Erie Gauge War
Encyclopedia
The Erie Gauge War was a conflict between the citizens of Erie, Pennsylvania
, and two railroad companies over the standardization of the rail gauge
between Erie and the New York
border. It started on December 7, 1853, and ended on February 1, 1854.
–Pennsylvania border and the Buffalo and State Line Railroad was laying track from Buffalo
to the New York border, both were at a gauge of (Ohio gauge). On November 23, 1852, the first train left Erie heading to Ashtabula, Ohio
, and on January 19, 1852, the first train from New York state arrived in Erie. A passenger traveling from Buffalo to Cleveland
would be forced to change trains at the Pennsylvania border because of the different gauges. Twenty miles (32 km) down the road in Erie, the passenger would again have to change trains. The process of having to constantly change trains would result in lengthy delays, often causing passengers to miss connecting trains and be forced to stay in Erie.
The citizens of Erie enjoyed being an "enforced stopping place" as they made big profits from the transferring of freight from one train to another and from passengers having to buy food at Erie's restaurants or street vendors (leading the conflict to sometimes be referred to as the "Peanut War" as Erie's peanut sellers would be the hardest hit by the lack of passengers). The owners of the Buffalo and State Line Railroad were able to acquire two-thirds of the Erie and North East's stock
and on November 16, 1853, made the decision to re-lay the track between Erie and the New York border as Ohio gauge, but four months earlier, to try to prevent the change, Erie's city council
had enacted ordinances
barring the railroads from crossing the city's streets. On November 26, 1853, the council was reconvened when railroad tie
s were found being laid in the preparation for the gauge change. The council passed an ordinance to allow the mayor to call out the city's police to take down any of the railroad bridges that crossed the city's streets "in order to preserve the present railroad gauge".
and that night the people of Harbor Creek tore out the tracks again, knocked down a bridge, and even ploughed up a level crossing
. An injunction
was obtained by the railroad from the United States Circuit Court
in Pittsburgh
and a United States Marshal was dispatched to Harborcreek. Upon arriving in Harborcreek, the marshal served it to one of the officials of Harborcreek and pointed out the seal of the United States. The official promptly threw it on the ground and stomped it with his heel and declaring the heelmark "the seal of Harborcreek."
The most serious incident occurred on December 27, 1853, when a train of railroad officials and workers was stopped outside of Harborcreek by a crowd of people ripping up the tracks. An official shot at one the men in the crowd and knocked him unconscious. The crowd, who believed the man to be dead, chased the official back on to his train. After two or three members of the crowd forced their way on to the train, the train reversed and "headed at full speed for the state line". Once across the border, the train stopped, and stowaway
s from Harborcreek were sent back over border into Pennsylvania.
sympathized with Erie saying:
Although the governor and state of Pennsylvania agreed with Erie's objectives, people in other states criticized Pennsylvania for its "selfishness". The United States Representative from Ohio, Edward Wade
, suggested that Pennsylvania's nickname be changed to the "Shylock
State" because it "demanded a 'pound of flesh' from all who passed its borders".
On December 26, 1853, Horace Greeley
, editor of the New York Tribune
, had to travel through Erie on his way to Chicago
and had to travel from Harborcreek to Erie in an open sleigh "through a cutting storm of wind, snow, and sleet". Greeley had hoped to be able to give a lecture in Adrian, Michigan
, that same day "but that could not now be, for the Kingdom of Erie forbade it".
by the Kansas–Nebraska Act
, the Erie Gauge War stopped attracting attention.
On January 28, the Pennsylvania General Assembly
passed legislation maintaining "the break at Erie" and repealing the charter for the Franklin Canal Company. Governor Bigler appointed future governor William F. Packer
to state superintendent and personally took control of the Franklin Canal Company. With Bigler in Erie, the tracks and bridges of the Erie and North East were replaced without any difficulty.
Erie, Pennsylvania
Erie is a city located in northwestern Pennsylvania in the United States. Named for the lake and the Native American tribe that resided along its southern shore, Erie is the state's fourth-largest city , with a population of 102,000...
, and two railroad companies over the standardization of the rail gauge
Rail gauge
Track gauge or rail gauge is the distance between the inner sides of the heads of the two load bearing rails that make up a single railway line. Sixty percent of the world's railways use a standard gauge of . Wider gauges are called broad gauge; smaller gauges, narrow gauge. Break-of-gauge refers...
between Erie and the New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
border. It started on December 7, 1853, and ended on February 1, 1854.
Background
In 1849, the Erie and North East Railroad started laying track east from Erie to the New York–Pennsylvania border at a gauge of . At the same time, the Franklin Canal Company was laying track west from Erie to the OhioOhio
Ohio is a Midwestern state in the United States. The 34th largest state by area in the U.S.,it is the 7th‑most populous with over 11.5 million residents, containing several major American cities and seven metropolitan areas with populations of 500,000 or more.The state's capital is Columbus...
