198 A. L. Bishop — The State Works of Pennsylvania. 



From there to Johnstown, the fall was 1,171.58 feet in a distance of 

 26.59 miles.* The principal part of the elevation was overcome by 

 ten straight inclined planes, operated by stationary engines. There 

 were five of them on either side of the mountain with a total length 

 of about 4^/2 miles. Their angles of inclination ranged from four 

 degrees and nine minutes to five degrees and fifty-one minutes. A 

 tunnel at the Staple Bend of the Conemaugh, 4 miles east of Johns- 

 town, attracted great attention. It was 901 feet long, 20 feet wide, 

 and 19 feet high within the arch. It was the first tunnel built in 

 America. f The first track was ready for use in 1834, although it 

 was then in a very imperfect condition. It Avas not until late in 

 the spring of the following year that the second track was com- 

 pleted. At first the state furnished the motive power only on the 

 inclined planes and the road was used as a public highway. The 

 dissatisfaction accompanying this method of operation soon resulted 

 in the state also furnishing locomotive power on the grade lines 

 between the planes. 



As on the Philadelphia and Columbia railroad, the operating of 

 the planes on the first portage line was not satisfactory, neither 

 were they considered safe. Consequently suggestions for avoiding 

 them were made immediately after the opening of the road. It was 

 not until the construction of the Pennsylvania system began in 

 1847, however, that the state authorities gave serious attention to 

 this matter. After encountering many difficulties, and the expendi- 

 ture of several times the amount of money estimated as necessary 

 for building it, a new Portage railroad was completed on July 1st, 

 1855. Although in an imperfect condition, it was then put into 

 operation, and the old line, though somewhat shorter than the new 

 one, ceased to be used. 



The Western division of the Pennsylvania canal extended from 

 Johnstown to Pittsburg, a distance of 104 miles, traversing the 

 valleys of the Conemaugh, Kiskeminetas, and Allegheny rivers. 

 After leaving Johnstown it passed the towns of Fairfield, Lock- 

 port, Blairsville and Warren, crossed the Allegheny above the mouth 

 of the Kiskeminetas, and followed it for some distance. Again 

 recrossing that river, the canal entered and passed through the city 



* Tanner, Canals and Railroads of the United States, p. 126. 



t Wilson, The Allegheny Portage Railroad, in Annual Report of Secretary 

 of Internal Aflfairs, Part IV, 1898-99, p. Ixiii. This is doubtless the best and 

 fullest history of the Portage road ever written. 



