Delaware County, Ohio - Chapter 6: Transportation Facilities, 1908

Chapter 6: Transportation Facilities

Early Roads and Stage Coaches - Turnpikes - Proposed Canal - The Railroad Era - First Successful Railroad - Other Railroad Enterprises - Railroad Shops Located in Delaware - Electric Railways.

For the first few years after the pioneers from New England landed in what is now the State of Ohio, they were so fully occupied in providing for their immediate needs that the question of roads could receive no attention. In 1795 Governor St. Clair wrote to the officials at Washington. "There is not a road in the country." Broad tracks must have been made, however, by the various military expeditions passing between Cincinnati and Mad River on one route and out to the Maumee on others. One of the earliest internal improvements by the United States Government was the road for the mail route between Wheeling and Limestone. This was built by Ebenezer Zane, of Wheeling, and was known as "Zane's Trace." He received three sections of land along the route as pay. Isaac Shaffer, the grandfather of our esteemed citizen, Rev. J. F. Shaffer, assisted Zane in surveying this road, and it was he who suggested to Zane that the little settlement of a half dozen families from Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, be called New Lancaster. Zane adopted the suggestion, and the town was called New Lancaster until 1845, when the Legislature passed an act dropping "New." So far as we know, this is the first time this fact has been recorded in history, and Dr. Shaffer, who was told the facts by his grandfather, is our authority.

This and the other roads built in these earlv days were not much like the crushedstone pikes of the present day. Mud was then the only top dressing of the roads - often of unknown depth, though of well known adhesive qualities. Goods were very high, and none but the most common and necessary merchandise was brought here. This had to be packed on mules from Detroit or wagoned from Philadelphia to Pittsburg, thence down the Ohio River in fiat boats to the mouth of the Scioto, and then packed or hauled to its destination in the interior. The freight was enormous, often costing $4.00 a hundred pounds.

Early Stage Coaches

It was a great event when, on May 8, 18 17, a stage coach began to run between Columbus and Chillicothe. The fare to Circleville was $1.25, and to Chillicothe, $2.00. Way passengers paid six cents a mile. As early as 1820, a line of four-horse stage coaches ran between Columbus and Mt. Vernon, passing through Galena and Sunbury, making the.halfway stop at the latter point. The coaches met daily at Galena, and for that point this was the great event of the day. This was the main artery that connected the Berkshire settlement with the outside world, and the appearance of the passengers, the change of mails, and the marvelous stories of the drivers, afforded abundant material for gossip. The coaches were of the regulation pattern, so often seen in old prints. They were painted a fawn color, ornamented with red. The body was swung high above the wheels on heavy leather springs, so that every lurch of the coach seemed to threaten sure destruction to the passengers. Azel and David Ingham were the noted Jehus of that line, and their exploits were the theme of many a thrilling story told about the roaring fireplace of the settler's cabin. At times, the road was cut up so as to be almost impassible, and the theory of the drivers seemed to be to gain sufficient momentum in rushing into these ruts to carry the coach out of them at the other end. The result of this theory to the passenger can better be imagined than described, and was endured with a patience not handed down to the modern traveler. A tale is told of a driver who was given to drinking, and when "under the influence" was inclined to give an exhibition of his skill by some foolhardy driving. One moonlight night, having someone on the box with him whom he wished to frighten, he whipped his team into a full gallop, and, taking to the woods beside the road, wound in and out among the trees and then to the roadway again without a mishap, enjoying as only such a character can the terrified expression of his companion. In 1830, fare by the coach on the old mud pike was seven cents a mile from Columbus through Delaware to Portland - now the city of Sandusky. A journey to Cincinnati or an eastern city was talked of, planned and dreaded for weeks ahead. Friends came to bid the traveler a tearful good-bye and wish him God speed. As late as 1845, the coach was sixteen hours on the way from Columbus to Delaware. The poor male passenger was happy if he could retain his seat the whole way; often he would have to walk and carry a rail to pry the coach out of the mud. Once, a traveler appeared in town, several hours in advance of the coach, carrying his trunk on his back. When asked why he did not come by the coach, he replied that he was "willing to pay his passage and walk, but I'll be hanged if I will pay my fare, walk, carry a rail all the way, and help to pry the coach out of the mud." It took Delaware citizens three or four days to reach Cleveland or Cincinnati or Pittsburg, while Toledo was blockaded by the mud for months of the year. Lots of money was lost or won in betting on the speed of the horses and the time that would be made between different villages.

