HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO - 261
CHAPTER XXVII.
THE RAILROADS OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.
THE CENTRAL OHIO-CINCINNATI AND MUSKINGUM VALLEY - PITTSBURGH, CINCINNATI AND ST. LOUIS-ZANESVILLE AND SOUTHEASTERN.
The history of thc railroads of the county shows them to have been powerful agencies in developing the resources, the growth, and prosperity of the industries and institutions, the march of mind, and the increase of wealth, while the increased facilities for transporting the products of the soil, other merchandise, and easy transit of passengers, seem almost too familiar to be duly appreciated. And yet, a careful contemplation of this important factor in our present civilization, shows that railways, which have inaugurated the new order of things, have rarely been beneficiaries to a degree commensurate with the outlay of money and brains required to put them in operation and keep them up.
Live and let live, is a wholesome maxim, and, while the railroad remains our best means of transport communication, it should receive a generous patronage, at a living tariff. Of seventy- two companies in Ohio, reporting to the Commissioner of Railroads and Telegraphs, for the last fiscal year, the operating expenses were 67.45 per cent. of the receipts, and only thirteen of the seventy-two companies report paying dividends to their stock-holders.
The railroads in Muskingum county are :
The Central Ohio, having 32.70 miles of main track, and 6.07 miles of siding.
The Cincinnati and Muskingum Valley, hav- ing 26.61 miles of main track, and 2.90 miles of siding.
The Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, and St. Louis, having 14.09 miles of main track, and 2.66 miles of siding.
With a total of main track of 73.40 miles, and 11 .63 miles of siding, or, 85.03 miles of track in all.
THE CENTRAL OHIO RAILROAD .-On February 8th, 1847, the Legislature of Ohio passed "an act to incorporate the Central Ohio Railroad Company." This was the pioneer railroad of the county, and its intorporators were : Robert Neil, Samuel Medary, Joel Buttles, Joseph Ridgway,
262 - HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO.
and Bela Latham, of Franklin county ; David Smith, Daniel Duncan, Adam Seymour, Israel Dille, Albert Sherwood, Nathaniel B. Hogg, Levi J. Haughey, Jacob Glessner, George W. Penney, Jonathan Taylor, A. P. Prichard, and Wickliff Condit, of Licking county ; James Ra- guet, Robt. Mitchell, Daniel Brush, John Hamm, Solomon Sturges, Richard Stillwell, Daniel Conyers, Levi Claypool, and Solomon Woods, of Muskingum county.
Authority was given to these incorporators, and their successors, to construct a single, or double, track railroad from Columbus, through Newark and Zanesville, to the Ohio river ; also, to extend it westward to the Indiana line, if desired.
March 8th, 1849, the charter was amended by conferring upon the company all the privileges of an act regulating railroad companies, and sub- jecting it to the duties and liabilities therein im- posed.
On March 20th, 1850, the charter was further amended, giving to the company perpetual li- cense to occupy its right of way, where no re- lease had been obtained from the owner, provid- ed the .company had possessed the same peace- ably for seven years, without any claim being made by the owner for compensation therefor, and "such possession shall be prima facie evidence that a release was granted:"
In March, 1851, an agent was sent to England, with authority to purchase six thousand tons of iron rails, to complete the road to Columbus, it being supposed that the entire quantity could be delivered before the close of navigation, in the fall of 1851 ; these expectations were notl-ealized, and it was not until March, 1852, that the entire consignment was received, although thirty-nine vessels were occupied in its transportation.
The construction of the road was commenced at Newark, and, on January 26th, 1852, the line between Newark and Zanesville was opened for business—"in less than twenty-one months after the commencement of the work," as the official report boastingly asserts. Twenty-six miles of railroad, built in twenty-one months, is no achievement in modern railroad engineering, when one mile a day is frequently accomplished.
The first report of the Treasurer, showing the operations of the road from January 26th to August 1st, 1852, for the operated line between New- ark and Zanesville, gives the following restime
Passenger and freight receipts, $17,566.91 mail service, $2,072.92. Total revenue, $19,639.83.
