62 - PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.




(RETURN TO THE TITLE PAGE)



CHAPTER VII.


TRANSPORTATION, COMPRISING PRIMITIVE RIVER NAVIGATION. FIRST STEAMBOAT ON THE MUSKINGUM. MUSKINGUM RIVER IMPROVEMENT, AND DAMS. NATIONAL ROAD. UNITED STATES MAIL. CENTRAL OHIO RAILROAD. CINCINNATI & MUSKINGUM VALLEY RAILROAD. PITTSBURG, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO & ST. LOUIS RAILWAY. OHIO & LITTLE KANAWHA RAILROAL. ZANESVILLE & WESTERN RAILROAD. OHIO RIVER & WESTERN RAILROAD. WHEELING AND LAKE ERIE RAILROAD. ZANESVILLE BELT LINE ZANESVILLE TERMINAL RAILROAD. WESTERN UNION TELEGRAPH COMPANY. POSTAL TELEGRAPH COMPANY. CENTRAL UNION TELEPHONE COMPANY. ZANESVILLE TELEPHONE & TELEGRAPH COMPANY. ZANESVILLE ELECTRIC LIGHT COMPANY. ZANESVILLE RAILWAY, LIGHT & POWER COMPANY. COLUMBUS, NEWARK & ZANESVILLE RAILROAD COMPANY.


PRIMITIVE RIVER NAVIGATION.


Long before the white man appeared in the country the Indian navigated the Muskingum in canoes, made of bark, or a hollow tree with each end closed, while others hewed them out of solid wood with modeled bow and stern. Poplar, black walnut and button trees were preferred and the vessels were from 15 to 30 feet long, 2 to 272 feet deep, and from 18 to 30 inches wide, the smaller ones being light and portable by one man.


The white man introduced the pirogue, a style of boat unknown to the Indian, which consisted of two or more canoes lashed together and employed to transport commodities, and were as much of a curiosity to the Indian as the steamer was to the white man. They ranged from 20 to 40 feet in length, 4 to 6 feet in width and from 2 to 3 feet in depth, and were propelled by sail, paddles and poles.


The keel boat was introduced about 1810 for more extensive facilities, and were from 40 to 100 feet long, 14 to 20 feet wide and from 2 to 3 feet depth of hold. The cargo box was built on them with a running board or guard on each side, on which from three to five men, with poles, would walk from stem to stern to propel them; some of the larger boats had aS many as three masts, with jib booms and sails for use m time of favorable winds ; their capacity ranged from 4o to 100 tons and their arrival at a port was heralded by blowing a long tin horn or the firing of a small cannon, and regular trips were made with these boats on the Muskingum, Ohio, Cumberland, Mississippi and Arkansas rivers.


The broadhorn, or New Orleans boat, carried large quantities of merchandise and several Zanesville and Putnam men were engaged in this trade ; these boatmen were compelled to walk home from New Orleans a distance of 2,000 miles through swamp and cane brake, with the attendant dang from beasts and highwaymen, as they were obliged to carry their money on their persons.


The hull was completely covered over except a small platform at each end where a sort of cabin was erected in which the crew lived, the floor being the bottom of the boat ; the roof of the entire boat was water tight and the cargo was always under cover. The crew consisted of from 8 to 12 men and to propel the boat against the current two or more men took positions of each side, amidships or the middle of the running board which ran the length of the boat, of each side. Each man was furnished a long as pole with an iron point on one end and a know or button on the other. Men were then place at the bow who set their poles firmly on the rive bottom and with their shoulders against the but ton pushed the boat forward and walked toward the stern by means of the cleats fastened to th surface of the running board ; when the men fro the bow reached the men amidship, the latter s their poles in the same manner, the bowsman holding the boat until the others had control. The pilot, from an elevated position, controlled th men and when he saw that the middlemen had control he sang out "Head two," when the bow men would release and return to the bow ; mean time the second men would push the boat for ward in ignorance of the movements of the actions of the bowmen. The bow was reached b the time the others had reached the stern an when the bowsmen had control again the pi would sing out,"Up from behind," when th would resume their places amidships. Unled one party had control the boat would be swe back by the current, and one of only four mil per hour would send them miles down strea if control were lost for but a moment, and requi several hours to regain the lost distance. The vocabulary, under such circumstances, was vigorous and voluminous.


FIRST STEAMBOAT ON THE MUSKINGUM.


Steamboats were plying the Ohio river before an attempt was made to use them on the Muskingum, whose tortuous course was regarded preventing their employment, but certain residents of Marietta held that in suitable stages of water the steamer could be navigated. Caleb Bastow built the Rufus Putnam at Marietta, in 1823, for John Green and Oliver Dodge, at a cost of fro $10,000 to $12,000 ; the engine was constructed at Steubenville and the other iron work Marietta ; she was a low pressure, side wheel 75 feet long, 18 feet wide and had a capacity


PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY - 63


75 tons. The cabin was built on the deck, and the bunks were narrow beds, fastened to the sides and concealed by curtains, after the fashion of canal boats and now familiar in sleeping cars ; the

carried in the hold.


Friday, January 9; 1824, an animated crowd assembled on the banks of the Muskingum, in Marietta, to witness the departure of about twenty-five guests who were to accompany the

initial trip of a steamer on the beautiful river. The approach to Zanesville was announced by

booming cannon from the boat and immense crowds were attracted to the river banks on each

side, and when the lights of the steamer came into view, about 10 p. m., Saturday, January 10,

the expectant crowds scarcely knew what to anticipate. The boat tied up on the Putnam side

below the Third street bridge and the doors of both towns were opened wide in hospitality to

the visitors.


Sunday the visitors attended church and the residents of the towns visited the curiosity Monday, two trips Monday, two trips were made to Duncan's Falls to carry Zanesville people and every one went who could be accommodated ; tradition says the cannon was so frequently and loudly fired that nearly every pane of glass on the river front was broken. Monday evening an entertainment was tendered the captain at Hughes' hotel, in Zanesville, and Judge Buckingham, unwilling that Putnam should suffer by comparison, gave a large and elegant reception at his residence. At the Zanesville soiree toasts were drunk and speeches made and the press

said the evening was spent "in hilarity and good feeling."


Tuesday, the towns turned out en masse to see the vessel start on the return trip, which was

begun at 10:30 a. m. ; the clay was fine and as the cannon boomed a farewell and the flags were

thrown to the breeze, cheer after cheer was given until the boat was lost to sight around the bend

the current was rapid and the vessel seemed to fly and the return trip was made in eight hours.


COAL BARGE oN THE OHIO RIVER.


Timothy Gaylord and Jacob Adams built the first flat at the boat yard, in Putnam, and in the fall of 1816 it was launched and taken to “Dead Man's Riffle," at Taylorsville, where it was loaded with coal dug from the bed of the river and in February, 1817, floated to Cincinnati and sold

for twenty-five cents per bushel ; it is said to have been the first shipment of coal to the city and certainly the first shipment by river.


MUSKINGUM RIVER IMPROVEMENT.


