Seneca County, Ohio - Chapter 11: Kaileoads, 1886

SCARCELY ten years had elapsed from the time the Granite Quarry Eaih'oad was built oiit from Qiuney. Mass. , in 1826. when the idea of railroad construction ciept across the Alleghenies and settled in Ohio. The Sandusky & Mansfield Eailroad was begun prior to 1835. In 1832 there was held a railroad meeting at TitKn. and in September. 1885. work was begun on the i\Iad River t^ Lake Erie Eailroad. Early in 1831) the whistle of the locomotive was heard within the boundaries of Seneca County, while above the noise of the train the song of the passengers could be heard:

Mad River cf- Ldke Erie Railroad. - The question of constructing a railroad was brought before the i>eople of this county in Sejstember, 1832, when Henry Cronise and Josiah Hedges, railroad commissioners, advertised in the Patriot that stock-books would be opened at Eli Norris' tavern October 4. that year. The work of construction was already in progress, the first sod being tiu'ned September 7, 1835, at Sandusky, by Gen. Harrison. The road was opened to Bellevue in September, 1838, to Republic in 1839 and to Tiffin in 11^41, when a passenger train was run into the ^illage by engineers Poppenburg and Ken-ian. The trains on the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad were running April 1. 1839, on regular time table. R. M. Shoemaker was engineer and superintendent.

From among the published reminiscences of this road the following sketch is selected: The line having been comjsleted as far as Belleviu> in the fall of 1838, the first train by locomotive power was chartered. Thomas Hogg was engineer; John Paull. since deceased, was fireman, and Charles Higgins, also deceased, was conductor. The train consisted of the "Sandusky" locomotive, a small passenger car, and a still smaller freight car, not exceeding twenty feet in length, which latter ear remained for some time the only accomodation for conveying merchandise. This jjrimitive combination started from the foot of Water Street. Sandusky, and. with "flying colors," made a single trip up and down daily. AVe are informed that the "Sandusky" was the first locomotive in America to which a regular steam whistle was applied. At this time, as above stated, the track was known as the " Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad " and ran through Belle\-ue to Tiffin, via Republic. Another route was opened through Clyde, the old track taken up, and over 191 miles of rails operated under the title of the "Cincinnati, Sandusky & Cleveland Railroad," including the branch road from Carey to Findlay.

This company issued the fii'st report in June, 1849. It shows that the road fr"om Sandusky to Springfield, 134.^ tuiles. was built at a cost of ?1.T54.2()3.()9.

For tlio eleven months ending June 1, 1S49, the receipts from passenger traffic amounted to $147,l(V_Mn. and fi-om freight to S].jL0(«.4r), total 821)8.105.61. The expenditures amounted to Sl;^7,2r)4.()2i, lea^^ng net earnings for eleven months of ?l()((,9()l.r)S.V. The rolling stock consisted of 17 old-time locomotives, lo passenger cars, 8 eight-wheeled baggage cars and 810 freight cars, all costing >!"2l)4,r)22.S7.\. The number of i)assengers transported during the eleven months was 77. VM.

Indiana. Bloom incjt on & Western Railroad. - The Mad Eiver & Lake Erie Eailroad Company, chartered January 5, 1832, located its road from Tiftin to Sandusky r/a Belle viie, as shown in the historj' of that road. In 1851 the Sandusky City & Indiana Railroad Com])auy commenced to build a parallel road via C'lyde. which was completed in 1854. and leased to the Mad Kiver & Lake Erie Railroad Company in December of that year. In June, pre^-ious, the Mad River & Lake Erie Railroad Comjiany leased for fifteen years the Springfield & Columbus Kailnjad. agreeing to pay operating expenses, interest on §150,000 out-bonds, the balance of earnings to go to lessor. February 23,1858, the Erie County Common I'leas Coiu-t decreed that the name of the company should be the Sandiislcy, Daj'ton & Cincinnati Railroad Company. In October, 1865, mortgages were foreclosed and O. Follet appointed receiver. Ih January. 1866, the road was sold to trustees representing the stockholders, and in July that year the company was reorganized as the Sandusky & Cincinnati Railroad Company. In October the road was leased to the C. D. & E. R. R. Company, btit in Jaimary. 1868. the lease was siUTendered to the Sandusky & Cincinnati Railroad Company. A few days later the title was changed to the Cincinnati, Sauduskj- & Cleveland Railroad Company, who, in June, 1870. leased the road for UU years to the Columbus, Springfield & Cincinnati Railroad Company. In March, 1881, the road was leased to the Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railroad Company for 91) years, and they now operate it. The road enters the county southwest of Adrian Village and leaves at Green Spring.

Mel Dion' <t Bt'puhlic Railroad. - The books for this road were opened at Jacob Buskirk's house, in Melmore, Calvin Bradley's, in Tiffin, and Miller's, in R(']iublic, July 4, 1836, but the road was never built.

