Pine Creek Railway Co. Bond signed by William Kissam Vanderbilt and Chauncey M. Depew - 1885 dated Autograph Railroad $1,000 Bond

William Kissam Vanderbilt I (December 12, 1849 – July 22, 1920) was an American heir, businessman, philanthropist, and horse breeder, born into the prominent Vanderbilt family. He played a key role in managing the family's railroad investments, including the New York Central Railroad. Known for his business acumen, Vanderbilt expanded and modernized the railroad operations and invested in other enterprises, helping to maintain the Vanderbilt family's wealth and influence in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. In addition to his business activities, Vanderbilt was a notable philanthropist and an enthusiastic supporter of horse racing and breeding.

 

Chauncey Mitchell Depew (April 23, 1834 – April 5, 1928) was an American attorney, businessman, and Republican politician, best known for his two terms as a United States Senator from New York (1899–1911) and for his significant role in the operations of the Vanderbilt railroad empire. He served as an attorney and later as president of the New York Central Railroad System, where he was instrumental in advancing the interests and expansion of the Vanderbilt family’s railroads.

Depew was born to Isaac Depew (1800–1869), a merchant and farmer who pioneered river transportation between Peekskill and New York, and Martha Minot (Mitchell) Depew (1810–1885). His father, Isaac, was descended from François DuPuy, a French Huguenot who had purchased land from the Native Americans at the present site of Peekskill, New York. On his mother's side, Depew was connected to prominent American historical figures. He was a descendant of Rev. Josiah Sherman, who served as a chaplain with the rank of captain in the Revolutionary War, and a brother to Roger Sherman, an American Founding Father and a signer of the Declaration of Independence. Depew was also descended from Rev. Charles Chauncey, the second president of Harvard College.

Depew's legal and political career, combined with his charisma and oratory skills, made him one of the most prominent public figures of his time. He was widely admired for his public speaking, wit, and ability to navigate the intersections of business and politics.

The Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and Buffalo Railway (JSPC&B) was established in the early 1880s to connect the New York Central and Hudson River Railroad with the coal regions around Clearfield, Pennsylvania. Initially incorporated on February 17, 1870, the railroad was planned to extend from Williamsport to Jersey Shore, then up Pine Creek and down the Allegheny River to Port Allegany, as part of a route to Buffalo, New York.

The JSPC&B was a continuation of the Jersey Shore, Pine Creek and State Line Railroad project, which aimed to connect with other railroads on the northern border of Pennsylvania, possibly extending west to McKean County. Under the leadership of Sobieski Ross, who became the president of the JSPC&B, grading began from Jersey Shore toward Coudersport.
However, interest from Magee and the New York Central Railroad in the route west of Ansonia waned. Magee decided to sell the roadbed from Coudersport to Port Allegany to a local group, which incorporated as the Coudersport and Port Allegany Railroad in 1882 and opened a line between Coudersport and Port Allegany the same year.

The JSPC&B continued construction from Newberry to Stokesdale Junction, passing through the scenic Pine Creek Gorge (also known as the Grand Canyon of Pennsylvania). The new line commenced regular service on June 4, 1883, and was fully opened by July 1, 1883. Instead of being directly operated by the New York Central, the railroad was leased to the Fall Brook Coal Company from December 18, 1882, for twenty years, starting officially on June 30, 1883.

On February 6, 1884, the JSPC&B was renamed the Pine Creek Railway. The line played a significant role in transporting coal from the region and provided an important connection in the broader network of railroads serving the northeastern United States.