Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-01-27
ss7s''s,z rFor the Ohio Statesman -
Columbus-Past. Present and Fu.

1t has been said that the March of EN-
pire was Westward" and so it is, for we of
this State can look back and see what an
undertaking it. was to come to Ohio from
the Eastern States. When fathers parted
with their sons. it was as IL it were to
be forever, and mothers grieved over
daughters as If the green sod already COW
cred their loved forms. But now, thanks to
God and his mercies, we haya'a beautiful,
Iflourishing State. not to be eqhalled in the
Union. Any man may be proud of
his birthright in Ohio. But still on
ward and westward we can go almost to
the Pacific shore, with about the same
trouble, was to come from Maine to Ohio 30
years ago. When look at Columbus now
and allow my mind to see back to the first
time visited here, 1 can hardly realize it to
be the same. Then there were but two
feundries, small, tits true, owned by Messrs.
Ridgeway and j. L. Gill; Their chief busi-
ness was making Woods cast, ploW and
sugar kettles. Now to look at the large
foundrles and manufactures, steaming and
blowing, the elegant buildings where small
frame houses were considered good enough,
the tall and stately spires of our churches,
tending heavenward, all show the sure
tread of enterprise and progress. .siiaH Q
4 Wood was used entirely in the foundries'
and factories; coal then had not been intro
dueed here as an article of traffic. {
The first coal shipped here was by John
l.. Gill, Esq, and that was brought in wage
Fons from jacksonville, some 60 miles from
here. AsoI was just about commenting
the coal business. 1 came to Columbus,
to see what market could be found for
it, The prospects we're not very Hat
tering to sell coal in opposition to wood as
fuel, when wood was, only .s75 cents
per cord, But believing that athe time
would come when coal merits would
rise superior to wood as fuel, / opened q
coal bank at NelsOnville and commenced
shipping coal, in boats of my own build
IL years at 6 to 8 cents per bushel. About
that time Peter Hayden, ESQ., (who had
bought his coal from me at 8 cents per bush
el in trade. except cent tn money, which was
used as toll money! believed he could make
his coal bill less by taking an interest in
my coal mine. He failed, for his coal cost
him more than he bonght it for. q ,
We then dissolved partnership still
continued my old business. Coal did not
advance in price until the war. Some three
years sinceI sold my coal mines to the Co
lumbus and Hooking Valley Company,
which has prOspered, but has not had the
desired effect of bringing the price of coal
down. The more there had been in the
business the higher the coal has been,
though that has been in q measure attribu-
table to the freightage of coal. But now
when the iron horse will soon 20 snort ]
ing through the valley you may hops
to be supplied with your coal at a.
much reduced rate. Yet it still depends on
you, good people of Columbus. in meas +,
ure. 1t it for you to decide sohere the road
is to 60. 1t is for the interest of euery one
that consumes coal to be up and on the look
out to see soho are to be the arbiters of their
interest and their money, and let each and
every one throw his weight in the right
balance. and put the railroad in the right
place.
Columbus is beautiful place, and con-
tains many enterprising, energetic men,
take to guide this road right
The time Is now here that will decide
this question, and shall it be monopoly,
or peoples road? Decide.
, III Fl = rE f j. F. SoMERs.