The citizens of Muskingum county have an unusual interest in water transportation, as the media within its boundaries are both natural and artificial. Before the days of railroads communication with interior points was difficult and expensive, and the handicap to progress, which was laid upon inland settlements three quarters of a century ago can be only imperfectly understood. This lack of commercial intercourse with even neighboring communities attracted the attention of the General Assembly and the subject of building a canal system was presented at the first session held at Columbus, commencing December 2, 1816, by a special message from Governor Worthington, accompanying a communication from Governor DeWitt Clinton, of New York, setting forth the advantages of interior water lines of transportation. In 1820 three Commissioners were named to locate a route for a canal between Lake Erie and the Ohio river, with the provision that if possible the Capital city should be on the line. At the session commencing December 2, 1822, the Commissioners reported upon the practicability of a canal system, and January 27, 1823, an act was passed authorizing the Commissioners to make application for grants and donations in aid of the canal, and at the session commencing December 6, 1824, estimates were presented for


The Muskingum-Scioto route, by way of Killbuck and Black rivers, including Cleveland, Columbus and Raccoon feeders, with an ascending lockage from the mouth of the Scioto to summit level of 580.36 feet, and descending lockage to Lake Erie of 488.97 feet ; an aggregate length of 339 miles and costing $3,061,368.47.


Route by way of Killbuck, Chippewa and Cuyahoga rivers, including feeders and additional lines ; ascending lockage from the Scioto 638.42 feet, descending to Lake Erie, 547.03 feet ; aggregate length 338.57 miles and cost $3,131,429.02.


Route by way of Tuscarawas and Cuyahoga rivers, with the same lockage a length of 322.13 miles and cost of $2,801,709.85.


These routes were combined and modified, by which the cost of the work was materially reduced and the facilities increased.


The Miami-Maumee route; ascending lockage from the Ohio river, at Cincinnati to Loramies, 511.4 feet, and descending to the foot of the Maumee rapids, 378 feet ; total length 290.62 miles and cost, including feeders, $2,929,957.00.


February 4, 1825, the General Assembly passed an act "to provide for the internal improvement of the state of Ohio by navigable canals," and the Commissioners were authorized to make a navigable canal on the Muskingum-Scioto route, so called, by way of Licking Summit and the Muskingum river, and on July 4, 1825, the ceremony of breaking ground was observed at Licking Summit, to which reference is made in the history of the Zanesville Artillery.


64 - PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.


Work was begun at once under the general direction and supervision of Hon. Alfred Kelley, a member of the Commission, and progressed under many difficulties, but was completed within the specified time and within the limits of the original estimates. The total cost was $14,340,572.59 in excess of the donations of land, right of way and money from individuals and corporations. Congress donated land by grant of March 2, 1827, 292,223.51 acres, and May 24, 1828, 938,298.44 acres, an aggregate of 1,230,521.95 acres. Seventy-five miles of the original canal system have been abandoned but there remains in charge of the Board of Public Works 582 miles of navigable canals and 30,000 acres of reservoirs, besides the feeders ; the St. Mary's reservoir covers 17,603 acres.


May 8, 1861, the General Assembly passed an act to lease the public works of the state for a term of ten years, and June 2 a contract was signed and they were transferred to Kent Jarvis, Wm. J. Jackson, Thomas Brown, Arnold Medbery and Thomas Moore at an annual rental of $20,075.00, and April 6, 1867, the lease was extended, by act of the General Assembly, to June 1, 1881, but June 23, 1877, the lessees notified the Board of Public Works that they would surrender their contract December 1. No attention was paid to the notice and on the designated date the "general agent of the lessees" formally surrendered and abandoned the works ; the board declined to accept the vacation and after conference it was agreed, December 8, to have receivers appointed to take charge of and manage the public works until the questions at issue could be decided, and December 11 receivers were appointed and remained in possession until May 15, 1878. On May 11, 1878, the General Assembly resolved that the Board of Public Works be authorized and required to take immediate possession of the public works but it was specifically declared that the passage of the resolution should not be construed to mean that the lessees were released from any damage claimed by the state for non-performance of contract, nor as admitting their right to abandon the lease, and on the 15th the board took possession.


THE MUSKINGUM RIVER


is not naturally a navigable stream, except at irregular periods during the year, and the opportunities to use it for commercial purposes were limited to its navigable stages. It was customary to prepare for these periods and float out the products, but as these conditions produced a glut in the markets visited a method of securing a navigable stage of water at all times became very desirable. Therefore, when the system of canals for the state was adopted the residents of the Muskingum valley naturally reasoned that they had a canal but no locks, and that some of the internal improvements should be placed upon the Muskingum ; they were successful in their representations and until the introduction of the railroads the improvement of the Muskingum proved to be all its advocates had claimed for it. The slogan now echoed along the Ohio, "On to Cairo,” and the vigorous efforts to secure the opening of the ship canal to Cleveland from Zanesville, are renascences of the sentiments which prevailed in the Muskingum valley before its waters were husbanded by dams.


January 17, 1827, the General Assembly authorized a survey of the Muskingum river and the Commissioners ascertained the best plan and probable cost of improving the stream ; it was found that eleven dams were necessary to maintain minimum depth of four feet of slack water from Zanesville to Marietta, and between Zanesville and Dresden one dam and lock and a branch can two and one-half miles in length from the river to the main canal, and that the descent of twenty-eight feet in this short distance would require three boat locks.


June, 1834, the dam at Symmes' creek was contracted to be completed by November 1, 1835, but the dam and canal constructed by the Zanesville Canal and Manufacturing Company were not adapted to the proposed improvement, and the company was unable to modify them or continue the work. February 19, 1835, the General Assembly authorized the Canal Commissioners take possession of the property of the Z. C. & M. Co. for the uses of the state and May 1, 1835, the Commissioners met at Zanesville and was confronted with the actual condition of affairs, doubts existed as to the legal status of the company and it was questioned whether it could make a valid contract, and the commission decided that a purchase could not be safely made by the state May 5 appraisers awarded damages and the Commissioners took possession of so much as was s sufficient to complete the locks and dam to connect the navigation of the Muskingum below Zanesville with the canal at Dresden. The appraisers placed values on the improvements made by company and a strip of ground from the upper end of the race to a point 113 feet below Main street in an aggregate sum of $41,680.15, of which $9,868.07 was due individuals and $31,812.08 the company ; and in consequence of the enlargement and extension of the canal from the lower or Third street bridge to Slago Run, the additional award of damages was made, October 29, 1838, of $11,754.00, of which $2,807.87 was due individuals.


March 9, 1836, the General Assembly authorized the improvement of the Muskingum river by dams and locks, and when the information reached


PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY - 67


commencing respectively at Philadelphia, Baltimore, Washington and Richmond, in length from 218 miles from Baltimore to 314 from Richmond and 117 from Philadelphia. It was recommended that the road commence at Cumberland, Maryland, and end at a point on the Ohio river, between Steubenville and Wheeling. Action was taken and March 29, 1806, President Jefferson approved an act empowering him to appoint three commissioners to lay out a

road four rods wide, from Cumberland, as recommended; $30,000.00 was appropriated and the commissioners were directed to report an accurate plan of the survey, which the President was authorized to accept or reject.


The President acted at once by appointing Thomas Moore and Eli Williams, of Maryland, Joseph Kerr, of Ohio, who made report at length, December 30, 1806, and which was submitted to Congress, January 31, 1807, with the information from the President that he had asked consent from the states through which the road would pass, for its construction ; that Maryland and Virginia had given such consent, and an early reply was anticipated from Pennsylvania, which was given April 9, 1807, with the provision that the road should pass through Uniontown and Washington.


The Old Braddock road served "as a basis whereon to proceed in the examination of the

the face of the country" and it came “necessary to view the whole to be able to judge of a preference, due to any part of the grounds, which imposed a task of examining a space comprehending upwards of 2,000 square miles; a task rendered still more incumbent by the solicitude and importunities of the inhabitants of every part of the district, who severally conceived their grounds entitled to a preference.”


