The Findlay Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Hancock County, Ohio) 1870-1881, 1877-07-06
LAKE ERIE & LOUISVILLE Ell.
TENSION.

IEhcION.
If the Lake Erie & Louisville r. r.
Is extended to both Sandusky and
Port Clinton, as proposed by Mr.. Hodg-
skin, President of the road. the Port
Clinton line will do all the business.
The fish trade will naturally come to
this point because the fish that go to
Sandusky are nearly all caught on the
shores of Ottawa County and are often
a day old before they reach Sandusky
for shipment into the interior by rail
The lumber trade would come here
because the distance to the Michigan
lumber ports is shorter and expensive
tow bills would be avoided by coming
to this port. The Island passenger
trade would be done on this line be-
cause the distance is shorter ard the
distance by both rail and boat would
also be much less and the route
smoother and the scenery magnificent.
Let nos the people of Port Clinton be
discouraged because it is proposed
to run a branch of the road to San
dusky. 1t will not interfere with the
prosperity of this line in the least.
The Port Clinton line will do the bus
iness any how because it has the ad.
vantage of distance both by land and
water.-OttGtCc- County Ne1cs.
What the Meas says in regard TO its
advantages over Sandusky city, as an
outlet for the L. f. s. L. Ry., is main.
ly true. And yet its harbor, like that
of Sandusky. is gifted with a disposi
ton to ''fill up," and needs constant
dredging to keep it open. Some yeart
ago breakwater was built with the
view of protecting the channel from
the influx of sand, but it was made
quate to the purpose. Congress wat
memorealized, but no appropriation.
were made, while her neighbor, San
dusky enjoyed an annual appropria
ton which was annually wasted in AZ
Intellectual effort to permanently deep
en- the mouth of the harbor so as Il
allow a vessel with full load to com,
in or go out. Port Clinton is again a
work on her breakwater, but il wheI
J completed, it is insufficient for tn,
purpose, neither it or Sapdusky vii
ever prove a profitable outlet for til,
road. The distance to Port Clinton
would be less than to Sandusky, ant
the additional distance TO the Island
from Port Clinton would be less thar
half what it is from Sandusky. Ii
these respects it would be the better
outlet if its harbUr facilities were al
reliable as otherwise desirable. If.
! however, in order to avail itself of ;
sure harbor, the road should have L
extend its line to Ottawa city OF Nous,
Island the distance would be create
than to Sandusky; but the barbor ad
vantages would be desirable Still, 4
harbor without a market would be /;
poor investment, and Ottawa city ha.
nothing. Everything would have tc
be made there. Port Clinton anG
Sandusky offer but little better advan
tages as market, especially for grains
and that is the only great essential
which the l.. E. & L. r. r. could hope
to control, by extending its connec
tions to Munice or some point farther
west, where it could compete for the
great grain trade of the far west. II
is not a coal road and neither of the
roads which it intersects &C. & T. anG
T. T. & e. would divert their Goa
trade from Toledo to accommodate it
Hence its business increase must come
from the grain carrying trade and the
general business which will grow alone
the line when it becomes able to pre
sent advantages not possessed by 9th
er routes.
An extension to either of these point.
would leave the road in no better con
dition TO control the grain trade o.
the country through which it passe.
than at present. and the only adyan
| tsse derivable would be the summer
travel TO the Islands, and the fish
lumber and stone trade which has al
ready grown up at those places. Would
the difference in business pay for the
investment? We doubt it. though The
extension of the road TO either point
would be a good thing for the favor.
ed locality.
Is there a point on the Lake that
would pay9 becomes a question Of
some Importance; one where the har
Dor is sure and reliable during the per
iod of naviga' 'ion-where there is g
good market for grain, and which pos
sesses the other requisites which the
points named are admitted to have,
We believe there is. And as we believe
the adoption of that route which will
eventually pay the road will evetually
be of great benefit to our city, we pro.
pose to direct attention to it.
Ten miles east of Sandusky city, at
the most southern point of Lake Erie,
lies the little town of huron, on the
river of the same name. Ia the early
days of Ohio, vessels going up and
down the lake always put in at that
point, and rarely, if ever put in at the
bay to reach Sandusky. A coach ran