HISTORY: Twentieth Century History of Clearfield County, PA, Roland D. Swoope, 1911, Chapter 17 Contributed for use in the USGenWeb Archives by Judy Banja and Sally Copyright 2005. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/ NOTE: Use this web address to access other chapters: http://www.usgwarchives.net/pa/clearfield/1picts/swoope/swoope.htm ________________________________________________ TWENTIETH CENTURY HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY PENNSYLVANIA AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS BY ROLAND D. SWOOPE, JR. PUBLISHED BY RICHMOND-ARNOLD PUBLISHING CO. F. J. Richmond, President C. R. Arnold, Secretary and Treasurer CHICAGO, ILL. CHAPTER XVII TRANSPORTATION FACILITIES HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY 224 Turnpike Days - Water Transportation - The Tyrone and Clearfield Railroad - The Pennsylvania & Northern - The Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg R. R. - The Karthaus R. R. - The Beech Creek R. R. - The Cresson, Clearfield County & New York Short Route R. R. - The Philipsburg R. R. - The Clearfield Southern R. R. - The West Branch R. R. - The Curwensville & Bower R. R. - The Buffalo & Susquehanna R. R. - The Franklin & Clearfield R. R. - The DuBois Street Railway - The Philipsburg Street Railway Co. In no case does the old proverb, "necessity is the mother of invention," hold more true than in the history of the development of railroads in Clearfield county. In the days when the lumbering stage coach traveled the "Erie Turnpike," carrying the government mails and the few travelers who ventured east or west, no better or faster means of locomotion was deemed necessary. Lumbering was the industry followed by the majority of Clearfield county's citizens, and the many streams connecting with the broad Susquehanna afforded ample facilities for lumber transportation. Although the vast stores of coal and fire clay were known to exist, there had been no need to develop them as yet. This left little need for transportation, and in those peaceful years, before the mania for speed had seized our nation, people were content to live with no other communication with the outside world than that afforded by waterway and turnpike. But soon rumors of a great civil war stirred our country and quickened it to new life. No longer were men willing to be cut off from news of affairs which threatened our nation, and it was at this time that the citizens of Clearfield county came to a realization of their need of quicker transportation. The proposed railroad was called the Tyrone and Clearfield, a branch of the Pennsylvania railroad. About 1862 the track was built from Vail to Sandy Ridge - the top of the mountain, and a year later was extended to Philipsburg. It was not until six years later, and with the financial aid of citizens of Clearfield, that the track was extended to the county seat. Here it again rested from its labors, and six years passed before the railroad reached Curwensville, aided financially by citizens of that town. For many years Curwensville remained the terminus of the Tyrone and Clearfield railroad, but the coal interests farther west caused the road to be extended as far as Grampian in 1891. Several branches have been added to this road, the most important of which is the Moshannon. The Moshannon branch joins the AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS 225 main line of the Tyrone and Clearfield railroad at Osceola, and extends through the coal regions of that section, terminating at McCartney. Various branches, leading to the mining towns and coal operations in the vicinity of this line, have been added. The Pennsylvania and Northwestern Railroad, formerly known as the Bell's Gap railroad, extends from Bellwood in Blair county through the northwestern part of Clearfield county by way of Coalport, Irvona and Mahaffey, having its terminus at Punxsutawney. This road was begun in 1871 and completed in 1887. The Low Grade division of the Pennsylvania railroad was opened through the west and northwest portion of Clearfield county in 1874. It enters this county at Tyler, running southeast to Du Bois and thence west into Jefferson county. The Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg Railroad was built through the northwestern part of Clearfield county in 1883. It originally entered this county from the northwest, running southeast to Du Bois and then south to Stump Creek, below which it again entered Jefferson county. In 1893 a branch known as the Clearfield and Mahoning Railroad was constructed from Du Bois Junction, by way of Luthersburg and Curwensville, to Clearfield, being the first and only railroad connecting Du Bois with the county seat. The opening of this branch was celebrated by a public meeting in the court house at Clearfield, June 6, 1893, at which representatives were present from various towns along the new railroad, as well as officials of the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg Railroad Company. The Karthaus Railroad, extending from Keating on the Philadelphia and Erie Railroad to Karthaus in Clearfield county was completed in 1883. This road was operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company until 1902, when it passed under the control of the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company at the time of the completion of their West Branch Valley line, of which it is now a part. The Beech Creek Railroad was constructed in Clearfield county in 1884. It now extends from Jersey Shore, Lycoming county, through Clearfield county to Patton in Cambria county. This road has branches connecting with Philipsburg and Clearfield. The Cresson, Clearfield County and New York Short Route Railroad was built in the northern part of the county, between Cresson and Irvona in 1886. It is now operated by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. The Philipsburg Railroad extends from Philipsburg to Ferndale, by way of Osceola, Houtzdale and Ramey. The Clearfield Southern Railroad, completed in 1908, extends from Dimeling station on the Beech Creek Railroad, up Clearfield Creek to Irvona, by way of Madera and Glen Hope. It is operated by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company. The West Branch Valley Railroad was completed in 1902 and extends from Clearfield to Keating. It is operated by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company and is known as the River Line. The Curwensville and Bower Railroad was constructed in 1903-4. It runs from Curwensville up the West Branch of the Susquehanna river to Bower Station, on the Beech Creek Railroad. It is operated by the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad Company as part of the Beech Creek system, the trains HISTORY OF CLEARFIELD COUNTY 226 using the Buffalo, Rochester & Pittsburg Railroad tracks between Curwensville and Clearfield. The Buffalo and Susquehanna Railroad was built in 1904 and extends from near Tyler through Clearfield county by way of Du Bois and its present terminus is Sagamore, Indiana county. The Franklin and Clearfield Railroad, now under construction, enters Clearfield county near Du Bois. It is a branch of the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railroad, and the trains now use the tracks of the Buffalo, Rochester and Pittsburg Railroad between Du Bois and Clearfield. Street Railways - The only town in Clearfield county having a system of street railways is DuBois. The lines are operated by overhead trolley. The company is known as the Du Bois Street Railway Company, and began business in 1891. It has 21 miles of track. The Philipsburg Street Railway Company has a line extending to Morrisdale, Winburne and several other mining towns in Clearfield county.