Albert Gallatin was owner of large tracts of lands in western Pennsylvania, near the route of

the proposed road, and at the time was Secretary of the Treasury of the United States ; accusations that he was using his influence to secure the course of the road for personal gain, and when direction, from Brownsville west, was so difficult of determination, he wrote the superintendent to employ a surveyor to select the most proper road and report distances and topography, and requested the President to decide the matter.


January 5, 1808, the commissioners filed their second report, and February 19, 1808, President Jefferson reported to Congress the approval of the route as far as Brownsville, and that one half the width of the trace had been cleared to preserve it from obliteration ; that west of that point a decision would be reached which would pay attention to the interests and wishes of the populous parts of Ohio, and to a future and connection with the road to St. Louis.


The route selected was the general alignment of the Braddock road, but its bed was seldom used, as the two roads crossed each other frequently and are by no means identical. From the summit of Laurel Hill the roads diverged, the National being directed straight to Brownsville (Old Redstone), and the Braddock to Pittsburg. From Cumberland to Brownsville, the two highest elevations above Cumberland, were 2,022 and 2,328 feet, and the commissioners said that "from the crooked and hilly course of the road now trav- eled, the new road could not be made to occupy any portion of it except for about one mile in the entire distance, without unnecessary sacrifice of distances and expense." Estimates were therefore prepared wholly over new ground.

From Brownsville west to Washington, an old road, probably an original Indiana trail, was followed, and an intense rivalry arose between Steubenville and Wheeling for the terminus ; the latter won through the influence of Henry Clay, to whom the city later erected a monument in commemoration of his great services.


Contracts for the construction of the first ten miles from Cumberland were let April 16, and May 11, 1811, and the work was completed in September, 1812 ; the next section of eleven miles was let in August, 1812, and completed early in 1815 ; the next section of thirteen miles was begun in August, 1813, and completed in 1817 ; an additional six and one-half miles were begun in September, 1813, and completed in 1817, and in that year the remaining twenty-two and one half miles to Uniontown were let and in 1818 the road from Cumberland to Uniontown was completed, a distance of sixty-three miles. Soon after the sections to Brownsville and Washington were completed, and in 1818 mail coaches were running between the national capital and Wheeling.


The cost from Cumberland to Uniontown was $9,745•00 per mile, and from the latter point to the Ohio river $13,000.00 per mile, due to too liberal contracts.


Western travel increased with the several openings of the road to traffic, and upon its completion to Wheeling the passenger and freight business was immense for the period. One commission house at Wheeling paid $90,000.00 in freight charges in 1822, and unloaded 1,081 wagons. The tide of immigration was constantly at the flood ; wagons of all sizes and descriptions rolled along the road, fast expresses called "shakeguts" rushed past the less rapid wagons and plodding freighters and ox teams, which wearily dragged their loads toward the setting sun. Hospitable taverns sprung up, towns were laid out and the wilderness began to blossom as the rose.


The opening of the road to Wheeling served two purposes ; to give an impetus to travel on the Ohio river, as those to Kentucky and river points could secure more comfortable service, and to di-


68 - PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.


vert the road from the originally contemplated course through Chillicothe to Cincinnati, to the more northern one through Zanesville and Columbus.


With the completion of the road to Wheeling and the heavy traffic which followed, a new question arose respecting its maintenance. May 4, 1822, President Monroe vetoed an "act for the preservation and repair of the Cumberland road," which established toll gates and tolls, and imposed penalties for violation. Two fundamental principles of the Democratic party were violated by the act : the doctrine of states' rights and the unconstitutionality of internal improvements by the general government, and the President returned the bill "under the conviction that Congress does not possess the power under the constitution to pass such a law." Upon the same day he transmitted a very lengthy paper entitled "Views of the President of the United States on the subject of internal improvements," in which the subject was exhaustively treated. As it was held to be unconstitutional to maintain internal improvements, the presidential and congressional consciences compromised on the principle of building the road and conveying it to the states for operation, upon condition that they would maintain and operate it, the opinion being held that the states alone had authority to impose tolls. Accordingly, as rapidly as the road was completed, by a practical rebuilding, the states accepted it, action to this end being taken by Pennsylvania, April 4, 1831 ; Maryland, January 23, 1832, and Virginia, February 7, 1832. Pending this determination of the question the national government appropriated large sums for the "completion of the road, and it was practically rebuilt on the Macadam plan, the masonry repaired and reconstructed in the most substantial manner and every part of it placed in first class condition.


When the question was raised, respecting the constitutionality of the work, the people west of the Ohio were very much in doubt about securing the desired road, but May 15, 1820, an appropriation of $10,000.00 was made for laying out a road from Wheeling to the Mississippi river, eighty feet wide, and the people's hopes revived and there was much rejoicing.


March 3, 1825, an appropriation of $150,000.00 was made for building the road from Canton, as the point opposite Wheeling was then called, to Zanesville, to pass through the capitals of Ohio, Indiana and Illinois. As surveyed through Ohio the road was practically a straight line, 300 miles long, and ground was broken opposite the court house, at St. Clairsville, July 4, 1825, with impressive ceremonies and an address by W. B. Hubbard, a once familiar person in Zanesville. Twenty-one miles east of Zanesville were let on contract July 21, 1826, and the average cost between the Ohio river and Zanesville was $3,400 per mile.


The commissioners to locate the road to Columbus reached the latter city October 5, 1825, an the road was begun in 1829. and completed in 1831. In Columbus rivalry arose between the residents of the north and south ends for the location of the road through the town, and resulted in the eastern entrance being on Main street to High street, thence to Broad and the exit by that street to the west.


When the road reach Illinois the railways were being talked about and in 1832 the House Committee on Roads and Canals reported the relative cost of wagon and railroads, and in 1836 a senate committee seriously considered the expediency o constructing a railroad for the uncompleted distance to the Mississippi river.


The construction of railroads by private capit caused Congress to suspend appropriations for the National road, the expenditure on which ha been :


East of the Ohio river - $2,000,881.23

Repairs - 960,503 .08

West of the Ohio river - 3,863,535.02 - $6,824.919


The first passenger coaches were long, awkward and uncomfortable, without springs ; sea were crosswise, with a door in front, and rear passengers were obliged to climb over the front seats. Later, handsomely painted, decorated a upholstered coaches were introduced, with bodies suspended on wide, heavy leather straps instead springs ; they contained three seats each holding three persons and a seat alongside the driver a bore fanciful names, or those of states, cities a persons.


The freighters had long, deep beds bending upwards at each end, and were covered with heavy sail cloth stretched over broad, wooden bows, and were hauled by teams of from four to six horses. Passenger fares were about four cents per mile and the time between Columbus and Zanesville was seven hours, and from Zanesville to Wheeling, seventeen hours, with a rest at St. Clairsville of five hours. Before the road was built the cost of carriage for goods, from Baltimore to the Ohio was $8.00 per hundred pounds and the rate was reduced to $3.00 by the road.


The United States mail schedule, with a limited passenger service, was from Washington, D. C., to Wheeling, 30 hours ; Columbus, 15 ½ hours ; Indianapolis, 20 hours ; Vandalia, 20, hours ; St. Louis 8 1/2 hours ; ninety-four hours or three days and twenty-two hours.


The regular passenger service was not so rapid, the schedule being : Washington, D. C., to Wheeling, 59 hours ; Columbus, 29 hours ; Indianapolis, 76 hours ; Vandalia, 62 hours ; St. Louis.


PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY - 69


18 hours, or ten days and four hours.


The influence of the road upon the growth of versed is manifested by the census returns of the population at the times stated :

 

1810 

1820

1830

1840

Ohio

230,760

581,295

937,903

1,519,467

Indiana

24,520

147,178

343,031

685,866

Illinois

12,282

55,162

157,445

476,183

Kentucky

406,511

564,135

687,917

770,828


showing that while in thirty years Ohio increased 558 per cent., Indiana 2,793 per cent and Illinois 3,777 per cent. Kentucky had increased only about 92%.


February 4, 1831, the General Assembly of Ohio, in view of the rapidly approaching completion of the National road, authorized the Governor to take under his care, in behalf of the state, so much of the National road as was finished, whenever the consent of Congress was obtained.


The difficulty experienced in collecting tolls and maintaining the road persuaded the General Assembly to transfer the operation of the road to private control and May 1, 1854, the Board of

Public Works was authorized to lease the road to the highest bidder, and May 29 it was awarded to Joseph Cooper & Company at $6.105.00 per annum, and June 1 it passed to their hands. April 4, 1859, and act was passed for the relief of the surveying lessees and after examination the Board of Public Works discharged the lessees from further management, and June 8. appointed a resident engineer. May 15, 1876, the state turned the road over to the counties, in accordance with an act of the Assembly, and this great highway is now only a neglected county road.


UNITED STATES MAIL.


May 24, 1794 , Postmaster General Pickering wrote Gen. Rufus Putnam. at Marietta. that a would be established mail service between Pittsburg, and Wheeling, by land, and thence to Limestone, Kentucky. by water, and from the last named point the mails would be sent by a new

Kentucky offices, and the former post road through the wilderness would be discontinued, As the boats for this service were in course of construction, it was anticipated they would be completed and in operation during the ensuing July, and as Marietta would be on the line, a blank commission for a postmaster was enclosed, to be given by General Putnam to some an, and to this General Putnam replied that he had engaged R. J. Meigs. jr.


The Zane trace having been opened, on October 27, 1798, a contract was concluded with Daniel

Conyers "to carry the mail of the United States or cause it to be carried. from Marietta, in the Northwest Territory the Northwest Territory, to Zanetown, on the Muskinum river, and from Zanetown to Marietta, once a week, at the rate of ninety dollars for every quarter of a year during the continuance of the contract." A penalty was imposed of $1.00" for each hour's failure to make the schedule thereto attached, to be deducted from Conyers' pay unless he could make it appear to the satisfaction of the postmaster general that it was unavoidable. The Postmaster General was to furnish portmanteau and bags, and Conyers was required to carry the mail under cover, if by stage, and when a stop was made at night, it was to be locked in a secure place, and a pledge of a faithful performance of duty Conyers gave bond in the sum of one thousand dollars. The contract began November 1, 1798, and continued until September 30, 1800.


This was the first regular mail between Zanesville and Marietta. and in compliment to Zane the northern end of the route was named Zanetown; as there was no postoffice the mail was carried to McCulloch's cabin, where, by arrangement, it met the mail between Wheeling and Maysville, the distribution being made by McCulloch and Conyers. January I, 1801, a regular postoffice was established and William McCulloch appointed postmaster, and private local records allege that a postoffice was opened at Putnam, in 1803, with Ur. Increase Mathews as postmaster, but no such record exists in the postal department at Washington, but it does assert that an office was first established in that village. January 30, 1817, with Henry Safford as first postmaster ; an office was also opened at West Zanesville, January 14, 1852, with J. S. Parke as postmaster ; both of these offices were closed when free delivery was inaugurated at Zanesville.


August 17, 1817, the Zanesville Express stated that the mails were carried in stage coaches ; the eastern mail arrived Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, at 11 a. I11.. and the western mail on Monday, Wednesday and Friday at 1 p. m. In the spring of 1821, W. H. Beard secured a contract to carry the mail between Zanesville and Lancaster, and established a four horse stage line with three trips per week, which consumed nine hours, and the latter service was extended to Maysville, Kentucky..


October I, 1880, free delivery, by carriers, was established at Zanesville, with two regular and two auxiliary men, but the force was inadequate and one additional regular was appointed ; at the time of this improvement in the service the post- office was in the Maginnis block, southwest corner of Fifth street and Fountain alley, to which point it had been moved August 26, 1872, from the first building on the east side of Fifth street, south of Main, where it had been located for many years before. May 1, 1894, the office was moved to the Memorial Building, where more room was secured and where it will doubtless remain until the com-


70 - PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.


pletion of the Government Building, at Fifth and South streets, for which Congress has made appropriations.


The postmasters at the several Zanesville offices have been :

Putnam :

Harry Safford, January 30, 1817.

John Herron, June 19, 1829.

D. M. Sellers, November 24, 1831.

Samuel Glass, March 26, 1833.

James T. Cherry, March 25, 1843.

Jeremiah Elder, July 25, 1846.

John Goshen, February 8, 1849.

William H. Moore, May 29, 1849.

John Goshen, April 26, 1853.

Jeremiah Elder, August 8, 1853.

W. Stonesipher, March 31, 1860.

James Finlayson, May 4, 1861.

Francis R. Potts, September 23, 1863.

Daniel Dugan, August 30, 1866.

John Dixon, October 20, 1866.

Francis R. Potts, November 27, 1866.

Samuel Large, July 8, 1872.

Eliza R. Large, July 27, 1875.

Charles Parsons, March 5, 1879.


West Zanesville.

Joseph S. Parke, January 14, 1852.

W. Wimmer, March 7, 1854.

James Miller, January 29, 1857.

W. W. Wimmer, September 23, 1861.

D. Dugan, October 20, 1866.

L. M. Reamy, March 19, 1869.

Adam C. Brown, November 4, 1872.


Zanesville :

William McCulloch, January 1, 1801.

David Harvey, July T, 1802.

Chris. Spangler, April 1, 1804.

Abel Lewis, April 1, 1805.

Jeffrey Price, January 1, 1806.

William Pelham, July 1, 1818.

S. Sullivan, October 13, 1825.

Samuel J. Cox, July 24, 1828.

William Blocksom, May 6, 1834.

A. R. Cassady, April 1, 1840.

Israel Hoge, February 3, 1841.


The incumbents, as presidential appointees have been :

Isaac Dillon, May 2, 1849.

John B. Roberts, April 29, 1853.

P. Bateman, March 28, 1861.

W. C. Moorehead, January 9, 1863.

J. T. Douglas, November 9, 1866, withdrawn by President Johnson.

W. C. Moorehead, November 17, 1866.

T. J. Douglas, March 28, 1867.

T. C. Douglas, March 30, 1871.

W. S. Harlan, March 3, 1879.

Thomas S. Murphy, March 22, 1887.

David J. Richards, January 31, 1891.

Daniel H. Gaumer, January , 1895.

Fenton Bagley, April 1, 1898.


CENTRAL OHIO RAILROAD.


The pioneer railroad of the county is the Central Ohio, which was incorporated, by special act of the General Assembly, February 8, 1847; amendatory acts were passed March 8, 1849, and March 20, 1851, which granted additional rights. The incorporators were : Robert Neil, Samuel Medary, Joel Ruttles, Joseph Ridgway and Bela Latham, of Franklin county ; David Smith, Daniell Duncan, Adam Seymour, Israel Dille, Albert Sherwood, Nathaniel B. Hogg, Levi J. Haughey, Jacob Glessner, George W. Penney, Jonathan Taylor, A. P. Pritchard and Wickliff Condit, of Licking ; James Raguet, Robert Mitchell, Daniel Brush, John Hamm, Solomon Sturges, Richard Stillwell, Daniel Conyers, Levi Claypool and Solomon Woods, of Muskingum.


