History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, Part 76

Author: Waggoner, Clark, 1820-1903
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: New York and Toledo : Munsell & Company
Number of Pages: 1408

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PART V.

COMMUNICATION AND TRADE.

CHAPTER I.

RAILWAYS.

IN no other of the great departments of enter- prise has our country as fully led the Nations of the World, as in the facilities for communication here produced. This pre-em- inence applies alike on land and water. It would not be in place hero to undertake to trace the progress of these great advances.

The first Railroad consisted of wooden rails, and was used as early as 1672 at the colleries near Newcastle-upon - Tyne, Scotland, upon which four-wheeled carts were drawn by horses. Iron rails were first used at White- haven, England, in 1738. The first important advance in Railway construction consisted of the Surrey Railway-from the banks of the Thames at Wandsworth to Croydon, in 1801. The first suggestion of steam as motive power for Railways was by Watt, in 1759 ; and Oliver Evans of Philadelphia, patented a stcam- wagon in 1782. Geo. Stephenson's locomotive -the most important advance in that direc- lion - was constructed in 1814, which moved six miles per hour. In 1829 Stephenson's machine was improved to travel 35 miles per hour. The first passenger Railway was the Stockton and Darlington, opened in Septem- ber, 1825, which was followed by the Liver- pool and Manchester, 1830.

As might be supposed, very crude, and now seemingly ludicrous ideas of Railroads pro- vailed at the outset of the development of that great agency of trade and civilzation. In illus- tration of this view may be quoted a pamphlet issued in Pennsylvania in 1825, for the purpose of giving reliable information on the subject of Railroads. The paper contained the following points in that connection :

1. An Engine weighing eight tons and of eight- horse power, will draw 45 tons loaded on cars at the rate of three miles per hour, each car carrying three to four tons.

2. Hills whose angles of assent are moderate, are not such serious obstacles in Railroads as many erroneously suppose. This is apparent from the well-known law of gravitation, that bodies gain in descending exactly the power expended in their elevation. Hence, mountain districts offer but very inconsiderable obstacles to Railways ; and in many cases, far from offering obstacles, they materiallly contribute to the success of Railways, viz .: in de- scents. [Experience, among the " mountain dis- triets " of Pennsylvania, has hardly borne out the theory so admirably fitted to their needs .- EDITOR. ] 3. The cost one set of rails of cast iron, is $10,- 000 per mile, or a single wooden Railway guarded by iron bars, will cost only $4,000-double $7,000.

4. Railways require few Superintendents.

5. Mountains of great elevation offer few obstacles to Railways.

6. The health of a country is not injured by Railways.

7. Dust is almost unknown on Railways.

8. If horses are used on a Railway, the expense of transporting 100 tons of merchandise, adding 50 per cent. (the weight of the cars), a distance of 100 miles in four days, will be $36, charging the horse and driver at 75 cents per day. If the horses are charged at 3716 cents per day the cost will be $20.25. To transport the same weight in 2636 hours 100 miles, by locomotive steam-engine, when coal is 10 cents per bushel, the cost will be $15.00.

9. Some of the engines in Great Britain can perform a distance of 100 miles in 10 hours.

10. In some cases a descending load can elevate an ascending load of less weight 1,000 feet in one minute.

The first American Railway was formally opened at Boston, October 7, 1826. It was the Quincy Road, built to carry granito from the nearest quarries at Quincy to tide-water, and, with its branches was four miles long. Its gauge was five feet, and it was oporated with horses. The Boston Advertiser, in its report of the opening, stated that a quantity of stone (16 tons) loaded on three wagons weighing five tons, making 21 tons in all, was moved with ease by a single horse a distance of three miles. It was a down grade, but one that did not pre- vent the horse drawing the empty wagons back. " After the starting of the load, which required some exertion, the horse moved with caso on a fast walk." The construction of the Road is thus described :

It rests upon a foundation of stone, laid so deep in the ground as to be beyond the reach of frost, and to secure the rails on which the car runs against any change in their position, they are laid upon stones eight feet long, placed transversely along the whole extent of the Road, at distances of six to eight feet apart. The space between these stones is filled with smaller stones or earth; and over the whole, between the rails a gravel path is made. The rails are made of pine timber, on the top of which is placed a bar of iron. The carriages run upon the iron bars, and are kept in place by a projection on the inner edge of the tire of the wheels, which are of a size considerably larger than a common cart-wheel.