The first charter issued by the Legislature to a turnpike company to build a macadamized road, running through the central part of Ohio from north to south, was dated February 8, 1832. Nearly one-half of this turnpike from Columbus to the Lake was over the route now traversed by the interurban electric line. The Radnor plank road, twelve miles long, was built in 1855; the Delaware and Worthington pike in 1868; the Delaware and Sunbury pike in 1870, and the Delaware and Marysville pike in 1 87 1. These four roads were toll roads, a total of thirty-three miles in length. The Delaware and Troy pike was built in 1869, and the Ashley and Delhi in 1870, and were free.

Proposed Canal

The subject of canals early agitated the people of the State. In this movement, however, the people of Delaware took but little part. On February 5, 1840, at "early candle lighting," a meeting was held at the Court House to talk canal news - to talk about building a canal from this town to Lake Erie. Speeches were made and considerable enthusiasm on the subject was evinced, but nothing practical ever came of it.

The Railroad Era

Ohio was not far behind the older eastern states in inaugurating its railroad era. The first steam railroad in the world was that built by George Stephenson in England about 1825. The first railroad in the United States was built the following year in Quincy, Massachusetts. This was merely a horse-car line, and was usel only to haul granite from the nearby quarries. In 1830, the Baltimore & Ohio railroad com- menced a line extending westward from Baltimore. Somewhere between 1830 and 1835, the old Sandusky & Mansfield road was commenced in this State; Sandusky and Cincinnati being the terminal point as originally planned. The Little Miami was the next road. About this time we find the citizens of Delaware taking considerable interest in several railroad enterprises, some of which were never carried out. We quote the following from the Ohio State Gazette under date of July 5. 1832 : "At a meeting of Railroad Commissioners, held at Springfield, of the Mad River & Lake Erie R. R. Co., books were ordered to be opened at Delaware by Ezra Griswold and Solomon Smith, and at Marion by Geo. H. Busby and Hezekiah Gordon, in addition to places mentioned in last meeting." A resolution was passed, asking Messrs. Vance, Finlay, Crain, Cook and Corwin, who were then members of Congress from the sections of the State through which the road was to pass, to "request of the President of the United States an engineer' to make a survey, etc." In the same paper of November 14, 1833, is the following statement: "It appears from statements in New York papers that the stock-books were closed without the requisite amount of stock being taken in eastern cities, and the New York Advertiser expresses a doubt as to "whether the great work will be accomplished."

At a much later date other railroad enterprises were promoted but never completed. One of these was called the Newark, Delaware & Northwestern. At one time the prospects of completing the road seemed quite promising. Counties and people along the proposed route subscribed liberally to the stock. Delaware Township subscribed for $100,000 worth of stock by a vote of j$j to fifty-six. On September 5, 1872, a meeting of this Company was held at Ottawa, Putnam County, at which 4. 1 50 shares of stock of $50 each was represented. The meeting therefore proceeded to the election of directors, among whom was J. C. Evans, of Delaware, who was also elected president of the Board. Measures were taken to secure a favorable vote in each township

The Lebanon & Nenia Railroad was another of the "paper railroads" that never got beyond the promotion stage. Starting at Nenia. it was proposed to run the road through Delawre, Mount Gilead and Mansfield to some point at or near the mouth of the Cuyahoga River.

