USA > Ohio > Allen County > History of Allen County, Ohio, and representative citizens, Part One > Part 25
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To no citizen of Ohio should the import- ance of the Lima oil business appeal with more :significance nor cause a greater source of pride than the Limaite. Within the corpora- tion limits the industry had its start; it has always remained the business center of the en- tire field, and to-day stands as the hub around which the affairs of the Western oildom re- volve, while our city's name designates the Trenton rock petroleum output wherever it goes.
EXTRACTS FROM THE LIMA TIMES-DEMOCRAT, DECEMBER 23, 1905.
Since the beginning of the industry there have been drilled in the Ohio-Indiana oil field approximately 60,000 oil-wells, not including thousands of gas-wells. At an average price per well, the total investment in drilling wells alone would probably run close to $70,000,- 000; added to this the cost of equipment, of rentals, of bonus, etc., it is safe to say that in the 20 years since the first well was drilled in Lima territory an investment of over $160,- 000,000 has been made in the producing end
of it alone. Hundreds of our citizens have at- tained to wealth, thousands of our citizens are constantly employed, scores of our industries have been founded-all directly traceable to the oil industry. Nor is the industry one that preys upon another. It is one rather which creates new wealth; it puts into circulation money which would never be seen in Lima, money which has quickened the entire com- mercial fabric of our commonwealth.
The effects of this flood of wealth are seen wherever we go and were most noticeable dur- ing the great panic when most sections of the United States were practically paralyzed, while Lima and the oil region around Lima went along as if nothing of the kind had oc- curred. Strikes are an unknown quantity in the oil business. Employees are paid highest wages. Everyone who has anything to do with the industry is well satisfied with it. Mil- lions of dollars have been added to the tax duplicates of the oil regions which fact has lessened the burden of the people and has brought forth other great benefits to our citizens.
Since the beginning of the oil industry in this section, Lima has been the headquarters or the "hub" of the industry. The effect of this easily seen when our industrial progress is compared with that of other cities in this ter- ritory, such as Findlay, Bowling Green, etc.
To the Standard Oil Company belongs a great deal of credit for this condition. The Standard, with its unfailing insight, foresaw that Lima would be the center of the business, that its location and later its great facilities would afford this great oil company greater convenience than any other city in the terri- tory. Millions of dollars have been spent by the Standard in Lima, that would not have been spent had it not made this city its head- quarters. Its offices are sought by scores of young men annually, many of whom find lu- crative employment therein. Its refinery em- ploys hundreds of men and distributes many thousands of dollars every month, while its general field work, which is directed from this city, places in circulation many additional thousands of dollars annually.
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
The deep pay field of Indiana has of late drawn many operators to that section, but with all the great strikes in the deep-pay sand, the immediate Lima field of Northwestern Ohio continues steadily to produce new wells and to pay big returns on the investment.
As will be found in estimates further along in this article, Indiana completed during the past year 1,927 wells, while Ohio completed 1,574, giving Indiana the best of it by only 353 wells.
PRODUCTION OF OIL, LIMA FIELD, 1887-1905.
barrels.
1887.
4,684,139
1888.
8,899,004
1889
10,255,752
1890.
11,918,910
1891
14,515,770
13,657,737
1892.
1893.
14,451,195
1894.
18,415,630
1896.
22,210,01I
1897
19,670,514
17,128,897
1898.
1899.
17,183,804
1900.
18,230,579
18,570,770 1901.
19,984,366 1902.
1903.
20,489,023
1904.
24,667,320
1905 (estimated)
19,696,717
Total
310,704,488-
1
This table shows that since 1887, or in 18 years, the total production of the Lima field has been 310,704,488 barrels, which at an av- erage price of 60 cents per barrel would make the value of the oil produced in the Lima field $186,422,692.
Practically all this money has been rein- vested in and around Lima. It has gone to build schoolhouses, pave streets, build the best roads in the State, build railroads, court houses, beautiful residences and public build- ings and employ thousands of men who would not have come to Lima had it not been for the oil business. These figures are stupendous. They represent new wealth.
For years the Lima field has stood second to the Pennsylvania field in the production of high-grade oil. When the statistics are com- pleted, it will be seen that Lima has held its own in the year 1905, being surpassed by the Pennsylvania field only in the production of high-grade oil.
The following table represents the approx- imate production and consumption of the products of the various oil fields during the year 1905 :
Fields Production.
Consump.
