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, May 3, 1899
New Enterprise
An Opportunity For Ligonier To Develop Its Resources - Railroad And Lumber Mill
The Byers Lumber Company Seeking A Location For Saw Mill Near Town. Railroad To The Mountain
Mention was made in last week's paper of a proposed lumber company that is about to build a railroad to the mountain above Mechanicsburg and bring the logs to near town and manufacture them into lumber. Capt. W. Byers, of Williamsport, Pa., and L. H. Allen, of Buffalo, N.Y. spent nearly all of last week here in the interest of the matter and it is said the enterprise is a sure go this time. The company is to be known as the Byers Lumber Company and will build a railroad from town to the mountain going up the Lynn's Run past Mechanicsburg to the timber tract owned by these people. Capt. Byers, Mr. Allen and one or two others spent most of the last week in trying to find a suitable site for the mill near town. There are two sites that are available, the one on the J. N. Boucher farm and the other on the farm of D. R. Marker. The Marker site is preferable as it would avoid bridging the Loyalhanna river. If neither of these places can be secured it is likely that the mill will be located at Mechanicsburg and Ligonier lose the benefit that would be derived from having the mill near town. Mr. Allen stated last Thursday evening at a citizens' meeting that the site would require from 15 to 20 acres, one acre for pond to float the logs, the balance for the mill and lumber yards, that the mill will be 300 ft. long 60 ft. wide and employ 60 men besides the men required on the railroad and in the mountain, that the capacity of the mill will be 100,000 feet a day.
A meeting of the citizens of town was called to meet in school building last Thursday evening at which most of the leading business men of town were present. The object of
the meeting being to confer with the Messrs. Byers and Allen and co-operate with them in securing a site for the mill and to organize the board of trade. The meeting was organized by electing Dr. J. T. Ambrose, president; W. A. Peterson, vice-president; I M. Graham, sec., J. H. Murdock, treasurer. After considerable discussion and speeches by a number of citizens and a statement by Mr. Allen, representing the lumber company, a committee consisting of J. H. Murdock, J. W. Keffer, W. A. Peterson, H. E. Marker and J. F. Menoher was appointed to confer with the lumber company the owners of the sites above mentioned, the citizens of the town and endeavor if possible to secure a favorable site near the town for the mill, to devise means also to effect a permanent organization or establish a board of trade. Meeting adjourned to meet Monday evening, May 1st when the committee should report.
Monday Evening Meeting
The adjourned meeting of last Thursday evening met in school building, Dr. Ambrose in the chair. A report of the committee was heard through its chairman, J. H. Murdock as follows: That D. R. Marker had been seen and he had agreed to lease a site for the lumber mill for $600 a year for ten years this price including the right of way through his property for railroad and that the committee found the people of town favorable to securing the mill near town and that they had no plans for a permanent board of trade. The report of the committee was accepted and the committee continued. Adjourned to
meet at call of the president.