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Author’sPreface T he full history of the Atlantic & Great Western Railroad1 (A&GW RR) has never been written. As one of the few survivors of those actively interested in the enterprise, I write this history to perpetuate the memory of those citizens who were prominent in the completion of the first railway connection between the Atlantic Seaboard and the Mississippi River. As a large part of the negotiations and correspondence were conducted through me, I, for convenience, write the history as a narrative of my personal official relations with the enterprise —with acknowledgement of the full degree of labor shared by the Directors, to whom equally with myself is due the credit of success. Of those more especially prominent in the A&GW of Pennsylvania was Darwin A. Finney, through whose persevering efforts as a member of Legislature the charter was obtained. Gaylord Church was connected with the enterprise from its inception to completion, ever ready to bear his full share of the burden and responsibility. As attorney for the companies his judgment was ever sound, and at most critical times, his advice reliable. James J. Shryock devoted to the years of construction persevering effort, evincing keen sagacity in all business detail. John Dick was, from the first, a constant and reliable advisor and aid. The A&GW in New York is greatly indebted to the assistance of William  41 Hall, Augustus F. Allen and Selden R. Marvin, residents of Jamestown. The A&GW of Ohio attained success chiefly through the unremitting efforts of Marvin Kent, its president, to whom is due the credit of being the father of the enterprise in that state. Notwithstanding the gigantic railway enterprises which have signalized in more recent years, it is safe to say that not one of them has been brought to completion in the face of such great difficulties, as the Atlantic and Great Western. During the early years, from 1854 to 1857, after the failure of the first contractors, the “Branch”2 was embarrassed by the persistent hostility of the railway interests of eastern and western Pennsylvania, and by the general business depression. When the charter of the “Meadville Railroad” was secured (April 1857), the repudiation of the Crawford County subscription and the application of the commissioners in June 1857, was most disastrous, as credit of this subscription had in great measure been the basis of our foreign negotiations . Then came the fearful panic of 1857–8, with the ruin of hundreds of houses regarded as the strongest in the land,the suspension of specie payments, and universal distrust. The panic extending to Europe involved commercial and manufacturing houses in bankruptcy, and forced many banks to close their doors. The greater part of American securities were held abroad, and depreciated in value or became worthless . The financial negotiations, which had been partially successful, were abandoned, to await improvement in times. Hardly had work been resumed, when the nation was plunged into the fearful disasters of the Civil War, amid which, with business prostrated , finances deranged, gold at enormous premium, labor scarce, wages exorbitant,and the very permanence of our government doubted by foreign nations on whom we were dependent for the negotiation of our railway securities—in the face of all these formidable obstacles, the enterprise was crowned with success. Wm. Reynolds 42 author’s preface ...

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