USA > Ohio > Franklin County > Columbus > Columbus, Ohio: its history, resources, and progress : with numerous illustrations > Part 39
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Its connections are of the very first class. Connecting with the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, at Bellaire, and passing over the bridge to Benwood, West Virginia, close connections are made to Wheeling and all the eastern cities, with the Cleveland and Pittsburg road, at Bellaire, and with steamers on the Ohio river to various ports ; at Zanesville, with the Cincinnati and Muskin- gum Valley railroad ; at Newark, with the Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St. Louis railway, the Lake Erie and Straitsville Divisions of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, and at Columbus with all the railroads radiating from that point; thus furnishing unsur- passed facilities to travelers going in any direction, and superior accommodations for all passing over the road.
The operations of the road are under the direct management of W. C. Quincy, as general superintendent, and his assistants, with office at the northwest corner of High and North streets, in Columbus; George R. Blanchard, general freight, and Louis M. Cole, general ticket agents, offices at Baltimore ; and N. Guilford, assistant general freight agent, office at Columbus. H. J. Jewett is president, and William Wing, secretary of the company and cashier of the Baltimore and Ohio Company, with offices at Co- lumbus ; Daniel Applegate, treasurer of the company, at Zanes- ville, and A. D. Smith, assistant auditor, at Columbus.
The following statistics of the Central Ohio Railroad Com- pany are taken from the last report of the Ohio railroad com- missioner :
" Capital stock authorized, $3,000,000 ; amount of stock issued, $2,845,500; total cost of road to date, $5,500,000; number of locomotives, 39; number of passenger cars, 20; number of freight and other cars, 1,037 ; total number of persons employed, 1,275 ; general average rates for passengers, 22 cents per mile ; general average rates for freight, 2} cents per ton per mile ; total earnings of the road for the year, $966,315.94; total operating expenses for the year, $850,339.09; net earnings for the year, $115,976.85."
The city of Columbus owes, in a great measure, its birth to
488
ADVERTISEMENTS.
DENIG & FERSON,
Manufacturers of
CHILDREN'S CARRIAGES.
SALESROOM,
90 North High Street, Columbus,
CHARTER OAK LIFE INSURANCE CO. OF HARTFORD, CONN.
Organized, 1850.
J. C. Walkley,
PRESIDENT.
S. H. White, SEC'Y AND TREAS.
ASSETS, July 1, 1872,
$10,000,000.00
Income for 1871, 4,448,742.00
Dividends to Policy-Hold- ers, in 1871, 1,140,572.00
Death Losses Paid in 1871, 713,545.95
This old and substantial Company issues all desirable forms of policies on LOW CASH RATES.
Dividends paid annually, beginning with first renewal. The plan of Deposit Insurance, recently introduced by this Company, is very popu- lar, being economical, safe, and available. It gives a much larger cash value for surrender of policy than is allowed under any other form of insurance.
ECONOMY OF MANAGEMENT is a prominent feature of this Company. All persons desiring Life Insurance are respectfully invited to examine its plans and man- ner of doing business.
JOHN N. LYMAN, General Agent,
109 South High St. AGENTS WANTED. Columbus, Ohio.
489
COLUMBUS RAILROADS.
railroad life to this road. While the Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, and the Columbus and Xenia railroads were in op- eration, a year or two in advance, the Central Ohio was the first direct line from Columbus to Baltimore, Philadelphia, New York, and the great eastern centers of trade, and, in this regard, it justly deserves the title of pioneer. Had not this road been constructed, there would probably have been to day no direct communication east, by railroad, to Baltimore and Washington City. It opened the gateway over the Alleghanies, following parallel with that great thoroughfare, the National Road, and, for some years, it held the key to this splendid western country, inducing emigration to, and settlement in Columbus, its terminal western point, thereby contributing largely to the prosperity and wealth of the city. For these things, the Baltimore and Ohio should ever be held in grateful remembrance, and be liber- ally patronized by our citizens.
COLUMBUS AND HOCKING VALLEY RAILROAD.
