History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, Part 82

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 82

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Clair, to the corner of Madison, and within 60 days cars were running to Summit Street (cor- ner of Cherry), and in November to Madison. In February, 1881, authority was obtained for the continuance of the Road along St. Clair to South St. Clair Street, and thence on Manmee Avenne, Colburn Street and Broadway. In July following this line was completed, and the entire track covered a distance of 63 miles, connecting the First, Second, Third, Fourth, Fifth and Seventh Wards of the City. A new equipment was now supplied, including 15 sub- stantial cars. Results soon justitied the risk involved in the new arrangement. In 1883 the Cherry Street extension to West Toledo was constructed, making a total of nine miles of roadway. In 1884, the Road passed wholly into the hands of John J. Shipherd and associ- ates, of Cleveland, who now control it, the cor- porate organization being preserved, with .I. J. Shipherd, as President; John A. Watson, Su- perintendent; and Theo. F. Shipherd, Manager.

TOLEDO CENTRAL PASSENGER RAILROAD. - In 1875 the Erie Street and North Toledo Rail- road Company was organized, and a Railway constructed from North Toledo (late Manhat- tan) along Summit Avenue, to the old City line; thence to Erie, to Cherry, and to Sum- mit Streets. In 1877, the track was extended along Superior to Monroe Street. In 1878, the Company was re-organized under the name of Central Passenger Railroad, and two years later the track was extended over Monroe to Erie, and thence, through Latavette and Divi sion Streets and Nebraska Avenue, to the City Park. In 1882, another extension was made, up Erie, along Railroad, Field and Western Avenues to its present terminus near the Canal. The entire length of the line is 9 miles. The Road has passed through several bands. Its projectors were largely interested in real estate in North Toledo. The incor- porators were Wm. St. John, F. E. Seagrave, Thos. M. Cook, H. C. Breckenridge, and F. L. Nichols. The first officers were: President, F. E. Seagrave; Secretary and Treasurer, James Raymer ; Superintendent, D. Atwood. The officers in 1888 were as follows: Presi- dent, F. E. Seagrave ; Treasurer, A. R. Sea- grave; Secretary, C. F. Parks.

OLDEN AND NEW TIME COMMUNICATION IN OHIO.

The first Canal opening in Ohio was at Cleve- land, in 1833, when a section of the Ohio Canal was completed. The first Railroad in operation within the State was the Erie and Kalamazoo line, Toledo to Adrian, in 1836. Previous to the dates named, the only means for communi- cation were earth roads, chiefly of the rudest sort, rarely consisting of anything better than a passage-way cleared of timber, with occasional turnpiking in the older settlements. There

424

HISTORY OF TOLEDO AND LUCAS COUNTY.

were but few roads, even of these sorts, which formed connected lines through the State. The principal of these in 1819, were as follows :

From the Northeast corner of the State to the Maumee River-To Conneanght Creek, one mile ; thenee to Harpersfield, 28 miles ; to Painesville, 17; to Chagrine River, 10; to Euclid, 10; to Cleveland, 10; to Granger, 7: to Black River, 15; to Vermillion River, 12; to Huron River (Abbott's), 12; to Crog- hansville (Fremont), 30; to Carrying (Portage) River, 16; to Perrysburg, 20; total, 188.

Columbus to Lake Erie-To Worthington, 9 miles ; to Delaware, 16; to Norton, 10; to Boundary Line (of Indian Territory), 3; to Rocky Fork, 12; to Upper Sandusky, 15; to Tyemochtee Creek, 12; to Seneca Village (Fort Seneca), 19; to Lower Sandusky, 9; to mouth of Sandusky River, 10; to Lake Erie, 10; total, 125 miles.

From Cincinnati to Fort Meigs, alias Perrysburg- To Reading, 10 miles; to Franklin, 24; to Dayton; 17; to Troy, 22; to Piqua, 8; to Loramie's, 17; to Fort Mary's, 12; to Fort Amanda, 12; to Fort Jen- nings, 18; to Fort Brown, 22; to Fort Defiance, 16 ; to Fort Meigs, 45; lotal, 223 miles.

