The Lancaster gazette. [volume] (Lancaster, Ohio) 1863-1886, 1868-01-30
The Cincinnati, Wilmington &
GAINESVILLE Railroad.

w babtFFliiO' nav WIS UctUl Gu
an auspicious moment for the re.
gion through which the road runs.
High hopes were entertained that
we too should have a great thrc ugh
trunk line over which the com
mercc Of the East and West should
pass for all time. These hopes
have not been realized. Why2
The difficulty lies at the begin.
ming. The blundcr was committed
of commencing at Morrowtown in.
stead Of ut Cincinnati. Here in q
nut shell is the failure of tho Gin.
cinnati, Wilmington & GAINESVILLE
Railroad. Why so fatal a policy
was inugurated VIC will not now
stop to discuss. We are only deal
ing with facts as they are. The
province Of this article is simply to
allude5o some of tho salien, points
in the history Of the Road from its
beginning to the present time.
The first manage nent under lis
original corporate officers, from
August, 1853, until March 1857.
when it passed into the hands OF Il
Receiver, was signal failure, view.
ing it from u financial standpoint
During the period OF 37-l2 years
the books of the company show the
gross transportation and inciden
tai receipts to have been S472,890
OF. For the same period, the oper.
ating, transportation and inciden.
tai expenses, were S492,50S8l,
showing an actual loss OF sl9,61s
n, or, in other words, the Road
under the first corporate manage
ment did not yield sufficient reve.
nue. 10 pay its ordinary running sx
penses by about $50, 900. TO this
deficit should be added the estimat.
ed depreciation of the entire pro.
perty whom it passed into the hands
uf the Receiver, March 4,h, 1857
This estimate, as made at that
time, was S22G,09S 18, making the
total deficiency and depreciation
when its ntrol passed from the
hands of the original corporate
officers TO be S245,7l6 95.
Whether this bad showing result
cd from mismanagement or from for
tultous circumstance which the old
organization could not control, We
do not pretend to say. We only
deal with the facts in tho case.
In July, 1856, Mr.. Z. Gest fra,
became connected with the Road
as President and Superintendent
The records of the Company show
tue Line to havo been at that time
in a very critical conditions: The
road bed in bad repair the rolling
stock, such as engines, cars, &c
rapidly depreciating IN efficiency
the credit ofthe Road almost Who'll
ly destroyed; employees engaged in
strikes tor back pay; supply men
refusing TO furnish supplies; train.
being levied on and stopped ior
wages Of shop hands and Others
an actual deficiency in the treasury
tor operating expenses OF $4,000
In fact, The condition of the RoaC
could not have bccn much worse
without total suspension OF trains
and business along lis entire line,
Dir. Gest, ut once, with that prac
tlcal eye, which is so marked II char
acterisllc OF his in Railroad affairs
saw that the resources OF the koaC
would not bridge the chasm. Hi.
private funds and credit were ad.
vanccd TO meet the then emergency
aad he continued TO draw upon hll
own resources until he had at one
time advanced the Company, of hi
own moneys and personal liabilities
about S5U,U0O to lift it out OF it
em mbarrasSmcnt, so that its train
might be kept moving, its credi
re'establishod with employees ant
supply men, and thus enable tn,
citizens along its line 10 move lhei
produce and merchandise to mar
ket, and facilitate tho travel anC
commerce Of the people for whose
benedt 1T was constructed. Fol
this aud and assistance at this very
critical period of the Roads history
Mr.. Gesl, in our judgment, ha'
nevcr received that credit whicl
is justly his due.
The general confusion into whicl
the affairs Of the Road had dritleC
prior TO July, 90; the entire lack 0
confidence in the ability OF any on,
to retrieve its condition; the fact o
It's non completion into the city; th,
seizure by its creditors of it's fue
and other indispensable supplie
tor daily use; and the insurmouEt
able difficulty OF handling a pro
perty valued at seven million dol
lars SO aslo resort its lost credit
resulted in an amicable suit By
which it was transferred into tn
hands Ola Receiver, March 4lh
1857 Mr.. Gcst was appointed t,
: that fiduciary office.
This measure was, no doubt,
source OF modification to the stock
holders and people along the line
1t was an indication that the pro
perity had commenced to pass fror
their hands. But it was the leas
OF tho evils that threatened tn
Road, ard therefore was acquies
ccd in.
, Right here wo will stop to So,
that the paramount interest 10 III
people living on the line Of tn
Road, and dependent on it was, is
and always will be, that the Roa,
i. be kept in the highest conditio,
that its revenue will permit, SO, tha
D its trains may be operated witt
. safety and reasonable dispatch. =
, | u, ..t-I L.. Ia. -. 4, L. =.