An undated photograph of the railroad station and supporting buildings at Lykens, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania.
This post consists of a selection of early stories about the Lykens Valley Railroad, from its earliest days in 1834 to the year 1913.
From the Lykens Standard, September 19, 1902, the repeat of a story that appeared in the Pennsylvania Intelligencer on July 31, 1934:
Lykens Valley Railroad
An accommodation car will commence running from the Wiconisco coal mines to Millersburg three times a week. It will leave Wiconisco every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday at 6 o’clock in the morning and will arrive in Millersburg at 8 a.m., and return the same day at 3 p.m. , and at any other time to suit travelers. Any person wishing to amuse themselves with a variety of curiosities about the coal mines will not be disappointed by spending a few days in this place and may rest assured to be made comfortable while here. Fare through 50 cents; way passengers 3 cents a mile.
Michael Sheafer, Wiconisco, July 8, 1834
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From the same Lykens Standard, September 19, 1902, the repeat of a story from W. H. Egle‘s History of Dauphin and Lebanon Counties, published in 1883:
[We quote the following additional information concerning the opening of the road above mentioned and the one at present in use.]
“The Lykens Valley Railroad, the fourth railroad in the United States to carry anthracite coal, and the first in Dauphin County, was located by Mr. Ashwin, an English civil engineer, and extended from the mines in Bear Gap, sixteen miles to the Susquehanna river, along the north foot of Berry’s mountain. This road was constructed under the direction of John Paul, civil engineer, Henry Sheafer, superintendent, and Simon Sallade, director. The road was completed and began transporting coal in 1834 by horse power, on a flat strap rail. Shipments continued in this manner until 1845, when the railroad was worn and abandoned until 1848. Then a portion of the railroad was regraded and all laid with a new T-rail.”
In 1865, the Summit Branch Company, which had purchased the Elder and Haldeman tract at Williamstown, built a branch from their mine which connected with the Lykens Valley road just north of the Wiconisco Creek, and the following year commenced shipping coal.
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From the Lykens Register, March 20, 1896:
The Lykens Valley railroad, leased by the Summit Branch Coal Company about three years since, has passed into the control of the Pennsylvania Central and Northern Central Railroad Companies, together with the Summit Branch coal operations at Williamstown, the eastern terminus of the road.
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From the Lykens Register, November 10, 1896:
Accidental Death
The coroner arrived last Thursday evening and held an inquest over the remains of the late Mrs. George Kolva. ‘Squire W. S. Young, as foreman, had the following jury impaneled: Henry Feindt; John E. Hensel; John S. Reiff; John A. Kull; and Edward Fennel.
Five witnesses were heard: Harper Dunlap, George Evitts; Samuel Mumma; William Dill; and F. W. Seal.
They rendered a verdict in accordance with the facts as printed in last week’s Register: That she came to her death by being run over by a draft of cars on the Lykens Valley railroad, accidentally.
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From the Lykens Register, December 25, 1896:
Supervisor J. S. Hopkinson, supervisor of the Lykens Valley Railroad, is to be highly commended for the substantial crossing of stone and plank which he has had put in over the railroad at Market Street. This is what was long needed and is the best that has yet been made there. The Main Street crossing needs similar attention.
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From the Lykens Standard, June 20, 1913, another story about the beginnings of the Lykens Valley Railroad as related to the growth of the Lykens Valley mines.:
The Lykens Valley Mines
The following brief history of the coal mines is from the pen of the late F. W. Sheafer, of Pottsville:
The Wiconisco Coal Company, named after Wiconisco Creek in the Northeastern portion of the county, was organized in 1831, composed of six members: Simon Gratz, Samuel Richards, George H. Thompson, Charles Rockland Thompson, all of Philadelphia, and Henry Schreiner and Henry Sheafer, both of Dauphin County. They began work at opening their mines on drifts in the gap at Bear Creek, and sold coal in the vicinity in 1832. The first miners were three Englishmen: James Todoff, John Brown, and William Hall, who came from Schuylkill County.
The Lykens Valley Railroad was located by M. Ashwin, an English civil engineer, and extended from the mines in Bear Gap, sixteen miles to the Susquehanna Rover, along the north foot of Berry’s Mountain. The road was constructed under the direction of John Paul, civil engineer, Henry Sheafer, superintendent, and Simon Sallade, director. The road was completed and began transporting coal in 1834 by horsepower, on a flat strip rail. A number of ark loads of coal were shipped from Millersburg in March and April, 1834. The n the coal cars were boated across the Susquehanna, from the terminus of the railroad at Millersburg to Mt. Patrick, on the opposite side of the canal, in Perry County. The site was formerly owned by Patrick Ritner, brother of Governor Ritner. Here the Lykens Valley Company had a set of chutes on the Pennsylania Canal, where they shipped their coal to market. The first boat load of Lykens Valley coal was sent of Saturday, April 19, 1934, by boat “76” forty-three tons, Captain C. France, consigned to Thomas Borbridge, Columbia, Pennsylvania.
Shipments continued in this manner until 1845. The a portion of the road was regraded, and laid with a new “T”-rail. The Wiconisco Canal was built and shipments resumed in 1848, and have continued ever since. Up to and including 1858, the total shipment of coal from the Lykens Valley mines, from the beginning, amounted to eight thousand seven hundred and eighty-one tons, and the grand total shipments on the Susquehanna were three million two hundred and thirty-four thousand seven hundred and eighty-one tons, which included shipments of coal by the Union Canal and other avenues.
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Upon the retirement of Edwin L. Shive, who worked for the Lykens Valley Railroad from 1859 to 1902, the Lykens Standard gave a brief history of his service in its April 4, 1902 edition.