Lower Sandusky to Detroit - To Carrying (Portage) River, 16 miles; Perrysburg, 15; to French Town (Monroe), 36; to Brownstown, 18; to Detroit, 18; total, 103.

By act of Congress, in 1822, the following post routes were established :

From Columbus, Ohio, ria Springfield, Dayton, Indianapolis and Vandalia, to St. Louis.

From Columbus to Bellefontaine.

From Norton, Delaware County, to Sandusky.

From Bellefontaine, via Fort Findlay, to the Foot of the Rapids of the Miami of the Lake (Perrysburg).

In July, 1823, the Postoffice Department ad- vertised for proposals for carrying the mails, as follows :

Columbus to Sandusky, via Mt. Vernon, Mansfield, Norwalk, Milan and Huron, once a week, leaving Columbus, Sundays at 6 A. M. and arriving at San- lusky Wednesday, 10 A. M .; 134 miles, in 76 hours.

Columbus to Lower Sandusky (Fremont), via Del- aware and Upper Sandusky ; once a week ; 113 miles, in 67 hours.

Florence to Avery (Milan), now in Erie County, once in two weeks ; 10 miles, in 12 hours.

Cleveland to Norwalk via Elyria and Florence, weekly ; 53 miles, in 39 hours.

Norwalk to Detroit via Lower Sandusky, Perrys- burg, Lawrenceville (now in Toledo), and Magauga (Monroe), 140 miles, in 77 hours.

At the date last named (1826), there was no direct mail communication between Sandusky and Lower Sandusky (30 miles apart). It took seven days to send mail matter from one of these places to the other. The Editor of the Sandusky Clarion, at the time notified his Eastern subscribers, that as the mail was carried by a steamboat which made but one trip in nine days, they necessarily would receive two papers by the same mail. A weekly mail was put on that route for the first time in 1825.

An occasional mail was carried between Cleveland and Lower Sandusky as early as 1808, which became a regular route in 1818, when weekly service, on horseback, was estab- lished, which became semi-weekly in 1819.

Silas Wolverton was the first contractor. After a while the mail was taken in wagons for a portion of the season. About 1825, Artemas Beebe and Ezra S. Adams, of Elyria, bought out Wolverton, and continued the line for about one year, when Mr. Beebe became sole pro- prietor. He maintained the route with increas- ing efficiency until 1842, when he soll to the well-known stage firm of Neil, Moore & Co.

The first stage.eoach employed on the route West of Cleveland, was by Mr. Beebe, in 1827. It was a six-passenger, four-horse vehicle; and ere long this was followed by a nine-passenger coach. The route of this line was via Elyria, Henrietta, Florence, Berlin, Milan, Norwalk, Monroeville, Lyme, Bellevue, York Cross Roads (now Bellevue), and Hamer's Corners (now Clyde), to Lower Sandusky.

About 1830, this stage line was extended to Detroit, via Perrysburg, Maumee City, Tre- mainesville, and Monroe. How Toledo subse- quently managed to become a point on the route, is told elsewhere in this volume.

In 1836, and for many years thereafter, the chief Stage lines in Ohio were run by Neil, Moore & Co., the senior of which firm was Wm. Neil, of Columbus, proprietor of the original Neil House, of that City. In January, 1836, the firm advertised the following lines of stages from Columbus, to wit:

Mail Pilot line-to Wheeling, daily; time, 24 hours, with 5 hours' stop at St. Clairsville.

Mail Pilot line-to Cincinnati, daily; time, 36 hours, with six hours at Springfield.

Eagle line-to Cleveland, every other day ; time, 40 hours.

Telegraph line-to Sandusky, every other day ; time, 48 hours, with: branch line from Marion to Lower Sandusky (Fremont) and Detroit.

Phoenix line-to Huron via Mt. Vernon, Mans- field, Norwalk and Milan ; time, 48 hours.

To Chillicothe-daily.

There was then " opposition " between Columbus and Wheeling (the "Good Intent Line"), with time at 20 hours.