Equivalent to six per cent, interest on a valuation of $480,000, which amount, the Treasurer suggests, is more than the road cost.
The President, in his report, presented at the same time, comments upon the road's prospects, when its connections east and west shall have been consummated, and of its geographical posi- tion, as commanding the best through line of the country. He says : "An indication of this result is already presented us, within the last few days, since the opening of travel over the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad to the Monongahela river. We are now carrying passengers ticketed from Baltimore to Cincinnati, who, leaving the Baltimore road at Fetterman, take coaches to St. Mary's, on the Ohio river, from which place to Zanesville, by way of Marietta, they are brought in the mail steam packets of the Muskingum. If we can have through travel between Baltimore and the west by so circuitous a route, what shall we not have reason to expect when the Baltimore road is finished to Wheeling, and ten hours staging only (over the National Road, which is kept in excellent condition), intervenes between the Baltimore and the Central roads ?"
January 8th, 1853, the track-laying to Columbus was completed, and the road opened for business between Zanesville and Columbus. From that date to August 23d, 1853, 60,314 passengers were carried over the line.
Early in 1854, it became known that the company had contracted for a lot of rolling stock from eastern manufacturers, and on Saturday, March 25th, 1854, a mass meeting was held at Nevitt & Dixon's Hall, to protest against this action of the company. A very lengthy series of resolutions were adopted, condemning the President of the company, whose action was characterized as dis- honorable in the highest degree, and the Directors were urged to solicit his resignation. Numerous speeches were made, and C. W. Potwin, Joseph Galligher, George A. Jones, William H. Ball, David Applegate, and J. Cooper were appointed a committee to prepare an address to the stock-holders. The Zanesville City Council discussed the subject, and the excitement was in- tense against the company. The newspapers were filled with editorials and contributed matter, and some cultivated the muses by writing verses upon the all-absorbing theme. The President replied to the charges, and vindicated himself from the aspersions cast upon him—at least, iri the opinion of a majority of the stock-holders of the company, if not in that of the citizens of Zanesville.
On Wednesday, April 5th, 1854, the first freight hauled over the line east of Zanesville, arrived at this city at 4 o'clock, P. M., and consisted of the goods of T. W. Peacock, Esq., President of the P., M. & C. Railroad Company, en route to McConnellsville.
Thursday, April 27th, 1854, the opening of the road to Cambridge was celebrated ; the depot grounds at Zanesville were filled, at an early hour, with crowds of people from home and abroad. The two Zanesville military companies —the City Guards and Greens—marched to the cars in full uniform, to the stirring notes of martial music, and the National colors at their head.
About 8 :30, A. M., the locomotive, John Bradley, started with the train, and arrived at Cambridge in safety and on good time, where the excursionists were met with a crowd, if anything, more dense than the one they had left at home. It was with the greatest difficulty that sufficient space could be secured for the military to form, but it was successfully accomplished, and a tiro-
HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO - 263
cession formed, the military leading, and citizens in the rear. Speeches were made at the court house, and dinner served to the visitors. The hour set for the return of the train was 4 :30 P. M., and the military, presuming themselves secure, were tardy in re-forming, so that when they arrived at the brow of the hill at the depot, they espied the train on its return, at a distance. There was no remedy but to remain Cambridge's guests until the following morning, when they were brought to tbeir homes by that ancient model of a conductor, Frank J. Terry, Esq.
On Wednesday, June 7th, 1854, the road was opened for business to Cambridge, and on November 1st, succeeding, the first train of cars was run through from Columbus to Bellaire.
June 19th, 1857, a contract was entered into with the Steubenville and Indiana Railroad Company to carry all the traffic that road would bring, at Columbus or Newark, over the road between these points, with the same dispatch and care that the Central Ohio Company's business was done, and divide with that company the proceeds of such service, in proportion to the miles run over each road.
During the year 1858, a telegraph line was built, at a cost of $2,026.28.
