Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-09
FrnnkIiu MINIS machine sbops.


On Friday afternoon last we took the
Atlantic train for Franklin Mills, Portage
county, the point where the principal
machine shops for the A. s G. W. Railroad
are to be erected. Shortly after our srri-
val at Franklin, we visited the site for the
shops, with q couple Of gentlemen con-
nected with the Atlantic Company. We
found large numbsr Of lsborers and me-
ohanics at work some getting stone out
Of the splendid sand stone quarries for
which Franklin is noted, and which are
indeed immense; large force with teams
were engaged in grading, while csrpen-
ters and stone masons we're very busliy
preparing the materials for construction.
The buildings are all to be built Of heWn
blocks OF stone. Several Of them are par
TALLY up, and present massive and i'm
posing appearance, grand enough for
State House. The entire buildings Of the
company, ct this point, when completed,
will cover an area Of eighteen acres, st
an estimated cost OF half q million Of dol
lars.
We do not know Of any village in North
ern Ohio that has fsirer prospects OF rap
id growth and prosperity than Franklin.
It is located in fine agricultural region,
with warm, sandy soil, and the Cuyaho-
"a river offords very superior water privl-
! leRes for manufacturing purposes. A
| number Of sstprings Of excellent water
rise in the surrounding hills, by which
the town con be easily and chesply sup
piled with running fountains Of crystal
purity. A large and handsome FIVE
story brick building, rooted with slate,
and otherwise handsomely furnished, has
been erected for cotton factory, and it is
expected that operations will soon be com.
mepced in that line. Mr.. Marvin Kent,
to whose untiripg enterprise and liberslity
Franklin is indebted mainly for its fine
prospects, has sold his glass works to q
gentleman of Cleveland, who will reft
them this season, and employ q large
number of workmen in carrying them on.
The Touring mills Of Franklin have long
since earned high reputation for the su-
perior excellence Of their "staf Of life"
The town has among its factories one Of
those late modern inventions known as q
"shoddy" factory, where old clothes are
converted into new cloth and thence into
cheap clothing.
At Franklin are also several places of
historical and traditional interest. Here
stands the building erected in 1888, by
| u Old John Brown" for boarding house,
/ but which like some other Of Ossswat-
| tamie's" plans, miscsrried for the time be-
ing, but the house has just been reftted
and used for the identical purpose for
which Brown designedit. Mr.. Hathaway,
of Bszetta, has this spring opened it as an
extensive boarding house. So that "old
Johns" plan, like his unterrihable soul,
is marching on"
One Of the timbers was recently taken
from the building and converted into
t0ssawsttomie Walking Sticks"
Those interested in Indian and pioneer
adventures can here see the place where
was made the famous BradY's lesp"
across the Cuyahogs, which 80 astOnished
the Indisn pursuers Of the old hunter
The distance of the leap was 2S feet. Not
far from Franklin is Brsdy's Lake, where
he hid from the Indians. a short distance
| up the river is " Council Rock" where the
Sachems Of the Red Man were wont to as
senble and discuss grave matters OF State.
We found Franklin quite a pleasant
place to spend few hours. Its surround
ing scenery is very picturesque, and in
the season when nature is robed in her
glory, painter might no doubt find scenes
we'll worthy his pencil. Soon it will have
passed the degree Of little
quiet country village. The machine and
work shops ofthe company, in which it is
intended all or a great part Of the rolling
stock Of the road will be built, including
locomotives, passenger and freight cars,
and everything else necessarily belonging
to the working machinery Of the road, will
require an immense number Of workman,
" lIfvt will add 5vvvEol 1kAr.sarlda tn the
population Of the place. The cotton fac
tory will add its hundreds Of operatives.
The glass works win require large num-
Der Of workmen. Indeed we do not much
doubt that in a few years Franklin. Tor
" Kent City, will have a population Of
from FIVE to ten thousand.- Warren 0hroh-
:eLs