–Pennsylvania border and the Buffalo and State Line Railroad was laying track from Buffalo
Buffalo, New York
Buffalo is the second most populous city in the state of New York, after New York City. Located in Western New York on the eastern shores of Lake Erie and at the head of the Niagara River across from Fort Erie, Ontario, Buffalo is the seat of Erie County and the principal city of the...
to the New York border, both were at a gauge of (Ohio gauge). On November 23, 1852, the first train left Erie heading to Ashtabula, Ohio
Ashtabula, Ohio
As of the census of 2000, there were 20,962 people, 8,435 households, and 5,423 families residing in the city. The population density was 2,775.9 people per square mile . There were 9,151 housing units at an average density of 1,211.8 per square mile...
, and on January 19, 1852, the first train from New York state arrived in Erie. A passenger traveling from Buffalo to Cleveland
Cleveland, Ohio
Cleveland is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and is the county seat of Cuyahoga County, the most populous county in the state. The city is located in northeastern Ohio on the southern shore of Lake Erie, approximately west of the Pennsylvania border...
would be forced to change trains at the Pennsylvania border because of the different gauges. Twenty miles (32 km) down the road in Erie, the passenger would again have to change trains. The process of having to constantly change trains would result in lengthy delays, often causing passengers to miss connecting trains and be forced to stay in Erie.
The citizens of Erie enjoyed being an "enforced stopping place" as they made big profits from the transferring of freight from one train to another and from passengers having to buy food at Erie's restaurants or street vendors (leading the conflict to sometimes be referred to as the "Peanut War" as Erie's peanut sellers would be the hardest hit by the lack of passengers). The owners of the Buffalo and State Line Railroad were able to acquire two-thirds of the Erie and North East's stock
Stock
The capital stock of a business entity represents the original capital paid into or invested in the business by its founders. It serves as a security for the creditors of a business since it cannot be withdrawn to the detriment of the creditors...
and on November 16, 1853, made the decision to re-lay the track between Erie and the New York border as Ohio gauge, but four months earlier, to try to prevent the change, Erie's city council
City council
A city council or town council is the legislative body that governs a city, town, municipality or local government area.-Australia & NZ:Because of the differences in legislation between the States, the exact definition of a City Council varies...
had enacted ordinances
Local ordinance
A local ordinance is a law usually found in a municipal code.-United States:In the United States, these laws are enforced locally in addition to state law and federal law.-Japan:...
barring the railroads from crossing the city's streets. On November 26, 1853, the council was reconvened when railroad tie
Railroad tie
A railroad tie/railway tie , or railway sleeper is a rectangular item used to support the rails in railroad tracks...
s were found being laid in the preparation for the gauge change. The council passed an ordinance to allow the mayor to call out the city's police to take down any of the railroad bridges that crossed the city's streets "in order to preserve the present railroad gauge".
Conflict
On December 7, 1853, after swearing in 150 "special police constables", Mayor Alfred King led the police to the railroad bridge crossing State and French streets and, where engineers had marked the edges of the streets on the bridges, had sections of the bridges cut out. That evening, 7 miles (11.3 km) away in town of Harborcreek, its citizens decided to pass its own ordinances and then preceded to tear up tracks along the highway. Three days later, tracks of the new gauge were completed up to the city limitsCity limits
The terms city limits and city boundary refer to the defined boundary or border of a city. The area within the city limits is sometimes called the city proper. The terms town limits/boundary and village limits/boundary mean the same as city limits/boundary, but apply to towns and villages...
and that night the people of Harbor Creek tore out the tracks again, knocked down a bridge, and even ploughed up a level crossing
Level crossing
A level crossing occurs where a railway line is intersected by a road or path onone level, without recourse to a bridge or tunnel. It is a type of at-grade intersection. The term also applies when a light rail line with separate right-of-way or reserved track crosses a road in the same fashion...
. An injunction
Injunction
An injunction is an equitable remedy in the form of a court order that requires a party to do or refrain from doing certain acts. A party that fails to comply with an injunction faces criminal or civil penalties and may have to pay damages or accept sanctions...
was obtained by the railroad from the United States Circuit Court
United States circuit court
The United States circuit courts were the original intermediate level courts of the United States federal court system. They were established by the Judiciary Act of 1789. They had trial court jurisdiction over civil suits of diversity jurisdiction and major federal crimes. They also had appellate...
in Pittsburgh
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania
Pittsburgh is the second-largest city in the US Commonwealth of Pennsylvania and the county seat of Allegheny County. Regionally, it anchors the largest urban area of Appalachia and the Ohio River Valley, and nationally, it is the 22nd-largest urban area in the United States...
and a United States Marshal was dispatched to Harborcreek. Upon arriving in Harborcreek, the marshal served it to one of the officials of Harborcreek and pointed out the seal of the United States. The official promptly threw it on the ground and stomped it with his heel and declaring the heelmark "the seal of Harborcreek."
