Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1871-11-03
From the Toledo Daily Commercial
T0LEDO-HER PAST, PRESENT AND FU-
TURE ADVANTAGES.

=. of location in relation to water commu- I
nication, in earlier years and before the /
fuller development of the Railway sys- {
TEN, from the first gave Toledo proihi- ,
nence as a commercial point; and she
has been indebted to these chiefly for
% her present prosperity and commanding
- position. The same powerful influences
continue to operate, and never will
- cease largely to contribute to our City's
Advancement in trade and population.
s9ll, No intelligent, candid person can survey
her location at the Western extremity
OF Lake Erie; look at the vast territory
naturally tributary to her. with its vir
gin soil scarcely stirred by cultivation;
=. and note the great artificial water
y courses of trade which must pour their
entire traffic into her, as their only out
let; and not be impressed with sense
~ iof what nature and enterprise have
done in that direction for Toledo's pre- |
sent and prospective growth.
But, in the course of human ingenu- |
zee, ity and enterprise the monopoly OF wa
'.f ter as channel of commerce came to
be disputed, and Toledos special advan-
-, tages thus threatened. The rail en-
l','' tered the lists for division if not suprem-
. acy in commerce, and the struggle has
~ now been going on for fifteen years,
with the chances of future predomi-
nance by no means with the water route.
The rapid development OF Railway ia
cilites for trade, thus suggested prob
lem of no slight concern to Toledo, as to
all other cities dependent for their sue
cess upon water lines of commerce; and
t- time was not long in indicating that
these alone would not suffice to main
$50 tain her trade, and much less to ensure
the increase indispensable to her future
growth. In such case, her future de-
s pended upon her ability to command
such measure OF support from the new
agency as might be necessary to make
good the loss in the decreased efficiency
OF existing facilities 1t was clear, that
n favorable combination OF the two
, ~ powers must make her all the stronger
within herself and more than ever as
sured against rivalry without.
The chief element in the doubt as to
Toedo's future, was found in the fact,
that even her great commercial advan-
tiges, though fully maintained and
largely enhanced, could not, directly or
indirectly, give employment sufficient
.''.'''". for the support of large population.
e. 1t was found that increase in the
o. volume Of trade, did not bring cores
- ponding increase in remunerative labor.
tn Hence, it was clear that other sources
80 of employment must be found for any
.es material addition of population. For
---,7 this purpose, manufactures were at
"a =, once recognized the chief depen-
s, s.t multiplied here, the hope of further
- e, growth would be slim. But this point
80 suggested the question of means, and
e'a foremost OF these was cheap fuel I'm
81, - less better dependence in that direction
could be had than the supply of wood
already lessened and rapidly disappear
ing, it was conceded that manufactures
to any considerable extent could not be
expected here. The whole matter, then,
so far as this source of growth was con-
cerned, turned the question of good
and cheap Coal. That secured, with her
admirable and unequaled advantages in
respect to Wood for manufacturing pur-
poses, and her superior facilities for dis
tribution, this great point would be
gained. But to that end new and di-
rect lines of Railway to the great Coal
ss. deposits of the interior were required
Could they be had? That was the ques
tion.
-~. Another matter, important to the
prosperity of Toledo, was the provision
~, OF more adequate rail connection with
the seaboard. Roads had been built tc
the South, West and North pouring
into her lap large and increasing streams
OF traffic; while, like funnel, she had
but single railway outlet, which every
little while became so gorged and choked
C.,s as seriously to embarrass business, and
thus divert trade to other channels
This condition of things made additional
Eastern facilities absolutely necessary tc
the retention OF trade already possessed
and still more essential to future in
NF crease.
The solution of the problem thus stat
ed-so vital to the material welfare OF
Toledo-has now been fifteen years in
s3' progress; and during all that period her
future, in the judgment OF many at
home and more abroad, has been re-
garded with doubt and uncertainty.
But we think the time has now fully ar
rived, when this question need no long
or ulsJufD nef people OF natter the
hopes of her rivals Existing facts
%. show beyond reasonable contingency,
o. that every want of Toledo in the dree-
tons named is to be met, and at an ear
ly day; and we deem it entirely safe
=. now to say, that at no time in the his
tory OF our City, has the prospect OF
futuresgrowth in all the elements OF
substantial prosperity been better assur-
ed, than at present In support of this
view we propose to mention briefly
-, some OF the reasons on which it is based.
=. First and chief among these, ofcourse,
will be the Railway system on which, in
addition to her water lines, Toledo must
largely depend. In referring to this we
e. will classify, giving separately Q) the
- Roads already in operation; (2) those in
- progress Of construction; and (3) those
projected, with greater or less proba-
bility of construction:
l. RaaWuy Lines IN Operation