History of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio; their past and present, Part 45

Author: Nelson, S.B., Cincinnati
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Cincinnati : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1592

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BALTIMORE AND OHIO SOUTHWESTERN COMPANY.

The Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad Company, which was originally incorpo- rated as the Belpre & Cincinnati Railroad Company, March 8, 1845, forms a part of this line, and it was operated as the Marietta & Cincinnati Railroad Company until February, 1883, when it was reorganized as the Cincinnati, Washington & Bal- timore, purchasing at that time the Cincinnati & Baltimore and the Baltimore Short Line railroads, which had previously been operated under lease. Two months after foreclosure sale of the property the present company was organized in December, 1889, and succeeded to the ownership of the road, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company becoming owner of the common stock of this company, and guaranteeing the principal and interest of its first mortgage bonds.

The main line of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern extends from Cincinnati to Belpre, Ohio, 192.88 miles; and branches aggregating 87.95 miles, including the Hillsboro branch, from Blanchester, Ohio, to Hillsboro, Ohio; the Portsmouth branch, from Hamden, Ohio, to Portsmouth, Ohio, and the Marietta branch, from Belpre to Marietta, Ohio, and it has a trackage arrangement over the Big Four line from Cin- cinnati Union depot to the I. & C. Transfer, giving its trains access to the Union depot in Cincinnati.

This road is also widely famed for its superior suburban service, extending forty miles out to Blanchester. The line follows Mill creek, through the West End to Winton Place, traverses Duck Creek Valley, passing through the villages of Bond Hill, Norwood, Oakley, and Madisonville to the Heights of Madeira; down the val- ley of the Little Miami to Allendale, Remington and Symmes, crossing the river at Loveland, and thence over the table land to Blanchester. The company's manage- ment shows great liberality in promoting the settlement of these suburbs, and offers

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HISTORY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY.

to each new resident, head of a family, building a permanent residence costing not less than $1,000 at any station on its line between Ludlow Grove and Loveland, free transportation for the first year between such station and Cincinnati, besides a specially low rate on the material used in construction of such residence.

The company is officered as follows: Edwin R. Bacon, of New York. president; W. W. Peabody, vice-president; William E. Jones, treasurer, and W. W. Peabody, Jr., secretary, all three of Cincinnati; I. G. Rawn, general superintendent; O. P. McCarthy, general passenger agent, and Charles H. Konig, district passenger agent. Mr. Peabody, who has active direction of the operations of the road, was born in Maine in 1836, and from 1852 to 1877 he served on the Marietta & Cincin- nati road successively as assistant engineer, president's private secretary, paymaster, master of transportation, superintendent and general manager. From 1877 to 1880 he was superintendent and general manager of the Ohio & Mississippi railway; and from 1883 to November, 1886, was president and general manager of the Trans- Ohio division of the Baltimore & Ohio railroad, at the latter date assuming his present position with this road. The treasurer, William E. Jones, was born in Frederick county, Maryland, in 1847. In 1865 he became a clerk in the president's office, and in 1867 vice-president's secretary, with the Baltimore & Ohio railroad. In Novem- ber, 1869, he was appointed cashier and registrar of the Marietta & Cincinnati rail- road, becoming treasurer of its successor, the Cincinnati, Washington & Baltimore railroad in 1883, remaining as such with the present company; and since October 8, 1892, he has also been treasurer of the Continental Fast Freight line.

I. G. Rawn, general superintendent, is a native of Delaware, Ohio, became a telegraph operator on the " Bee Line " in 1870, later was train dispatcher and train master; became master of transportation on the Kentucky Central. October, 1887, and in January, 1889, division superintendent and superintendent of transportation on the Chesapeake & Ohio railway, leaving that position in January, 1890, to assume that which he now holds.

Orin P. McCarty began railroad service in 1864 as clerk in the general ticket office of the Cincinnati & Chicago Air Line railway; became assistant general ticket agent of the Union Pacific railway in 1881; chief rate clerk of the Trunk Line Pas- senger committee of New York, November 1, 1887; chief clerk in general passenger- office Baltimore & Ohio railroad in May, 1888; assistant general passenger agent in August, 1889, and on March 1, 1890, also general passenger agent of the Baltimore & Ohio Southwestern.