The company having become very much embarrassed and unable to meet its obligations, on April 21 st, 1858, suit was brought in the Circuit Court of the United States, for the Southern District of Ohio, by the Trustee under one of the mortgages, for the purchase of the mortgage and sale of the road. On May 1st, following, the court placed the road in the hands of Hon. J. Jewett, as Receiver, to be operated for the benefit of parties interested. In his report for the fiscal year, 1860-61, Mr. Jewett says : "This line has suffered more, perhaps, in its ordinary business, from the unhappy state of things in this country, than any one west of the Ohio river. Its main dependence for a through business, to and from the east, the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad, has, for some months past, been wholly disabled. Until that road is again able to resume business, this cannot expect to regain the position and character of a through route, which it had enjoyed previous to the obstructions which have been interposed to the working and operating of that road."
On March 14th, 1864, the undivided one-half of the thirty-three miles of road, between Newark and Columbus, was sold to the Steubenville & Indiana Railroad Company, and on August 31st, 1864, the deed for the same was executed.
A plan for the reorganization, and capitalization of the stock and debt, of the Central Ohio Railroad, having been agreed upon, in pursuance of orders of the court, a sale of the road was made March 28th, 1865, to certain Trustees, for the benefit of the parties in interest. On
November 1st, 1865, the Central Ohio Railroad Company, as reorganized, was formed. To it the old company conveyed its right and franchises on November 8th, and on January 29th, 1866, the new company was placed in possession of the property, by order Of the court.
November 21st, 1866, at a meeting of the stockholders, the lease of the road to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Company was concurred in by a vote of 43,213 shares, none against, and on December 1st, 1866, the Baltimore & Ohio Company began operating the road, as its Central Ohio Division. This lease was subsequently modified, February 13th, 1869, and under the management of the lessee, the road has been materially improved. Its rolling stock has been increased ; wooden culverts have been replaced with stone ones, and iron bridges are being substituted for the original wooden structures ; neat and commodious passenger and ware-house accommodations have been provided, at the now important points ; steel rails and the improved iron splice have taken the place of the old iron rail and chair, or wooden block-, and, in its present condition, the Central Ohio Railroad is one of the best equipped and most safely conducted roads in the Union.
CINCINNAT1 AND MUSKINGUM VALLEY RAILROAD.-On February 4th, 1851, the Cincinnati, Wilmington & Zanesville Railroad Company was chartered, with power to construct a railroad from Cincinnati, via Wilmingion, Washington, Circleville and Lancaster, to Zanesville, and, under this authority, a railroad was built from Zanesville to Morrow, in Warren county, a distance of 132 miles. where it connects with the Little Miami Railroad.
The stock subscriptions, and a large amount derived from the sales of first, second and third mortgage bonds, were expended in the construction and equipment of the road, and the company being unable to comply with the conditions of the mortgage, which had been given to secure the bonds, the Trustees under them, by bill in chancery, prosecuted, February 22d, 1857, in the Circuit Court of the United States, for the Southern District of Ohio, which resulted in a decree being made on March 3d, 1857, appointing a Receiver in the case, with authority to take possession of the road and property, and operate the road for the interest of all parties concerned.
Under this, and subsequent orders of the court, the Receiver continued to operate the road until a plan of reorganization was perfected, under which, by decree, June l0th, 1863, the court ordered the mortgaged premises, including the franchises of the company, to be sold, such sale to free the same from all debts and liabilities. In pursuance of these proceedings, a sale was made, August 27th, 1863, to Charles Moran, in trust for such creditors and stock-holders as should reorganize as a body corporate, to run and carry on the railroad under the charter. October 17th, 1863, the court confirmed the sale, and directed the Receiver to make the conveyance to the Trustee.
On March loth, 1864, the parties interested in the purchase, met at Cincinnati, and organized the Cincinnati & Zanesville Railroad Company, under the franchises of the Cincinnati, Wilming-
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ton and Zanesville Company, and to it, March 12th, 1864, Charles Moran, Trustee, deeded property held by him in trust.
Doubts having existed whether the franchise of the original company was well vested in the new company, the Director of the former formally conveyed the same to the re-organized company.