The Albany Argus, in reproducing the above, expressed the hope that " the enterprising pro- jectors of the Mohawk and Hudson Railway" migh have the honor of the second work of the kind in this country.

The Miner's Journal (Philadelphia), in June, 1827, announced the completion of the Manch Chunk Railway, 13 miles in length, that

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HISTORY OF TOLEDO AND LUCAS COUNTY.

being second in the United States. Mention was made of three sets of cars having been "sent down" the Road, 20 cars in all. For most of the distance the track was an inclined plane, though for part of the way horses were used to drag the cars to the top of the hill, whence the cars to the number of six or seven, were attached and launched upon the descend- ing track, which they traversed in some parts with great velocity, of their own gravity, for four or five miles, when horses took them to a chute having a capacity of 1,000 tons of coal. The grade of the road was over 100 feet to the mile, Three horses in August, 1827, in six carriages drew 41 persons up the grade. Re- turning without horses, the train made the first 14 miles in 16 minutes. The track was de seribed as but a shelf in the side of a very pre- cipitous mountain, 500 to 600 feet above the Valley. Coal cars were not allowed to move faster than five to eight miles per hour.

The Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, com- meneed July 4, 1828, was so far advanced by the 28th of December, 1829, that on that day a trial took place on a few miles of track between Pratt street, Baltimore, and Carrolton Via- duct. The motive power was horses, one of which drew two Winan carriages containing 41 persons, moving a part of the time at the rate of 10 to 11 miles per hour. Another car- riage, with 25 persons, was drawn at the rate of' 12 miles per hour.

In 1829, six miles of the Charleston and Sa- vannah Railroad was constructed.

The first successful Railroad in this country for carrying passengers, was the Mohawk and Hudson, between Albany and Schenectady. The charter of the Company was granted by the Legislature, March 26, 1829. Stephen Van Rennsselaer, the old Patroon, was the leading capitalist in what was then considered a vis- sionary scheme. Work upon its construction began July 29, 1830, and may be said to have been completed September 24, 1831. An ex- cursion over the Road was then given by the Directors, to which were invited State and City officials and eminent citizens.

This cut is said to be a faithful representation of the train nsed upon this occasion. The cars were simply stage coach bodies made by James Goukl, coach-builder, and placed upon trucks for temporary use, affording seats for 12 or 18

passengers each. A speed at the rate of 30 miles an hour was reached.

This Road, as at first constructed, extended from the junction of the Western Turnpike and Lydius Street, Albany, a distance of 123 miles, to the brow of the hill at Schenectady. Both of these points were first reached by stages, and afterward by an inclined plane, on which pas. sengers were carried to the Railroad stations in a car drawn with a rope, by means of a stationery engine. The Albany Station was where Van Vechten Hall now stands. Some years later the grade of the Road was so much redneed that the inclined planes were done away with and the Road constructed over them. The use of the Streets for Railway travel was opposed with varying success by the Common Council and many citizens. The starting point on the River was at Gansevoort Street.

The Chief Engineer of this pioneer Road was the late John B. Jervis, whose name is so closely identified with the Railway interests of Toledo, he having been Chief Engineer in the construction of the Air Line branch of what is now the Toledo and Chicago connection of the Lake Shore Railroad. He was also the Director and the President of the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Road, subsequently merged into the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern.