" THE BIG FOUR. "

There is no railroad of the many entering Cincinnati that enjoys greater popular- ity than the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis. better known as the " Big Four." It is especially a Cincinnati enterprise, having its general offices in Cincin- nati. Its magnificent Union depot is a credit to the company and the admiration of travelers. The road is a consolidation of numerous previously existing companies and lines, some dating back to the early history of railroading in the West. The Rushville & Lawrenceburg Railroad Company was organized in 1848, and the follow- ing year the name was changed to the Lawrenceburg & Upper Mississippi Railroad Company. This company built the road from Lawrenceburg to Shelbyville, and the Shelbyville Railroad Company constructed it from Shelbyville to Indianapolis; the line being completed from Lawrenceburg to Indianapolis in November. 1853, trains being run into Cincinnati over a third rail on the Ohio & Mississippi railroad Decem- ber 3, 1853, the two companies owning the road consolidated as the Indianapolis & Cincinnati Railroad Company. The Lafayette & Indianapolis Company was incor- porated January 19, 1846, completing its road from Indianapolis to Lafayette in June, 1852. and in 1866 this road was purchased by the Indianapolis & Cincinnati, the consolidation becoming the Indianapolis, Cincinnati & Lafayette Railroad Com-

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HISTORY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY.

pany. The same year the company acquired by perpetual lease the Cincinnati & Indiana, and in 1870 the property went into the hands of a receiver, and a new com- pany, reorganized in 1873, operated it until 1876, when it again went into the hands of a receiver, thus continuing until foreclosure sale in February, 1880, when the bondholders purchased it and organized the Cincinnati, Indianapolis, St. Louis & Chicago Railway Company. The company has acquired the Kankakee line between Cincinnati and Chicago, Kankakee & Seneca road, owned jointly by this company and the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Company, with whose line it connects at Seneca, Ill. ; the Columbus, Hope & Greensburg railroad from Columbus, Ind., to Greensburg, Ind. ; the Lawrenceburg branch from Lawrenceburg to Lawrenceburg junction, Ind., all owned by the company, besides a number of leased lines, includ- ing the Harrison Branch railroad; Fairland, Franklin & Martinsville railroad; Cin- cinnati, Lafayette & Chicago railroad, and Vernon, Greensburg & Rushville rail- road. On June 27, 1889, it acquired the entire system of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis railroad, popularly known as the "Bee Line," when the name of the entire system was changed to the present style.

The properties thus acquired constituted one of the most important of Ohio roads, having been originally chartered March 12, 1845. The "Bee Line" became a popular connection between Cleveland, Columbus and Cincinnati, and between Cleveland, Indianapolis and St. Louis, and when acquired by the " Big Four, " made of that a compact system, radiating from Cincinnati as its principal point, North- east to Cleveland, Northwest to Indianapolis & Chicago with other lines to Peoria, St. Louis and Cairo, Ill. ; the " Big Four " also controlling the White Water Valley; Cincinnati, Wabash & Michigan; Cairo & Vincennes; Ohio, Indiana & Western; Cin- cinnati, Sandusky & Cleveland; Columbus, Springfield & Cincinnati, and other lines. This system connects at the Central Union station in Cincinnati with the trains of the Chesapeake & Ohio; Queen and Crescent; Baltimore & Ohio South western; Louis- ville & Nashville; and Kentucky Central railways for all the principal points in the East, Southeast and South. The total length of all lines owned, leased and operated in the " Big Four " system amounts to 2, 336. 11 miles.

The board of directors is composed of Cornelius Vanderbilt, William K. Vander- bilt, Chauncey M. Depew, J. Pierpont Morgan, George Bliss, H. McK. Twombly and James B. Layng, of New York; S. J. Broadwell, Alexander McDonald, Melville E. Ingalls and William P. Anderson, of Cincinnati; Amos Townsend and James Barnett, of Cleveland; Benjamin S. Brown, of Columbus, George A. Farlow, of Boston.

The company is officered as follows: Melville E. Ingalls, president, J. D. Layng, vice-president, Oscar G. Murray, second vice-president. On the 1st of Sep- tember, 1893, E. O. McCormick, for a long time general passenger agent of the "C. H. & D.," was appointed passenger traffic manager, a new office just created. The other offices are: E. F. Osborn, secretary, Frank D. Comstock, treasurer, F. A. Hewitt, auditor, and D. B. Martin, general passenger and ticket agent.

CHESAPEAKE AND OHIO RAILWAY COMPANY.