The new company issued new bonds and new stock, and failing in the payment of its indebted- ness, a bill was filed by the Trustee, under the new mortgage against the company, April 30, 1869, for the foreclosure of mortgage and sale of the road ; October 6, 1869, the Court fixed a time for payment, and in default, directed the road to be sold, the company having failed to make payment; on October 16, 1869, an order of sale was issued, and on December 1, 1869, Thomas L. Jewett purchased the mortgaged premises, prop- erty, franchises, etc., for $1,400,000, which purchase was confirmed by the Court the succeeding day, and the property ordered to be deeded to him.
Mr. Jewett operated the road in his individual capacity until September 1, 1870, when the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley Railway Company came into possession of the road, which company continued to operate it until May. 1, 1873, when it passed into the hands of the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis 'Railway Company, under lease for ninety-nine years from January 1, 1873, and is operated as the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley Division.
The Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley Company constructed the "Dresden Extension."
PITTSBURGH, CINCINNAT1 & ST. LOUIS RAILWAY-The Steubenville & Indiana Railroad Com- pany was chartered February 24, 1848, by the Legislature of Ohio, with authority to construct a railroad from Steubenville, via. Mt. Vernon,to the Indiana State line. March 12, 1849, the charter, was amended, permitting the construction of a branch road from Coshocton, via. Newark, to Columbus, provided that any company thereafter constructing a road from the Ohio river, opposite Wheeling, by specified routes, should have the right to connect such road with the Steubenville & Indiana Company, at any point in the valley of the Tuscarawas river. Permission and authority were also given, with the consent of the Virginia Legislature, to bridge the Ohio at Steubenville, to connect with eastern roads, said bridge not to obstruct navigation.
Under these, and other amendatory acts, the rOad was constructed from Steubenville to New- ark, 117 square miles, but the company becoming unable to meet its liabilities, September 2, 1859, suit was brought in the Harrison County Common Pleas Court for the foreclosure of mortgages, and sale of the road. The Court appointed Thomas L. Jewett, President of the company, Receiver, and the road was operated by him, under direction of the Court.
A plan for the adjustment of the liabilities and re-organization of the company having been perfected, an order was issued by the Court, January 6, 1864, directing a sale of the entire property and road of the company, lying between Steubenville and Newark, and on February 27, 1864, J. Edgar Thomson, H. M. Alexander and George W. McCook, purchased it for certain mortgage creditors, for $1,908,889. This sale the Court did not confirm, and the road continued to be operated by the Receiver.
The Court having approved of the project to purchase one-half interest in the thirty-three miles of road owned by the Central Ohio Company, between Newark and Columbus, that out- let was secured.
March 24, 1849, the Legislature of Pennsylvania chartered the Pittsburgh & Steubenville Railroad Company, and on December 30, 1857, it entered into an agreement with the Western Transportation Company, of Pennsylvania, to construct a single track railroad between Pittsburgh and Steubenville, and equip and operate the same for twenty years; on March 6, 1867,this road was sold under first mortgage, and the Pan-Handle Railway Company was incorporated to
operate this line.
On March 30, 186o, the Virginia Legislature incorporated the Halliday's Cove Railroad Company, with valuable franchises between Pittsburgh and Steubenville.
On October 1, 1865, an agreement was made between the Steubenville & Indiana, Halliday's Cove, and the Pittsburgh & Steubenville roads, to operate the three lines, extending from Columbus, Ohio, to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, under the name of the Pittsburgh, Columbus & Cincinnati Railroad.
March 17, 1868, the Pan-Handle, Halliday's Cove, and Steubenville & Indiana companies made another agreement for a consolidation: the stockholders of the several lines having ratified the agreement, and the proper legal steps having been taken to perfect the consolidation, the Pittsburgh., Cincinnati & St. Louis Railway Company came into existence, and subsequently absorbed the Cincinnati & Muskingum Valley road.