The first Railway project in which Northern Ohio was directly interested, was proposed in 1829. Colonel DeWitt Clinton, a prominent Civil Engineer of New York, then prepared a statement, with estimates, for a Railroad to start from that City, and pass to and up the Tioga River, intersect the head-waters of the Genesee and Aleghany Rivers; thenec to Lake Erie, and crossing the Cuyahoga at Cleveland, pass Westward, crossing the Sandusky, Mau- mee and Wabash Rivers, and to its terminus at the mouth of Rock River on the Mississippi. The distance was given at 1,050 miles, and the cost at $15,000,000, or about $15,000 per mile. It was calculated that freight trains would traverse the line in nine days, and that the rates of transportation would be $1.73 per 100 pounds, or 835.60 per ton over the Road.

Soon after this, another project, for substan- tially the same route, was suggested. It was for the road-bed to consist of piles driven in the ground, 10 feet apart, on which were to be

MAHAR C

PIONEER PASSENGER RAILWAY TRAIN OF AMERICA.

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RAILWAYS.

placed, edgewise, planks of hard wood, nino by three inches, which furnished the tracks, of which there were to be four. The structure was to consist wholly of wood, the nuts and bolts being the only iron used. The total es- timated cost of the Road was 8906,950, of which amount 8532,800 was allowed for right of way, leaving only 8374,150, or $374 per mile, for the completed work. The items making up the cost of construction were as follows: Lease of mills to saw planks, $1,850 ; getting out posts, $31,400; bolis and nuts, $211,200; leveling posts and laying rails, $62,800; setting posts, $31,400; sawing, $35,500 - total, $374,150. Chimerical as this project appears in 1887, it was substantially the same in its general fea- tures as that of the Ohio Railroad, undertaken a few years later, and referred to elsewhere.

The cost of transportation between Now York and St. Louis at that time was as follows: By water, from St. Louis to New York, via New Orleans, $15 per ton ; and from New York to St. Louis, $80-the average being $62.50, against $34.75, the estimate by the proposed Road. The rate over the Manchester and Liv- orpool Road, England (34 miles), was at that time $1.12 per ton. The time then required for freight, New York to St. Louis via the Erie Canal and the Lakes, was 56 days, and by New Orleans, 105 days. Estimating the Railway train to move five miles per hour, it would occupy about 18 days in going and returning. Beyond this estimate, nothing came of the " Great Western Railway " of 1829.

The first Railway charters in' Ohio were granted by the Legislature in 1832, and were as follows :

Richmond, Eaton and Miami.

Mad River and Lake Erie (Sandusky to Dayton). Port Clinton and Lower Sandusky (now Fremont). Franklin, Springborough and Wilmington (Column- bus to Wilmington).

Erie and Ohio.

Columbus, Delaware, Marion and Sandusky.

Cincinnati and St. Louis,

Cincinnati, Harrison and Indianapolis. Pennsylvania and Ohio.

Milan and Norwalk (43 miles).

Milan and Columbus.

Chillicothe and Lebanon.

The only one of these projects constructed, was the Mad River and Lake Erie, on which work was commenced in 1835, the occasion being attended with much demonstration at Sandusky, General Wm. II. Harrison moving the first shovel of earth. The Road was opened to Bellevue (16 miles) in 1839; and through to Dayton in 1844.

THE PIONEER RAILWAY OF THE WEST.

The progress of Railway improvement had reached but 229 miles of completed line in the United States, when in 1832, the first steps were taken by enterprising citizens of the embryo Towus on the Manmee River, which soon there-

after, from absolute weakness, were consolidated under the name of Toledo. At that time there was not a rail laid West of Schenectady, Now York. The facts of the origin of that strange venture, are given in a letter written by the late Jessup W. Scott, in January, 1868, as fol- lows :

In 1828, I read with exultant anticipations, an account of the first locomotive on the line of the iron Railway between Liverpool and Manchester, England. The wonder-working influence of the new application of power on commerce and social intercourse, was, in good degree, foreseen and was very animating. In 1822 three iron-ways had been commenced in this country-one between Albany and Schenectady ; another at Baltimore, the commencement of the Baltimore & Ohio; and the third, the South Carolina Railroad, between Charleston and Augusta.