The franchise authorized the construction of railroad, with single or double track, from Columbus, through Newark and Zanesville, to the Ohio river, with the right, if desired, of extension west ward to the Indiana line. The order for the rail was placed in England, but the last consignment, was not received until March, 1852. Construction was begun at Newark and January 26. 1852, the line was opened. between that city and Zanesville January 8, 1853, marked the opening of the road to Columbus, and April 27, 1854, the opening the line to Cambridge was made the occasion of special celebrations. At an early hour the depot grounds, at Zanesville, were filled with people and the Zanesville Guards and Warren Greens attended with a martial band, marched to the train which was to carry them to the Guernsey capita at 8:30 the train, in charge of Frank J. Terr still a resident of the city, pulled out and arrived at Cambridge at the appointed time, and was by such a crowd that the military had difficulty forming. A procession was finally formed, with the military, in their showy uniforms, in the le. and citizens following and marched through town to the court house, where speeches w made upon the significance and importance of event they were celebrating, after which an time public dinner was served the visitors. return train was scheduled to leave at 4:30 p. and the military presuming that their appear. was as essential for the return as the initial were indifferent about the fleeting hours when they arrived at the brow of the hill overlooking the station observed the train speeding towards Zanesville; they remained as guests the citizens until morning when a special train sent for them. June 7, 1854, the road to bridge was opened for business, and November 1, following, the first train was run through from Columbus to Bellaire.


June 19, 1857, a contract was entered into the Steubenville and Indiana railroad to carry traffic between Columbus and Newark with


PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY - 71


same dispatch and care as was given the Central Ohio business, and during 1858 a telegraph line

was built.


The company became financially embarrassed and May 1, 1858, Hugh J. Jewett was named as

receiver, and March 14, 1864, an undivided one-half interest in the thirty-three miles between

Newark and Columbus was purchased by the Stuebenville and Indiana Company, and the deed

August 31, 1864. A plan of reorganization and capitalization of stock and debt having been agreed upon, a sale of the road was made March 28, 1865, and November 1, 1865, the Central Railroad Company, as reorganized, was formed, to which all the rights and franchises of

the old company were conveyed November 8, and January 29, 1866, the new company took possession. November 21, 1866, 43,213 shares of stock unanimously voted in favor of the lease of the property to the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad; and after December 1, 1866, it was operated by the latter company as its Central Ohio division, the lease being modified in some particulars February 13, 1869.


When receivers were appointed for the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad, by the Circuit Court of

the United States, for the District of Maryland, February 29, 1896, the same receivers were appointed for the leased lines in Ohio, by the United States’ Courts in Ohio, and they immediately notified the directors of the Central Ohio company that they would not operate the road under the terms of the lease. When the plan of reorganization of the Baltimore and Ohio was perfected it embraced a proposition which was made to the stockholder of the Central Ohio, to pay them $7.50 per share, in cash, for the stock and the remainder of the face value of the stock in preferred stock of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company. This was accepted and the property is now operated by the B. & O. as owner of the stock of the Central Ohio company.


CINCINNATI AND MUSKINGUM VALLEY RAILROAD.


The Cincinnati, Wilmington and Zanesville Railroad Company was chartered February 4, 1851, to construct a railroad from Cincinnati, by Wilmington, Washington Court House, Circleville and Lancaster to Zanesville, and several supplementary acts were passed authorizing counties and towns to subscribe to the stock ; the railroad was built from Zanesville, where it connected with the Central Ohio, to Morrow, where connection was made with the Little Miami, a distance of 132 miles.


The stock subscriptions and proceeds of the sale of first, second and third mortgage bonds were

in construction, and the fixed charges were so onerous that a receiver was appointed March 3, 1857; a plan of reorganization having been agreed upon a sale was made August 27, 1863, to Charles Moran, as trustee ; March 10, 1864, the parties interested with Moran met at Cincinnati and organized the Cincinnati and Zanesville Railroad Company, and to it, March 12, 1864, Moran transferred his purchase. New bonds were issued, and the company having again failed to meet its obligations, foreclosure of the mortgage was instituted and the road sold December 1, 1869, to Thomas L. Jewett, for $1,400, 000.00 and he operated it as an individual until May 1, 1870, when the Cincinnati and Muskingum Valley Railway Company, which had been organized January 25, 1870, took possession and operated it until May I, 1873, when it was leased to the Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railway Company, for ninety-nine years, commencing January t, 1870. This lease to the "Panhandle" was practicable by reason of the construction of the Dresden Extension, which was completed in 1870, but the lease was set aside and the road sold at public auction and purchased by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company on account of the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company.


June 29; 1898, the road was sold under foreclosure of the mortgage of September, 1870, and reorganized August 1, 1898 by the purchasers, as the Cincinnati and Muskingum Valley Railroad Company, and is operated in harmony with the Pennsylvania Company.


PITTSBURG, CINCINNATI, CHICAGO AND ST. LOUIS

RAILWAY.


The Steubenville and Indiana Railroad Company was chartered February 24, 1848, by the General Assembly of Ohio to construct a railroad from Steubenville, by way of Mount Vernon, to the Indiana state line, and March 12, 1849, the charter was amended to permit the construction of a branch line by way of 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 and Indiana company's tracks at any point in the valley of the Tuscarawas river. Permission and authority were also given, with the consent of the legislature of Virginia and the Congress of the United States, to construct a bridge across the Ohio river at Steubenville, provided the navigation of the stream was not obstructed.


Under these and other amendments to the act, the road was constructed from Steubenville to Newark, where connection was made with the Central Ohio and trackage rights secured to Coplumbus, but the obligations incurred were too heavy and September 2, 18S9, suit was brought in


72 - PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.


the Court of Common Pleas, of Harrison county, for foreclosure of the mortgage and sale of the road, and Thomas L. Jewett, president of the road, was appointed receiver. A plan for reorganization having been perfected, on January 6, 1864, the court directed a sale of the entire property between Newark and Steubenville, and February 27, 1864, J. Edgar Thompson, H. M. Alexander and George W. McCook purchased it, for certain mortgage creditors, for $I,9o8,889.00, but the court refused to confirm the sale and the receiver continued to operate the property.


March 24, 1849, the legislature of Pennsylvania chartered the Pittsburg and Steubenville Railroad Company to construct a railroad from Pittsburg to the line between the states of Pennsylvania and Virginia, and December 3o, 1857, the Western Transportation Company, of Pennsylvania, agreed to construct a single track railroad between Pittsburg and Steubenville, and equip and operate it for a period of twenty years. March 6, 1867, this road was sold under foreclosure of the mortgage and the Panhandle Railway Company was incorporated to operate it.

March 30, 186o, the legislature of Virginia incorporated the Halliday's Cove Railroad Company across the Virginia panhandle to connect the S. & I. and P. & S. roads, with valuable franchises between Pittsburg and Wheeling, and October 1, 1865, an agreement was made between the Steubenville and Indiana, Halliday's cove, and Pittsburg and Steubenville companies to operate the three lines from Pittsburg to Columbus under the name of the Pittsburg, Columbus and Cincinnati Railroad, a bridge across the Ohio at Steubenville having been erected by authority of an act of Congress, approved July 14, 1862.