ZANESVILLE & SOUTHEASTERN RAILWAY.- The subscribers to the stock of this railway had a meeting at tbeir room, over McCann Bros. & Hazlett's, October 24, 1881. The meeting was called to order by Mr. James Herdman. Mr. F. J. L. Blandy was elected Chairman, and John Hoge, Esq., Secretary. By-laws and rules prescribed by Col. Churchill were adopted, and then the meeting proceeded to the election of Directors, with the following result : M. Churchill, James Herdman, Francis Wedge, W. A. Graham, J. W. Pinkerton, George M. Jewett, John Whitney and Oliver Tucker, being elected.
Meeting of the Directors.-The first regular meeting of the Direetors of the Zanesville & Southeastern Railway was held at their rooms, at 7 o'clock of the day of organization. Present -Messrs. M. Churchill, James Herdman, W. A. Graham, Francis Wedge, J. W. Pinkerton, John Hoge, and John Whitney, of Morgan county. The Board organized by the election of
Where sylvan paths wind gracefully,
And streamlets constant flow,
Below yon'd castle's towering heights
Behold rich pastures grow.
In nature's rural garden,
'Midst rocks, on plains, in dells,
Are gathered fragrant plants and herbs
God sent to serve so well.
Not that the few, but all men,
Such blessings great, might share,
Selected and compounded
With a physician's care.
If Schoene's Pain Destroyer, then,
Is sought for and secured,
A balm 'twill prove for every ill
By human kind endured.
Amid the prosy pursuits of the historian few opportunities afford him equal pleasure to the privilege of reviewing something of the lives, the associations, the peculiarities and achievements of men who have worthily earned honored distinction on the scroll of fame, particularly as benefactors of the human family at large. In this relation it offers us pleasure to recognize the name of Dr. H. Schoene, of Zanesville, Ohio, who, together with his estimable son, J. Z. Schoene, under the firm style of Dr. H. Schoene & Son, are extensively engaged in the manufacture and circulation of a marvelous panacea for almost every ailment in life, and extensively known as Dr. Schoene's Invaluable Vegetable Pain Destroyer, the Great Ohio Liniment and Anti-Dyspeptic. The Doctor, as his name infers, is a native of Germany, where he received a liberal education, espousing citizenship under the " glorious stars and stripes" in 1849. Ever having been an apt scholar and diligent student in the pursuit of botany, coupled with the scientific application of Esculapius' art, he has perfected an absolute miracle in the grand remedy referred to. For over thirty-five years has his Great Vegetable Pain Destroyer been before the public, and to-day stands a veritable panacea for every human ill.
The Doctor is remarkably retired and unassuming in private life, being a great reader and close student in nature's broad garden. To this may be largely ascribed the wonderful success of his great remedy, particularly as he assumes no active professional practice outside the manufacture of his specialty preparations. He also has an extensive sale for his Sure and Safe Cure for Worms, as also Dr. Schoene's Anti-Bilious and Liver Pills, the whole of which preparations are put up with a scrupulous oare and neatness absolutely un-equaled by any other reliable standard preparations in America. The greatest feature with Dr. Schoene's preparations is the fact that they have never required the backing of capital, or yet been dependent upon advertising for notoriety, but in long years past have won their own renown, and engrafted themselves so thoroughly into public confidence that the demand for them, in this day, actually taxes his energies to the utmost to keep pace with the increasing demand In comparative humble, rural seclusion, he conducts his studies, researches, and the functions of his laboratory, with the great God of Nature for his sole guide and instructor, while Providence seems to bountifully bless his labors. Well may the human family accord to him such universal confidence, and his preparations such bountiful patronage, as from past and present indications they are yet destined to a National reputation second to no other specifics ever yet introduced to the public.
HISTORY OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY, OHIO - 265
Col. M. Churchill, President ; James Herdman, Vice President ; W. A. Graham, Treasurer ; John Hoge, Secretary.
After the discussion of some private business, it was agreed that the different townships along the line must come up with their respective amounts in donations and subscriptions before any positive steps would be taken to build the road. The meeting then adjourned,subject to the call of the President.