The most serious incident occurred on December 27, 1853, when a train of railroad officials and workers was stopped outside of Harborcreek by a crowd of people ripping up the tracks. An official shot at one the men in the crowd and knocked him unconscious. The crowd, who believed the man to be dead, chased the official back on to his train. After two or three members of the crowd forced their way on to the train, the train reversed and "headed at full speed for the state line". Once across the border, the train stopped, and stowaway
Stowaway
A stowaway is a person who secretly boards a vehicle, such as an aircraft, bus, ship, cargo truck or train, to travel without paying and without being detected....
s from Harborcreek were sent back over border into Pennsylvania.
Reactions
Pennsylvania Governor William BiglerWilliam Bigler
William Bigler was the 12th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1852 to 1855, and later a U.S. Senator for the Democratic Party....
sympathized with Erie saying:
Although the governor and state of Pennsylvania agreed with Erie's objectives, people in other states criticized Pennsylvania for its "selfishness". The United States Representative from Ohio, Edward Wade
Edward Wade
Edward Wade was a U.S. Representative from Ohio, brother of Benjamin Franklin Wade.Born in West Springfield, Massachusetts, Wade received a limited schooling.He moved to Andover, Ohio, in 1821, where he studied law....
, suggested that Pennsylvania's nickname be changed to the "Shylock
Shylock
Shylock is a fictional character in Shakespeare's The Merchant of Venice.-In the play:In The Merchant of Venice, Shylock is a Jewish moneylender who lends money to his Christian rival, Antonio, setting the security at a pound of Antonio's flesh...
State" because it "demanded a 'pound of flesh' from all who passed its borders".
On December 26, 1853, Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley
Horace Greeley was an American newspaper editor, a founder of the Liberal Republican Party, a reformer, a politician, and an outspoken opponent of slavery...
, editor of the New York Tribune
New York Tribune
The New York Tribune was an American newspaper, first established by Horace Greeley in 1841, which was long considered one of the leading newspapers in the United States...
, had to travel through Erie on his way to Chicago
Chicago
Chicago is the largest city in the US state of Illinois. With nearly 2.7 million residents, it is the most populous city in the Midwestern United States and the third most populous in the US, after New York City and Los Angeles...
and had to travel from Harborcreek to Erie in an open sleigh "through a cutting storm of wind, snow, and sleet". Greeley had hoped to be able to give a lecture in Adrian, Michigan
Adrian, Michigan
As of the 2010 census Adrian had a population of 21,133. The racial and ethnic makeup of the population was 84.1% white, 4.4% black or African American, 0.6% Native American, 0.9% Asian, 5.9% from some other race and 4.0% from two or more races...
, that same day "but that could not now be, for the Kingdom of Erie forbade it".
Resolution
In January 1854, with the repeal of the Missouri CompromiseMissouri Compromise
The Missouri Compromise was an agreement passed in 1820 between the pro-slavery and anti-slavery factions in the United States Congress, involving primarily the regulation of slavery in the western territories. It prohibited slavery in the former Louisiana Territory north of the parallel 36°30'...
by the Kansas–Nebraska Act
Kansas-Nebraska Act
The Kansas–Nebraska Act of 1854 created the territories of Kansas and Nebraska, opening new lands for settlement, and had the effect of repealing the Missouri Compromise of 1820 by allowing settlers in those territories to determine through Popular Sovereignty if they would allow slavery within...
, the Erie Gauge War stopped attracting attention.
On January 28, the Pennsylvania General Assembly
Pennsylvania General Assembly
The Pennsylvania General Assembly is the state legislature of the U.S. state of Pennsylvania. The legislature convenes in the State Capitol building in Harrisburg. In colonial times , the legislature was known as the Pennsylvania Provincial Assembly. Since the Constitution of 1776, written by...
passed legislation maintaining "the break at Erie" and repealing the charter for the Franklin Canal Company. Governor Bigler appointed future governor William F. Packer
William F. Packer
William Fisher Packer was the 14th Governor of Pennsylvania from 1858 to 1861. His father was James Packer from Chester County, Pennsylvania and his mother was Charity Packer. His ancestry was primarily Quakers from Philadelphia...
to state superintendent and personally took control of the Franklin Canal Company. With Bigler in Erie, the tracks and bridges of the Erie and North East were replaced without any difficulty.