First Successful Railroad

The first railroad venture that proved a success in this part of the State, and one which especially interested the citizens of Delaware County was that running between Cleveland and Columbus, later known as the "Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railway ;" popularly called the "Bee Line," or the "Three C's and I." This became a part of the "Big Four" system, January 1, 1890. The question of building this road was discussed as early as 1835, anc' on March 14th of the following year, a charter was granted "for the purpose of constructing a railroad from the city of Cleveland through the city of Columbus and the town of Wilmington to Cincinnati. Before the work was begun, a number of amendments were made to the charter, among them one that relieved the company of any obligation to "construct its road through or to any particular place." Engineers and surveyors ran several lines between Cleveland and Columbus, and for some time it was undecided whether to run the road through Delaware or Mt. Vernon. Work on the road was commenced in 1848, and it was finally decided to run the road through this county, provided the county would subscribe $100,000, in addition to the amount that would be subscribed for individually. This proposition did not, at first, meet with popular approval ; many of the citizens who resided at considerable distance from the proposed line of the road reasoned that they could receive little, if any, benefit from it. and therefore they should not be taxed to help build a railroad which would be almost beyond their reach. At a meeting which was held at the Delaware Court House to consider the matter, Judge T. W. Powell made a proposition that the commissioners on the part of the county, subscribe the required amount, and that the people who felt interested in the success of the enterprise should give mortgages on their individual property to indemnify the county for any loss that might occur. This proposition was agreed to, and the commissioners subscribed $100,000 on behalf of the county, and at the some time, individuals subscribed for about the same, amount. While this brought the road through Delaware G lunty, it did not pass through the city of Delaware, as it now does. The original route lay on a straight line through Oxford, Brown, Berlin and Orange Townships, but passing to the east of Delaware Township. In 1851, they began to run trains over the line. In order to secure the subscription from the people of Delaware, they had been promised that a connection would be made with the city by a curve or arm. At that time the citizens of Columbus, who were watching Delaware with a jealous eye, did everything in their power to prevent the road coming to this city. President Kelly was finally prevailed upon to fulfill this part of the contract and came to Delaware to learn whether the people preferred that the connection be made by means of an arm or a curve. The curve was chosen and built, and then - only one train a clay, an "accommodation," passed through Delaware, all "through" trains continuing to run on the direct route, three miles out of the city, as before. Finally the officials of the road woke up to the fact that the four or five hundred students attending Ohio Wesleyan University at Delaware made several trips over the road each year, and concluded that it might be worth while to cater for their patronage and that of the other residents of that city. Then a regular passenger train was sent over the curve daily, and this was soon followed by all passenger trains, leaving the direct track for "through" freights. Finally, the track between the extreme ends of the curve, a distance of about three miles, was taken up. and all the traffic passed through Delaware. It is interesting to note that the first passenger train that came info 1 the city of Delaware brought Louis Kossuth, the distinguished Hungarian exile, who accepted the invitation of the city of Delaware to make a short stop here on his way from Cleveland to Columbus. It was not until some time after the completion of this road that it became a part of the Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railway.

Other Railroad Enterprises

In 1850. a movement was started to build a railroad from Springfield to Mt. Vernon via Delaware. The following quotation from the Olentangy Gazette of April 25, 185 1, gives an excellent account of the early work in connection with this venture: "The directors of the Springfield & Mansfield Railroad Company, accompanied by a corps of engineers, have been in this place and neighborhood for several days past, exploring the country and making the preliminary surveys, preparatory to locating the road through the county. The surveys show the county to be admirably adapted to the construction of a road, and that it will be speedily built may be regarded as a fixed fact. A single glance at the map will show the vast importance of the work. At Springfield, it will connect with two roads to Cincinnati and one to the lake, and by reducing the distance from the river to the lake so as to make the route over this road considerably shorter than any other route can be, it will defy all competition for through travel. At this place, it will unite with the Cleveland and Columbus road, and on the east, at Alt. Vernon, with the Pennsylvania & Ohio road, now being constructed west through Pennsylvania and this State to Indianapolis. It must necessarily be a very important road, and the stock cannot but pay well." The Gazette in its June 13th issue, printed the following under the head of "Springfield & Delaware Railroad :" "On Saturday last, a vote of Delaware Township to take $25,000 stock in the above road, was decided in the affirmative by 303 votes for and thirteen against it. A meeting was held at the Court House on Wednesday night, for the purpose of discussing the proposed subscription on the part of the of the county to the Springfield

& Delaware Railroad. After remarks by Powell and Little of Delaware, and Whitley of Springfield, in favor of subscription, the following resolution was offered by Powell, and passed with but three dissenting votes : 'Resolved, That, in the opinion of this meeting, it is expedient to vote a county subscription of $50,000.' ' A few days later, the officers and directors of the Springfield & Mansfield Railroad and the promoters of a proposed road between Mt. Vernon and Loudonville. and Mr. Roberts, the chief engineer of the Ohio & Pennsylvania road, representing the directors of that Company, held a meeting in Delaware, and consolidated the Springfield & Mansfield and Mt. Vernon & Loudonville Companies into one company for the construction of a railroad through Marysville, Delaware, Mt. Vernon and Loudonville, where it would intersect the Ohio & Pennsylvania road. On May 11, 1869, this consolidation was incorporated as "The Pittsburg, Mt. Vernon, Columbus & Louden Railroad Company." A large and enthusiastic meeting was held on the evening of this day at the Court House in Delaware, where speeches were made by Judge Powell, General Anthony, and Mr. Roberts, the engineer. As a result, Delaware County voted a subscription of $50,000. and Delaware Township subscribed $25,000 to the venture. The paper on October 17th, stated that the engineers had permanently located the route between Marysville and Delaware. The bridge over the Olentangy at Delaware was built in