Fort Ball and Ijower Sanduakij Railroad. - A meeting of the stockholders was called at Lower Sandusky, April 15, 1846. The call was signed by Rufus M'. Reid, H. C. Brish, Lorenzo Abbott, Ezra Baker, James Justice, Sardis Birchard, John R. Pease, R. P. Buckland and James Moore.

Tiffin <t- Fort Wayne Railroad. - This company was organized in November, 1853. with Josiah Hedges. W. H. Gibson. W. D. Scott, John D. Loomis, J. "\V. \\"ilson, George Kuupp, AA'illiam C. Hedges and A. C. Baldwin, corporators. The capital stock was placed at 81.000,000. In the advertisement the names of K. G. Pennington and Joseph AValker appear. The chart of the road was [>r<'pared by Peter Ferguson, of Tiffin. The length of the pro])Osed road was 102 miles, showing a total elevation of 231) feet and a total declination of 114 feet, thus leaving Fort Wayne twenty-five feet above the level of Tiffin.

Cleveland, Fort Wayne & Chieayo Railroad (middle division - Tiffin & Fort Wayne). - This road commenced before the war, and, dormant for some years, was revived in the fall of 1865.

C'olnndin.i. Tiffin d- Toledo Railroad. - A company was organized in 1869 for the purpose of constructing a railroad fi'om Crestline to Toledo via Tiffin. In May, 1869, J. R. Straughan, chief engineer, presented his report on this pi'oject to the Tiffin iV Toledo Railroad Committees (R. G. Pennington representing Tiffin), as follows:

' ' Their road is located to extend from the city of Toledo via "\^'oodville and TifiSn to Crestline, a distance of seventy-five miles - having no obstacles to divert the line, and no costly spots to overcome.

The bridging, besides the river at Toledo, consists of three, each of about 260 feet in length, with rock foundations and convenient quarries of good building stone.

Pr(>liminary lines have been run, jirofiles projiared and estimates made iipon the whole line, except for the bridge and depots at Toledo. The estimated cost is §1,438,000.

We have assurances from substantial capitalists in New York that these bonds can be sold at the usual favorable rates upon the amoiint of basis above mentioned.

As a necessary preliminary step, the people of TiiSn siibscribed SI 00. 000 to the capital stock, and organized the company by electing a board of directors, with L. A. Hall for president and myself chief engineer.

They have allotted to each town and neighborhood along the line an amount of stock to be taken by each in order to aggregate $500, 000, and mo.st of the points have now made up, or nearly made up, their quota.

The amount so assessed Toledo is $200,000. and as no further progress can be safely made until it shall be secured, we come to you in the confident expectation that you will cordially and promptly join in the enterprise.

Pittsburgh, Canton d- Chicago Railroad. - This company was organized August 9, 1870, with the following incorporators: James A. Saxton, C. Aultman, Jacob Miller. Isaac Harter, George Cook, Louis Schaefer, Charles Foster, John T. Hviss, John D. Loomis, J. M. Naylor and Warren P. Noble.

Baltimore d" Ohio Railroad. - This road enters the county at Fostoria. runs east through Bascom. Tiffin and Eepublic, and leaves the county just northeast of Attica Village. It may be said to date its history back to March 13, 1S72. when the Baltimore, Pittsburgh & Chicago Eailroad Company filed articles of incorporation, and received authority to build a road from the west line of Pennsylvania to the west line of Ohio. The work of construction was liegun at Chicago Junction, and pushed forward by moneys advanced by the old Baltimore cV Ohio Railroad Company. June 10, 1874, the road was built over a line of 878 miles (Defiance, Ohio), and in December, 1874, the entu'e road to Chicago was opened for traffic.

Columbus, Hocking Valley and Toledo Railroad. - A company, named the Columbus & Toledo Railway Company, was chartered May 28, 1872, to build 124 miles of railroad from Coliunbns to Toledo. October 15, 1873, the road was located ria Fostoria; in November, 1876, trains were iTin between Marion and Columbus; in November following, the use of the Pennsylvania Company's road from AValbridge to Toledo, was acquired; in January. 1877, through business was opened, and, in July of that year, the road was completed and equipped at a cost of $3,338,507.54. In July, 1881, this road was sold to the Columbus, Hocking Valley & Toledo Company, under whom it is now operated. This road enters the county about a mile south of Springville in Big Spring Township, and after passing through Fostoria leaves the county at the northwest corner of Section 18, Jackson Township.

