History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, Part 77

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

USA > Ohio > Lucas County > Toledo > History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio > Part 77

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June 28, 1838, an offer by the Port Lawrence Com- pany, of lots 484 and 48412 of their plat for Railroad purposes, was accepted, and a committee appointed to superintend the erection thercon of a car-house, work-shop, &e." At the same time, an offer by the proprietors of Vistula of a lot on Water Street, and between Cherry and Lynn Streets, for Railroad pur- poses, was accepted. John B. Macy was authorized to purchase a blank book for keeping the records of the Company. Freight rates were then fixed : Wheat, Adrian to Toledo, S cents; Adrian to Pal- myra, 112 cents ; Salt, Toledo to Palmyra (junction with the Jacksonburg Branch), 50 cents; and to Adrian, 6212 cents.

November 2, 1838, officers were re-elected.

In the interest of the Vistula Division (" Lower Town"), a Railroad track was constructed in Water Street-rather over the water of the River, near where Water Street was subsequently made-from Monroe Street then the termination of the Railroad, to Cedar Street, near Lagrange. November 2, 1838, Richard Mott was appointed to negotiate for the purchase of an one-fourth interest in such track and the use of the track, provided it cost not to exceed $3,085.

January 3, 1839, the Directors authorized agents to furnish members of the Board with passes, but in no other way to relax the existing order in that respect. The matter of the Water Street track was considered and voted down. A mail contract with the Govern- ment was closed, being the first Railway Mail con- tract West of the Alleghany Mountains.

March 15, 1839, rates for freight were fixed, in- cluding the following : " Toledo to Adrian-Salt, 6212

cents per barrel ; plaster, per ton, $3.50. Adrian to Toledo-Whiskey, per barrel, 50 cents; Oats, per bushel, 5 cents ; Corn, 7 cents; Potatoes, 7 cents; Lumber, per M, $3.50.

April 15, 1839, it was resolved that the Directors resume control of the Railroad Bank. At that time, it was voted that the offices of the Company be re- moved from Adrian to Toledo. H. D. Mason was appointed Treasurer, rier P. C. Fuller; and J. D. Shephard, Secretary, rice C. D. Ashley. A dividend of 15 per cent. from profits of the year ending De- cember 31, 1838, was then declared. Edward Bissell's salary as Acting Commissioner was fixed at $2,000 per year.

April 30, 1839, Richard Mott resigned the position of President. and was succeeded by E. S. Dodd, of Toledo. It was resolved to hold monthly meetings of the Board, alternately at Toledo and Adrian.

August 7, 1839, the Board resolved " that any per- son upon the presentation of satisfactory evidence that he had an equitable or beneficial interest ' in in any stock of the Company, whether through mort- gages, hypothecation or other pledge, should be en- titled to vote on such stock, as though the sune had been transferred to such party on the books of the Company." To such action Director Mott made written protest, as " an unwarrantable assumption of power."

August 9, 1839, rates of freight were fixed as fol- lows: Toledo to. Adrian-Merchandise, per 100, 25 cents ; Salt, per barrel, 45 cents; Plaster, per ton, $3.00. Adrian to Toledo -Wheat, per bushel, Geents ; Oats, 4 cents ; Flour per barrel, 25 cents; Whiskey, per barrel, 50 cents ; Pork, 50 cents; Hides, per 100 pounds, 8 cents ; Lumber per M., $5.00.

