, aged 86, and the oldest in
point of service was J.J. McLaughlin of Olean, a retired conductor who served 56 years with the road. Service pins
were presented at the close of the program by Mr. Beaver.
PS&N officials who attended included Mr. Beaver, Mr. Geuder, Mr. Gerg, P.D. McBride, St. Marys, assistant to
Mr. Dixon; J.D. Fodge, St. Marys, trainmaster; J.M. Thompson, St. Marys, maintenance of way superintendent, and
Warner M. Brundage, Olean, representative of the road.
Olean Times Herald, March 13, 1947
PRR Will Operate Shawmut
Rights of way and track of the Pittsburg, Shawmut and Northern Railroad in Olean,
Farmers Valley, Pa., and probably in St. Marys, Pa., will be taken over by the Pennsylvania
Railroad April 1, A.B. Hinz, Olean freight agent for the Pennsylvania Railroad, said today.
Mr. Hinz said Shawmut tracks in Olean would be used by the Pennsy line as far as
Campbell Oil Company and the Border Oil and Gas Company, Inc., both on East State Road.
About two miles in the city is involved.
Mr. Hinz said the Pennsylvania Railroad workmen would begin soon to construct a three
quarter mile connecting track between the Pennsy tracks at Coryville and the Shamut line at
Farmers Valley. This would link the Quaker State Oil Refining Corporation at Farmers Valley
with a rail outlet.
At Tyler, Pa. the Pennsy line will build a connecting track to the former Shawmut coal
mines, Mr. Hinz said. He said he was reasonably sure that the Pennsy Railroad would also
take over the Shawmut tracks and yards at St. Marys.
The trackage was acquired from Harry W. Findley, Carnegie, Pa. coal operator, who
bought the Shawmut Railroad March 3 for $1,505,000. The Pennsylvania Railroad had
reportedly offered $121,000 for the Shawmut portion in Olean, St. Marys and Farmers
Valley, although Mr. Hinz could not say what price was finally paid to Mr. Findley.
Shawmut operations will cease March 31, and the Pennsylvania Railroad will take over
the following day.
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Nunda News, March 14, 1947
Shawmut Railroad That Once Served Nunda Consigned to Junk Pile
The Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad, which at one time ran its passenger trains
into Nunda, has been consigned to the scrap heap, ending the oldest receivership in United
States history. The railroad, a 185-mile coal hauling line extending from St. Mary's, Pa. to
Olean, and which operated branches between Hornellsville and Nunda Junction, with
another branch line reaching the far-famed Stony Brook Glen, went into receivership 41
years ago.
Older readers of the "News" will recall the Shawmut passenger station on the east side
of the present Pennsylvania Railroad tracks here in the village, directly across the tracks
from where the present depot now stands, at which time the late S.E. Fritz, father of V.E.
Fritz and Mrs. B. Wagor, was the acting passenger and freight agent.
In those days passenger trains operating between Hornellsville and Nunda connected at
Nunda Junction with the old Western New York and Pennsylvania, which is now the Olean-
Rochester branch of the Pennsylvania.
The tracks of the Shawmut through this section south of Nunda were abandoned years
ago, at which time the big old wooden trestle over the Keshequa Creek south of the
condensory on Portage street was torn down and rails from the winding roadbed continuing
south and crossing the old State road this side of the present Lawrence Mann farm were
scrapped and sold for junk.
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Rochester Democrat & Chronicle, Thurs., May 22, 1947
Erie Purchases Spur Line,
Aids Hornell Industries
_____
Hornell - The spur line of the Pittsburg, Shawmut & Northern Railroad, willed to the American Red
Cross by Mrs. Clara E.H. Smith, formerly of Angelica, Tuesday was sold to the Erie Railroad Company.
Announcement was made yesterday by Attorney Sherman B. Shults, Hornell, chairman of the
Industrial Division, Hornell Board of Trade.
Some months ago when a conference was held here by officials of the F.A. Smith Company of
Rochester and President William L. Batt of the SKF Industries of Philadelphia, it was agreed that KF
would purchase and operate the newly built Smith plant here if assurance could be given that the freight
service on the Shawmut line would be continued.
Present at the conference was the Erie Railroad President, Robert E. Woodruff, and with the
assistance of Shults, negotiations have been pending since that time for the purchase of the Red Cross
property.
Plans now are nearly completed for the SKF Industries to start operating a ball bearing plant here on
June 1.
The Erie Railroad was in he anomalous position of being ordered by the Interstate Commerce
Commission to maintain traffic on the spur line without the right to make repairs. Now that it owns the
track and right of way, its freight service can be improved, and this is of great importance o the city's
business, since more than half of the freight handled in Hornell comes in over the the Shawmut tracks on
a spur which connects with the Buffalo Division of the Erie, a short distance from the Huguet plant on
Thacher Street.