Another valuable acquisition to the railroad interests of Cincinnati was the entrance of the Chesapeake & Ohio railway into the city. This company was reor- ganized in October, 1888, under its present management, and has been made a spe- cially valuable feeder to the commerce of Cincinnati, besides being a convenient means of transportation for passengers to all Virginia points, Washington and the East. The company has a total mileage of 1,173.8 miles, and over this road runs the widely famed "F. F. V." or " Fast Flying Virginia" solid vestibule train, which is one of the finest and most complete trains ever built by the Pullman Com- pany, affording Pullman sleeping cars to Washington, Philadelphia, New York, Richmond and Old Point Comfort with the " F. F. V." dining car running through

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HISTORY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY.

to New York. It is also the short line to the Southeast, running from Cincinnati via Clifton Forge to Lynchburgh and Danville, Va., and Greensborough, Salisbury and Charlotte, N. C. It is the only direct line to Richmond and Old Point Comfort from Cincinnati, and affords the attractions of safety and luxury of travel, a first- class road bed and equipments, through trains all vestibuled, lighted with electricity and heated with steam, while the route followed by the line is one of the finest as regards scenery in the country, and reaches more points of historic interest than any other line in America, being the only line extending through the Virginia battlefields. In every respect that regards the convenience and comfort of the traveling public this road may compare with the best in the country, and all has been accomplished as the result of the ability and enterprising management of M. E. Ingalls, who has been president of the company since its reorganization in October, 1888.

Previous to this the road had been for several years in the hands of a receiver, and was in bad shape both physically and financially; but it has been thoroughly rehabilitated and now with new road bed, 75-pound steel rails and first-class rolling stock has been put upon a substantial basis with earnings largely increased. Mr. Ingalls, who has also been for twenty years at the head of the " Big Four " system, is recognized as one of the most accomplished railway managers in America. In addition to President Ingalls, the officers of the executive department are George T. Bliss, of New York, first vice-president; Decatur Axtell, of Richmond, Va., second vice-president, and C. E. Wellford, also of Richmond, secretary. The headquarters of the operating department are at Richmond, George W. Stevens being general manager, while H. W. Fuller is general passenger agent, with headquarters at Washington, D. C., and C. B. Ryan is assistant general passenger agent at Cincin- nati.

The company has twenty or more summer resorts of national reputation along their line, including the Natural bridge, reached by the James River division from Clifton; White Sulphur springs, W. Va., on the main line, and the Warm, Hot and Healing springs, reached by a trench road twenty-five miles from Covington, Va. This property is owned by a party of gentlemen, including M. E. Ingalls. Drexel, Morgan & Co., William H. Anderson and others, who have expended $1,000,000 in improvements during the last two years.

The Chesapeake & Ohio crosses the Ohio river at Cincinnati on a magnificent iron bridge, which, including its approaches, is 4,812 feet in length, 105 feet above low-water mark, and cost the enormous sum of $3, 348, 675.

LOUISVILLE AND NASHVILLE RAILROAD.

Another commercial factor of great value to Cincinnati is the Louisville & Nash- ville railway. Its northern terminus is at the Little Miami station, and the road provides excellent facilities for the extensive southern trade, which finds an outlet here.

Its headquarters are at Louisville, and its connections here include the Kentucky Central division and the Louisville, Cincinnati & Lexington division. On this road double daily trains are run between Cincinnati and Louisville, and New Orleans, Jacksonville and Tampa, Fla., and Memphis, Tenn. Over one or the other of its branches nearly every southern point is reached, and it reaches farther south than any other road out of Cincinnati. The company's Cincinnati offices are on the seventh floor of the Chamber of Commerce. Brent Arnold is superintendent of terminals, and general freight agent for the Kentucky Central division. He is a Kentuckian, but has resided in Cincinnati for twenty-six years, was for eighteen years general agent here for the Louisville, Cincinnati & Lexington railroad, becom- ing superintendent when that road was purchased by the Louisville & Nashville. Samuel F. B. Morse, division passenger agent of the company here, has been in railway service since 1874, became general passenger agent of the Kentucky Cen- tral in 1886, and assumed his present position in January, 1892.

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HISTORY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY.

The Louisville division, which runs from Cincinnati, known as the "Short Line," has recently been entirely reconstructed. All the bridges have been renewed with iron and steel structures of the most approved style of construction, designed for the heaviest type of rolling stock; all the masonry has been repaired, old cul- verts have been rebuilt, and new ones constructed, so as to make the drainage of the roadbed perfect. Passengers have the choice of departing from, or entering, Cin- cinnati at either the Central Union or L. & N. and Pennsylvania stations. Four daily trains in each direction are run between the two cities. The distance is 110 miles. The local officers are: Y. Van Den Berg, traffic manager; J. G. Metcalfe, general manager; C. P. Atmore, general passenger agent.