On the 14th of April, 1864, W. P. Cutler, John Mills, Douglass Putnam, E. H. Moore, and M. M. Greene filed a certificate with the secretary of state, incorporating " The Mineral Railroad Com- pany," with authority to construct and operate a railroad from Athens to Columbus, with a capital stock of one million five hun- dred thousand dollars.
M. M. Greene took charge of the project, and labored for some time, in Southern Ohio, to secure the requisite subscription to the capital stock. But in vain, and the enterprise was dropped.
In January, 1866, Mr. Greene came to Columbus and pre- sented the project to our citizens, specially asking from a few of our representative business men, that after a full considera- tion of the enterprise, they would meet and discuss the question as to the probable benefit which would result to our city, from the development of the coal and iron fields of the Hocking Valley. February 19, 1866, a number of gentlemen met at the office of Bartlet & Smith, and Mr. Greene presented, fully and concisely, his views as to the great importance of the proposed road, giving facts, data, and estimates as to the business of a rail- road built with special regard to the coal and iron trade, rather than for passengers and agricultural traffic. He stated what was then hardly credible, that his observation for years war- ranted him in assuming that a railroad, with low grades and easy curves, could be constructed down the valley, and reach, with short branches, the entire coal-field. The meeting resulted in a determination to have a preliminary survey made.
Messrs. B. E. Smith, Wm. Dennison, Wm. G. Deshler, W. B. Brooks, Wm. A. Platt, B. S. Brown, Wm. A. Neil, and
490
ADVERTISEMENTS.
M. C. LILLEY & CO.
COLUMBUS, OHIO,
PUBLISHERS OF
The Odd Fellows' AND DER ODD FELLOW,
Companion,
Monthly Magazines of the I. O. O. F.
I. O. O. F.
@REGALIAS
RED MEN,
Odd Fellow's Companion ..
MASONIC,
SOCIETY GOODS.
KNIGHTS PYTHIAS,
M.C.LILLEY & CO.
femperance,
And Regalia and Lodge Supplies
FOR ALL SOCIETIES, MANUFACTURED BY M. C. LILLEY & CO. COLUMBUS, C.
491
COLUMBUS RAILROADS.
Theo. Comstock each gave one hundred dollars for the proposed preliminary survey, which was forthwith made under direction of Mr. Greene. This was the germ, whence sprang an enterprise that time has proven to be of the greatest importance to our city, and has fully sustained Mr. Greene, the projector, in all his representations.
Upon report of survey, books for subscription to the capital stock were opened in Columbus and at the several towns along the line of the proposed road, providing " that no subscription should be binding, unless seven hundred and fifty thousand dol- lars, unconditional subscription, should be made within one year." After great labor by a few active men, among whom we may name Isaac Eberly, the sum as provided was obtained.
The stockholders met at the City Hall, Columbus, December 19, 1866, and organized the company by electing the first board of directors :
Peter Hayden, B. E. Smith, Wm. G. Deshler, Isaac Eberly, Geo. M. Parsons, J. C. Garrett, M. M. Greene, Wm. Dennison, Theo. Comstock, W. B. Brooks, D. Tallmadge, Wm. P. Cutler, E. H. Moore.
The board elected as officers: Peter Hayden, president; M. M. Greene, vice-president and superintendent; J. J. Janney, secretary and treasurer ; Allen G. Thurman, solicitor.
M. M. Greene was directed by the board to take charge of the engineer department, and to proceed forthwith to survey and locate the line of the road.
May 2, 1867. The name of the company was changed to "The Columbus and Hocking Valley Railroad Company."
May 22, 1867. The board contracted with Dodge, Case & Co., in the sum of $1,665,000, payable in bonds and cash, for the construction of the road, to be completed in November, 1868.
August 17, 1867. The board authorized the issue of $1,500,000 in first-mortgage seven per cent. thirty-year bonds, to be dated October 1, 1867, and at the same time provided a sinking fund setting aside October 1, 1872, and annually thereafter, $15,000 to be applied to the reduction of said bonded debt.
January, 1870. B. E. Smith was elected president, P. Hay- den retiring.