As everyi;hing connected with it is new. even its history, we cannot do better than take a sTOopsis of its history from the fii'st annual report of Presi- dent Greene. The company was incorporated May 28, 1872, under the general act of May 1, 1852, the corporators being M. M. Greene, P. W. Huntington, B. E. Smith, W. G. Deshler, James A. Wilcox and John L. Gill, of Columbus, for the construction of a railroad from the city of Cohimlsus to the city of Toledo, through the counties of Franklin, Delaware, Marion, Wyandot, Seneca, Wood and Lucas, a distance of 128 miles. The capital stock was fixed in the certificate of incorporation at $2,r)()0,(H)(), and on the 1st of July, 1872, subscription books were opened in Cohimbus and Toledo. October 15, 1878, the line of the road was permanently located through the towns of Delaware, Marion, Upper Sandusky, Carey and Fostoria. It was originally designed to run the road due north from Delaware, but an extra $10,000 of stock had the effect of producing a slight curve in it, so as to carry it through Delhi and MidcUetown. Bids for the construction of the road were opened on the 4th of August, and on the 1 Gth of the same month a contract was concluded with Miller, Smith & Co. They commenced work on the 17th, and in November, 187(5, the portion between Columbus and Marion, a distance of forty-six miles, was sufficiently finished to justify the company in complying with the urgent solicitation of stockholders and business men along the line, to operate the same. On the 10th of January, 1877, the entire line was so far completed that through business was commenced and regular trains run between Columbus and Toledo under an arrangement with the contractors, who were, however, occupied for some time after that in finishing up the road, so that it was not fully completed and accepted by the company imtil July following.

Ohio Central Railroad. - This road was originally designed to run fi-om Toledo on the Maiunee, to Pomeroy, on the Ohio, was chartered as the " 'Lake Erie & Atlantic," and for the first nine years struggled onward under the presidency of Thomas Ewing. The road became so involved in debt that the company resorted to very questionable measm-es for its relief, sued the stockholders for moneys they never owed, but were beaten at their own game. ^Vhen the road was sold its named was changed, and the work of completion pushed forward, so that by the close of 1880, cars were run over the road via Fostoria. It enters the county in Jackson Township, about a mile north of Fostoria, and after passing through that city takes a soiitheastern route and leaves the county at McCutehenville in Seneca Township.

Manfifiekly Coldwafpr d- Lake Michigan Railroad. - This line was graded and had ties laid in Dec. ,1872, along the gi-eater length of track. In Hopewell Township the rail was placed, biit when the enterprise collapsed the rails were taken up and sold. In 1884 John M. Lemmon, of Clyde, was appointed master commissioner for the old Mansfield, Coldwater & Lake Michigan Railroad stockholders. The claims and cost of rent amounted to $231,941.(30, - 20 per cent of $1,288, (350, amount of stock owned by the Pennsylvania Company, was realized in 1885.

Northtvestern Ohio Railroad. - This was foiTuerly known as the Tiffin, Toledo & Eastern Railroad, and was completed May 1, 1873, and, consolidated with the Mansfield, Coldwater & Lake Michigan Railroad, forms the Northwestern Ohio Railroad. J. S. Morris, of Tiffin, is the superintendent of this important line of road, and the Pennsylvania Company the owners and operators. This road enters the county at Carrothers in Venice Township, passes through Bloomville, Tiffin and Bettsville, leaving the county immemediately northwest of last named village in Liberty Township.

New York, Chicago &- St. Loui.^ Railroad, or "-Nickel Plate." - The construction work on the New York. Chicago & St. Louis Railway was virtually completed September 1, 1882. The Nickel Plate" extends from Buffalo to Chicago via Dunkii'k, Erie, Ashtabula. Cleveland, Fostoria and Fort Wayne. The first survey was begun in the last week of February, 18S1, and actual construction commenced in the early part of June of the same year. A magnificent equipment for passenger and freight service was delivered in October, ISSl, and a year later was open for traffic. This road crosses the Baltimore & Ohio, Lake Erie & Western, Columbus, Hocking Valley & Toledo and Ohio Central at Fostoria; crosses the Northwestern Ohio Railroad at Linden, passes by Fort Seneca and Green Spring, and leaves the county in Adams Township. The opening of this road has given new life to the northeastern townships of Seneca County. In the foreclosure suit of September, 1885. tried at Cleveland, a judgment for nearly $3,000,000 was recorded against this road.

Lake Erie <£ Western Railroad. - This road enters the county in Section 5, Liberty Township, penetrates Jackson Township in Section 12. and. running through Fostoria, leaves the county at its western boundary within the limits of that city. This road was known as the "Lake Erie & Louisville Railroad."'

Akron & Fort Wayne Railroad. - The certificate of incorporation of the Akron and Fort Wayne Railroad, with principal office at Tiffin, was filed with the Secretary of State in February, 1885. The capital stock is §100,000, and the company, which is to operate in Ohio, is also, it is understood, to connect with new lines built in Pennsylvania and Indiana, and eventually form a trunk line. The Ohio Company is the Akron & Fort WajTie Railroad Company, and is organized with a capital stock of $100,000, and the following incorporators: William Thorpe, New York; James F. Cone. New York; Warren P. Noble, John M. Naylor and Samuel B. Sneath, Tiffin. One branch of the road is to commence at the east line of Mahoning County and exteud to Fort Wayne. Ind. Another branch is to extent from Akron to Ashtabula and thence to Buffalo. Warren P. Noble is one of the directors and the legal adviser of the board in Ohio.