Efforts being then made to effect a removal of the Distributing Postoffice from Toledo to Detroit, memorials protesting against such action were forwarded to the Department in December. 1839. Among these was one from the citizens of Adrian, and as showing some- thing of the facilities for travel in this section at that time, an extract from the Adrian memo- rial is reproduced here, as follows :

The distance from Toledo to Adrian is 32 miles ; and from Adrian to Jonesville about 38 miles; making the aggregate from Toledo to Jonesville 70 miles; being shorter by 82 miles than rie Detroit. The roads on the shorter route are fully as good as by Detroit, being by Railroad to Adrian, and by carriage thence to Jonesville. During about six months of the year, the mails are transported by land from Toledo to Detroit, and that when the roads are in the worst condition, and occupying from 16 to 24 hours to Detroit, and from 20 to 30 hours from Detroit to Jonesville ; making the whole time (allowing no deductions for delays) from Toledo to Jonesville riu Detroit, from 36 to 54 hours, and in case of non-con-

425

RAILWAYS.

nection at Detroit, 24 hours more. Eight to 10 hours are occupied between Toledo and Detroit. subject to same causes of delay at the latter place. From Toledo to Adrian, the mails are taken in from two to 23 hours, and thence to Jonesville they can be taken in six to eight hours, making from eight to 11} hours from Toledo to Jonesville, by the direct route, and giving a difference in favor of that route of 293 to 43 hours, and avoiding unnecessary expense in trans- porting a weight of mails amounting on an average to about 500 pounds per day a distance of 80 miles, with the roads in the worst condition.

It was largely in the advantages set forth in the Adrian memorial, that the shorter line of Railway, secured through the foresight and sacrifices of a few citizens, gave to Toledo the position and power which controlled her destiny.

In 1839, Toledo was advanced in position with reference to mail communications. At that time the following routes were contracted for :

Ist. From Toledo ria Manhattan, Erie and Mon- roe to Detroit, in four-horse post coaches.

2d. From Toledo via Whiteford (Sylvania), Adrian, and Rome, to Jonesville, 67 miles ; daily, in Railroad cars and four-horse post coaches; with a branch route, by Raisin to Tecumseh, three times a week.

3d. From Toledo via Maumee, Perrysburg, Lower Sandusky, Bellevue, Norwalk, Milan, Elyria and Ohio City, to Cleveland and back, daily, 136 miles, in four-horse post coaches.

4th. From Buffalo riu Erie, Cleveland, Sandusky, Toledo and Monroe, to Detroit, 360 miles, daily, in steamboats.

The construction of the Miami and Wabash Canals, added materially to the mail facilities of the sections along the lines of those improve- ments. Thus, in 1846, the latest news from the War in Mexico was received at Toledo via Cincinnati and the Miami Canal.

But it was through the construction of Rail- ways, that the present advancement in mail transportation was attained. The progress was gradual, as was the development of the great Railway system of the country. It was regarded as a great advance, when mail com- munication with New York could be made in four days; which time was reduced by mode- rate stages, as rail transit was increased in speed, until the present attainment was reached.

The system of " Fast Mail Trains " was in- augurated on the New York and Chicago route in September, 1875. It is understood to have been the conception of Colonel George S. Bangs, then General Superintendent of United States Railway Service, at whose suggestion the Postmaster General examined the matter, and they became impressed with the practica- bility and importance of the scheme. The movement was greatly promoted by the offer of the Railroads constituting the line-the New

York Central and the Lake Shore and Michigan Southern-to furnish the increased speed, with- out additional cost to the Government. The only increase in cost, consisted in the addi- tional facilities in cars and attendance.