In June, 1862, I purchased 70 acres of the South- west quarter Section 36, near the center of which our Central School Building in now situated. At that time I made the acquaintance of Dr. Daniel O. Com- stock-elder brother of Stephen B. and James M. Comstock-and subsequently corresponded with him on the subject of a Railway charter from the Port Lawrence property (now part of Toledo), which he represented, to some point Northwest. Whether he or 1 first suggested the project, I fail to recollect. But I remember well, that through his relative, Daniel O. Comstock, a member of the Legislative Council of Michigan, a favorable charter was obtained for a Railroad Company, by the name of the Erie & Kala- mazoo Railroad, designed to traverse the territory to Lake Michigan, rie Adrian and Kalamazoo. Our plan did not at first contemplate any better structure between Port Lawrence and Adrian, than could be made of timber. Representative Comstock subse- qnently stated, that the application for a charter was received with ridicule, and opposition was placated by admitting that the thing was a chimera, but that to please his brother Stephen, he would be obliged if they would let it pass into an act, The Company was organized in 1835, and in 1836 the Road was made to Adrian. Edward Bissell, in Toledo, and George Crane, of Adrian, were the most active agents in locating and constructing the Road.

When the Michigan Southern Railroad (then in operation between Monroe and Coldwater) was purchased by the State of Michigan, the Erie & Kal- amazoo, with its franchises, were purchased by the same parties for $60,000; by the same parties " stocked " at $300,000 and then leased, in perpetuity, to the Michigan Southern owners at a 50 per cent. annuity on its cost of $60,000.

The original plan for this Road, was to use oak rails four inches square, the cars to be drawn by horses. Few enterprises have been pressed to success under more adverse circum- stances than attended the construction of this work, the chief difficulty being a lack of finan- cial means. The construction had not pro- ceeded far, before it was decided to iron the track and use steam power. Here was met the question of money. The modern devices of mortgage bonds, preferred stock, &e., were unknown to these pioneers. But by allowing a liberal bonus on the stock, and furnishing the paper of the Company, endorsed by the Directors and other supposed responsible parties, the iron was procured. It was known as the " strap- rail," 2} inches wide, and five-eighths of an inch

HISTORY OF TOLEDO AND LUCAS COUNTY.

thick, and was spiked to the wooden rail. By like financial operation, two small locomotives were subsequently procured. The Road was opened for business during the Fall of 1836, the cars then being drawn by horses. Meantime (1835) an amendment to the charter of the Company had been made by the Territorial Council of Michigan, which provided that when the " Road should pay the cost of erecting the same and expenses of keeping the same in repair, and seven per cent. on all moneys ex- pended, the said Road should become the property of the Territory or State, and become a fire Road, except sufficient toll to keep the saume in repair." The charter provided for a line extending from Toledo to the head-waters of the Kalamazoo River, but by amendment it was made to terminate at Adrian. This change, as well as that looking to the transfer of the Road to the ownership of Michigan, was prob- ably due to the then increasing probability that the Eastean terminus of the Road would be in Ohio.

Following is a collection of facts taken from the official records of the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad Company, which furnishes, in con- densed form, much of the history of that enterprise not to be found elsewhere. As already stated, this Company was chartered by the Territorial Legislature of Michigan in 1832.

