Genesis Rochester and State Line Railroad

numerous meetings in both rochester , outlying southern areas led many proposals, @ least 1 of came fruition. oliver allen ii , donald mcnaughton, both of mumford, rochester attorney, d d s brown, led group of both business , government officials in promoting project. in 1869, rochester , state line railroad incorporated, chartered on 6 october construct railroad rochester pennsylvania state line. allen elected vice-president of new company. in same year, first surveys made, william wallace, had done same thing scottsville , leroy railroad thirty-five years earlier.

george slocum writes in 1906:

rochester , state line railroad in inception wheatland institution. @ 1 period in history officers, president, vice-president, secretary, treasurer, , 4 of 9 directors, residents of wheatland.

d. d. s. brown, oliver allen , donald mcnaughton active , energetic in pushing enterprise.

this road opened business rochester le roy in 1874; salamanca in 1878, , completed pittsburg @ later date. in 1872 town of wheatland issued bonds amount of $70,000.00 aid in construction, $53,000.00 of has been paid. in 1860 control of road passed hands of had managed , name changed rochester , pittsburg r. r. company. later on again changed buffalo, rochester , pittsburg r. r. co. name bears.

although initial state charter set southern terminus @ wellsville, new coalfield discoveries in pennsylvania spurred organizers move route west, running through warsaw , ellicottville salamanca. facilitate easier connection in carrollton buffalo, bradford , pittsburgh railroad, , coalfields of northern pennsylvania.

the anxiety small communities (in days before reliable highway network) sought rail connections may inferred actions of perry. upon learning of r & s l plans not connect village, local interests on 1 october 1868 set own railroad company line perry east gainesville, erie railroad had station. in event, when r & s l set up, perry on route. however, when route shifted westward, perry off route. since interests along original eastern route irate, yet line, rochester , pine creek railroad, proposed run caledonia castile, through perry. perry unimpressed , decided maintain original intention. barely few years later, silver lake railroad merged rochester , pine creek and, on 1 february 1872, opened short line between east gainesville , perry. 5 years later, company renamed silver lake railway.