September 6, 1839, at the annual meeting, the roll of stockholders, prepared for the occasion, was as follows: Samuel Satterthwaite, 6 shares; David Bur- gess, 5; John Hunt, 5; C. D. Ashley, SO; Isaac French, 13; Almon Harris 39; Calvin Brandish, 26; Fred Bissell, 79; Anson Howell, 6; P. C. Fuller, 18 ; Henry W. Hicks, 171; Harvey Todd, 5; 11. Green- man, 13; Charles Butler, 546 ; Levi Beardsley, 208; Duffield, Swift & Raymond, 52; Joel MeColluum, 26 ; Israel T. Hatch, 21 ; Samuel Hicks & Son, 156; Rich- ard Mott, 16; Edward Bissell, the fraction of $10, on one share; George Crane, 52; Royal Paine, 13; Hezekiah D. Mason, 13; William S. Waters, 48; City Bank of Buffalo, 525; Commercial Bank of Buffalo. 61; Adah Ann Husband, 100; David White. 10; Smith & Macy, 62: Stephen Whitney 28; Andrew Palmer and James Myers, 50 ; Samuel Willets (As- signee), 40; Jos. R. Williams, 13; Cuyahoga Steam Furnace Company, 30; Farmers and Mechanics' Bank, Detroit, 22; H. A. Carpenter 3; Robert Hicks, 112 ; Mahlon Day, 3; Edward A. Lawrence, 4; A. S. Willetts, 7; Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad Bank, 338; Ezra S. Dodd, 2; total shares, 3 027. At this election Edward Bissell claimed the right, and was permitted to vote on 546 share hypothecated to Charles Butler, 36 shares hypothecated to the Cuya- hoga Furnace Company, and 338 shares for the Rail- road Bank, making a total vote of 914 shares owned by him. At this election B. P. Peckham, A Palmer, E. S. Dodd, Edward Bissell, Fred Bissell, Samuel B. Scott, Jacob Clark and Il. D. Mason were elected Directors.

October 6, 1839, the Directors ordered that stock to the amount of $12,301.30 be issued in payment for the track between Monroe and Cedar Streets (the latter between Lagrange and Elm).

October 8, 1839, E. S. Dodd was elected President : S. B. Scott, Treasurer ; and Edward Bissell, Commis- sioner.

October, 1839, at the instance of Charles Butler and other creditors, the Road was placed in the hands of George Crane as Receiver, and so remained

402

HISTORY OF TOLEDO AND LUCAS COUNTY.

until January 13, 18[0, when the receivership was closed by order of Court.

January 24, 1810, the Post Office Department made the Company an offer of $50 per mile for daily mail service between Toledo and Tocumsch, ria Adrian ; that between Toledo and Adrian to be by Railroad cars, and between the latter place and Tecumseh in Tour-horse postcoaches. The Department stated that to be " the highest rate paid for Railroad service in Michigan " -the only other like service then in that State being on the Michigan Southern Railroad, be- tween Monroe and Adrian. The offer was accepted by the Company. The aggregate of the pay was about $2,200 per year.

May 11, 1840, J. B. Macy was elected President, rice E. S. Dodd resinged.

A statement made May 16, 1810, showed the re- ceipts from January 1, 1839, to May 3, 1840, to have heen $54.322.07; and the expenses for the same period, $32 212.00-receipts over expenditures, $22,- 110.07. \'hereupon a dividend of eight per cent. was declared on the Capital stock ($174,052).

In (840 the Railroad Bank was in the hands of a Receiver, but was soon released, when the effects of the Bank were assigned to J. B. Macy.

September 5, 1840, F. W. Maey was appointed Cashier of the Bank.

October 5, 1810, A. P. Edgerton, D. Pitman and Leverett Bissell were elected Directors of the Railroad Company. J. B. Macy was continued as President, and Edward Bissell elected Commissioner of the Railroad, as they also were October 4, 1841.

June 18, 1842, the Directors authorized the sale of varions properties, including two locomotives (" To- ledo " and " Adrian "> and tenders, two Passenger ('ars, nine Freight Cars, and one Stake Car.

July 2. 1842, the Road was placed in the hands of Horace Meech of Albany, and S. B. Comstock and M. HI: Tilden of Toledo, as Commissioners, they to manage the Road for the Company. At the same time, it was voted to permit the Palmyra and Jackson - burg Road to run its cars on the Company's track between Palmyra and Toledo, for ten years, for an annual rental of $3,000.

At the annual election, October 4, 1842, 3,026 shares of stock were represented-2,162 by O. P. Olmsted, proxy for John Olmsted ; and 864 shares by Edward Bissell, as poxy for Samnel Stiles. From this it seems that about the entire stock of the Com- pany was then held by two persons. At that elec- tion, Chester Walbridge, W. N. Richardson and II. (i. Cozzens acted as Inspectors.