CINCINNATI, PORTSMOUTH AND VIRGINIA.

Prominent among the well-managed railways that center in Cincinnati is that conducted under the style of the Cincinnati, Portsmouth & Virginia Railroad Com- pany. The main line of the road from Cincinnati to Portsmouth was formerly known as the Ohio & Northwestern, which was sold under foreclosure March 13, 1890, the present company being organized to take over the property in June, 1891. Besides operating its own line between Cincinnati and Portsmouth, the company also operates the Columbus & Maysville railway between Sardinia and Hillsboro, and the com- pany utilizes an ample equipment of rolling stock, its passenger service consisting of four trains each way daily. The general offices of the company are on the fifth floor of the United Bank building, at the corner of Third and Walnut streets, and its terminal in Cincinnati is at the Court Street station, which is occupied jointly by this road and the Cincinnati, Lebanon & Northern railroad. The officers of the company are Samuel Hunt, president and general manager; Thomas Hunt, secre- tary and treasurer; W. D. Gray, anditor; E. F. Gray, general freight and passenger agent; J. C. Gleason, train master, and J. C. Homer, master mechanic. Mr. Hunt, the president, is an experienced railroad man, having formerly been division super- intendent of the Missouri Pacific railway at Winfield, Kans., in February, 1888, becoming general superintendent of the Ohio & Northwestern road, and becoming president and general manager for the existing company upon its organization. Thomas Hunt, the secretary and treasurer, is a brother of the president, and William D. Gray, the auditor, has been in railway service since 1878, and connected with this road through its different organizations. All of the other officers are gentlemen of experience in the various duties belonging to their respective positions, and the road is run upon a practical basis, and forms a valuable feeder to the business interests of Cincinnati. The distance between Cincinnati and Portsmonth is 106 miles.

CINCINNATI, LEBANON AND NORTHERN.

The Cincinnati, Lebanon & Northern Railway Company was organized August 1, 1885, as successor to the Cincinnati Northern Railway Company, whose road was sold under foreclosure June 27, 1885. It is appropriately named the "Highland " route, for while the flood of 1884 reached the height of seventy-one feet above ordi- nary low-water mark, this was the only railway line running into the city which was not submerged. It gives the best service to the people of Cincinnati, Norwood, Mason, Lebanon and intermediate points on its road, and with a fine service of twenty daily trains each way, affords special advantages to those who select residencs along its route. The Board of Directors is composed of George Hafer, George Bul- lock, Theodore Cook, Thomas J. Emery, A. S. Winslow, Joseph B. Thoms and L. C. Weir, Mr. Hafer being president and treasurer. He was formerly receiver of the old Cincinnati Northern Railway Company, becoming president of the present com- pany upon its organization. The other officers are Clay Rockwell, auditor, and John P. Winslow, secretary. Mr. Winslow is a well-known member of the Cincin-

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HISTORY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY.

nati bar, while Mr. Rockwell, who has been with this company four years, was for- merly employed by the Chicago & Erie railway as general bookkeeper. He also acts as general passenger agent for the road.

CINCINNATI AND WESTWOOD RAILROAD.

This road is an important suburban line, running from the depot of the "C., H. & D.," to Glenmore, a distance of eight miles. Thirteen passenger trains are run daily, each way, to accommodate the travel. The officers are: J. N. Gamble, presi- dent; P. M. Williams, vice-president; A. D. Shockley, treasurer; N. G. Hildreth, secretary; M. H. Crawford, general traffic manager; J. K. Dimmick, assistant gen- eral traffic manager. The offices are in room No. 5, United Bank building, Cincin- nati.

CINCINNATI, GEORGETOWN AND PORTSMOUTH.

This company owns and operates the line of narrow-gauge railway from Cincin- nati to Georgetown, a distance of 42 miles. It starts from Columbia, in the First Ward, where connection is made with the Little Miami railroad, and passes through Forestville, Bethel, and Hamersville, to its point of destination. Along its line there are unsurpassed inducements to home-seekers, and there are also fine picnic grounds at Shinn's Grove, Crane's Grove, and Berry's Grove, and a camp-meeting and pic- nic ground at Amelia.

The terminus proper of the narrow-gauge is at the station of the Little Miami railroad, Butler and Pearl streets. The president, Ralph Peters, is also division superintendent of the Cincinnati division of the Pan-Handle railroad. . He has been president of the Cincinnati, Georgetown & Portsmouth railroad since 1888. The vice-president and general freight and passenger agent, E. W. White, who is a native of New Hampshire, is a gentleman of extended railway experience, was for- merly in the general office of the "Big Four," but has held his present position since 1885. J. C. McQuiston, the superintendent of the road, was formerly road- master of the Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Lafayette division of the "Big Four" system, and is a thoroughly experienced man. H. G. Roelker serves the company as secretary and treasurer.

