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Erie & Western Transportation Company

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The Erie and Western Transportation Company was incorporated on June 21, 1865 to operate steamers on the Great Lakes and associated piers and grain elevators. The company almost immediately became a “sub-contractor” for the Pennsylvania Railroad. In 1868, the company agreed to provide the PRR with a line of propeller steamers on Great Lakes from Erie. Traffic moved at through rates that were not more than the rates via New York City or the Erie Railway. The PRR provided docks at Erie and fuel coal freight on board at a 20% rate discount.

Later that year the company contacted James Carey Evans and son Edwin T. Evans of Buffalo, proprietors of the Evans’ Line of lake steamers, to provide its ships for the next five years. Evans furnished docks at Milwaukee and Chicago to operate a daily line between Erie and Chicago stopping at Racine and Milwaukee. The line later became known as Anchor Line and adopted a red anchor as its herald. At the time, the E&W had no other assets, so the contract was guaranteed by the Empire Transportation Company.

We are currently offering the following pieces from the Erie and Western Transportation Company:





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