In consequence of unavoidable delays, the road was not opened to Lancaster, until January, 1869; to Nelsonville, September, 1869; and to Athens, July, 1870.
As the road opened from point to point, business was pressed upon it, taxing constantly to its limit the capacity of its equip- ment. During its unfinished state, its earnings were sufficient to pay the interest upon the bonds, as they were required to be issued. The opening of the road created great excitement among
492
ADVERTISEMENTS.
John P. Jacobs, Wholesale and Retail Dealer in
Pure Catawba Wines,
OF HIS OWN PRODUCTION ;
WINES " JOHN P. JACOBS.
RICHE 'S LOL.
Also, Constantly on hand, a Full Assortment of
FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC LIQUORS. Rooms, 21 and 23 East Town Street, COLUMBUS, O.
JACOBS' HALL, 21 and 23 East Town Street, used generally as a DANCE-HALL FOR RESPECTABLE GATHERINGS.
.
493
COLUMBUS RAILROADS.
the owners of coal lands throughout the entire coal region; the lands advanced rapidly in price ; options were secured on all ac- cessible territory ; coal companies, with abundant capital, were rapidly organized, and mines were opened. The success of the coal operators, on the main line, caused great demand and pres- sure on the board for the building of branch roads to traverse the several valleys of the coal region.
The policy of the directory being conservative and cautious, they yielded only partly to the demand by authorizing, in April, 1870, the construction of a branch to Straitsville-thirteen miles in length-which was opened in January, 1871. To provide funds for building the branch, the board authorized the issue of $300,000 in ten-year seven per cent. bonds, dated July 1, 1870, secured by a mortgage on the branch. This is the first of numerous branches which will be imperatively demanded by the constant development of the coal trade.
We expect, in the not far distant future, to see the Hocking Valley road, like a thrifty tree, pushing its roots into the earth, and drawing thence the rich life-blood of trade to be poured through the main trunk, and thence disseminated far and wide through its branches-its roots penetrating the Southern Ohio . coal-fields, and its branches spreading all throughout the North and West.
The great increase of business in 1871-that being the first year during which the road was fully operated for twelve months-necessitated a corresponding increase of depot grounds, sidings, and equipment. To provide the funds therefor, the board, in September, 1871, authorized the issue of $1,000,000 in seven per cent. twenty-year second-mortgage bonds, dated January 1, 1872; $300,000 of which were set aside to be ex- changed for the $300,000 branch bonds, and the residue- $700,000-to be sold from time to time, as the increase of busi- ness should require. The entire authorized bonded debt is $2,500,000; of the second mortgage, however, but $370,000 of the $700,000 have been sold, making the net bonded debt, No- vember 1, 1872, $2,170,000. The capital stock paid up, Novem- ber 1, 1872, is $1,150,000, making a total stock and debt of $3,320,000, as of that date.
Although built as a "coal-road," the other business, arising from the creation aud growth of the numerous towns upon the road, and the vast increase in the products of lands in its vicin- ity, have made the miscellaneous trade no small item. This trade is chiefly lumber, stone, salt, agricultural products, and supplies for the miners. The supply trade is quite large and is rapidly growing, many Columbus merchants doing more busi- ness in the Hocking Valley than in any other section of Ohio.
494
ADVERTISEMENTS.
J. & G. BUTLER, Established 1843, Wholesale Grocers,
AND DEALERS IN
FOREIGN AND DOMESTIC PRODUCE.
AGENTS FOR
Cement and Plaster Mills,
COR. HIGH AND GAY STS., COLUMBUS, O.
Specialties : : : Liquors and Tobaccos,
Jacobs Brothers,
MANUFACTURERS OF
JACOBS' SUGAR EVAPORATORS,
IIIJACOBS PATENT.
CHANDLER,
And Dealers in AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENTS. Office, 15 West Broad Street, COLUMBUS, OHIO.
495
COLUMBUS RAILROADS.
The trade is both profitable and safe, as the coal-operators pay cash monthly to the miners; hence, the trade of the valley is as nearly as possible done on a cash basis.