Texas, Louisiana (low grade 40,000,000
28,000,000
California (low grade 30,000,000
24,000,000
Pennsylvania
27,000,000
31,500,000
Ohio-Indiana (Lima)
20,000,000 24,000,000
Kansas, Ind. Ter. and Oka ..
11,000,000
3,000,000
Kentucky-Tennessee
1,500,000
1,400,000
Other States.
1,000,000
600,000
Total.
130,500,000
112,500,000
The outlook for Lima oil is certainly bright at this time. According to available statistics, the net stocks of Eastern crude oil at present in custody of the Standard, includ- ing Kentucky and Tennessee oil, are but 2,999,902 barrels. According to the same sta- tistics, the net stocks of Ohio and Indiana crude oil are but 12,972,779 barrels. Without additional production, therefore, the present stock of crude oil from the fields of New York, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Indiana, West Virginia, Kentucky and Tennessee would not be suffi- cient of themselves to meet the demands of consumption for four months as gauged by the estimate shown in the pipe line reports.
Furthermore the increased production in Texas, Louisiana, California and the fields of the Middle West (the first three of which do not enter into competition with high-grade oil) has not added so much to the stock that the present demands of consumption would not use them all in much less than a year if drawn on them alone.
During the year 1905, according to the best source of information available, the wells completed in Ohio and Indiana, together with the production thereof for the 12 months of the year, will be found to be about as follows :
16,074,350
1895.
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
i
WELLS COMPLETED.
Total
Month
Indiana
Ohio
Production
January
195
180
1,629,914
February
I33
107
1,593,095
March.
132
108
1,811,970
April.
206
120
1,686,525
May.
200
126
1,540,708
June.
160
122
1,650,922
July
164
125
1,523,975
August
142
II6
1,621,809
September
I37
105
1,569,600
October
128
125
1,900,028
November.
168
172
1,615,146
December (est.)
162
I68
1,553,025
Total.
.1927
I574
19,696,717
The production of the Lima field, there- fore, during the year 1905 has been approxi- mately 20,000,000 .barrels, which on an aver- age price of goc would be worth $18,000,000.
OIL COMPANIES OF LIMA.
The Solar Refining Company is the leading industrial enterprise of the city of Lima, and is a potent factor in the prosperity of the com- munity, which it has done much to develop. The company was incorporated in December, 1886, with a capital of $500,000. The plant at that time occupied only a few acres of ground and several buildings, whereas to-day it comprises a ground area of 276 acres on the C. & E., L. E. & W. and C., H. & D. railways, utilizing 30 substantial brick buildings, with the most modern machinery and appliances and giving employment to 600 people. The company are refiners of oil, manufacturing all grades of illuminating oils and benzine, with
by-products of paraffine wax and lubricating oils, which they ship to all parts of the coun- try. The company also operate their own me- chanical shops, where all construction and re- pair work is done, the firm building the oil tank-cars in which their goods are shipped. Oil for these big works is piped from every field in Ohio and Indiana. The local officers are: W. A. Barstow, vice-president and gen- eral manager; J. G. Neubauer, assistant gen- eral manager; F. G. Borges, secretary and treasurer.
The Buckeye Pipe Line Company, by rea- son of its commanding position in the great oil field, is one of Lima's principal business insti- tutions and is a potent factor in promoting the prosperity of the city. The company owns a handsome four-story brick building at No. 137 West North street, which it uses exclusively for office purposes. The executive staff of the company is composed of broad-gauged business men, who are actively interested in the welfare of the community.
The Manhattan Oil Company .- The con- trolling interest in this enterprise is owned by the General Industrial Development Syndi- cate, of London, England. The officers are : F. T. Cuthbert, president; E. R. Curtin, vice- president and general superintendent; Louis Platt, secretary. The general offices are lo- cated in Lima, and branch offices are main- tained at Findlay, Bradner and Bowling Green, in Ohio; and at Montpelier, Warren and Muncie, Indiana. The company has over 600 miles of pipe lines, 24 pumping stations and nearly 200 storage tanks, each having a capacity of 35,000 barrels, in various parts of the Ohio-Indiana field.
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CHAPTER IX
TRANSPORTATION BY WATER AND RAIL
Canals-The Ohio and Erie Canal-The Miami and Erie Canal, Formed by the Miami, the Wabash and Erie and the Miami Extension Canals-Railroads of Lima and Allen County-Story of Their Development-Changes in Names of the Roads-Electric Traction Lines, a Recent Development-Railroad and Traction Line Statistics as Re- lating to Lima.