October 7, 1844, George Crane, Ira Bidwell, D. K. Underwood, Royal Paine, and Frank J. King, of Adrian ; and HI. D. Mason, W. J. Daniels, and Richard Mott, of Toledo, were elected Directors. Geo. Crane was elected President ; Alfred L. Millard, Secretary ; and F. J. King, Treasurer.

October 21, 1844, the Directors authorized A. M. Baker, in the name of the Company to confess judg- ment in the Lucas County Court, in favor of Win. P. Daniels, for the amount of $8,210.50. the sum of claims against the Company which the latter had purchased from 108 different persons, ranging in amounts from $1.07 to $672.00.

March 25, 1845, the Directors authorized confession of judgment in the sum of $16,000, in behalf of John 11. Hicks, Henry W. Hicks and Wm. W. Ilowland (firm of Hicks & Co., of New York), as balance due on Railroad iron, amounting to $36,000, purchased of them in 1835.

June 24, 1845, steps were taken looking to an arrangement with the Board of Internal Improve- ment of Michigan, which should establish a uniform taritl' of freight charges on the Erie and Kalamazoo and the Michigan Southern Roads (the latter then in operation between Monroe and Adrian).

October 6, 1845, James I. Woodbury and Lang- ford G. Berry, of Adrian, were made Directors, and the general officers re-elected.

March 26, 1846, the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad Bank was in the hands of a Receiver. The receipts of the Road from December 1, 1843, to August 1, 1846, amounted to $73,476.23. Among the expendi- tures, were $17.00 for cattle and hogs killed by loco- motive; and $14.00 for funeral expenses of a boy killed by the same-the boy costing $3.00 less than the others.

October 5, 1846, Alfred W. Budlong, Langford G. Berry, Daniel K. Underwood, Harvey Todd, W. J. Daniels, Hez. D. Mason, Richard Mott and John M. Pease, were chosen Directors. At this election Mr. Mott, as proxy for different parties, cast 555 votes. Geo. Crane was re-elected President; A. W. Bud- long was chosen Treasurer ; A. L. Millard, Secretary, and Geo. Crane, Commissioner.

September 16, 1847, the Commissioner's pay was fixed at $750 per annum.

October 1, 1847, Geo. Crane was chosen President ; Henry Demmon, Treasurer; and A. L. Millard, Secretary.

December 14, 1847, Win. II. Newton was chosen Commissioner, with a salary of $1,000, rice George Crane, resigned.

Jannary 25, 1848, the struggle of the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad Company was ended, by the sale of its entire capital stock, at public sale, under a decree in Chancery in Michigan, the purchasers being Washington Hunt, of Lockport, New York, and George Bliss, of Springfield, Massachusetts. Whereupon, the Directors all resigned, and the Board was reorganized, most of the old members being re-elected. Messrs. Hunt and Bliss were the owners of $103,599 of outstanding debts of the Com- pany, for which additional stock was then issued to to them. Their claims were 25 in number, ranging in amount from $41,836.70 to $90.

May 13, 1848, Frederick Harbach was appointed Engineer of the Company in charge of the Road, and was made a Director, rice Harvey Todd, resigned.

October 2, 1848, Geo. Bliss, Isaac C. Colton, Hugh L. White, Chas. Butler, Geo. Crane, Fred. Harbach, S. B. Comstock, Addison J. Comstock, and Win. Il. Newton, were chosen Directors. George Crane was elected President ; Fred. Harbach, Treasurer.

Jannary 18, 1849, Thos. U. Bradbury was appointed Superintendent and Commissioner of the Road.

May 23, 1849, a dividend of three per cent. on $205,000 of capital stock was declared. At that date, there were 5,300 shares, held as follows: By Wash- ington Hunt, 1,980; George Bliss, 1,130; Hugh L. White, of Colloes, New York, 530; Chas. Butler, New York, 265; Wm. L. Marcy, Albany, New York, 270; G. W. Newell, Albany, 200; Fred. Harbach, Cleve- land, 133; Amasa Stone. Jr., Cleveland, 132; T. Dun- lap, Middletown, New York, 156; F. Clarke, Roches- ter, New York, 130; Estate of S. Hunt, Jr., Mt. Morris, New York, 130; Jolin Childs, Springfield, Massachusetts, 100; Geo. Crane, 52 ; J. H. Hunt, New York, 52; Thurlow Weed, Albany, 40. It will be seen that the property had almost wholly passed into the hand of non-residents, 52 shares only being held at Adrian, and none at Toledo.