The first train under this arrangement left New York at 4.15 A. M., September 16, 1875, and consisted of four mail cars and two sleepers, having on board some 30 tons of mail and about 50 passengers, invited guests of the Railway line. The train made schedule time, arriving at Albany at 7.55 A. M .; Buffalo, at 2.35 P. M. ; Cleveland, at 7.25 P. M .; at Toledo, at 10.47 P. M. ; thus making the time between New York and Toledo, 18 hours and 25 min- utes. At Cleveland the train was met by a large delegation from Chicago, headed by General McArthur, Postmaster at that City. They were joined at Toledo by the following named gentlemen :

W. W. Griffith, R. C. Lemmon, Dr. W. T. Ride- nour, J. W. Fuller, P. H. Dowling (Postmaster), D. R. Austin, Clark Waggoner, Colonel Albert Moore, Major J. R. Swigart, Wm. Cummings, T. S. Merrell, Heman D. Walbridge, John Paul Jones, Jolin S. Kountz, C. R. Heath, Earl Hamilton, E. S. Dodd, W. M. Carr, H. S. Chapin, Harry Haynes, R. J. Wallace.

A portion of these continued with the train to Chicago, where it arrived at 6:55 A. M. The schedule time of the route was as follows :

Westward.

Eastward.

4.15 A. M.

New York

3.00 A. M.

7.15 A. M.

Albany

9.50 P. M.

10.05 A. M

Utica.

7.00 P. M.

10.33 A. M.

Verona

6.23 P. M.

11.20 A. M.

Syracuse

5.00 P. M.

1.10 P. M.

Rochester

3.23 P. M.

3.00 p. M.

East Buffalo

1.35 P. M.

7.30 P. M.

Cleveland

7.52 A. M.

8.11 P. M.

Elyria

6.56 A. M.

9.06 P. M.

Sandusky

5.52 A. M.

10.57 P. M.

Toledo

4.20 A. M.

3.07 A. M.

Elkhart

12.01 A. M.

4.25 A. M

La Porte

10.24 p. M.

6.55 A. M

Chicago

8.20 P. M.

26,40

Through time 28.40

This schedule made the time from New York to Toledo, 18 hours, 42 minutes; and to C'hi- cago, 26 hours, 40 minutes.

The running time of what is now (1887) known as the "Fast Mail Train." over the New York Central and Lake Shore and Michi. gan Southern Railroads, is as follows :

Leave New York at 9 P. M. ; Albany, at 1.50 A. M. ; Buffalo, at 8.45 A. M. ; Cleveland, at 1.35 p. M. ; Toledo, at 5 p. M. ; and arrive at Chicago, 11.45 P. M. Run- ning time (allowing one hour for change in Standard time)-New York to Toledo, 19 hours; to Chicago, 25 hours and 45 minutes. This is about the same as the time of the experimental train of 1875; and it may reasonably be accepted as substantially the limit in speed, with existing facilities.

CHAPTER II.

THE WESTERN RESERVE AND MAUMEE ROAD.

THE chief terror of travelers Westward and along the borders of Lake Erie, arose in connection with the section of country lying between the Western Reserve and the Maumee River. It early came to be known as the " Black Swamp," taking such name, no doubt, from the color of its soil and its remarkably level topography. The former was very deep, and with the presence of water soon was made soft and adhesive. Something of its nature has already been stated in connection with Army operations during the War of 1812-15. On the entire route from New England to the Missis- sippi-and probably to the Pacific-no piece of road ever presented as serious obstacle to travel, as did this. The first step toward the con- struction of a road through the "Black Swamp" was taken in 1825, when a Mud-Pike was con- structed from the Sandusky River at Lower Sandusky, to the Maumee River at Perrysburg. This work, aside from clearing a road-way, was anything but a success ; since in wet seasons and when the frost had left the earth, it was no better, if not worse, than the original surface. When it is considered, that during the suspen- sion of Lake navigation, the entire trade and travel between the East and the Northwest was over that route, some idea may be had of the trials incident to its often almost impassable condition. The fact that between Lower San- dusky (now Fremont) and Perrysburg, a dis- tance of 31 miles through an almost unbroken forest, there were at one time 32 taverns, is sug- gestiveof the cause creating such extraordinary demand for caravansary provision. As show- ing something of the interruption then arising to communication, may be given the statement that in December, 1837, a single stage brought from the East to Toledo 17, and another 40 mail bags. These had been for 10 or 15 days accumulating at Lower Sandusky, "the road through the Black Swamp being impassable." In the bags were Washington papers of dates from the Ist to the 15th of the month, having been from 13 to 16 days in making 500 miles --- not very " late news from the Capital." **