CANALS.
The world has always been interested in canals. They are older than the Christian era. They were employed as a means of nav- igation and communication by the Assyrians, Egyptians, Hindus and Chinese. The Royal Canal of Babylon was built more than 600 years before Christ. The Grand Canal of China connecting two great rivers, the Yang- tse-Kiang and the Peiho, was built in the 13th century. This canal is 650 miles long. It has no locks, for the Chinese did not know how to build a lock.
It is a most interesting fact in history, that the common canal lock in use to-day was in- vented in Italy in 1481, A. D., by Leonardo da Vinci, the great Florentine painter. It is said, however, that the honor is also claimed by Holland. It is somewhat strange that this lock invented so long ago has never been im- proved upon; in fact, the most expensive lock in the world, in the Sault Ste. Marie, costing half a million dollars, is constructed upon ex- actly the same plan as the old lock of Leon- ardo da Vinci. This famous lock in the "Soo" is of solid masonry, Soo feet long, 100 feet wide, and 21 feet deep. It is also a matter of surprise that so few people to-day under-
stand the working of a canal lock, or have ever seen one.
The canal has always been recognized as a great aid to civilization, and will ever be so regarded. The first canal in the United States of any consequence was the Erie Canal, 336 miles long, connecting the Hudson River at Albany and Troy with Lake Erie, at Buffalo. It was begun in 1817 and finished in 1825, at a cost of $7,602,000.00. It was this canal that made the city of New York, and the name of Governor DeWitt Clinton will ever be connected with it as its builder.
The great success of the Erie Canal in- duced the people of Ohio to begin the great work of canal building for this State. Gov- ernor Clinton lent his great aid to the move- ment in Ohio and was present at the "opening" on the Licking Summit in Licking County, July 4, 1825. He made an address there and removed the first shovelful of earth.
The history of the canal struggle in Ohio is one of long, continuous effort. After many years of ineffective legislation, it was finally decided by the Legislature, February 4, 1825, to construct the Ohio and Erie Canal, follow- ing the old Scioto-Muskingum route from Cleveland to Portsmouth and the Miami Canal, following the Great Miami River from
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HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
Dayton to Cincinnati. It was also promised to extend the Miami Canal to Toledo in a few years.
The work on the Ohio and Erie Canal commenced at once and was pushed along very rapidly. The city of Akron started from a group of shanties occupied by Irishmen who were working on this canal. The pay for laborers during the first few years of this work was 30 cents a day, with plain board, and a "jiggerfull of whiskey." The work on the Miami Canal was not to begin until Decem- ber 1, 1831, by legislative enactment. Con- struction, however, did not begin until 1833. The cost of this canal work was paid in part by land grants from the government and from Ohio and Indiana.
Congress, which had on March 2, 1827, granted to the State of Indiana, to aid in opening a canal to unite at navigable points the Wabash River with Lake Erie, a quantity of land equal to one half of five sections in width on each side of the canal, did, by an act approved May 24, 1828, grant to the State of Ohio, to aid in extending the Miami Canal from Dayton to the Maumee River, a quantity of land equal to one half of five sections in width on each side of the canal from Dayton to the Maumee River at the mouth of the Auglaize, so far as the canal should traverse public land. The act reserved to the United States each alternate section of the land un- sold, with the provision that such reserved land should not be sold at less than $2.50 per acre. The number of acres included in this grant was 438,301.32.
Indiana, learning after examination that a canal connecting the Wabash with Lake Erie would have to pass through Ohio, thought it advisable to propose to Ohio to transfer to her such part of the land granted to her by Con- gress, March 2, 1827, as lay within Ohio, if the latter would build the Wabash and Erie Canal from the Indiana State line to Lake Erie. To enable her to do this, section 4 of the act to aid Ohio to construct the Miami Canal from Dayton to the Maumee River authorized In- diana to convey to Ohio, upon such terms as might be agreed upon by the two States, any
land in Ohio given Indiana by the grant of March 2, 1827.
Section 5 of the act of May 24, 1828, gave Ohio further grants of 500,000 acres of gov- ernment land in Ohio to aid her in the pay- ment of the canal debt or interest, such land to be disposed of for this purpose and no other.
Indiana having received the authority of Congress by resolution approved February. I, 1834, conveyed to Ohio her right, title and interest to lands in Ohio, which she had re- ceived from Congress for canal construction. This contract was ratified by Ohio in a joint resolution- passed February 24, 1834. Thus passed to Ohio another grant of land amount- ing to 292,223.51 acres.