March 7, 1834, Darius Comstock, E. Conant Win- ter, Asahel Finch, Jr., Caius C. Robinson, David White and Stephen B. Comstock, Commissioners, under the charter, gave notice to the stockholders, that more than 1,000 shares of stock had been sub- scribed, and that a meeting of stockhoklers would be hell at the house of Isaac Deans, in the Village of Adrian, May 20, 1834, when the subscription books would be delivered to them. On the day last named, the stockholders met and elected the following Directors : Darius Comstock, C. C. Robinson, David White, Geo. Crane, Almon Harrison, Caleb S. Ormsby, S. B. Comstock, E. Conant Winter and A. J. Com- stock ; who organized by electing Darius Comstock as President, and Joseph Chittenden as Secretary. May 21st the Board of Directors adopted a code of by-laws. Among other provisions, the by-laws pro- vided that in case of absence from any regularly called meeting of the Board, the President should pay a forfeit of $5.00; and a Director for like absence, $3.00; while any Director who should without leave, absent himself after coming to such meeting, should be fined 25 cents. Provision was then made for "a survey and level of the route of the Railroad from Adrian to Port Lawrence " (Toledo), together with estimates for the construction of the same. For this purpose, three Commissioners were appointed, viz .: Geo. Crane, S. B. Comstock and C. M. Ormsby. It was then provided that $1.00 per share of stock be paid by October 1, 1834.

November 4th, Andrew Palmer, of Toledo, was made a Director. The Board adopted a memorial to Congress asking for a grant of right of way and use of materials for the proposed Road through the public lands lying on the route ; and also for a grant of one section of land for every two miles of road con- structed, or 42,240 acres in all. December 2, 1834, the Board in part decided on the route of the pro- posed Road, and decided to construct 10 miles of the same, commeneing at Dr. Robinson's, within one

year from that time. It was then decided that the cross-ties of the track should be of "split timber." Steps were also then taken for obtaining the right of way for the Road. Allen Hutchins was then ap- pointed Attorney for the Company. June 24, 1835, a contract was made by the Directors and Joel MeCollum, under which the latter was to take 600 shares of stock of the Railroad Company, and 1,200 shares of the stock of the Erie & Kalamazoo Railroad Bank, the Directors pledging themselves to co-operate in securing legislation which should legally separate the two interests. Authority was then given for the completion of the road to Toledo.

November 2, 1835, Darius Comstock was elected President ; A. J. Comstock, Treasurer ; Orange Butler, Secretary : Volney Spaulding, S. B. Comstock, and Andrew Palmer, as Auditing Committee ; Edward Bissell and Wm. P. Daniels of Toledo, as Commis- sioners for the construction of the Eastern section of the Road from Toledo to Ottawa Lake); and Geo. Crane and C. N. Ormsby, as Commissioners for the Western section (to Adrian).

The first contraets were made January 1. 1835, for clearing, grabbing and furnishing cross-ties from Palmyra to Ottawa Lake, a distance of tl; miles, the aggregate price to be $2.151, or $184.37 per mile. Contracts were then also made for 400,000 feet of " wheel-rails." In August, excavation was con- tracted for at to cents per cubic yard.

May 25, 1836, the stock of the Erie & Kalamazoo Railroad Banking Company was subscribed, and Directors for the same elected, of whom Darins Com- stock was made the President. Edward Bissell and Win. P. Daniels, of Toledo, were Directors. July 26, 1836, Philo C. Fuller was elected Cashier of the Bank, at a salary of $2,000: Joel McCollum, Presi- dent ; and Addison J. Comstock, Vice President.

October 3, 1836, Joel MeCollum was elected Presi- dent of the Railroad Company.

November 3, 1836, it was " resolved, that the fol- lowing be the rates charged for the present for a seat in the Pleasure Car upon the Railroad, viz : Adrian to Palmyra. 2 shillings (25c.); Palmyra to Blissfield, 2s. ; Blisstiell to Whiteford. 4s. ; Whiteford to Tu- ledo, 4s ; through (Adrian to Toledo) 12 s .; and 50 pounds of baggage to each seat. That the following be the rates for freight: Toledo to Blisstiehl, 3 s .; Toledo to Palmyra, 42 cents; Toledo to Adrian, + s. And a light barrel-bulk, equal to 200 pounds. Salt, $1.00 per barrel." It was at that time "resolved, that there be no free seats, unless it be those of the agents or persons in the employ of the Commis- sioners when on the business of the Road." It was then resolved, that no discount be made to any person whose name was on unpaid protested paper or notes past due or unpaid at the Bank ; " and also, that not exceeding $300 in amount be discounted, except upon paper with three responsible endorsers.

