Fayette County herald. [volume] (Washington [Washington Court House], Fayette County, O. [Ohio]) 1860-1???, 1874-11-19
RpeOrt OF the RaiIroad Committ ee.

RpeOrt OF the Railroad Commit ee'
To the Honorable Mayor and Council of Wash
ingtOn c. H., Ohio.
GENTLEMEN: Your Committee appoint
ed to accom- pany the Committees from
Xenia, Springfield and jamestown, over
the projected route of the Dayton and
Southeastern Narrow Gauge Railway,
via Frankfort, Chillicothe, Jackson C. H,
and thence to the Ohio River, beg leave to
report that we left this place Wednesday,
the 4th inst, in company with the other
Commit tees, reaching Chillicothe the same
day. We find the route to that point to
be an exceedingly cheap one for the con-
struction of our proposed road. The city
authorities of Chillicothe received US very
cordially and entertained US at the city's
expense. At large meeting Of the cit
izens that night, resolutions were unani-
for the appointment of Committee to ar
range for the opening of books of sub
scriptIon. Since our return we are in
formed that their City Council have adopt
ed resolution urging their citizens to
prompt action and liberal subscription
From all the information we have been
able to obtain, your committee are of the
opinion that Chillicothe will do her duty.
From Chillicethe we proceeded to
Wellston. Here we found one Furnace in
operation, and two others nearly COM
pleted. This town has one hundred and
three houses, built mainly within the last
eight months. Extensive coal and iron
fields are found here, and of the finest
quality. A recent test of this coal by the
Cincinnati Water Works fully demon
strates its superiority over that of the
celebrated Yougheogheny coal.
From Wellston we went to Jackson c..
H., where we were warmly received by
the citizens of that place. We find the
route from Chillicothe much cheaper than
we had anticipated; there being no seri-
Gus difficulties in the way of construction.
There are seven furnaces in and contig-
uous to Jackson, producing large amount
Of very superior pig iron. The coal
and iron ore in this locality are vast in
extent and unsurpassed in quality. We
found the capitalists and business men of
Jackson felt alive to their interests and
are warmly in favor of the road At
public meeting the citizens unanimously
resolved that they would do their part in
the construction of the road. The meet
ing appointed Committee to canvass for
subscriptions, and gave earnest promise of
active work at once.
A portion of your Committee spent the
day at Jackson in visiting furnaces, coal
and iron banks. The half has not been
told of the enormous wealth of minerals
in South Eastern Ohio.
Your Committee desire to call especial
attention to the superior quality of the
coal for smelling purposes; its quality be-
ing such as enables the iron-maker to
use it in a raw state.
A portion of your Committee returned
home from Jackson, while others contin-
ued their trip to Galliopolis and Pomeroy
where they were warmly received and
Hospitality entertained. Both of the cities
are earnestly in favor of the road, and in
public meetings unanimously resolved to
do their part in the construction of the
road
While your Committee have been una
bic to go into an extended examination of
the probable amount of business that the
road will command upon its completion to
enough has been ascertained to enable US
to speak confidently as to its future.
Running first through remarkably rich
and productive agricultural region, with a
large local traffic, it will then enter and
traverse mineral region unsurpassed foI
the quality and quantity of its minerals, to
one or more points on the Ohio River
The two sections under discussion have
each commodities for a profitable ex-
change. The agricultural region has food
to export to the mineral region. while the
mineral region has coal, iron, stone and
timber, in vast quantities, to exchange for
farm products which they cannot produce
! themselves.
This will necessarily produce large
and profitable traffic between the two sec
tions, besides large through business in
minerals to points west and north west oi
the western terminus of the road. In
deed, it may be safely estimated that tht
coal traffic alone will, in period from twt
to three years, reach point which viii
make the investment paying one.
Jackson G. H. alone has business a
this time aggregating quarter of mil
lion of dollars, which could be increase,
to one half million per annum, if pro
vided with ample means Of transportation
Pomeroy has also very large bushes
awaiting transportation. In fact there
an amount of business already develope
to make the road paying one.
Your Committee cannot close this re
port without bearing testimony to tn
uniform courtesy and kindness with whic
they were treated at all points, as we'll g
the deep interest manifested at all point
in the immediate construction of the roat
Respectfully submitted, Nov. 18, 1877
; DANIEL MCLEAN,
JAMES PURsELL,
ALLEN HAGLER
Personals.
. Rev. Mr.. Pitzer has gone to Colorado on bus