The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-03-29
&c Car Works location.


is still an open question, and one in
which the stockholders are deeply
interested, we propose to say a few
words upon it, but in doing SO will
endeavor to treat the my.tter dispas-
sionately and with reference solely to
the interests of entire body of stock
holders. If it were aLnatter in which a
few capitalists alore were concerned,
we should feel tb at they alone were
the arbiters Of the matter and should
make the location where their inter
ests as capitalist would be best pro
NOTED, profit to themselves being
the primary object. As it is an en-
terprise, however, in which a large
body of citizens have invested, in or
der to promote their individual in
terests as well as the general pros
perity of the city, we feel that we in
common with the rest have a direct
personal interest," not only as a stock
holder but IS citizen, in the matter
of location. AS the few would not
choose a location in which the per-
sonal interest of any would suffer,
so the many should be equally care
full oftheir interests.
Gen. r. P. Buckland, in the few
remarks which he made in regard to
location, ct the meeting held to elect
directors, met the point at issue ex-
actly, when he said, "the location
should be made with sole reference
to the best interests of the stock
holders" The location, then, should
be made with reference to the inter-
ests of all, or that purpose will not be
subserved. We propose to make
this the basis of our observations.
Two locations are prominently
presented, and an examination of
their respective merits, with refer
ence to the best interests of all, will
not be out of place. One of these
locations is upon the Pike, at the
outer limit of the corporation, con-
tains ten acres, and lies adjacent to
the track of the L. S. & NJ. S. Rail
road. This it is proposed to pur-
chase, although it is understood
that enough land in the neighbor-
hood has been offered as donations
to cover the expense of purchase.
This location is claimed as the best
because it is out of danger from all
high water, and that no expense
would be entailed upon the compa-
ny to protect its lands, its buildings
or its stock, from damage by an
overflow of water from the river; it
is adjacent to the track of the L. S.
q NJ. S. R. R., possesses excellent
facilities for shipment of cars and
reception of freights, and that water
can be procured in abundance for
all the wants of the works. Admit
all that is claimed, excepting in re-
gard to the quantity of water re-
quired for the works (which remains
to be determined, and is a very i'm
portant question, especially as the
supply required will be from 600 to
to 1000 barrels per day,-from one
to nearly two barrels per minute,
running time, are there any tangi-
BILE objections to the location for
other reasons than these. Tie large
amount of insurance it will be nee
essary to carry makes it important
that the location shall be where the
lowest rates consistent with the risk
can be obtained. Located 50 far
from water supplies, and at such a
distance from the Fire Department,
the cheapest rates could hardly be
obtained, and as this will be con-
s5ant expense, economy would OBJ
ject to it. As the company does not
propose to make its own car wheels
Or axles, for the present at least, the
item of ffreights becomes a considera-
ton, and will still be a considera-
ton when they do manufacture their
own, as the iron to manufacture
them from and the coal or coke to be
used in the furnace must come from
distance. There can be no ques-
tion that freights by water are much
the cheapest. Would the company,
with its works located two miles
from the city be prepared to take
advantage of these cheap freights2 |
The difference in the cost of dray-
age from the dock to Edgerton & |
Bros. and from the dock to Bowlus |
d Co.'S works, is nearly if not quite
double; the distance to the proposed |
location being much greater, would |
increase the cost, or the
company will have to procure
freights by rail at even a greater
cost. Ifthe company manufacture
one car per day, they will use from
one to two tons Of iron, or say ten
tons per week. If they turn out six
cars per day, (as is to be hoped) the
amount used per week will be about
sixty tons, and the cost of laying it
down at theworks becomes a weighty
consideration. As this will also be a
constant expense, and not merely for
a day or week, an economical man
agement would object to it as an un-