March 17, 1868, the Panhandle, Halliday's Cove and Steubenville and Indiana companies made another agreement for consolidation, which was ratified by the stockholders of the several lines, and the proper legal formalities having been observed, the consolidation was effected as the Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St. Louis Railway Company.


Under an agreement made June 1o, 1890, the Pittsburg, Cincinnati and St. Louis ; Chicago, St. Louis and Pittsburg ; Cincinnati and Richmond ; and Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis companies were consolidated October 1, 189o, into the Pittsburg, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis Railway Company.


THE OHIO AND LITTLE KANAWHA RAILROAD COMPANY.


The Zanesville, McConnelsville and Pomeroy Railway Company was incorporated under the Ohio statutes, June 16, 1883. to construct a railway from Zanesville to Marietta ; May 11, 1885, the name was changed to The Chicago, Zanesville and Atlantic Railway Company, by decree of th Court of Common Pleas, of Muskingum county and January 23, 1886, the. name was aga changed, by the same authority to The Zanesville and Ohio River Railway Company.


The first rail was laid in September, 1886, an January 1, 1887, regular service was opened to Malta ; as the track laying proceeded the road was opened for traffic as follows : to Stockport, August, 1887 ; to Swift, September 5, 1887 ; to Waterford, December 24, 1887; and to Harmar, of West Marietta, July 2, 1888, and the line was accepted from the contractor September 15, 1888. From Fair Oaks junction to Zanesville the tract of the C. & M. V. were used and the latter company's terminals were used in the city.


August 16, 1889, the bondholders took po session of the property, and September 1, 1889, the executive officers of the company retired an the bondholders' officers took charge in the persons of C. M. Wicker, president, and J. Hope Sutor, general manager and treasurer.


The financial difficulties which had caused bondholders to take charge of the property were so great that J. Hope Sutor was appointed receiver July 20, 1892, and continued as such until March 1, 1900, when the property passed to the Ohio and Little Kanawha Railroad Company, West Virginia corporation, which had been organized by the bondholders to operate the road conformity with the plan of reorganization. January 1, 1002, the B. & 0. began the operation the road, in which it had acquired a stock interest, and the general offices in Zanesville we closed.


ZANESVILLE AND WESTERN RAILWAY.


The Columbus and Eastern Railroad was chartered February 20, 1882, and construction was gun about June 1, 1883. The road was completed from Columbus to Alum Creek, and from Thurston to Cannelville, January 1, 1887, trackage rights between Alum Creek and Thurston havimg been secured from the Toledo and Ohio Central Railway, and from Darlington to Zanesville similar privileges were obtained from the Cincinnati and Muskingum Valley Railway ; the latter company's terminals in Zanesville were occupied a trains first entered the city January 10, 1887.

September 30, 1889, the Columbus, Shaw and Hocking Railway Company was incorporated and organized October 24, 1889, and November 25, 1889, took charge of the Columbus & East Railroad and the Shawnee and Muskingum River Railway, the latter a road in Morgan county

running from Muskmgum river to Shawnee, was incorporated March 23, 1887, and opened June, 1889; and a connection, fourteen miles


PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY - 73


length was constructed to unite the properties, which was completed June 1, 1890.


December 23, 1893, the Columbus, Sandusky and Hocking  Railway Company was organized, as a consolidation of the Columbus, Shawnee and Hocking Railway and the Sandusky and Columbus Short Line Railway, and June 28, 1895, a receiver was appointed, and the property sold October 19, 1895, under foreclosure of the mortgage, October 22, 1895, the Columbus, Sandusky and Hocking Railroad was chartered as the successor of the railway of the same name, and was taken of the property, November 14, 1895.


January 15, 1897, a receiver was appointed and on the 26th was discharged, the appointment having been made upon a technicality, but the road soon became in default for interest and in a suit brought to set aside the sale of October 19, 1895, the Court Common Pleas, of Crawford county. 1899, appointed N. Monsarratt, receiver; upon appeal to the United States Circuit Court the Common Pleas Court was reversed, and S. M. Fulton was affirmed as receiver, who was later succeeded by Joseph Robinson.


October 16, 1902, the Zanesville and Western Railway was organized, and November 1, 1902, took over the due lines of the Columbus. Sandusky and Hocking living east and south of Thurston, the remainder being acquired by other interests.


OHIO RIVER AND WESTERN RAILWAY.


The Bellaire and Southwestern Railway Company was chartered March 26. 1875, to construct a railroad from Bellaire to Athens. and was completed as a narrow guage, from Bellaire to Woodsfield. November 27. 1879 ; October 26, 1881, the charter was amended extending the franchise to Cincinnati.


The commercial interests of Zanesville did rot view with complacency the prospect of a railroad which would divert to other points the legitimate trade of the city and county. and sought to secure a change of the route which would insure the Muskingum county. The county was owner of a large interest in the Central Ohio Railroad, whose stock was then valuable and it was suggested that as the county had nothing more to anticipate from it than the value of the investment, it should be sold and the proceeds devoted to securing another railroad. The question was submitted to the voters and the sale was endorsed, and April 1, 1881, the General Assembly passed an act to create the Muskingum County Railway. and May 16, 1881, it was organized, the Court of Common Pleas having appointed F. H. Southard, James R. D. Schultz, M. Churchill and A. P. Stults as trustees. The citizens were conscious that the Muskingum County Railway could not construct a line to Woodsfield, and May 24, 1881, the Zanesville and Southeastern Railway was incorporated to continue the construction beyond the terminus of the Muskingum County Railway, and October 24, 1881, the company was formally organized.


Meantime the Bellaire and South Western Railway was persuaded to abandon its purpose to build to Athens and to connect with the Zanesville and Southeastern and terminate at Zanesville, and January 31, 1882, an agreement was made between the two companies to consolidate, and February 28, 1882. the consolidation was effected, and the Bellaire, Zanesville and Cincinnati Railroad Company succeeded to the francnises of its predecessors.


The first rail was laid on the Muskingum County Railway in February, 1883, and July 1, 1883, it was completed a distance of nine miles ; it was never operated by the trustees and was leased to the Bellaire, Zanesville and Cincinnati Railroad Company upon the completion of that line from Woodsville to Zanesville in December. 1883. As the terminus was at Mill Run, trackage rights were secured from the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company, and by means of a third rail the Baltimore and Ohio terminals were reached, and have since been occupied, the first train reaching the city August 27, 1884, and ten miles of the narrow guage have been third railed for the passage of standard equipment.


July 1, 1886, I. H. Burgoon was appointed receiver, and December 1, 1880, the company was reorganized as the Bellaire, Zanesville & Cincinnati Railway Company and May 15. 1893, it purchased the Muskingum County Railway, July 1895. the anniversary of the former

receivership, James K. Geddes was appointed receiver and another reorganization was effected January 2. 1901, on which date the Ohio River and Western Railway Company took charge of the property.


Dominating interests in the property, having become embarrassed in other properties, as a precaution for the protection of the 0. R. & W.. application was made to the Court of Common Pleas. of Belmont county, for a receiver. and January 24, 19o5, James K. Geddes was again placed in possession as the representative of the court.


WHEELING AND LAKE ERIE RAILROAD.


The Youngstown and Connotton Valley Railroad Company was organized to build a railroad from Bowerton to Youngstown, and when the Ohio and Toledo 'Railroad was sold at judicial sale it was purchased by the Youngstown and Connotton Valley, and the route changed, and by decree of the court the name was changed to the Connotton Valley Railroad.


74 - PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.