May 25, 1849, it was resolved to change the gange of the Road's traek from four feet 10 inches to that of the Michigan Sonthern Road, four feet 816 inches.

January 16, 1852, Stanley H.Fleetwood was elected Treasurer.

Jannary 16, 1852, John B. Jervis, of Rome, New York, was elected as one of the Directors.

February 6, 1852, Geo. Bliss was elected President rice Geo. Crane, resigned. At the same time, it was resolved to issue bonds to the amount of $250,000 for relaying the track and for other improvement of the

403

R.JILIELYS.

Road. It was then resolved to take steps for the con- demnation for the uses of the Company of certain lands in Toledo, being those since occupied by the Union Depot, warehouses, &c., and known as the " Middle Ground."

October 6, 1852, Directors were chosen as follows : George Bliss, Washington Hunt, Calvin Crane, John Knower, D. B. St. John, Thurlow Weed, G. W. New- ell, George Bliss, Jr., and Win. Keep, most of them continued for several years.

At the election held October 5, 1855, John Knower, Calvin Crane, D. B. St. John, Thurlow Weed, James H. Barnes, D. P. Barbydi, Abel French, Benjamin Knower, James B. Jermain and Adrian Herzog were chosen Directors.

The struggle through which the originators and builders of this pioneer of Western Roads were called to pass, probably has no equal in the history of a like enterprise in the country. The extent of this contest is indicated by the fact, that as early as August, 1839, but 173 of the 3,027 shares of stock of the Company stood on the stockholders' roll in the names of' Toledo men, of which but the fraction of one- fifth of a share was in the name of Edward Bissell, then, as from the first, one of, if not the leading active man in the Company; al- though, as then shown, 914 shares of his stock -30 per cent. of the whole -- were hypothe- vated with creditors. Of the aggregate, about 1,800 shares, or 60 per cent. of all the stock, were in the same condition. The truth is, that the Road had to be built without the use of much money, and from the outset it was largely in debt. Some help was had for a time from the notes of the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad Bank; but as that institution, also, was without capital, and without means be- yond its circulation, it soon became a burden, rather than a support, and at the very time when assistance was most needed by the man- agers of the Road. The result, as shown, was the forced surrender of the property by its owners to the hands of creditors and others who soon made it valuable, and gathered fruits which its proprietors had hoped to secure.

It was the intention when the Road was projected, not to iron the track, but to run the cars on wooden rails, 4x4 inches square, the cars to be drawn by horse-power. As the work progressed, the ideas of the managers be- came more practical, and parties in New York (Samuel Hicks & Sons) were induced to import a lot of strap rail, five-eighths of aninch thick ; and M. W. Baldwin, of Philadelphia, was induced to trust the Company for two locomo- tives-the " Toledo " and the " Adrian "-for which neither of the parties realized over 20 per cent., nor even that, until their claims were purchased by Washington Hunt, previ- ous to the sale of the Road to him, January 26, 1848, under decree of the Michigan Court. The more modern device of foisting bonds on the public for building Railroads, had not then been devised-a plan that would have made plain sailing for the energetic, but impecunious

management of the pioneer Railway. Those only who were engaged in the struggle for its construction and in keeping it in operation after it was constructed, could fully appreciate the perplexing environments of the enterprise. And yet, considering their entire lack, both of experience and of example from others in Rail- way financiering, it must be conceded, that the construction and equipment of 33 miles of Rail- way at that time by its moneyless managers was not accomplished without a fair extent of talent for the work.