These three land grants gave to Ohio a total of 1,230,521.95 acres of land to be sold for the aid of her canals. The State has sold most of these lands for $2,257,487.32, and has remaining, principally within the limits of the Grand Reservoir, land worth perhaps $100,- 000.
A week after accepting the land grant from Indiana, the Ohio Legislature, on March 3, 1834, authorized the construction of the Wabash and Erie Canal. The selection of the line for this canal was made by the Board of Public Works, April 8, 1836, and Governor Lucas having recommended its early com- mencement, the work of construction began in 1837. This canal was completed in 1842, being 67.75 miles long from its junction with the Miami Extension Canal to Toledo, and having a water surface width of 60 feet, a bot- tom width of 46 feet, and a depth of 6 feet.
The Miami Extension Canal was com- pleted three years later, 1845, and was 114 miles long, 5 feet deep, 36 feet wide at the bottom, and 50 feet wide at the top.
Just two years to a day after the auspic- ious opening of the canals, the first boat de- scended the northern section of the Ohio and Erie Canal from Akron to Cleveland. "She was cheered in her passage by thousands * *
* who had assembled from the ad- jacent country at different points on the canal to witness the novel and interesting sight." This boat arrived at Cleveland, July 4, 1827,
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
after having descended through 41 locks, passed over three aqueducts, and through 37 miles of canal. It is worthy of note that this was the most difficult and expensive part of the line to construct. Besides this, several miles more of unconnected sections of the canal had been finished.
A little later, navigation also began on the Miami Canal. On November 28, 1827, "three fine boats, crowded with citizens delighted with the novelty and interest of the occasion left the basin, six miles north of Cincinnati and proceeded to Middletown with the most perfect success. The progress of the boats was about three miles an hour, including locks and other detentions. The return trip was made with equal success."
(See account of first canal boat in Del- phos-Chapter VII. See also "History of Ohio Canals" by Ohio State Archaeological and Historical Society, 1905.)
By an act of the Legislature, March 14, 1849, the three canals previously known as the Miami Canal, the Miami Extension Canal, and the Wabash and Erie, became known as the Miami and Erie Canal, and so it has remained to this day. It is impossible to state the value of this canal to the country through which it passes.
In Allen County the first immigrants came by way of the canal and naturally settled near it. Thus Delphos and Spencerville were set- tled earlier than some other portions of the county. It was long thought that Delphos would be the emporium of all Northwestern Ohio, because of its favorable location on the great water-way.
Undoubtedly the canal has greatly aided the development of the county and is yet of great financial worth. The State should pro- tect this property and increase its efficiency, for the usefulness of the canal, both as a source of water power and as a means of cheap trans- portation, is not yet exhausted.
The townships of Spencer, Marion and Amanda, through which the canal passes, have perhaps been more greatly benefited than other parts of the county, yet the whole county has
increased in wealth very greatly since the opening of the canal to traffic.
The whole length of the Miami and Erie. Canal is 301.49 miles. It cost $8,062,680.80. The gifts of land by the State greatly reduced: the cost to the taxpayers.
RAILROADS. 1
The Ohio & Indiana Railroad was opened from Crestline to Fort Wayne in 1853 and in 1856 was consolidated with the Pittsburg & Fort Wayne, which is now operated by the great Pennsylvania Company. This was: Lima's first railway and it now forms one of the five great trunk lines, which center in this: city. Judge Hanna of Fort Wayne and Rich- ard Metheany were the leading promoters of this enterprise.
Passenger trains on the Dayton & Michi- gan road commenced making regular trips to- Dayton on April 5, 1858. This road was. finished to Toledo in August, 1859. These two roads-the Pittsburg & Fort Wayne and the Dayton & Michigan-were at that time- the shortest and best route from Pittsburg to Cincinnati and were much used for the ship- ping of freight between those cities. During the winter of 1859-60 a line of telegraph was opened in connection with the road offices at Tippecanoe, Troy, Piqua, Sidney, Wapako- neta and Lima. During this season the machine shops of the Dayton & Michigan road were built at Lima by Lloyd & Clip- pinger, who were Lima contractors.