This condition continued until 1838. In January of that year, the Ohio State Commit- tee on Canals, etc., made a report, recommend - ing the appropriation of $40,000 for the im- provement, by macadamizing, of the road through the Black Swamp, between Fremont and Perrysburg. The Committee state that they " consider the said road among the most im- portant in the State, being the only thorough- fare East and West through Northern Ohio." The Committee report that in one month the previous Winter, there passed over that road 5,500 travelers (male and female), 2,300 sleighs and sleds, 300 wagons, and from 12 to 15 horses per day-averaging for each day 180 footmen, and 86 sleighs and wagons.

Means therefor were then provided, and the work of macadamizing the Road was com- meneed the following Summer, under the super- intendency of General John Patterson, pre- viously United States Marshal of Ohio, and subsequently Superintendent of the National Road (through Central Ohio), and Warden of the Ohio Penitentiary. He died at Shelby, Ohio, in July, 1861.

The work was continued for some years, and was extended East to the West line of the West- ern Reserve, at Bellevne, in 1842. The impor- tance of the improvement can hardly be esti- mated. Its local effect was to promote settle- ment and the improvement of the rich lands along the line of the Road, while like effects were seen for considerable distances North and Sonth of the same. The general advantages from the Road, consisted in the opening of a long-needed thoroughfare through an other- wise often impassable wilderness, for travel be- tween the East and the great Northwest. It continued to be the only route for such commu- nication until the opening of the Cleveland and Toledo (now Lake Shore) Railroad in 1853. In these days of Railways, it is not possible to estimate the great benefits arising from the construction of a passable route for travel through the Black Swamp.

The passenger on either of the eight Railway

* Among the cultivated industries of that region at one time, was the furnishing of relief to travelers, chiefly emigrants. whose teams were found to be in- competent for the condition of the road-the chief difficulty arising in their being stalled in the succes- sive "mud-holes." So common had this become. that some landlords provided themselves with extra yokes of oxen, with which to extend the needed relief. This business came to be so far systematized, that the right of settlers to the "mud-holes" nearest them

were mutually recognized. It was told, that on a time, a certain Tavern-keeper-who had long held undis- puted possession of a particularly fine " mud-hole." which he had cultivated with special care, for the profit it brought him-sold his stand, preparatory to leaving the country. Regarding his interest in the " hole " as a franchise too valuable to be abandoned, he finally sold his quit-claim thereto to a neighbor, for the sum of $5.00-being, probably, the only case on record of the sale of a " mud-hole," for use as such.

[426]

427

THE WESTERN RESERVE AND MAUMEE ROAD.

lines which, diverging from Toledo, pass through portions of the "Black Swamp," can have no adequate conception of what travel over the same route was as late as 50 years ago.

In this connection, it may be noted, that in 1815, the Government sent Surveyors to Mich- igan to survey Military Bounty lands, which they were unable to do, for the reason that the Indians forbade such action as unauthorized by any treaty with them, they still regarding themselves as at War with the United States, notwithstanding the treaty of peace with Great Britain. Part of the service to be performed by the Surveyors, was to run the line of a road from the Foot of the Rapids of the Manmee River to the line of the Western Reserve, together with laying out adjacent lands into Townships, according to the treaty of Brownstown. But as the Sur- vevors were instructed to pursue the line as run in 1812, and that line not being satisfac- tory to the Indians, the latter forbade the sur- vey. They said that Lower Sandusky was to have been made a point, and that the original intention was to connect the different tracts of lands then belonging to the United States, and to make a road and form a settlement for the mutual convenience of the Indians and the Whites. The line of 1812 crossed the Sandusky River several miles South of Lower Sandusky, and would leave a fraction of lands between the reservation at that place and the lands which would adjoin the proposed road ; which fact was a main objection with the Indians. From this, it would appear, that the position then taken by the Indians probably controlled the location of the Western Reserve and Mau- mee Road, and consequently that of the Town to be built up at the point where such road should cross the Sandusky River. The com- bined advantages of that road and the location at the head of navigation of the Sandusky Riv- er, gave Lower Sandusky a strength not to have been possessed at any point South of that place ; but the roadway through the "Swamp"

would probably have been the controlling in- fluence.

