Ligonier Valley Rail Road Newspaper Articles
We have compiled over 1,400 newspaper articles that mention the Ligonier Valley Railroad, or related subjects. The articles were originally published starting in 1873 and our collection runs through 1995. Enjoy!
Ligonier Echo
Wednesday, October 18, 1905
Pushing The P. W. & S. Through To Somerset
But A Short Distance Remains To Be Built To Complete The Road
Tunnel Work Progressing
Shortening Route To Pittsburgh Via Ligonier About Forty Miles, Placing Somerset Nearer To Pittsburgh Than Is Johnstown No Controversy Between The P. W. & S. And The B&O As Has Been Reported
A communication to the Johnstown Tribune of last week dated from Somerset October 12th has the following favorable comment in reference to the construction of the Pittsburg, Westmoreland & Somerset railroad:
"If everything goes well the people of Somerset will within a very short time be able to reach Pittsburg without going a roundabout way which makes it about twice as far as necessary. The new Pittsburg, Westmoreland & Somerset railroad is nearing completion, and that will not only afford an outlet for a lot of coal which lies in territory hitherto inaccessible, but will enable the people of this town to reach the Smoky City by a direct route. In fact, it will be somewhat of a surprise for most folks to learn that by the use of the new line Somerset is placed just a few miles nearer to Pittsburg than is Johnstown, through which, or Rockwood, our people have hitherto had to travel to get anywhere east of west. The distance is gained in going from Somerset to Ligonier, thence to Latrobe,
where the main line is touched.
"Less that three miles of P. W. & S. remain yet to be constructed, rails having been laid from Zufall, the former terminus, to Husband, three miles from town, and most of the remaining work is of a light character. Several hundred laborers are working on the contract, and the owners of the road expect to be running trains in and out of this town
before the end of next month."
The article further states that there seems to be no foundation for the story recently sent out from Somerset that there is a bitter rivalry between the P. W. & S. and the B&O roads for control of some desirable coal territory. The only opposition shown by the B & O people was when the P. W. & S. began the work of extending to Somerset and to
utilize the bed of the South Penn. The B&O had notices posted that the P. W. & S. should not use the South Penn route. These notices were ignored and no formal protest has been made. Further, the fact that the P. W. & S. is a feeder for the Pennsylvania through the L.V.R.R. to Latrobe and that the building of the road is encouraged by the Pennsylvania company which controls the B&O company is conclusive evidence that there will be no trouble in the completion of the P. W. & S. to Somerset in the near future.