The route over which this railroad was. built traverses historic ground. North of Dayton the road crosses the Mad River a short distance below the village in which Tecumseh was born. Piqua was the residence of this chief and his brother, the Prophet, before their removal to Tippecanoe. Wapakoneta (Wopo- caneta ) was the last resting place of the Shaw- nee Indians within the limits of Ohio. It is- the burial place of Blackhoof. Here Captain Logan, accompanied by Capt. William Oliver and Bright Horn, passed through the lines and gave information to the besieged garri-
188
HISTORY OF ALLEN COUNTY
son at Fort Wayne in September, 1812, that General Harrison was hastening to its relief. In 1790 Harmar was defeated below the junc- tion of the St. Mary's and St. Joseph rivers, near where Fort Wayne was afterwards erected. Toledo is in the region of Wayne's campaign and Harrison led the Northwestern Army through the same unbroken wilderness in 1812, there being not a single white man's habitation left standing after the capture of Fort Dearborn (Chicago) and the siege of Fort Wayne. This was less than a century ago-to-day the same region is the home of millions of souls and a network of steel forms the great highways of commerce through the land.
The Dayton & Michigan road was ex- tended to Cincinnati and is now known as the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton Railway. It is coupled with numerous branches and subsid- iary lines, thus reaching all important county seats in Western Ohio. At Toledo it is linked with the Pere Marquette, forming the "Great Central Route," one of the farthest reaching and most promising north and south railroad properties in the land. Its shops in Lima give employment to more than 500 men, while as a division point from which trains are oper- ated to the north and to the south it is the home of hundreds of railroad men and their' families.
In April of 1872 the Boesel railroad bill passed the Legislature and at a special election on May 25, 1872, a vote was taken on the question of issuing bonds to the amount of $100,000 in aid of two proposed railroads, which the people of Lima and Ottawa town- ship had been discussing for some time prev- ious. Something over 700 votes were cast and only eight of those were against the appropria- tion. The two railroads in question were the Lima, Lafayette & Mississippi and the Lake Erie & Louisville. These were put through in 1872 and were later consolidated under the Lake Erie & Western. It is to-day one of Lima's most important lines of transportation. Passing through the oil fields of this State and Indiana, its value to this city is inestimable. The shops of this road, which were brought
here about 1880, give employment to more than 500 artisans.
The Chicago & Atlantic Railroad, now known as the Chicago & Erie, forms a direct route between the West and the North At- lantic States and was opened from Lima to Marion on May 1, 1883. Thomas Espy, Les- ter T. Hunt and James S. Robinson were among the founders of this great highway. Ten fast passenger trains in addition to the mails and limited express pass daily through Lima over the C. & E. tracks, while the freight tonnage is enormous.
The Detroit, Toledo & Ironton Railway, otherwise the old Detroit Southern, was origi- nally built as the Ohio Southern & Lima Northern. This line, once reckoned as a third or fourth-class traffic line, has rapidly advanced in importance until to-day it is recognized as a splendid piece of railroad property, recently selling for twice the appraised value of the line, viz: $2,000,000. It is certain to grow in magnitude and importance, and its future means much for the future of Lima.
The Columbus & Lake Michigan Railway, now in successful operation, both freight and passenger traffic, between Lima and Defiance, Ohio, is another line that is bound to become of importance and great business interest to Lima and Northwestern Ohio. In addition to what is now being operated, the road is graded north from West Unity, in Williams County, Ohio, to Cold Water, Michigan, a distance of 48 miles. The route to Columbus has been decided upon, and the right of way secured. In Allen County the road passes through Ottawa, German and Sugar Creek townships. The main offices are situated in Lima.
This road was commenced in 1887 by the late Benjamin C. Faurot, and was known as the Columbus, Lima & Milwaukee Railway. It has passed through various stages of litiga- tion and contest, but under the present man- agement, with Col. C. T. Hobart at the head of the board of directors, the road is doing a most successful business.
In the western part of the county, pass- ing through Spencerville and Delphos, is a branch of the C., H. & D., now the "Great
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AND REPRESENTATIVE CITIZENS
Central Route." Along the same line is also found the Toledo, St. Louis & Western, operated between Toledo and St. Louis. This is an old road and one that has added greatly to the advancement of the county. It is 454 miles long. Cutting across the northern cor- ner of the county is the Northern Ohio Rail- way, running from Delphos to Akron. This
road was built as a narrow-gauge, but later it was changed to a standard-gauge railroad. It was bought by Senator Calvin S. Brice largely for its future possibilities, but more directly from the fact that the road passes through his boyhood home, the old farm near Columbus Grove.
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