For the first year, the track of the Erie and Kalamazoo Road terminated at Monroe and the head of Water Street, crossing the block from the West diagonally. The first Railroad office was in a frame building, 11x20 feet in size, built for a barber shop on the ground now occupied by J. B. Ketcham & Co.'s Whole- sale Grocery (36 and 38 Summit Street). In 1837 the track was extended along near what is now Water Street, to the foot of Lagrange, passing the entire distance on piles driven in the River, the line varying from 50 to 200 feet from what was then the shore. Water Street was constructed by filling in on about the same line in 1843. The depot was afterwards near the foot of Cherry Street, which was also the depot of the Cleveland and Toledo Road from 1852 until the removal of both to the " Middle Ground," in 1855.

The first formal announcement of the running time of the Eric and Kalamazoo Railroad, ap- peared in the Toledo Blade, May 16, 1837, and was as follows :

TO EMIGRANTS AND TRAVELERS.

The Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad is now in full operation between

Toledo and Adrian.

During the ensuing season trains of cars will run daily to Adrian, there connecting with a line of stages for the West, Michigan City, Chicago and Wisconsin Territory.

Emigrants and others destined for Indiana, Ilinois and Western Michigan,

Will Save Two Days

and the corresponding expense, by taking this route in pref- erence to the more lengthened, tedious and expensive route heretofore traveled. All baggage at the risk of the owners.

EDWARD BISSELL, W. P. DANIELS, GEORGE CRANE, Commissioners Erie nud Kalamazoo R. R. Co.

A. HUGHES, Superintendent Western Stage C'o.

Buffalo, Detroit and other papers on the Lakes will plense publish this notice to the amount of $5.00, and send their hills to the Agent.

404

HISTORY OF TOLEDO AND LUCAS COUNTY.

As seen, no times are named for the depart- ure and arrival of trains. The reason for such latitude in movement, was made plain to pas- sengers of that day. The rate of fare by " the Pleasure l'ar," between Toledo and Adrian (33 miles) was " 12s." (81.50), with right of 50 pounds of baggage. Freight was 4s. (50 cents) per 100 1bs. Salt, 81.00 per barrel. The Blade, editorially referring to the matter, said :

The attention of emigrants and travelers is called to the great saring they will make by adopting this route. Some passengers who start this morning, we have seen exhibiting great exultation because they were toarrive a couple of days earlier at Chicago, than if they had taken the stage at Detroit at the same hour. A few days since four passengers were coming East from Illinois. Near Adrian they sepa- rated. Two came to Toledo by Railroad, and imme- diately jumped on board a Steamboat. The other two wallowed through the mud to Detroit, and, two days after their fellow-travelers had left this place for Buffalo, they touched atour wharf in a Steamboat, having been the whole time in expediting their journey.

The Road was then operated with horse- power. The first locomotive (the pioneer West of Schneetady) reached Toledo in June follow- ing. "Its celerity has not yet been fully lested," said the Blade of July 4th, " but it is ascertained that it can move at a rate exceed. ing 20 miles per hour. At present it makes a trip and a halt (between Toledo and Adrian) in 24 hours." Subsequently it was stated that " the locomotive came in from Adrian, with six cars attached, in the short space of one hour and 40 minutes, including stops." The Steam- boat Detroit then ran on Lake Michigan in con- nection with stages from Adrian, leaving Mich- igan City tri-weekly for Chicago, Pike River, Root River and Milwaukee.

In July, 1837, it was announced that " the accommodations of the Railroad were increased by the arrival of a new passenger car of a pretty, though rather singular and fanciful model." The following illustration shows very accu- rately the car thus fittingly described :

E.& K.R.R.

PIONEER RAILWAY PASSENGER CAR OF THE WEST.

This engraving was made from a sketch pre- pared by Hon. Richard Mott, of Toledo, who was a Director of the Company, and otherwise actively identified with the Road. Of the car, that gentleman writes :

The Gothic Car (the Board of Directors called it the " Pleasure Car" in their official proceedings) was the second passenger car of the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad, and was put upon the Road in 1837. It was rather shorter than the three compartment vehicles used by the Schenectady Road, and afterward by the Utica Railroad. The car when full held 24, eight in each compartment. The lower middle door opened from a place for stowing baggage. The middle sec- tion projected a few inches wider than the end section. The car was about the size of a Street Railway car of the present day. It passed out of existence nearly 40 [now 46] years ago.