The business for 1871, leaving off fractions of thousands, was:
INCOME.
Receipts from coal freights. $298,000
Receipts from passengers 120,000
Miscellaneous freight 131,000
Total income.
$549,000
DISBURSEMENTS.
Interest paid.
$129,000
Operating expenses 263,000
Total disbursed.
$392,000
Making profit, $157,000. Operating expeenses about 47 per cent.
The coal trade was :
From Nelsonville, W. B. Brooks. $142,000
From Straitsville, Jno. D. Martin & Co. 77,000
From Haydenville, P. Hayden .. 43,000
From Lick Run, E. A. Fitch & Co 26,000
From other points, new openings.
10,000
$298,000
The passenger transportation was: East bound, $57,000; west bound, $63,000; number, 143,000-not one of whom was injured.
As a return to the stockholders for the use of their funds em- ployed in the construction of the road, the board distributed to them, March 1, 1872, twenty per cent. in the stock of the com- pany. which was paid for in cash from the earnings of the road, from the commencement of business to January 1, 1872.
July 10, 1872, the board made a cash dividend of five per cent. from the earnings of the first six months of that year. After a thorough examination into the status of the road, and looking at its business, past, present, and prospective, the board felt authorized to say that the stockholders could confidently ex- pect regular semi-annual dividends of five per cent. thereafter. Frequent or long-continued strikes by the miners of the entire coal region might so affect the business of the road as to dimin- ish the looked-for annual return. No great apprehension, how-
496
WE SELL TO CARRIAGE MANUFACTURERS
IRON BUGGY CO.
SUPPLY
Carriage Makers, Dealers, Traders, and Farmers,
NO
180
BUGGIES.
OFFICE.
ITRON BUGGY
RICHES SC .-
FACTORY, 180 NORTH HIGH STREET, COLUMBUS, O.
Guarantee Large Profits
TO DEALERS AND TRADERS.
ADVERTISEMENTS.
FOR LESS THAN THEIR WORK COSTS THEM.
IRON BUGGY CO.
IRON BUGGY CO.
497
COLUMBUS RAILROADS.
ever, need be felt on that point. Experience has proven that strikes, on the part of miners, and those engaged in like occu- pations, have been more disastrous to the workmen than to the capitalists. The miners are so intelligent a class, they must see that capital and labor are not necessarily antagonistic, but rather mutually dependent; yet, should the conflict come, the loss of interest can be endured longer than the loss of food.
The propriety of using convict labor in mines, as is done in many of the largest salt and coal-mines and stone-quarries in Europe and Asia, has been discussed by political economists as a last resort. In case of persistent strikes, it might be expedient here. It is to be hoped, however, the day is far distant when the mines in Ohio shall be lighted by the lamp on a convict's brow, or echo the clink of a convict's pick. Let us have "free labor" in the Hocking Valley. Let every man be " free" to work as he will, for whom he will, and on what terms he will ; and let all who will not work, quit. But they should not dictate to or interfere with those who will work. Let the miners be "free men" in their politics, religion, and labor, and public sentiment, backing up law, will sustain them. As " free men ". they will receive, in any given year, far more wages than they will earn under their "Union " dictation, the prime cause of frequent strikes, suspicions, recriminations, and bad blood gen- erally. Coal is an article of such necessity to all that community will effectually protect itself against all evils caused by dicta- tion on part of labor, or monopoly on the part of capital.
The business of the road for 1872 has been given us from the books for the first ten months, with a fair estimate for November and December.
INCOME.
Coal freights
$594,000
Passengers
110,000
Miscellaneous freight. 142,000
Total income
$846,000
DISBURSEMENTS.
Interest paid and due $148,000
Operating expenses. 413,000
Total disbursements.
$561,000
Making profit.
$285,000
Operating expenses, 49 per cent.
Passengers, number carried.
132,000
None injured up to November 15.
498
ADVERTISEMENTS.
1845. THE OLDEST. 1873.
THE MOST SIMPLE. THE MOST RELIABLE.