1854. For a number of years after its completion, this road was called the Springfield, Delaware & Mt. Vernon Railroad. That part of the old grade from the city of Delaware to Centerburg has never been completed. The grade between Centerburg and Mt. Vernon was sold to the Cleveland, Alt. Vernon & Columbus Railroad, and is now part of the Cleveland, Akron & Columbus road. The unfinished portion above referred to was graded and ready for laying down the ties, when the company became involved in financial reverses, which made it necessary to sell the road. The Cleveland & Columbus Railroad purchased it in January, 1862, for $134,000. A number of years after this, it was consolidated with the Cincinnati & Dayton road, thus giving a more direct route to Cincinnati than by way of Columbus. This change in route made it possible to connect directly with the road running to Indianapolis via Galion and Bellefontaine. It was in this way that the road came to be called the "Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati & Indianapolis Railway."

Its report to the railroad commission in 1868 shows that the road had twenty-five stations, nine engine-houses and shops, forty-five engines, about 800 cars of all kinds and 1,315 employes. The main line had 138 miles of track, and the Springfield branch fifty miles. Average cost of the road. $34,000 per mile.

Railroad Shops Located In Delaware

A movement was started in the early 50's by the people of Delaware to have the shops and offices of the Springfield, Delaware & Mt. Vernon Railroad located here. The company sent a representative here to solicit subscriptions to enable the company to erect shops and build cars here. The county subscribed $50,- 000 to this enterprise, and a similar amount was raised in three of the townships, besides a liberal subscription by individuals. Nothing was done, however, until after the consolidation of the Springfield, Delaware & Mt. Vernon and Cleveland & Columbus roads. The new company agreed to locate the shops, offices and depot buildings of the road at Delaware if the city would pay $35,000 towards the expense of erecting the buildings. This was agreed to ; the money was paid and the railroad company erected large brick buildings, in which they established fully equipped shops. In 1901. a new and larger roundhouse was built on the site of the former roundhouse, and in 1904, a brick boilershop was erected, 55 by 70 feet in dimensions, part of which is two stories high. Including all departments, there are now about ^2^ men employed in the shops, and this does not take into account the large number of trainmen and other employes who make their home in Delaware. The company was not so prompt in erecting the depot buildings which had been

Axd Representative Citizens

The Cleveland, Akron & Columbus Railroad enters Delaware County at the northeastern corner of Trenton Township, where it has two stations, Condit and Big- Walnut, and runs in a southwesterly direction through Sunbury and Galena, passing into Genoa Township about midway of its northern boundary, and thence in a direction a little west or south to Franklin County. This road was incorporated March 17. 185 1, as the Akron branch of the Cleveland & Pittsburg Railroad. This was a separate and distinct company, organized to build a railroad from Hudson, Ohio, to connect with the present Pittsburg, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad. On November 1, 1869, it received by assignment from the Pittsburg, Mount Vernon, Columbus & Loudon Railroad Company, all that portion of the Springfield, Mount Vernon & Pittsburg Railroad extending east from Delaware through Mount Vernon in the direction of Millersburg. As already stated in this chapter, the part of this roadbed which lies between Delaware and Centerburg was never made use of. The present line of road was completed and trains began running over it in the early winter of 1872.

The railroad which is now commonly called the "Hocking Valley"' was originally incorporated on May 28, 1872, by a number of Columbus men, under the name of "The Columbus & Toledo Railroad." The line of the road was permanently located in the fall of 1873. In Liberty Township, which the road enters on the south, it has two stations, Powell and Hyatts. It passes through the western part of the city of Delaware, and runs in a northwesterly direction across the southwest Corner of Troy Township, where it has a station, and on through Radnor Township to Marion County. The station in Radnor Township is about a mile east of the village, and is known as Meredith. It was intended, originally, to run the road due north from Delaware, but the purchase pf $10,000 worth of stock by Radnor citizens influenced the company to run the road through their township.

work of construction had progressed so well, that the company, in response to urgent requests of stockholders and business men, began, on January 10, 1877, to run trains over the road between Columbus and Marion.

