Johnstown High School - Spectator Yearbook (Johnstown, PA)

Page 22 text:

THE SPECTATOR M« Bridge No. 6 Ox The Pennsylvania Railroad Situated near the Old Portage Tunnel, and in sight of the tunnel , ff Jrs ' mt 7 c u- IHS K fa t 0V ,St o t f J tSr fo tr J - c $1 CiCC4t C ct iftirf C — L. 2 ? $ t d to 22 %}£ : { 'U - A Receipt For Services

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SP EC TAT OR The Old Portage Tunnel The tuniu‘1 was ut through the rock at the top of Plane No. 1. about four miles above Johusfown. It is nine hundred feet lonjr and is only a few hundred yards south of Hridjre No. ( on the Pennsylvania Railroad into the lock and the water gates opened to drain the lock. The boat then rested on the frame of the scales where it was weighed. After the weighing was finished, the water gates were lowered and the water was let into the lock until it again became level with the canal. There were two types of boats on the canal, the section boats and boats of one piece. The boats of one piece were unloaded and the cargo was carried up the Por- tage Railroad in flat cars; the other boats were taken up in sections. The Allegheny Portage Railroad which commenced at Five Points at the upper end of the Basin was thirty-six miles long and had ten levels and eleven inclines. The boats were carried to the top of each incline by a stationary engine. From there they were pulled to the next incline by mules or horses. About 1835 the horses or mules on the Portage were supplanted by locomotives, the first of which was the “Boston.” This engine could pull ten cars up the steepest grade. The introduction of the locomotive even- tually meant the abandoning of the canal. The average time for the round trip of a section boat between Pittsburgh and Philadelphia was about three weeks. This included time of loading, unloading, tie-up [17]

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— A, - - Jfc I A. • r % THE SPECTATOR :. Efw-' JB The Viaduct This high single spau eighty-foot arch over the Little Conemuugh about eight miles above .Johns- town was built iu 1.833. Later it was used bv the Pennsylvania Railroad for its double tracks. It was destroyed by the Flood in 1889 on Sunday and often tie-ups to allow the crew to go to country dances or other merry making along the route. Seven days were a quick trip for a passenger between Pitts- burgh and Philadelphia. It is interesting to know that in operating the canal boats, each crew consisted of five men: the captain, boatswain, pilot, and two drivers. From the drivers to the captain, each had his special work. Each driver tried to train his mules better than the mules of another driver, and tried to make the longest trips in the shortest time. The drivers had two or more mules or horses, which they worked in relays, the average time for the relay being six hours. The horses or mules not on duty were carried in the bow of the boat. Each driver knew the different traits of his mules and often sang to them the songs of the time. The captain took pride in the appearance of his boat, the courtesy of his crew, and the speed and regularity of the trips. The packet boats usually had some sort of amusement. Sometimes one of the crew could play an instrument or perform tricks; and many times the passengers amused themselves with cards, stories, or dancing on the roof of the cabin. Younger couples often sat on the benches watching the moon or listening to the crooning voice of the driver as he sang to his long-eared charges; and there are tales to the effect that many a romance started on these boats. [19]