THE MOST DURABLE. THE LATEST IMPROVED.
THE CHEAPEST,
'Because the very Best in the World. The Elias Howe Sewing
Machines.
IN EVERY GENUINE
EMBEDDED
ELIAS
HOWE
THIS MEDALLION IS
INVENTOR
YORK U.S.A.
HOWE SEWING MACHINE.
This Medallion is embedded in every genuine HOWE SEWING MACHINE.
These celebrated machines have long held first.rank of all the first-class machines. Their production of six hundred machines a day fails to keep pace with the demand. This indicates how the public appreciate them.
The Howe Machine Company's Factory, at Bridgeport, Conn., is the largest and best appointed Sewing Machine Factory in the world, its floors having an area of three and one-half acres, or 150,000 square feet.
Agents and Dealers will find it for their interest to buy and sell the best machines, and not spend their time, energy, and capital upon those having less merit.
"Every Machine is warranted perfect.
Every housekeeper should always have one ready for service.
The Towe Machine Lo. CHAS. F. HALL, Manager, 97 South High Street, COLUMBUS, O.
499
COLUMBUS RAILROADS.
Increase of business over 1871 $297,000
Increase of profit over 1871 128,000
The status of the road, January 1, 1873, will be about:
Capital stock. $1,150 000
First-mortgage bonds. 1,500 000
Second mortgage, set aside for branch and sold. 750 000
Total invested in road $3,400 000
The road, with sidings and branches, is about an even hundred miles in length. It has extensive depot grounds at Columbus, with the necessary improvements now being constructed ; it has nine miles of new steel rails, which will be the only rail here- after laid ; it has ample depots all along the line, and bridges, as iron bridges are replacing the wooden ones; and it is in all re- spects a first-class, well-constructed railroad. Yet, with its twenty engines, nine passenger cars, 800 coal cars, and 135 freight cars, its equipment is not sufficient to do the business offered. The want of coal cars is a constant source of annoyance and loss to the road and the coal-operators. This is being remedied, however, as fast as cars can be built. The road is greatly aided at this time by some of the coal-operators and by other railroad companies, by placing coal cars on the road, to be run for a mileage. The whole number of coal cars now upon the road is about 2,000, which, if placed in one train, would reach from Columbus nearly to Winchester.
To the present time the per centum of operating expenses has been under fifty, and the evidence is palpable that when the road is fully equipped, with double-track steel rails, the easy curves, low grades, and low rate of speed will reduce the per centum to as low a figure as any other coal road in the country ; will so increase the business as to place it in the front rank of reliable dividend-paying roads, and make it an immense prop- erty of vital importance to Columbus. The demand for coal from distant points has created a large, growing through busi- ness. Chicago, Detroit, Indianapolis, Cleveland, Sandusky, and Toledo are taking large quantities. The quality of both Hock- ing and Straitsville coal warrants a long haul, when competing with coal from many other mines.
The best paying business for the road, and for our own city, is the Columbus market. The least amount of equipment and haul will place the price of coal at such figure as to make Columbus a point second to none in Ohio or the West for the economical manufacture of everything in which coal and iron
500
ADVERTISEMENTS.
E. HAYES, M. HAYES, Superintendent. Treasurer.
E. K. HAYES, Secretary.
The Hayes Carriage Company,
MANUFACTURERS OF
CURTIS' PATENT LOOP AND COUPLING
Carriages and Buggies
FACTORY AND SALESROOM :
CARPENTER BLOCK,
No. 109 East Town Street,
COLUMBUS, OHIO.
501
COLUMBUS RAILROADS.
are important elements. A train can make daily round-trips to the coal-fields from Columbus, while it requires five cars to do the work of one in the Chicago trade, and a correspond- ing less number in the trade to nearer points.
The value of our city as a manufacturing center is now about being appreciated, as is testified by the blast-furnaces, rolling- mills, iron-works, and establishments of a kindred nature, now running, building, or projected. Columbus is the distributing point for supplies to the entire scope of country, tributary to the Hocking Valley. For the iron and coal received, she should return manufactured articles, produced here, and all dry goods, groceries, and like supplies should be sent from the houses of our wholesale merchants. The interests of the road and our city are reciprocal. To double-track the road will double the manufactures of the city ; and to double the manufactures of the city will double-track the road, and make it a property of five million dollars.
