Beschreibung:

Title: The Hempfield Rail Road and the Bonds of Ohio County, Virginia and Washington County, Pennsylvania Author: ** Place: Philadelphia Publisher: John C. Clark Date: 1852 Description: 31 pp. (8vo) original printed wraps. Prospectus for a small, yet very vital (according to its officials), rail line. This short line would connect lines from the east with railroads running westward to the Mississippi. The consulting engineer for this project was the prolific Charles Ellet Jr. Includes his Map of the Western Railroads Tributary to Philadelphia, with Their Rival Lines, prepared in the Direction of Charles Ellet Jr., Civil Engineer. Philadelphia by W. Williams, Map engraver (16.5 x 31 inches). (Modelski, Railroad Maps of North America, #27) reproduced this “lightly hand-colored map” in black and white. Modelski called this “a typical mid-nineteenth century, commercially produced regional map,” but he altogether missed the fact that the map was produced specifically to show that the Hempfield R.R., indicated here in bold typeface, while all other lines are in plain italic—was the key link in a semi-transcontinental railroad system, one that could reach to the Mississippi River. The prospectus is accompanied by two related reports: An Act to Incorporate the Hempfield Rail Road Company (Philadelphia, 1853, 20 pp, wrappers) and Answers of the President of the Hempfield Rail Road Company, to the Interrogatories of the Finance Committee of the City Councils of Philadelphia (Philadelphia, 1853, 12 pp, wrappers (chipped and with tape repairs)). Lot Amendments Condition: Some wear to wrappers, very good. Item number: 206922