The first contracts for macadamizing the Western Reserve and Maumee Road were let June 30, 1838, and covered that portion between Perrysburg and Portage River (now Wood- ville). The section between that River and Lower Sandusky, was let in May, 1841. Com- meucing at the West end, the several sections were taken by the following parties: A. E. Wood, Sidney Phillips, Lewis Jennings, Nich- olas Nufer and W. Kier, Jacob Mease, John Moore, Aaron Higgins, W. W. Watson, Robert Scaman, H. & A. Bixler, E. & F. Lemming, James Rose, Jacob Stoner, F. & M. Wilson, Samuel Overmyer, David Beery, John Mohler, Daniel and I. Kent Seaman, B. P. Van Camp, Jacob Overmyer, Seth Phelps. The job of the hill at Perrysburg was let to Cyrus Darling, and the one next to it to William P. Reznor.

The following " Black Swamp Melody," to the tune of "The Harp that once through Fara's Hall," is descriptive of the state of' things before this road was improved. It is from the Manmee Express :

The coach that from Sandusky came, Over the frozen road ; Its panels like a yellow -flame, lts horses' bits of blood ; Now drags along its weary way Loaded with mud, and slow ;

It eomes by night and not by day- Coach of Neil, Moore & Co."

No more we hear the Jarvey sny, " Load in, gents, all is right ;">

The horn that used to sound by day, Alas! now sounds by night.,

Aod soon. deep-slalled in endless mud, No more the coach cao go-

A lumber wagon takes the road- Alas ! for Neil, Moore & Co .!

O, for a Railroad, or a road Of rails, if we but had 'em,

To pry the coaches from this inud, That is to be Macadam.

Railings there are from man and maid That in the coaches go ;

But, strangers, let Do word be said About Neil, Moore & Co.

*Proprietors of the stage-line.

CHAPTER III.

PLANK ROADS.

common with many other sections of the West, Northwestern Ohio for several years was pervaded by a strong interest in Plank Roads, commencing in 1847. As elsewhere, that kind of roadway was accepted as promis- ing most for the development and improve- ment of the country. Very extravagant calcu- lations, based upon equally extravagant esti- mates, were accepted in that connection. These were induced largely by reports received from Syracuse and other points in the State of New York. Thus, Prof. Gillespie, of Union College, showed that the Syracuse and Central Square Plank Road was likely to divide 82,850 per mile to its owners during the seven years its hemlock plank were expected to last. The cost was $1,958 per mile-giving a total profit of 146 per cent., or 21 per cent. per an- num. The editor of the Toledo Blade thought that with proper provision of Plank Roads in Ohio, no other system of improvement would be necessary. A correspondent of that paper ("Sylvania ") had several articles, one of which was devoted to advocating the construction of a Plank Road from Toledo to Chicago, as preferable to a Railroad. His reasons for such choice were: 1. More than hall' of the first cost of a Railroad would be paid out at the East. 2. When built, its track could be used only by the Company; hence, it would be a monopoly. 3. Railroads had a tendency to prevent other good roads from being con- strneted along their lines, so that teams are prevented from coming in competition with Railroads in carrying freight and passengers. 4. Railroads no coarse grains; neither do they wear ont any horses. 5. All materials for a Plank Road would be gathered on its line, and its cost expended there. 6. When finished, it would not be a monopoly, but there would be competition for stages and teamsters. 7. Many horses and wagons would be worn out in doing the business of the Road ; hay and oats would be consumed by said horses, and money paid out the whole length of the Road to landlords for accommodations. 8. The country merchant, instead of calling on his enstomers for money to pay the Railroad for taking his flour, pork, &c., to market and returning his merchandise, would call on them to do his teaming; and thus he would sell more goods, and his customers would pay their store debts without money. The calculation of a committee consisting of four of Sandusky's most prominent and successful business men,

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History of the city of Toledo and Lucas County, Ohio, Part 82

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