On August 20, 1 88 1, this company and the Ohio & West Virginia Railway Company were consolidated with the Hocking Valley Railroad Comany, under the name, of the Columbus Hocking Valley & Toledo Railway Company. Ever since the consolidation, the company has struggled against heavy indebtedness and much litigation, with great reduction in the value of its stock, and difficulty in meeting: the interest on its bonded debt. The result was the appointment of a receiver of the company on February 28. 1897, by order of the United States Circuit Court for the Southern District of Ohio.

In the late 70's, a road, known as the Atlantic & Lake Erie Railroad, was surveyed between Pomeroy on the Ohio River and Toledo. As originally planned, the road was to pass through Newark, Alt. Gilead and Bucyrus. the object being to develop the coal fields through which it passes in the counties south of Newark. It was completed south of that point and equipped with rolling stock, but for a long time it looked as if that portion of the road which runs through Delaware County on north would never be built. It was completed, however, in the early 8o's. It crosses the northeast corner of Porter Township, where it has one station. Peerless. The Toledo & Ohio Central, as the road is now called, does not run through Newark, but passes a few miles to the west, through Central City.

The present line of the Pennsylvania Railroad running through Delaware County was originally known as the Columbus & Sandusky Short Line Railroad. It enters the county on the north a little west of Norton, in Marlborough Township, and runs southeast through Troy Township, where it has a flag station, Troyton, and on to Delaware. From this city the mad runs southeast through Berlin and Orange Townships to Franklin County. There is one station, Gregory, in Berlin Township, and two stations, Lewis Center and Orange, in Orange Township. The original promoter of this road was W. E. Guerin, a citizen of Columbus, who married a Delaware lady, a daughter of R. W. Reynolds. The present station in Delaware was built in the winter of i892--93, and the first through train passed tin. nigh the city on April 15, 1893, although during the first part of that month locals between Delaware and Marion had been run, but not on schedule.

Later this road was re-organized, and took in a line running into Zanesville, known as The Columbus, Sandusky & Hocking Railroad, which name the new organization adopted.

Almost from the beginning this railroad venture was beset with financial difficulties, and before the Pennsylvania Company took over the road, it had been in the hands of receivers four times. In 1893, the year of the panic, business was very light. After the consolidation with The Columbus, Sandusky & Hocking Railroad, a heavy expense for repairs was incurred, and the road became so embarrassed, financially, that it went into the hands of a receiver. This was four years after the consolidation. The receivership lasted nine months, and Mr. Guerin was again appointed president. The road struggled along for another eighteen months, and then went into the hands of another receiver, and so things continued getting into the hands of a receiver and getting out, like the freedom, debt and jail experience of Micawber, until the Pennsylvania System purchased the road in November, 1902.

Electric Railways

Early in 1903, the Delaware & Magnetic Springs Railway Company was incorporated to build an electric railway from the intersection of the west line of the city of Delaware with a public highway known as the Radnor Pike, through Delaware and Union Counties to Magnetic Springs. March 31, 1903, the franchise of the Union Electric Railway Company to build such a road was transferred to this corporation, and soon afterward the work of -building the road was begun. It runs west from Delaware, through the southern part of Radnor Township, crossing the Scioto River at the famous old Broad ford, and thence across the southern end of Thompson Township to Magnetic Springs in Union County. The power-house in Thompson Township was built at this time. On June 2^, 1904, the first car was run over the road from Magnetic Springs to the intersection of the Radnor and Troy pikes just outside Delaware city limits. It seems that the Railway Company and the city of Delaware have never been able to agree on the terms of a franchise which would allow the road to enter the city over its own tracks; however, since September, 1905, the company has had an arrangement with the Columbus, Delaware & Marion Railway Company, by which their cars enter the city over the tracks of the latter company.

On October 15, 1906, the Delaware & Magnetic Springs Railway Company and the Richwood & Magnetic Springs Railway Company were consolidated under the name of The Columbus, Magnetic Springs and Northern Railway. This company now owns about eighteen and one-half miles of track, which, with powerhouse and rolling stock, represents an investment of about $250,000. While it has not been successful as a financial venture, the road is destined to fill an important place in the network of electric lines which is rapidly overspreading this section of the State.

