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LETTER
FROM TBB
HONORABLE LEWIS F. ALLEN, OF BLACK ROCK,
TO
ARCHIBALD GILKISON, ESQ.,
SECRETARY OF THE BRANTFORD &, BUFFALO RAILROAD COMPANY-
Niagara Palls, August 6, 1851.
Dear Sir,— In answer to your request that I should state my views in relation to the influence whi.-h the
proposed line of Railway from Fort Erie, through Brantford, to a juntion with the Great Western Road 'rom
Hamilton to Windsor, would have upon the latter, — I answer :
• I suppose that one of the advantages which the Great Western Road proposes to it Stockholde.s is
to transport a considerable portion of the Central Michigan Railroad passengers through the Canadas in their
passage to the Eastern States, which the proprietors of the Great Western expect to do, either by putting them on
board Lake Ontario Steamboats at Hamilton for Oswego, or other American towns on or near Lake Ontario or
by an extension of their Road from Hamilton to the Niagara River, to the Suspension Bridge near Niagara Falls
to connect with the Kochester and Niagara Falls Railroad. By this connection, the Great Western also
anticipate that they will carry the travel next to the Central Michigan Road from the Eastern New York CetUral
Road, as well.
I understand also that somn of the parties interested in the Great Western oppose the Buffalo and Brantford
Road and its connection with the Great Western, on the supposition that it will injure the latter in its business.
As this latter proposition is altogether at variance with the experience of the great Lines of Railway in the United
States, in permitting lateral Roads, or indeed Roads running to important terminations, for a share of their course
almost parallel with such main trunks, I will venture a suggeition or two on the subject, more particularly as it
may seem to affect the Line in question.
It is well known that at this moment the most central Line of Railway from Albany to the West terminates
at Buffalo-pihe most important Road in the interior of New York«_The New York and Erie Road from New
York City to Lake Erie, terminates at Dunkirk, forty miles South of Butialo; and by the Lake Erie South shore
Road, now constructing, continues on to Toledo, where it connects with the Southern Michigan Road bv a Road
from Toledo to Adtow,, and so on to Chicago, and also, by continuing to Monroe, Michigan takes the same route
West, Thus the dired travel from the City of Now York, West into Michigan, and beyond, would pass Buffafo
on the South, avoiding both that City and the Canadian peninsula, and by a directly connected, yet circuitous
route, attaining its object. But there are two parn'm Roads now in the course of construction to bo
completed in the year 1852, both commencing at Buffalo, and running East, to /«;> the New York and Erie
Road ; one at, Hornellsville, about 00 miles East of Buffalo, called the Buffalo and New York City Railroad ; and
another, the '^whocton Road, intersecting the. New York an^l Erie Road at Coffiing, some 40 or 50 miles further
East ; and both of these Roads arc built, as understood, with the full a/pprobation and co-operation of the New York
and Erie Road, with th" same wide guagc of track as it has, and in tlic expectation of draining off a large amount
of travel- and transportation from the W«s<»r/v portion of tlie main trunk; but alco in the expectation of receiving a
2
MMh larger accession of business (rom these two Buflklo Roads goinjj to New Y"ork, for perhaps threo-fourlhs its-
whole length East of those junctions, than it will lose by them over its Western onf fourth. And this course —
that of allowing other Roads leading to other points thA" ife own termination— is adopted by the Directors of th©
Erie Road on knowledge derived from the sound experience of other older Roads which have adopted the pame
line of policy.
Now that the same benefit would accrue to the main interests of the Great Weptern in case it should
permit the BufTala and Brantford Roatds to connect with it, or in case it should even copstruct tli»t l^anch of
road itself I can have no question. The Railroad from Buffalo on the South shore of Lake Erie to Detroit, or
to Monroe, (the Eastern terminus of the Southern Michigan Railroad,) is in the course of rapid completion ; but it
will be under any circumstances, quite or nearly 100 miles longer than a route of Railway from Fort Erie via
Brantford and the Great Western, to Detroit ; but still, the South Shore route, is a direct route, and the Brantford
Road net existing, the Western travel will take the " South Shore" L,ake Erie route, and the central New York
travel as well as the travel from the Conhocton and Hornellsville routes, and the New York and Erie route to.
Dunkirk— all will go up the South Shore route to the West, and Cmmla will Use if. B^it let tl^e Bufifilg and
Brantford Road exist, and travellers from the East going West will diverge from the New York and Erie Road
either at Corning, or Hornellsville, and go to Bi'fTalo, as well as travellers by the Albany and Buffalo Roads t»
some extent, and from there take the Brantford and Great Western Road to Detroit in great numbers. All this
travel I conceive, would be diverted from the South Shore Railroad, and without the aid of the Brantford Road,
would be eptirely lost to the Great Western, and in r.y opinion not at all interfere with its receipts East of
Brantford or if it should slightly interfere with the receipts of the Great Western travel East of the Brantford
Junction, such interference would not injure to one-fourth part the extent in lakjpg passepgers IJroro it, that it
would benefit then&tn in taking passengers on to it. Were both the Great Western and the Buffalo apd Branfford
Roads in the State of New York instead of in Canada, I think there could be no doubt that the Stockholders of
the Great Western, equally with those of the Buffalo and Brantford, would be anxious to controul and connect
the two Roads, and that anxiety would be derived from the belief that both Roads would be mutually benefitted
by such connection.