February, 15, 1837, a dividend of five per cent. was declared on the stock of the Bank. At the same time John Hopkins was appointed Superintendent of the Road, for the purpose of preparing the track be- tween Adrian and Toledo to receive the locomotive. He was also authorized to make survey for the continuation of the Road West to the Kalamazoo River.

April 7, 1837, it was "resolved, that the fare in the Pleasure Car between Toledo and Adrian be $2.25; Toledo to Whiteford, 75 cents; Whiteford to Blissfield, 75 cents; and Blissfield to Adrian, 75 cents ; " and that former rates for the "Pleasure Car," be charged on the " Lumber Cars." June 23, 1837, Edward Bissell, as Acting Commissioner, was made General Manager of the Road.

September 22, 1837, the charge for "up-freight " (Toledo to Adrian), was 40 cents per 100 pounds ; and for " down-freight," 25 cents per 100; for Flour, 37%

101

RAILWAYS.

cents per barrel; Oats in barrels or bags, 614 cents ; and Wheat, Corn and Potatoes, 9 cents per bushel.

October 2, 1837, the following Directors were chosen : Geo. Crane, Philo C. Fuller, Edward Bis- sell, Wm. P. Daniels, S. B. Comstock Fred. Bissell, Richard Mott, A. J. Comstock, Andrew Palmer- giving Toledo a majority in the Board. A. J. Com- stock was elected President ; C. D. Ashley, Secretary; and P. C. Fuller, Treasurer ; Wm. P. Daniels and Geo. Crane were appointed Commissioners for the management of the Road.

October 30, 1837, the Treasurer was authorized to contract with the Government for "the transporta- tion of the Great Western Mail between Toledo and Adrian-leaving Toledo at 8 A. M. and arriving at Adrian at 12 M .; and leaving Adrian at 2 p. M. and arriving at Toledo at 6 r. M. each day ; and supplying the Postoffices at Sylvania, Blisstiell and P'al- myra, by means of separate bags-at the rate of $2,000 per annum."

January 4, 1838, subscriptions of 81 shares of stock were declared forfeited for non-payment. At the same time, a dividend of 30 per cent. on the re- maining stock, 2,776 shares, was declared, from pro- ceeds of the Road to December 31, 1837.

February 16, 1838, passengers fare between Toledo and Adrian was reduced to $1.50, and between other points in proportion.

At a meeting of stockholders, May 15, 1838, the following persons were present, casting, respectively, the number of votes stated : Levi Beardsley, of New York, for himselt 208 shares; Salmon Harrison, for himself. 20; Edward Bissell, for self and as proxy, 630; Andrew Palmer, for self and as proxy, 182; John B. Macy, for self and proxy, 351; William E. Jones, for Chas. Butler of New York, 546; Richard Mott, for self and proxy, 344; Fred. Bissell, 79. Total shares voted 2,360. H. D. Mason, of Toledo, and J. B. Maey, of Butlalo, N. Y., became Directors at that time.

May 15, 1838, Richard Mott was chosen President of the Company ; Edward Bissell, Commissioner or Manager ; and P. C. Fuller, Treasurer.

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History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, Part 76

Author: Waggoner, Clark, 1820-1903 Publication date: 1888 Publisher: New York and Toledo : Munsell & Company Number of Pages: 1408

Author: Waggoner, Clark, 1820-1903
Publication date: 1888
Publisher: New York and Toledo : Munsell & Company
Number of Pages: 1408