The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1870-03-02
Miscellaneous.
THE GREAT WEST AND THE TIDE
WATER
The baltimore, Pittsburgh a Chicago
RniIwny-The National IIighWRy.

WATER
The baltimore, Pittsburgh a Chicago
RaiIWny-The National IIighwRy.
To tho Editor Of the Pittsburgh Commercial:
The necessity of another competing line
of railroad from the great grain and stock
producing West to the commercial sea
board, has long been felt by three promi-
nent classes, to wit Producers, shippers
and consumers; and it must be q source Of
pleasure to those most interested to know
that at last the legal disabilities under
which the Connellsville road struggled for
many years have been removed, and she Is
completing iIer Eastern connections and
inviting share Of the trade Of the West
over her line to Baltimore, where local
market will be found for produce perhaps
equal to any city on the sea board, and
facilities for expectation second to none IN
the country except New York. In view
of these facts it would not be surprising If
a lively competition should spring up for
the location Of the line of railroad that is
to connect the great lakes of the North
west with the Connellsvillc Road at Pitts
burgh. By the Belmont Chronicle Of the
10th inst. / notice that the enterprising
people of that county have put a project
IN motion which they say means business
looking to the accomplishment Of the same
end BY way OF the Baltimore and Ohio
Road. They propose to build road from
some point on the river, Bellalre, possibly,
''uiG st. Clairsville, Flushing and Freeport
to Urichsville, and thence as rapidly as
possible to Mansfield, to connect there
with the road to Toledo The subject is
urged in that journal with a good deal of
vigor, and some show Of plausibility.
On the other hand, observe in the
COMMERCIAL of the 22d, an article from
the Akron Beacon of the 18th inst, in
which attention is called TO the organiza-
ton Of the Baltimore, Pittsburgh and
Chicago Railway Company. In giving
the names OF the directors, that paper has
omitted the name of William Mathers, Of
New Lisbon, who VIII no doubt feel less
offended at that omission than he would at
being deprived Of n voice in the Board
when the location Of the road is under
consideration. The article alluded to
shows conciusively that the Baltimore and
Ohio and the Connellsville roads are de-
termined upon a Western connection, and
see very plainly that something near the
line OF the Fort Wayne road to Salem,
and thence TO Akron would be likely to
secure more advantages to the company
than any other route, and as an antldote
to the growing aspirations Of the Canton
people, coolly recommends to that city the
building Of switch 10 a line now being
surveyed by Hosea Paul and his assistants
between Salem and Akron. The discov-
cry and survey of tins route is due to the
Gberality and enterprise of the citizens Of
those places, and shows that they appreci-
ate the advantages of the road and are
willing to invest literally IN the contest,
in the hope Of winning the rich prize"
A line Of railway to be successful as a
competing line for through freight and
passengers, as Is the ultimate design Of this
enterprise, and with the most hattering
prospects of success, should be located up
on the shortest possible hRe that Will ad-
NIT Of easy grades, and, consequently, the
least variation from direct line between
the principal points sought to be reached.
Assuming as this road VIII, almost the
proportions OF national highway con-
Meeting more directly than any other line
the great Northwest with the capital of
the nation, 1t should be turned aside by
no mere local interests or personal aspira-
tions. A reference to the map will show
that the Belmont county line is too far
south and the Salem and Akron line too
far north to accomplish these objects. A
the Little Beaver to New Liberty thence
in northwesterly direction by very easy
grades and an almost direct line to the
Mahoning; thence by the valley of that
stream to the western limits of Columbiana
county, and leave that stream by easy
grades IN the direction of Alliance Canton
or Wooster, as would best answer the de-
sign in the construction of the road, it is
believed would suggest itself as the most
practicable route between the two ex-
tremes, and would probably combine more
local advantages than any one named.
There Is deeP-reSInO connecting the
head waters of the West fork with those
Of the Mahoning, thus affording natural
passage through these fertile valleys for q
distance of ten or twelve miles. 1t was
through this passage that the late Profess
or Mitchell made survey many years
ago, when the idea was first conceived OF
connecting the Ohio River with Lake Erie
by rail, and had this line ultimately been
adopted instead of the Cleveland and
Pittsburgh road, it would have saved 8
large expenditure of money and severa
miles in distance The route above indi-
Gated, with some variations, is the one lust
surveyed by j. L. Pillsbury and his assist
ants, under the supervision and employ Of
the Baltimore, Pittsburgh and chicago
Railway Company 1t is understood that
he is under instructions from the Board TO
review this route, make some corrections,
and extend il by the valley of the Maho-
ming instead Of the high land south Of it,
which 1t Is believed viii insure Gerry IA
vorable report as to distance, grades, and
cost of construction.
| had intended alluding to the vast
mineral resources of the valley Of the
Little Beaver in the vicinity of New Lis
bon and between that place and the river,
but this article is already too long. Suf-
fce it to Say that iron ore, coal, salt and
building stone all of superior quality,
are found here in great abundance. Let
the competing routes have full hearing
and thorough investigation, and let the
decision be on merit Gtonc
OBSERVER.