I consider also, that from the very favourable grade of the Buffalo and Brantford Road Bind the ^uniiapcs,.
and cheapness of material along the line, this Road may be built from two to three thousand dollars cheaper jjer
mile than almost any ouier Road in the country. The right of way, as I understand from the Chief Engiijeer
can be had for a mere trifle, compared with the usual cost of such objects ; and I have no doubt at all, that any
amount of contracts may be made for the construction of the Ropd at perfectly fair rates, and payment
made to the extent of one-half of such contracts in its Capital Stock to the Contractors. And t also
believe, that if the question were once settled heyoiui a cavil, tha« the Buffalo and Brantlord Road were
once secure in its rights and privileges, as given in the amendment 'xtension of your Plank Read Law of 1850
under which it i" organized, that every dollar of capital stock required for its construction can or may be scrid in
the State or City of New York, and a great portion too of those interested in the stock of Railroads rupning East
from Buflalo, so differently do our people look upon the policy of co-operating with the Railroads entirely, instead^^
of opposing everything not exactly tending to the same point as their own particular project.
To illustrate the views of our legislators in the State of New York : — the State owns the Erie Canal,
extending from Albany to Buffalo. The Canal is the great thoroughfare for freight, from Lake Erie to tide
water, and was, for many years, the monopolist of all the freight destined to the West, and aii the emigrant
travel, and a large portion (through its packets,) of the business and pleasure travel througli the State from
Albany to Buf&lo. When the line ot Railway was constructed from Albany to Buf&lo, most of this business
and pleasure travel .^i. the Canal; and so largely did the emigrant travel increase, which was largely
productive to the State, that at this time, pr<^ably nineteen-twentieths of the emigrant travel, with its baggage,
(and this last is a large item) is carried by the Railroads. When these Roads were chartered, a part of them,
(there were seven Companies in all) were prohibited from carrying freight other than pasiengers' baggage —
afterwards they were permitted to carry freight vf on payment ofeanaltoUi to the State on such freight. Look at the
r«suU. By the construction of these Roads an immense business was diverted from thf Erie Canal, and although
during all this time, the tolls were several times lessened on the Canal, its business and tolls never increased so-
ra/pidly as since these Railroads were constructed ; and the Roads have made every effort in their power to divert
the Canal business to their routes. Fully satisfied, from experience, that the trade Oi the Canal would be
Fromoted instead of diminished by the prosperity of the Railroads, during the last Session of the Legislature
of New York the tolls were taken off the Railroads running parallel with the Canal,— and now, no Railroad tn
New York pays toll to the State, although thoy may come into the strongest competition with the Canal business !
Such is the result to which the Legislature of the State of New York have arrived, after ten years' experience,
of the action of Railroads owned by corporations.
Another act of legislation has demonstrated the fact, that no injury can result, in the largest liberty
being allowed to capital to seek investments in 'Railroads, wherever the interests of^he stockholders may choose
to build them. Railroads have proved such creators of wealth in opening markets to the produce of the country ,
and introducing supplies to the people, that our LegislatOre seek the means to introduce roads among them instead
of restricting them in their enjoyment ; and, therefore, a general Railroad law has been enacted, so that no special
application is no'.v required for the formation of any Railroad association. Lands, which before the construction
of a Railroad in their vicinity, were almost valueless, for want of a ready market for their productions,
are now increased in value 25 to 100 per cent, from the opening of a ready market by such Road.
They aiM a general prosperity '.o the people, by the enhanced price of the farming products, and in so doing add
to the means of the Farmer and his neighbours to spend their money in travel over their Roads ; thus, by a liberal
policy, both enriching themselves and the people. Such is eminently the case with the Erie Railroad, now just
finished, to Lake Erie, from New York, corroborating the previous facts illustrated by the other Roads, in adding
to the great aggregate wealth of the State and its people.
That such a line of policy pursued in Canada would be attended with as valuable results as in the State of
New York, 1 fully believe ; and among all the Railroad projects now in inticipation in Upper Canada, I know
of none that will be more likely to prove profitable to its Stockholders, and valuable to the people in the vicinity
of its line, than the Buffalo and Brantford Road, and its continuation on the Great Western to Detroit I believe
it will give at least two dollars to the Great Western by carrying the passengers into it from Buffalo, where it
will take one dollar off from its receipts, and that simply by giving them a passage of six hours between Detroit
and Buffalo, and vice versa, instead of a ten hours' passage by the South shore of Lake Erie route.
You will please excuse the hurried manner in which I have thrown these desultory ideas together, while
df'layed on my passage home for an hour or two at this place ; and if you think th^y can in any way be useful
to your interests, you can make such use of them as you think proper, only regretting on my part that I have not
had more time to commit my iniperft'Cl ideas to paper in a better mar.nei
Very truly and respectfully your Friend,
And obedient Servant,
LEWIS F. ALLEN.
Archibald Gilkison, Esq.