The locomotive then used (the first on the Road), was No. 80, of the Baldwin Locomotive Works, Philadelphia, started in 1831, which are still in active operation, having meantime sent out about 7,000 machines of the same sort.

The first report of the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad, made December 31, 1837, presented the following statement of its earnings and conditions :

Cost of Railroad buildings, two engines, cars. wells, well-houses, and everything to date $257,659 73

Expenses for repairs and running to same date 14,181 52

Earnings of the Road $55,821 52

Deduct expenses 14,181 52

Leaving profits for dividends. $41,610 00

This was about 163 per cent. on the cost of the Road. The Directors stated that with the trade expected at that date for the following year, it was " believed the Road would pay al expenses and carn 50 per cent., or nearly so, of its cost, during 1838." This was a very hopeful view, but one that seems to have been eminently disappointing.

On the 22d of May, 1837, 168 passengers took the cars from Toledo for Adrian, while " more than 500 passengers landed at Toledo from the Steamboats North America and Commodore Perry, principally settlers for the West."

Edward Bissell built a barn for the use of the horses em- ployed in drawing the cars of the Erie and Kalamazoo Rail- road. When a locomotive sup- planted the horses (in 1837), the barn was removed to the corner of Walnut Street and Ostrich Lane, and was there used as a stable by Levi Bis- sell. In May, 1863, it was moved to the corner of' Water and Lagrange Streets, where it is now (1887) used as a boiler shop.

The two locomotives and entire rolling stock of the

405

RAILWAYS.

Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad were sold by the Sheriff in June, 1842, under judgments of $15,000. The business of the Road at the same time was " reported as constantly increas- ing," the receipts for one week being given at 8,000 bushels wheat and 1,964 barrels flour.

The Blade of April 19, 1844t, notices a trip by Railroad to Adrian (33 miles), made in 33 hours, and remarks that " no traveling could be more safe." The Road had one locomotive and made one round trip per day.

I. S. Smith, Trustee, gave notice in April, 1843, that " one-half of the freight on merchan- dise, Ke., upon the Erie and Kalamazoo Rail- road between Toledo and Adrian, would be re- ceived in the engraved checks, formerly issued by the Company-the balance to be paid in cash."

The Adrian Whig gave the following table of exports from that Town to Toledo by the Erie and Kalamazoo Railroad, for the year ending December 31, 1840 :

Wheat, bushels 60,543

Corn,

870

Oats,

1,506

Flour, bbls

16,895

Pork, 1,674

Whiskey, bbis

147

Merchandise, lbs 148,803

Ashes, 16

76,232

Hides

448

The Blade stated that the Towns of Clinton and Teenmsch, in the same County, sent about the same amount of freight, the traffic of the three Towns constituting the business of the Road.

It is believed that the first combination be- tween Railways in this country for protecting rates from competition, was that formed be- tween the Erie and Kalamazoo (Toledo and Adrian) and the Michigan Southern (Monroe and Adrian), in July, 1845. These were, with- out doubt, the first competing lines of Railway in the United States; there having been at that time no other two Roads built sufficiently near to draw traffic from the same territory. At that time it was agreed that the former of these Roads should charge rates as follows: Passenger fare (children half price), $1.00; Flour, per barrel, 22 cents; Wheat, 6 cents; Salt, Pork, &c., 34 cents; Merchandise, per 100, 17 cents; Agricultural products, per 100 lbs., 123 cents. Whether or not the same rates were fixed between Monroe and Adrian, is not stated.

The first lady passenger on the Erie and Kalamazoo Road was Mrs. Clarissa Harroun, of Sylvania, the mother of Dr. C. II. Harroun of Toledo. She had been on a visit East of Toledo, and was on her way back, when she met the "excursion train" (the first one for passengers), and took passage by it as far as Sylvania, on its way from Toledo to Adrian. No other woman was aboard. She rode on a

platform car and sat in a chair. This was October 3, 1836. The incident seems to be well authenticated, and is specially important, as fixing the date of the opening of the Road. Mrs. Harroun died in Sylvania in 1888.

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History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, Part 77

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