The Connotton Northern Railway was incorporated to build from Canton to Fairport Harbor, but the northern terminus Was changed to Cleveland.


These two properties were consolidated into the Connotton Valley Railway Company, by agreement of the directors of each, on October 25, 1880; approval of the stockholders of each, November 8, 1880, and by the ratification of the directors of the consolidated company, December 1, 1880.


May, 1882, the Connotton Valley Railway Company purchased the C. V. & S. R. R., and June lo, 1883, the line was completed and operated between Cleveland and Coshocton.


A plan of reorganization was agreed on by the stockholders and bondholders, and the Cleveland and Canton Railroad was organized June 24, 1885, and to it the Connotton Valley property was transferred July 1, 1885. July 25. 1885, the Coshocton and Southern Railroad was incorporated and the first rail was laid in November, 1887, and rune 17. 1889, the line was opened to Zanesville.


May 17, 1890, the Cleveland, Canton and Southern Railroad was organized to operate all the properties, and September 15, 1893, John W. Wardwell and Frederic Swift were appointed receivers, but Swift soon after retired and Wardwell remained as sole receiver, and July 16, 1898, by order of the court, the line between Coshocton and Zanesville was closed for lack of money to make the needed repairs.


February 4, 1899, the entire property was sold under foreclosure, and August 14, 1899, the Wheeling and Lake Erie Railroad Company came into possession.


THE ZANESVILLE BELT LINE


was not an original corporation but the joint enterprise and the Zanesville, Mt. Vernon and Marion, and the Painesville, Wooster and Ohio Railway companies, two of the lines of the Black Diamond system of railways projected by Col. Albert E. Boone. February 12, 1887, the city council granted the franchise for the line to cross and occupy certain streets and alleys, beginning at the north side of Alain street in Second street, running diagonally across Beach and Fountain alleys to Third street and by way of Water street and others to the east side of the Greenwood cemetery and south of the city by way of Canal and Third streets to the place of beginning, with certain other routes for switches to industrial plants. February 13 ground was broken on the lands of the Townsend Brick Company, Gideon E. A I eigs, president of the two companies, throwing the first shovelful of earth, and work was pushed as rapidly as possible. Bonds of the Z., M. V. & M. to the aggregate of $250,000.00 were issued, and to hold the franchise cross ties and rails were laid at points without regard to guage, surface or alignment, in no sense serving as or constituti a railway track and becoming only an obstruct to the use of the street by the public, and the fort to connect the Belt Line with the C. & M. V. tracks was the cause of the shameless disturbance related under the caption of Belt Line Turbulence. The enterprise soon passed into a receivers and was eventually reorganized under a char issued May 16, 1890, to the Zanesville Belt Line Junction and Terminal Railway Company, which took over the Belt Line, Terminal Railway a the city terminals at Third and Market street. This company passed to the control of the C. & H. R. R. and when it went into bankruptcy to constituent properties were divided, the Belt Line passing to the Wheeling and Lake Erie for the Wabash Railway Company, the Terminal Railway becoming the property of the Cincinnati and Muskingum Valley Railroad Company for the Pennsylvania Company, and the city depots and yards being attached to the Zanesville and West Railroad. The Zanesville Terminal Railway w chartered to construct a line from the northe corner of Newton township through Springfield and Falls townships into Zanesville to connect C. S. & H. with the C. C. & S. at Lee street, a was constructed and used as a connecting railway upon which $500,000.00 in bonds were issued; never possessed equipment and did not have to exceed five miles of track of all kinds.


THE TELEGRAPH


was introduced into Zanesville by the O'Reilly Telegraph Company in the spring of 1847, A. Ross being the first operator ; the sending apparatus was similar in form and operation to those use at present but the latter are more graceful appearance and delicate in action ; the receiving device was a register, not dissimilar to "ticker" seen in stock brokers' offices in the present day, through which a narrow strip of white paper passed and upon which the dots and dash of the code were raised or embossed, and from which record the operator translated the messy The office call was distinguished by ear and operators soon discovered that the click of the register could be read in the same manner, and reading ''by sound" came into use. but it was many years before some managers would permit the ear to be used and required the register to be operated and used to verify the message taken sound. Mr. James D. Hoge became manager in 1855, and when the Western Union acquired the lines, in 1860, he remained in the same relation for many years. In 1862 the United States Telegraph Company opened an office which was discontinued in 1866, and in 1877 the Atlantic and Pacific Telegraph Company opened an office


PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY - 75


which used February 1, 1881, both by the absorption of the lines by the Western Union. In April, 1905, the office was moved to the new Masonic Temple.


The only permanent competition has been given the Western Union by the Postal Telegraph Company, whose office was opened October 27, 1891, in the rotunda of the Clarendon Hotel, with George B. Sidenor, manager, and is now located in Main Street, west of Fifth.


CENTRAL UNION TELEPHONE COMPANY.


The first telephone line was erected in 1879 by M. W. Mansfield and R. A. Cunningham, and was opened for business June 16, 1879, with forty subscribers, and a central office in Maginnis block, over the postoffice, at southwest corner of Fifth street and Fountain alley, where the United States Telephone Company is now located.


November 1, 1880, the Zanesville Telephone Company was incorporated, and having increased the facilities, became owner of the initial plant, January 1, 1881, with the following officers : M. Churchill, president; Thomas Griffith, vice president; M. W. Mansfield, secretary ; T. W. Gattrell, treasurer; R. A. Cunningham, superintendent. In June, 1881, Chicago parties purchased the stock of the Zanesville Company, with the view of controlling and connecting the telephone lines of the country, and this combination developed into the Central Union Telephone Company. Central offices were maintained in Main street near Potter alley, in the Star block, northeast corner of Main and Third streets, over the Citizens’ National Bank, and in the Opera block, southeast corner of Fifth street and Fountain alley, where it is now located, and has connection with 2,278 phones in the city and neighboring rural district; thirty-one toll stations are subsidiary to the central office.


The Central Union Telephone Company is one of twenty-four operating companies holding franchises from the Bell Telephone Company for local service; the American Telephone and Telegraph Company owing and operating the long distance lines in connection with the operating companies just referred to.



ELECTRIC LIGHT AND POWER.


The Zanesville Electric Light Company was incorporated August 23, 1886. by John Hoge, A. W. Train, George R. Fox, Noah Shrigley and James D. Hoge, with a capital of $25,000.00, and the company formally organized, September 14, 1886, at Train and Durban's office ; the directors organized February 21, 1887, with John Young, president; Francis Wedge, vice president ; Frank A. Durban, secretary and treasurer ; George L. Beetle and James D. Hoge. A plant was fitted up opposite the works of Griffith & Wedge, in Se:6th Fifth street, and in 1889 a brick plant was constructed in Sixth street, near Howard ; May 1, 1890, an agreement was made with the street railway company to supply electric power, when the change was made from animal to electric power.


September 6, 1900, the plant was transferred to a syndicate of Bostonians and in 1903 a modern power house was erected on the north side of Main street, at the east end of the Y bridge, and water power utilized in the production of electricity, but a steam auxiliary was also provided for periods of extreme high or low water. The new station assisted in operating the city cars during the Christmas season of 1903 and in the spring of 1904 the propulsion of cars was conducted exclusively from the new plant and the Sixth street plant limited,to illuminating. August 1, 1902, the Zanesville Railway, Light and Power Company took possession of the plant.


THE ZANESVILLE TELEPHONE AND TELEGRAPH COMPANY.