Delaware Electric Street Railway Company. - On November 16, 1891. the City Council passed an ordinance granting a franchise for a street railway in Delaware to James K. Newcomer. The Delaware Electric Street Railway Company was incorporated May 31. 1892, with a capital stock of $60,000, the par value of the shares being $100 each. The names of the following gentlemen appear as incorporators: James K. Newcomer, Captain Velores T. Hills. Hon. John L. VanDeman. Beverly W. Brown. William A. Hall. C. Riddle, Hon. Frank M. Marriott, Robert G. Lybrand, Harvey J. McCullough, Henry A. Welch and Colonel James M. Crawford. The company was organized on June 6, 1892, at which time the following Board of Directors was elected : V. T. Hills, J. D. VanDeman, James K. Newcomer. C. Riddle, W. A. Hall, F. M. Marriott, B. W. Brown, H. J. McCul-

Bids to build the road were called for, and in order to keep the money in Delaware, Colonel Crawford put in a bid, which was twenty per cent lower than any other. Work upon the road was started the same month, and by the following December, the North Belt line was completed, also the line from the Hocking Valley station to the Big Four station, and the line to Greenwood Lake. The South Belt line was not completed until 1894. The road, including rolling stock and power plant equipment, cost about $80,000. The money for this enterprise was all furnished by Delaware citizens, and the labor of building the road was all performed by home people. The venture has never been a success from a financial standpoint. After a time it went into the hands of a receiver, John A. Cone being appointed to that position. On July 30, 1898, the road was sold bv order of the court, the purchasers being B.'W. Brown, F. M. Marriott. F. P. Hills and John A. Shoemaker. The purchase price was $13,525. These gentlemen continued to operate the road until March 20, 1902, when it was sold to John G. Webb, who purchased it for the C, D. & M. Railway, of which he was president. The consideration was $50,000. The first cars were run over the tracks of the Delaware Electric Street Railway in November, 1892. Mr. Newcomer had charge of the road for the first month, after which Colonel Crawford managed the road for a short period.

The Columbus. Delaware & Marion Railway Company. There were exciting times when the Columbus. Delaware & Marion Electric Railway Company and the Columbus, Delaware & Northern Railway Company began to secure consents for an interurban line between Columbus and Marion. Their rights of way for considerable distances, where secured, were parallel, and it was at a most opportune moment that the "C, D. & M.." as the company is now popularly called, appeared on the scene and purchased the rights and franchises of the two competing companies, and began to build the road. In entering the county, the road crosses the southwestern corner of Orange Township, and runs a little west of north in almost a straight line, about midway between the Hocking Valley and Pennsylvania Railroads, through Liberty and Delaware Townships to the city of Delaware ; thence it runs in a northwesterly direction, paralleling the tracks of the Hocking Valley Railroad, through Delaware, Troy and Radnor Townships to Marion Copnty. The first car began running between Columbus and Delaware in September, 1902, and about a year later the line was completed to Marion. The old paper mill at Stratford was purchased and rebuilt for a power-house. In 1903 a spacious building was erected adjoining the power house. In addition to car-barn facilities, this building contains a fully equipped machine-shop, blacksmith-shop, carpenter-shop and paint-shop, where all the repair work of the company is done. This Stratford property of the company represents an investment of probably $200,000. When the power-plant was established, it was equipped with Mcintosh & Seymour horizontal engines, but in 1905, a large steam turbine of 2,000 kilowatt capacity was installed, and in 1906. an auxiliary turbine of 800 kilowatt capacity was put in. These are direct-connected to the generators and are the latest type of three-phase generators manufactured by the General Electric Company. The smaller turbine furnishes power at night. The plant runs twenty-four hours a day. There is a steam-driven exciter of 25 K. W. and a motor-driven exciter of 75 K. W. There are fourteen pumps for various purposes. Steam is furnished by a battery of seven boilers having a total of 2,000 horse-power. Forty-eight tons of coal are consumed every day. An alternating current of 2,300 volts is generated ; that is stepped up to 19,050 volts and sent to the sub-stations at Chaseland, Prospect and Marion, where it is stepped down to 370 volts and enters rotary converters where the current is changed from alternating to direct and raised from 370 to 600 volts, which is the current carried by the trolley wire. An average of about fifty men find employment in the various departments of the Stratford plant.