[PRCo] South Fork - Portage Railway

[Edward H. Lybarger]

This is the greatest quantity of research I've seen on this company.  Thanks, Daria!

Ed

-----Original Message-----
From: Pittsburgh-railways [mailto:pittsburgh-railways-bounces at mailman.dementix.org] On Behalf Of Daria Phoebe Brashear via Pittsburgh-railways
Sent: Thursday, November 16, 2017 11:34 AM
To: Western PA Trolley discussion
Subject: [PRCo] South Fork - Portage Railway

https://thetrolleydodger.com/tag/south-fork-portage-railway-co/

I think one of Rohrbeck's books mentions they (as Penn Central) sold car #1 because the line had no passing siding. It also mentions the bumping block at the edge of South Fork.

The 3.5 miles ending in a Portage railroad cut presumably is this one:
https://www.google.com/maps/@40.3758462,-78.7459077,3a,75y,268h,90t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sRaj3HTi9NkeR_xKXp0oN0g!2e0!6s%2F%2Fgeo0.ggpht.com%2Fcbk%3Fpanoid%3DRaj3HTi9NkeR_xKXp0oN0g%26output%3Dthumbnail%26cb_client%3Dsearch.TACTILE.gps%26thumb%3D2%26w%3D96%26h%3D64%26yaw%3D268.0924%26pitch%3D0%26thumbfov%3D100!7i3328!8i1664
and the street they climbed out of South Fork is presumably Maple, given they also traversed St James Cemetery (news clipping to follow) but I'd bet what killed the line early is not making it to Portage, and given the right of way the PRR allowed them, I'd bet the state deciding to not share the railroad underpasses on what is now route 53 with the company (and making them lift their tracks) is what did it. They built the most expensive part of the line first, leaving South Fork. The rest, along right of way the PRR nominally allowed them, should have been easy!

Text of clippings follows:

Altoona Mirror, 24 May 13:
SOUTH FORK PORTAGE RY. ON PENNSY TRACK
Valuable concessions. which will hasten the completion of the trolley line from this city to Johnstown, have been granted to the South Fork • Portage Railway Company by the Pennsylvania Railroad. The concessions have been secured by Mr. George Holeman, who is promoting the new railway. The line between South Fork and Portage is nearing completion, and cars will be operated there before many days, be(sic) those two points. Following is a summary of the agreement which has been secured from the Pennsy by Mr.
Holman : "The exclusive use of the Old Portage and New Portage roadbeds between SummerhiII and Gallitzin. The use of the Pennsylvania's own right of way and property at six places—through Cassandra borough ; a piece of land, east of Cassandra upon the main line right of way at the deep cut.
between Cassandra and Lilly; a plot of land in Cresson borough, and a plot of ground between Cresson and Gallitzin." The right is also granted to cross the P. R. R. main line at eight under-grade and five overhead crossings. together with the right to cross branch tracks at grade. Mr.
Holman is to be congratulated upon the successful negotiation of this valuable right to the trolley company. He expects to be able to announce the date of the opening of the line within the next few weeks.

Altoona Times, 27 May 13
BURY CORPSE ON
    RIGHT OF WAY OF
      S. F.-P. RAILWAY

 Effort Is Made To Prevent
 Trolley Line From Crossing Cemetery

 SOUTH FORK, May 26.—In an effort
to check work of the South Fork•Port-
age Railway company upon the proper-
ty of St. James Cemetery Association
for the reason, it is understood. that the right-of-way has not been paid for, in- terested persons are alleged to have disinterred a body from the burial ground near Summerhill last evening and buried it again just in front of the steam shovel used in constructing the trolley line. This was not accomplished however, until two foreigners, laborers for the trolley company, lead been ar- rested for trespass.
 About 9 o'clock last evening people
who are protesting against the progress
of the traction line over cemetery prop- erty before legal matters are adjusted went to the right-of-way and dug a grave in front of the steam shovel. They then went to that section of the burial ground known as the "potters' field," it is said, and disinterred the body of an unknown man, killed on the Pennsylva- nia Railroad tracks several months ago.
Before they removed the body to the
prepared grave, officials of the traction company learned of the move, and sent two foreigners to the shovel to till the grave. This was done, large stones be- ing dropped into the hole. Undaunted, however, the other party dug a new grave close to the shovel and placed the body in it, it is said.
 The two foreigners were then arrest-
ed on charges of trespass. The body
was placed close to the winding road-
way that leads from the township
highway up through the cemetery.
 Attorney Arthur C. Simler, an official
of the South Fork - Portage line,
said today that permission to construct
the line hail been given by Bishop Eugene A. Garvey, pending the granting of a petition by the court.
 "The title to all church property in
the diocese is vested in the Bishop."
said Mr. Simler. He was willing that
we build the line through the St.James
cemetery. as the tracks are beside the
township road, on a strip separated
from the cemetery proper by a fence. '
We have the option on the property,

 but can't close up the right-of-way
 til we get an order from the Court for
 the transfer. Our petition for that
 must be presented during a session of
 a court. and it it will be presented
 the first Monday in June. Pending the granting  Monday in June. Pending the granting  of the order Bishop Garvey indicated  his willingness that we proceed with  the grading."
  The body will not be moved, at least
 not for a short time, said Mr. Simler.
 The steam shovel will be moved to the
 other end of the cemetery strip, from
 where work will be done toward the
 grave. Squire Schofield has not given
 the two foreigners a hearing, as an at-  tempt is being made to settle the case.
  Thomas McGuire. who made the in-
 formations against the foreigners,
 could not be reached today. and an ef-
 fort to communicate with Father
 Quinn. pastor of St James Church this
 afternoon elicited the information that  he was at the cemetery.
  The body that was placed in the right
 of-way was never identified, it is said.
 The man was thought to have been
 from Sharon. He was killed near South Fork
(unintelligible) a freight train.


Harrisburg Telegraph, 17 Aug 15:
Cunningham Insists

   on Public Utilities Co.

     Complying With Law

 Highway Commissioner Cunningham and Chief Engineer Uhler served notice to-day by a ruling that public utilities corporations must conform with the law when dealing with the State Highway Department. The South Fork..Portage Railway Company, in Cambria county, has been endeavoring for some time past to secure right of way along a State highway route. Permission to pass beneath a subway, now occupied by the State highway, had been denied, but, through a misunderstanding, the railway company proceeded to lay tracks without a permit along this road.

Chief Engineer Uhler ordered the tracks removed and, on the failure of the company to do so, the State highway employes tore them up. Not- withstanding this, the railway company relaid the tracks and then se- cured a preliminary injunction in the Cambria county courts preventing the Cambria county courts preventing the State Highway Department from re- moving the tracks. Officers said the work had been done without orders. '
Commissioner Cunningham observed that the officers of the company were responsible for the acts of subordinates.
 The representatives of the company were told that unless the tracks were voluntarily removed and the preliminary injunction not acted upon, the department would be perfectly willing to take the subject into the courts for a ruling. After some argument the railway officials acceded to this demand and the tracks in dispute will be removed.

--
Daria Phoebe Brashear
AuriStor, Inc
dariaphoebe.com



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