CINCINNATI SOUTHERN RAILWAY.

It was long the dream of Cincinnati to have direct railway communication with the extreme southern States, the seaboard and the Gulf, for the purpose of drawing trade hither; but owing to opposition and other drawbacks, many years rolled away before the dream was fully realized. As early as 1837 a charter was procured to build a railway from Charleston, S. C., to Cincinnati, the Palmetto City to become the terminal on the seaboard for the commerce of the Queen City. But Kentucky made objections to the line passing through her territory, and the project was reluctantly abandoned. In the meantime the Civil war put a stop to the project. On the restoration of peace, however, it was revived, and stronger efforts made to carry the scheme through. Under date of May 19, 1869, an act was secured from the legislature authorizing the city of Cincinnati to issue bonds to the amount of ten million dollars, to be used in the construction of a railroad to Chattanooga, which had been fixed upon as the objective point. Chattanooga being the gate city to the South, New Orleans, Charleston and Memphis could easily be reached by other railroads from that terminal. Kentucky still looked upon the movement coldly because of the antagonism of the Louisville & Nashville Railroad Company, which was jealous of a great competing line passing through their territory. The permission by the legislature to issue bonds had to be endorsed by the taxpayers of Cincinnati, and there was strong opposition of course. After an exciting fight, however, the measure was endorsed by a majority vote, and the great enterprise

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HISTORY OF CINCINNATI AND HAMILTON COUNTY.

was put under way in December, 1873. After a short time it was found necessary to raise more money, and a second investment of six million dollars was voted in 1876. The work of construction was vigorously prosecuted, but before the road was completed it became necessary to raise more money by a third loan. And when the railroad was finished in 1881, Cincinnati found that she had twenty million dollars invested in the enterprise.

The completion of the road, popularly known as the "Queen and Crescent, " was hailed with delight by the people, and a great convention, at which all the offi- cials of the Southern States were represented, was held in Music Hall in honor of the opening of this great southern thoroughfare. There was a banquet and speeches, and the meeting was closed by entering into a compact between the North and the South to perpetuate commercial harmony between the two sections of the country.

In the construction of this railroad Cincinnati enjoys the peculiar distinction of being the first city in the world to build a railway on its own account. When it was finished the road and all its properties were leased to a corporation known as the Cincinnati, New Orleans & Texas Pacific Railway Company, for twenty-five years from the 12th of October, 1881, upon a basis of an increasing rental, limited at the highest point to $1,250,000. Recently the East Tennessee, Virginia and Georgia Railroad Company secured a controlling interest in the lease, and assumed the management, but being unable to meet the interest due the city, the road passed into the hands of a receiver early in 1893.

To be exact. Cincinnati has invested in this railroad enterprise *:

Bonds outstanding $18,610,000 00

Net amount of interest to date. 10,797,287 88

Total paid in for sinking fund. 2,330,126 50

Total $31,737,414 38

Less sinking fund (estimated). 3,720,678 00

Total cost of the road to date (April, 1893) $28,016,736 38

Mayor Mosby regards the railroad worth every dollar it cost the city, and in the hands of a strong company would become a dividend-paying property, and he there- fore advocates its sale. In speaking of the resources of the city he says: "There is probably no city in the United States that possesses an asset that is entirely for- eign to municipal government, the disposal of which would entirely pay its indebt- edness, and therefore it is safe to say that Cincinnati is the richest municipal gov- ernment in the United States."

It is believed by many, however, that, if the city retains control of this railway, in course of time the property will so appreciate in value that the interest on the investment will pay the taxes of the city. The interests of the city are looked after by a board of trustees, consisting of five members, appointed by the Superior Court. Under the terms of the lease, the company now operating the road does distinctly agree that a sum of $12,000 will be paid every year to maintain that board. The lessee company, in other words, pays each trustee $2,000, and the remaining $2,000 is to defray the salary of the secretary and office expenses.

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History of Cincinnati and Hamilton County, Ohio; their past and present, Part 45

Author: Nelson, S.B., Cincinnati Publication date: 1894 Publisher: Cincinnati : S. B. Nelson Number of Pages: 1592

Author: Nelson, S.B., Cincinnati
Publication date: 1894
Publisher: Cincinnati : S. B. Nelson
Number of Pages: 1592