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Pittsburgh and Lake Erie
History of The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad and its predecessors from the 1913 Annual Report of The New York Central Railroad System.
The company was organized May 11, 1875, under the general laws of the State of Pennsylvania passed April 4, 1868. The charter was issued May 18, 1875, and the principal office was located in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. The route of the line to be constructed began at the depot grounds of the Pittsburgh and Connellsville Railroad Company (now the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company), in the second ward of the city of Pittsburgh, thence across the Monongahela River into the thirtieth ward, following practically the same route as now constructed, to Haselton, Ohion.
On April 30, 1877, charter was obtained under the code of the State of Ohio, for the Youngstown and Pittsburgh Railroad Company. This was for the portion of the road in Ohio. On January 5th, 1878, the Youngstown and Pittsburgh Railroad Company was consolidated with the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company. The entire road opened February 10, 1879.
On October 5, 1877, a charter was obtained for the portion of the line between the Smithfield St. bridge and the Jones and Laughlin Iron Works, both places in the city of Pittsburgh, South Side. This portion of the line was not covered by the original charter of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company, and was obtained under the title of the Pittsburgh and Becks Run Railroad Company. On February 13, 1880, The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company was consolidated with the Pittsburgh and Becks Run Railroad Company.
Organized May 20, 1890. Road built in the same year. July 1, 1899, the Ellwood Southern Railroad Company was merged and consolidated with the Beaver and Ellwood Railroad Company. Leased to the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company for twenty years from May 10, 1899, at an annual rental of forty percent of the gross earnings. June 6, 1910, the Entire issue of stock was purchased by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company and on January 9, 1911, the Ellwood Connecting Railroad Company was merged and consolidated with the Beaver and Ellwood Railroad Company.
Incorporated April 14, 1892. Road opened June 30, 1893. This road was built by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company to make connection with the line of the Beaver and Ellwood Railroad Company, and was consolidated with the later company January 9, 1911.
Incorporated August 10, 1891. Road opend January 1, 1895. The road was built by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company under agreement with the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company and the New York, Lake Erie and Western Railroad. Company for the purpose of reaching the limestone district of western Pennsylvannia and eastern Ohio. Leased November 26, 1895 to the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company for a term of nintey-nine years. Rental being the payment of state and county taxes.
Incorporated August 3, 1881, under the general laws of the State of Pennsylvania passed April 4, 1868. The road extends from the terminus of the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania to Connellsvalle, Pennsylvania. Leased to the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company, January 1, 1884, for a term of nine hundred and ninety-nine years from August 3, 1881. Under the terms of the lease The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railraod Company and The Lake Shore and Michigan Southern Railway Company guarantee six percent interest on the bonds, and six percent per annum dividend on its capital stock.
Incorporated January 8, 1886. Road opened October, 1889. Line of road from Belle Vernon Junction to Belle Vernon was purchased by The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie railroad Company January 28, 1890. On November 5, 1890 The Pittsburgh McKeesport and Youghiogheny Railroad Company purchased the stock of the McKeesport and Belle Vernon Railroad Company, and the two companies were merged and consolidated as the Pittsburgh McKeesport and Youghiogheny Railroad Company. On January 22, 1895, the Monongahela Division of the Pittsburgh McKeesport and Youghiogheny Railroad was extended from Belle Vernon to Fayette City, and the extension opened for traffic November 26, 1895. The extension from Fayette to Brownsville Junction, connecting with the Mongahela railroad, was opened for traffic August 31, 1903.
Incorporated on August 16, 1881. Road opened April 1, 1883. Leased to the Pittsburgh McKeesport and Youghiogheny Railroad Company for a term of fifty years, from April 1, 1883, at a rental of $ 1.00 per loaded car.
On May 26, 1892 The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company purchased a half interest in the Pittsburgh Chartiers and Youghiogheny Railway Company, and negotiated a contract with the Pittsburgh Cincinnati Chicago and St Louis Railway Company, which had also purchased a half interest, for the operation of the road.
Incorporated December 31, 1900. Built and jointly owned by the Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company and the Pennsylvania Railroad Company. Road opened August 31, 1903.
On September 1, 1905, The Pittsburgh and lake Erie Railroad Company purchased the assets of the Little Kanawha Syndicate, so called, which included the capital stock of the Little Kanawha Railroad Company, the Marietta Columbus and Cleveland Railroad Company, the Burnsville and Eastern Railroad Company, the Parkersburg Bridge and Terminal Railroad Company, the Zanesvill Marietta and Parkersburg Railroad Company and the Belington and Northern Railroad Company, some of the lines being completed, others in process of construction and others unbuilt.
By agreement dated September 25, 1905, The Pittsbugh and Lake Erie Railroad Company purchased all the stock of the Greene County Railroad Company.
The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company has assigned to the Pennsylnavia Company and to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company a quarter interest each in the Little Kanawha Syndicate assets and the Greene County railroad Company stock, but no division has actually been made, and the assets and stock are held by the Union Trust Company of Pittsburgh, as trustee, pending division.
On December 29, 1908, the owning companies assigned and transferred the capital stock of the Marietta Columbus and Cleveland railroad Company to a commitee representing the bondholders to be used for their benefit.
Incorpaortaed December 8, 1906, under the general laws of the State of Ohio. On March 12, 1907, The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company purchased the entier issue of stock and bonds of the Lake Erie Youngstown and Southern railroad Company. On December 14, 1907, a half interest in this company was sold to the Mahoning Coal Railroad Company and on June 14, 1912, the Lake Erie Youngstown and Southern Railroad Company was merged and consolidated withe the Lake Erie and Eastern Railroad Company. No portin of the road had been built at the time of consolidation.
Incorporated March 28, 1904, under the general laws of the State of Ohio. On December 14, 1907 The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company purchased a one half interest in this company from the Mahoning Coal Railroad Company and on June 14, 1912, the Lake Erie Youngstown and Southern Railroad Companywas merged and consolidated with the Lake Erie and Eastern Railroad Company. The road of the latter company is is now under construction.
Incorporated December 21, 1906, under the general laws of Pennsylvania. On December 6, 1907, The Pittsburgh and Lake Erie Railroad Company purchased the entier issue of stock of the Pittsburgh and Clearfield Railroad Company. The road has not been built.