The road is decidedly a home enterprise, projected, built, and owned by those living on the line. The larger part of its stock is now owned, and nearly one-third of its bonds held, by our own citizens. The funds expended in operating it are dis- bursed among ourselves, and the shops for repairs are located in our own city. The policy of the board of directors is to operate the road in the interests of Columbus, and to encourage home enterprise by such fair discrimination in favor of our city as will be just. The fact that the duty devolving upon the board of directors is simply the management of their own and their neighbors' property, is sufficient guaranty that such management will be careful, economical, and at all times con- ducive to the prosperity and growth of our city.
The board of directors are : Benjamin E. Smith, Wm. Den- nison, W. G. Deshler, W. B. Brooks, Theodore Comstock, John L. Gill, Isaac Eberly, John Greenleaf, C. P. L. Butler, M. M. Greene, all residents of Columbus; John D. Martin, of Lancas- ter ; C. H. Rippey, of Logan, and S. W. Pickering, of Athens.
The company's officers, who all reside in Columbus, are: Ben- jamin E. Smith, president; M. M. Greene, vice-president; J. J. Janney, secretary and treasurer; T. J. Janney, auditor ; John W. Doherty, superintendent; W. H. Jennings, engineer ; E. A. Buell, general ticket agent.
The following statistics of this company are taken from the last report of the state railroad commissioner :
" Total amount of capital stock authorized, $1,500,000; total amount of same paid in, $1,113,170; length of line, 76 miles ; Straitsville Branch, 13 miles, making the total length, 89 miles; number of locomotives, 16; passenger cars, 9; freight and other
502
ADVERTISEMENTS.
The New Improved Family Favorite and the Manufacturers' Favorite,
WEED SEWING MACHINES,
CONSTRUCTED ON
NEW AND SCIENTIFIC PRINCIPLES, ARE THE BEST MADE.
Always on hand a full line of the best Sewing Ma- chine Findings, such as Needles, Oil, and Thread and Attachments for all kinds of Sewing Machines;
ALSO, KNITTING MACHINES.
Machines sold on easy Terms, Instruction Given, and
SATISFACTION GUARANTEED. ODD FELLOWS' TEMPLE,
168 South High Street, Columbus, O.
E. D. HOUSE, Manager.
GREAT INDUCEMENTS TO AGENTS.
503
COLUMBUS RAILROADS.
cars, 786 ; freight cars owned by other parties and used by the company, 469 ; total number of persons employed, 417 ; average rate of speed for express cars, 26 miles per hour ; of mail cars, 20 miles ; of freight cars, 10 miles; average rates for passenger transportation, 3 cents per mile ; average rate of transportation of coal per ton per mile, 1g cents ; amount of coal transported during the year, 433,936 tons; total earnings of the road for the year, $682,195.12 ; total expenses of same, $308,662.39 ; net earnings for the year, $373,532.73."
THE COLUMBUS AND FERRARA RAILROAD.
This is probably the most important to this city and county of the railroads projected and yet to be built to and from Columbus as a central point. Its general object is to open, in a southeasterly direction from this city, a communication by rail to Somerset and the coal and mineral fields of Perry county. Several routes have been suggested, examined, and discussed, all, however, having the same general purpose in view. While the great advantages that would result from the construction of the Scioto Valley railroad were admitted on all hands, this mineral road to Perry county was chiefly instrumental in producing the large majority vote in this city, given on the 31st of August last, in favor of the appropriation for building the trunk and branch line from the Union depot. This Ferrara road will not only give us ac- cess to apparently inexhaustible coal-fields, but as steps have been taken in Perry and Morgan counties, by the vote of large sums of money, to continue the road through those counties to the Muskingum river, it will open up a route in that direction from Columbus to Marietta and the Ohio river.
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