Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-10-18

sLandI recently changed the name Of the
POstoface at Franklin Mills to that of Kent
City. Under the auspices of the new
TsgizDs this stsid old town will soon be
transformed into one of the most lively
and prosperous villages in the State. After
Rip Van Winkle sleep of not quite
twenty years, it has awoke to a life and
activity which will speedily make it the
most important place on the line of the
broad-guage road between Dayton and
MeadvilIe. It's intermediate location be-
tween the latter town and Gallon, points
it out as the natural end of d division Of
the Atlantic and Great Western road. Its
ineXhaustible quarries of sandstone, Of a
most durable quality, furnish cheap
and most valuable building material Its
healthfulness and the fertility and beauty
of the surrounding country, will always
make it a desirable location for the en-
plOyees of the railroad company as well
as for those who may be attracted to the
place by its business advantages. Its ex-
tensive water power, and its accessibility
to all the great markets, both east ana
west, invites the particular attention of the
manufacturer. The thousand little articles
produced all through the New England
States, and which enter SO largely into the
consumption of every family, could here
be made as oheaply, and operatives would
find cheaper and more pleasant homes.
The United States Gazetteer, tor 1910,
says; Franklin Mills, Franklin township,
Portage Co, Ohio, is ls4 miles N. E. Of
Columbus and 825 miles from Washing
ton. Situated on the Ouyahoga River,
which has fine falls, creating great wa.
ter power. It contains a glass factory,
several mills, and pleasant village, con-
tanning some ane houses and stores. The
Pennsylvania and Ohio Canal passes
through the village" The same descrip-
ton would have well answered for 1852
except that the glass factory had disap-
peared, and the number Of stores had de-
creased. 1t was quiet pleasant village
Of about 1900 inhabitants, surrounded by
a rich, highly cultivated and beautiful
country as there Is in the State, settled al
most entirely by New England people.
The recent completion of the A. & G.
W. Railroad, has brought the new city of
Kent into prominent notice. I'VE will
her } say, per 7srenthesis, tnat the new
nan . is in honor of Marvin Kent, ESQ,
an old resident who was the protector of
the railroad, and who is, perhaps, the
largest landed proprietor, and Is Vice Pres
ident Of the Ohio division of the road and
one Of Its Directors.) The able engineer
in chief impressed with the superiority of
the location, decided to erect here the
manufacturing and repair shops for the
Ohio division Of the road, and work upon
the buildings was commenced several
weeks age. Forty acres were selected for
the grounds, about a quarter of mile
south of the centre of the village, and the
transformation that has already been made
looks as IF it were the work of the Titans.
We took a look over the ground a few
days ago, and found it hive of industry,
Multitudes Of stonecutters were fashion
ing the ponderous blocks of stone, while
others were engaged in adjusting them in
their places, and others again with trains
hauling the material from the neighbor-
ing quarries. We ssw in one quarry near
by, a single break of stone, six feet wide,
three feet deep, and not less than one htsat-
drsa and fifty IN length. This would Of
course be broken into blocks of suitable
size for removing. An immense stock of
choice lumber of black walnut, oak and
ash has been accumulated and the ma
chinery Is already awaiting the completion
of the buildings. The engine and boiler
for the car shop are in place, and laths
and other machinery for this departu ent
are being set up. We had decided to at
tempt description of the building, but the
machinery sentinel has anticipated one so
correct that We gladly avail ourselves of it,
and make our Acknowledgements
We will first glance at the round house.
This is stone bull iing forming a half cir
Gle, the outer wall, OF half circle, measur-
ing Eve hundred and sixty-four feet. 1t
contains twenty-five stalls for locomotives.
There are forty-four windows in the outer
circle, two for each stall, and eight win
dows in each end, with bulls eye over
them. Under each stall Is a pit three feet
deep, with drain leading to main drain
which runs into the river. The stones for
the track on each side of the pitts are sunk
below frost. In the inner circle of the
round house are twenty-five arches. raised
on large stone between each, which is cut
on ali sides. In the centre Of the semi-cir-
conference is the turn-table. The Dit is
fifty feet in diameter, the wall all Of cut
stone. In the centre of the pit is a stone
six feet square and twenty inches thick
Tracks lead from the turn-table into each
stall, to the main track, and into the car
shops and other buildings. The walls of
this building are not yet up, but the work
upon it is going on rapidly, and if hands
enough can be had 1t will be enclosed be-
fore winter.
ave will next visit the blacksmith shop.
The walls are up, but the roof is not on.
This building Is three hundred and three
feet six inches long, and ffty-six feet and
four inches wide. The smith shop proper
occupies two hundred and forty feet of the
length the rest is for foundries Of iron
and brass. In the smith shop are twenty
one forges to be run by steam-power. Pro
jecting from the building are foremans
Office and boiler-room, the stack or Chin
ney being outside The stack is built of
brick, with vacuum in the wall from the