Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1864-02-03

perVlSIOn OF hls partner, Wnue ne was
pleading for funds in Europe. In this
he was sustained by liberal advances from
the Messrs. Kents. DIR. StreatoF was a
leading spirit in the construction of the
Oil Creek Road-one Of best feeders OF
of the main Ene-aud is now its superin-
tendant. as well rs a Director Of the At
lantic and Great Western.
Mr.. DOolittle dying, mis- partner pro-
posed a surrender Of the contract, which
was accepted, and the work relet 10 Mr..
James McHenry, Of Liverpool, by whom
it was to have been resumed early in
1851. But fresh difficulties were encoun-
tered, which neeessitated a fresh trip to
Europe, wherein Mr.. Kennard was ac-
companied by Mr.. II. A. Kent and Mr.
VIM. Reynolds Of the Pennsylvania di-
vision. The necessary yarrangementswere
perfected, when the cloud Of war raised
by the seizure of the mail steamer Trent
by Com. Wilkes again brought matters to
a stand; so that the work was not actual
" resumed until the spring of 1862. One
year thereafter-a year of tremendous
civil var, enormous armies and scarce la
bor-lfr. Kennard had the cars running
through from Salamanca, New York, to
Akron, Ohio-20O miles; whereof he had
constructed lao, mainly through heavy
timber-a display of energy and efficien-
cy which has rarely or never been sur
passed. The Titusville and Franklin
brances were both eonstructed-the for
mer by Messrs. Streator and H. 4. Kent;
the latter by Messrs. Reynolds and Ken
nerd-meantime; so that, in all, over 200
miles of railway were constructed by
these parties, in a region where labor, or
iginally scarce, had been absorbed by the
Oil business, and which was far from the
seaboard and the great cities, whence
railway labor must mainly be drawn.
In July, 1868, the Mahoning Road was
leased for ninety-nine years by the Allan
tic and Great Western, and an additional
rail laid thereon, so as to give the latter
broad track into Clevelond. The Ma
honing was constructed to tap the Coal
and Iron region of northeastern Ohio
near Youngstown, and convey its staples
to Cleveland (67 miles;) but is crossed by
the grand trunk at Leavittsburg, near
Warren, Ohio, so miles from Cleveland.
An express train over this road for New
York without change of cars leaves Cleye-
land each morning al $50 q. NJ. Freight
trains likewise run through without
change.
From Akron to Gallon, on the Cleye-
land and Cincinnati, IS Is miles. on which
the track IS all laid, over which, We learn,
one train per day is now running. The
Road is to be completed thence to Day
ton by the lst of May next; and the two
additional rails required to complete a
six-feet track thence to Cincinnati are
now being laid down On the Cincinnati,
Hamilton and Bay ton Road That will
of course be completed before May when
through trains Will run regularly from
New York TO Cincinnati and st. Louis
I, 1872 miles without q break of continuity
or of guage-
The name of this road was changed to
the Atlantic and Great Western in 1854,
by proceeding in court That name
was proposed in Mr.. Kent's first annual
report. A charter was granted under it
by the Legislature of Pennsylvania in
1857.
The credit of keeping this enterprise
alive when II, in ordinary hands, must
have died, is mainly due to its President,
Mr.. Marvin Kent, and to his never-daunt-
ed coadjutor the Secretary, Mr.. j. W.
Tyler. Mr.. Kent was obliged to risk his
all on its success. Mr.. Z. P Brainerd, of
Ravenna, the Treasurer of the original
and still of the Ohio Divis-
ion, has likewise had q most arduous
task, and has performed il throughout
with eminent ability, courage and fidel-
ity. In later days, Mr.. William Reynolds,
President Of the Pennsylvania division,
was required 10 eyince equal courage and
I y Il
1t is to be hoped that the reward of each
will be in proportion to his sagacity, en-
ergy, courage and public spirit.
Extensive machineshops for the Ohio
division are located at Franklin, and are
constructed of stone. They
with the necessary foundries, car manu-
factory. &c, will cover thirteen acres.
At Meadville is the great Hotel and
Dining-Hall of the ROad-the Dining
Hall among the best in America. Here
also are machine-shops, &C.. for the
eastern division of the road. Meadville,
formerly one of the most seclude and out
of-the way county seats in the West, is
as accessible and eligibly To-
Gated as any town in Pennsylvania west
Of Pittsburg. 1t was always a beautiful
spot, situated in fertile and delightful
region HencefOrth, its trade must be
large, and its growth rapid and sure.
By the completion, row assured, of this
Cincinnati, Louisville, st.
Louis, &C., will be brought into more di-
rect and easy communication with our
City, while Columbus, Dayton, Indian
apolis. and nearly the whole of Ohio and
Indiana, nave secured q new and in many
respects superior outlet to the seaboard. |
The true value of the Erie Railroad TO its
and to our City is nearly !
doubled by it, as the rapid and vast sp- |
probation of its stock for the past year
indicates. Ultimately, the |
rapidly growing trade of the central
Gold Mining region, but especially that |
of Arizona and the head springs of the
the Rio Grande and the Gils, |
will reach US in good part over the Allan
tic and Great Western Railroad. This
City could well afford to pay the entire
cost of this work rather than do without
it; yet we think less than One Million
Dollars in all have been paid by New
Workers toward its construction. The
more urgent, then, is the duty of honor
ing those by whose forecast, faith, energy
and public spirit, so magnificent a result
has bean OOiselesSlV and fru uOallV achieved