Application for a franchise, in Zanesville, for the Western Telephone Construction Company was made by J. B. Rhodes and A. T. Brennan, in July. 1898, but was not secured. March 9, 1899. the Zanesville Telephone Company was incorporated with a capital stock of $10,000 and an organization effected March 11, 1899. by electing S. M. Winn, president ; J. G. England. vice president ; A. T. Brennan, treasurer ; J. B. Rhodes, secretary and general manager.


A telephone line was built from the Mill Run depot to Adamsville and Otsego in September, 1899, and several applications were made to the city council for a franchise to enter the city, all of which were refused ; finally, one was granted with such onerous and unsatisfactory conditions that it was refused by the telephone company. The line was then extended, over a private right- of-way, to the England Brothers' office, in the Opera block, after a series of injunctions designed to embarrass or prevent the enterprise. After a year or more spent in unsuccessful efforts to obtain a right-of-way from the city council, application was made to the Probate Court. which ruled in favor of the petitioner, when opposing interests assumed the city's contention and on a rehearing the Probate Court reversed its original decision ; appeal was then taken to the Court of Common Pleas, which affirmed the several decisions of the Probate Court, and the case was carried to the Circuit Court ; the petitioners' contention was sustained and the opposition appealed to the Supreme Court of Ohio, which reversed the decision of the Circuit Court, but upon a re-


76 - PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSKINGUM COUNTY.


hearing the Supreme Court reversed itself and left the way open to the petitioners.


After this protracted struggle the company was re-organized and the capital increased to $200,000; construction of the Zanesville, Roseville and Dresden exchanges was begun early in the spring of 1901, the first subscribers being connected November 27, 1901, since when the growth of the business has been phenomenal; connection is at present made with more than eight hundred farmers in their homes, in Muskingum county, and in the Zanesville and other exchanges in the county there are more than twenty-eight hundred subscribers. Connection is also made with the lines of the United States' Long Distance Company, which furnishes service with all the Independent exchanges of the state of Ohio and adjoining states.


STREET RAILWAYS.


About 1874 W. W. Miner established an omnibus line in Zanesville, the barn being in Fourth street, between Center street and the river and still standing under the viaduct. The unpaved condition of the streets made a bus ride extremely uncomfortable and to be remembered, and although the enterprise was not a financial success it demonstrated the practicability of establishing a smoother system of local public transportation.


The pioneer street railway was opened in 1875 and extended from the north end of Seventh street, where the barn was locatea, by way of Seventh, Main and Third streets, Third street bridge, Muskingum and Woodlawn avenues, Jefferson street and Putnam avenue to Woodlawn cemetery. The company was incorporated August 7, 1875, as The Zanesville Street Railway, with a capital of $25,000.00 and the following officers : Josiah Burgess, president ; T. B. Townsend, treasurer ; Edward T. Burgess, George W., Frank M., and William C. Townsend, directors, and during the ensuing year extensions were made to the plant of the Ohio Iron Company, and by way of the Maysville pike and Eppley lane to the County Fair Grounds.


October 19, 1875, Josiah Burgess, T. B.. W. C., and G. W. Townsend, W. T. Maher, W. T. Gray, and Thomas Lindsay were incorporated as the McIntire Street Railway Company, with a capital of $15,000.00, and a line was constructed from the barn, in Maple avenue, between Sheridan and O'Neill streets, by way of Maple, McIntire and Linden avenues, the Y bridge, Main, Eighth and Marietta streets and the Marietta road to the city limits, and was opened for business in 1878, in which year the barns were erected on the site of the present barns in Putnam, and the Seventh street barn was abandoned; about the same time an extension was built in Third and Market streets to the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad passenger depot, but abandoned after an unsatisfactory experience.


The McIntire line was absorbed by the Zanesville and in 1884 the flood destroyed the track in Linden avenue and the route to the Terrace was changed to leave Seventh street and pass in Howard to the Fifth street bridge and by way of La Salle Place and Linden avenue to a connection with the original line, and the Maple avenue barn was abandoned. This route was made more direct upon the completion of the viaduct, the track being laid in Center from Seventh street and at the west end of the viaduct a new street called Commissioner, was opened to Maple avenue as an approach to the bridge and at the expense of the county. In 1886 F. M. Townsend came into control of both lines and June 15, 1887, incorporated the Main Street and West Side Rail way, with a capital of $25,000.00, and built the line from Gant Park to Greenwood cemetery, an in 1890 sold all his franchises, plant and equipment.


The cars used by these pioneer companies were small cabins, mounted on a small four-wheel truck and the cars teetered merrily as they rolled on the uneven surface of the track, which the

-d condition of the streets made it imposition to maintain in serviceable surface and alignment;

conductors were not provided, and fare as deposited in a box which was often difficult to reach if the car was in motion ; a practice grew up of passing the fare along to the person sitting near the box and a thrifty Terrace man was accustomed to select this seat and as nickels were passed to him he would deposit the celluloid check, which was sold six for a quarter, and retain the nickel, a system of financing which had no imitators. Small mules were the motive power and Civil war veterans were often regarded with reproductions of army experience as the drivers endeavored to urge the mules to activity when a decision had been reached by them that a rest period had arrived. The retrospect is much more interesting than was the actual experience for it was a not unusual occurrence for passengers to echo the maledictions of the driver.


With the sale of the roads the mules disappeared and electricity was substituted by Zanesville Street Railroad Company, which improved the equipment and extended the line from La Salle Place, along Linden avenue, to the works of the American Encaustic Tiling Company, in 1892 ; the extension to :Brighton was constructed in the summer of 1891 by the Brighton syndicate, who paid all the cost and took tickets for the amount ; this line extended from West Main street by way of Ridge avenue and Belknap street to the County Fair Grounds, and neither party to the agreement has had reason to complain of the conditions. Many adverse conditions were en-


PAST AND PRESENT OF MUSIINGUM COUNTY - 77


countered and the company passed into the hands of a reciever.


December 30, 1898, J. R. Garfield, H. A. Garfield, F. C. Howe, F. W. Poole and M. J. Rudolph incorporated the Zanesville Electric Railway Company, with $300,000.00 capital, which was organized at the Clarendon Hotel, January 3, 1899, with Thomas T. Robinson, president ; John M. Graham, vice president ; C. W. Foote, secretary and general manager ; W. B. Cosgrave, treasurer and Wm. Christy, director, which company succeeded to the property held by the receiver, and August 1, 1902, the Zanesville Railway, Light and Power Company succeeded to the railway property and at the same time took over the electric light and power plant. This comments to the radical and extensive improvements to the equipment and service ; reduced the guage to standard ; extended the Terrace line one mile to the north and on the south to the works of the Eastern Tube Company ; during the summer of 1903 a new line was constructed from long Blue avenue, Lee street. Linden avenue, Y bridge, Main, Underwood and Monroe streets to the south end of the Monroe street bridge. April 1, 1904, to the southeastern corner of Main and Sixth streets, where handsomely furnished waiting room and offices for the compnay were fitted up. In May 1905, the construction of a line out Eighth and Marietta streets and the Mrietta road was began, with a loop from Eighth street by way of South and Sixth, to Main for the accommodation of interurban lines.


May 5, 1904, the Columbus, Newark & Zanesville Railway began operating an electric interurban line between Zanesville and Columbus, entering the city on the tracks of the Z., R., L. & P. Company to the waiting room. The city now possesses five local lines of electric railway, with transfer fights: the Putnam and Terrace, Brighton and Greenwood, Blue avenue and Monroe

street, Linden avenue, and Gant Park, and the interurban.