Engineer E. L. Shive Retired
Edwin L. Shive of South Second Street, was placed on the retired list Thursday evening of last week on his return from his duty run on Lykens Valley Accommodation between this point and Harrisburg, and on Friday, William Kiger, engineer of the Harrisburg coal train, who had charge of Mr. Shive’s engine during his disability some time ago, was promoted to fill the vacancy.
Mr. Shive’s railway career dates from April 4, 1859, when he entered the employ of the old Lykens Valley Railroad as hostler at Millersburg, where he then resided. At that time, two trains ran on the road, one from Lykens to Millersburg and return and one from Millersburg, Mr. Shive having charge of the engine housed overnight at the latter place. This engine was shortly afterward removed when he was appointed brakeman, and in time fireman, and in July, 1865, engineer of a mixed train running between this place and Millersburg, having moved to Lykens, May 18, 1860. About November 1868, he was given charge of the regular passenger engine on this branch and was engineer of Lykens Valley accommodation from the time it was put on the road up to the time of his retirement, with the exception of a few months when he was off duty on account of an injury to one of his arms. During all these years he was never injured in any manner whatever while on duty. He was a strictly temperate, vigilant engineer, and passengers were always confident of safety when he was at the throttle. He is 67 years of age, and by frugality has acquired a sufficient competency to allow him to spend his remaining years in ease, not taking into consideration the pension he will receive as a retired railroad engineer. Mr. Kiger, his successor, is also an old and experienced engineer.
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On September 22, 1898, the Lykens Register reported that an old car shop building in Lykens had been demolished:
Old Landmark Gone
The carpenter force of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company has just finished razing the frame structure which formed a part of the car shops at this place when the Lykens Valley Railroad Company had their machine and car shops located here.
Years ago these were removed to Sunbury and the buildings here fell into decay from lack of use. Now the frame one has followed the way of all the world having served its usefulness, it is gone and an old landmark is missing.
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On special occasions and for special events, the Lykens Valley Railroad transported passengers at reduced rates. Here’s a story about one such event, the Camp Meeting in Elizabethville, Dauphin County, Pennsylvania, located along the tracks of the railroad, about a mile from the Elizabethville railroad station. From the Lykens Register, 20 July 1899:
LYKENS VALLEY UNITED BRETHREN CAMP MEETING
Reduced Rates to Elizabethville, Pennsylvania and Return via Pennsylvania Railroad
On account of the Lykens Valley United Brethren Camp Meeting, to be held at Elizabethville Grove (one mile west of Elizabethville on Lykens Valley Railroad, August 8 to 17, 1899, the Pennsylvania Railroad Company (Northern Central Railroad) will sell excursion tickets from Mt. Carmel, Harrisburg, Lykens, and intermediate stations, to Elizabethville and return, at greatly reduced rates; minimum rate twenty-five cents.
Tickets will be sold August 7 to August 17, inclusive. Trains on the Lykens Valley Railroad will stop at the Grove, August 7 to 18 inclusive.
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Replacing telegraph lines with telephone lines along the railroad right-of-way was the modern improvement which took place on the Lykens Valley railroad in 1909, as reported by the Lykens Standard, July 2, 1909:
Wires are being strung on the Lykens Valley railroad for a complete service and it is expected to run all trains on the branch by telephone as son as the new system is installed which will be in about two weeks. This is in line with improvement being made on many of the railroads, particularly the P. R. R. The telephone in operating trains has been tried out and found not only practicable but in many respects preferable to the telegraph. The telegraph wires along the branch are being removed entirely.
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A Sunday train of the Lykens Valley Railroad was added to the schedule in November 1910, as reported by the Lykens Standard, December 2, 1910:
Sunday Train Appreciated
Sunday service was inaugurated on the Lykens Valley Railroad last Sunday, a train leaving here for Harrisburg and intermediate points at 7:40 a. m. and returning at 7:09 p. m. While this affords the people of this valley an opportunity to go elsewhere to spend Sunday people cannot come here and return the same day, and it is hoped that before long we will have a train from Millersburg in the morning and returning in the evening. The Sunday train is greatly appreciated and was well patronized on the initial run.
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Disputes with property owners along the right-of-way of the Lykens Valley Railroad were usually won by the railroad. Here’s a case where the property owner won and got the railroad to pay all legal and other costs. Reported in the Lykens Standard, February 28, 1913:
Hanna Wins Lykens Suit of Ejectment
After nearly three years of skirmishing the Lykens Valley Railroad Company has given up its fight to dispossess A. F. Hanna of his seventy acres of land at Lykens. Not only has the company given up the fight, but it has agreed, through its attorney Lyman D. Gilbert, to pay all costs.
Decision to quit came rather suddenly upon the company. There have been postponements made of hearings, and finally last Friday the Dauphin County Court ordered the case to be heard. Isaac D. West, land agent for the company, accompanied by Gilbert and WIlliam Ormom, an attorney was in court last Friday. Judgment was confessed, which means the ejectment proceedings begun nearly three years ago are ended.
The fuss started over the desire of the company to run water lines from Rattling Run through Hanna’s property. Hanna objected and then the company tried for ejectment proceeding basing its claim on a deed made in 1848. The deed didn’t hold water when compared with Hanna’s, so the company stuck “no trespassing” signs over the place, in an effort to make good its claim. Hanna just as promptly tore them down and defied the efforts of the company to take possession.
The action taken last Friday ends the affair.
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News articles from Newspapers.com.
The photo was originally posted in Civil War Railroad Structures of Lykens, April 11, 2016.
See also:
https://www.lykensvalley.org/lykens-first-railroad-station-built-1858/
Corrections and additional information should be added as comments to this post.