The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1879-08-28
YOUNGSTOWN g. CONNOT-
TON VALLEY R. R..
1 TRIP OHER TIE NARR0R anAaE

the Valley Railroad, with the rich, though par.
TALLY undeveoped coal fields of tho Cdnnotton
Valley might be of interest to our reader n this
section OF the State, we accepted an Invitation
from some Of the officers and contractors OF the
new ROAD to make personal examination Of the
proposed route Leaving Canton, by carriage,
accompanied bycoutractor il. W. Mckinney, on
Friday morning at five o'clock, we soon reached
osnaburg, the west end OF the grade. A short
distance from the village the great Montgomery
cut 800 feet long, LOG feet across the top and Al
feet deep. In this cut two good veins OF coal have
been struck, showing that the hills about Osna.
burg only need opening 10 develope mine of
wealth to the owners Mr.. Mckinney hA
associated with him j. j. Rumsey, has the
contract for the cut and the six miles Of road this
way and is employing large force of men that
are doing the work as rapidly as possible under
The superintendance Of Thomas MCGUIRE of
Akron These gentlemen have leased and opened
a large stone quarry, near 0snaburg and are get
ting out superior article of stone, for culvers,
bridges &C. The dirt taken from the cut is used
to ill on each side. They have also the rails and
dirt cars already to use as soon as practicable.
West Of the fill they have contract for 65 feet OF
masonery and on the east side they have 80 feet.
AT the quarry they are runding force Of fifteen
men, In charge of Thomas Noonan, Of Navarro,
The next force Of men we came to were working
on each side of the Mapleton road, in two gangs,
under P, Fl. Bennett, who has a contract for two
miles. They have quite village of shanties in
the woods and are getting along rapidly. From
here to the Robardsville tunnel they are letting
the light work rest until the heavy work is done
cut through rock AZ feet deep, Is about flushed
Next we come TO the tunnel near Robards.
will. drift has already been started
on the west side, but going over the
hill to the east side we had an opportunity Of en-.
tering real tunnel. Mr.. ], L. Morris, practi.
Cal and theoretical mining engineer, and who Is
now also operating coal mines at Mineral Point,
has personal charge of the tunueling. This great
work is to be 72O feet long IA feet high In the
clear; on this side of the hill they are now in 80
feet and are obliged to timberthe roof as they 60
along, owing to tho different stratas of rock, to
prevent any possible danger 1t is the intention
10 build heavy stone walls ten feet high, OH each
side of the tunnel and then to spring brick arch
| for safety roof, Here we met Mr.. Morris sulli.
van, the walking boss and P. H. MCGUIRE prac.
tical miner, who is foreman inside. 1t is thought
this great undertaking will be completed In 90
days. Among the workmen here we found eight
nations represented viz; Welsh, .Irish English
Scotch, German, Italian, French and American
Here at Robardsville also immense deposits Of
back band ore is found. Several tons Of 1t has
already been roasted and is now awaiting ship.
ment. There is also valuable coal land in the i'm
mediate vicinity
| Tho rnad had frn,,o tbo t,,nno1 lo nnat1n L..
been completed, with the exception Of the cul.
Verts, and construction trains will be running on
that portion Of the road in a week or two. We
reached Oneida, village Of about go inhabi
tsnts, a little after ten O'Clock a M, where we
found to our prise that the line from Del Roy
formerly called Cannonsburg) to Minerva a dis
tance of q miles, was already in frstclass run
ming order Accepting an invitation from Engi
neer Whitcraft, we boarded the fine little engine
"Connotton," that hauls the construction train
and took a trip nearly to Minerva, giving us am
PIE opportunity to inspect the bridges over the
Big Sandy and Hugel run, and the numerous
CulveIts. Along this portion of the line the comp
any has an extensive gravel bank, in operation
The "Y" at Oneida has been completed with tht
exception Of laying the rails, to enable ,gine ant
cars to turn readily, from the branch to the mair
track Steel rails are laid and patent self adjust
Ing switches are being put in, In fact we found
all the appointments Of the road and equipment
equal, II not superior to that Of many roads o
longer standing. At Oneida We were Joined by. s
]. Galloway, Esq the gentlemsnly road MASTER
man Of ability and experience in railroad matters
and upon the arrival Of the regular train by N. A
Smith, the efficient and courteous General Super
intendent We also met Engineer Robinson
Chief Engineer Of rolling stock, and accepted hi
invitation to ride TO Carrollton on his perfec
| model ofa looco u1tlvs the "CG Patterson
and we were soon bounding over the marrow
guage at the rate Of thirty miles an hour with
mixed train Of passenger and freight cars Mr.
Robinson has had some thirty years experience
as locOmO tive engineer and msGhlniBt, :ant
from him we learned that the company had three
fine 1811 ton engines on the read; two having beer
built by Porter, Bell & Co.; Pittsburgh His engine
the Patterson, was built according to his owE
specifications and he added many valuable i'm
prOvements to the machinery, so that 1t is now
drst-c!ass in every respect. The passenger ant
baggage cars are as neat and convenient as they
can be made. In fact the company spares nc
effort to have everything pertaining to the road
the very best quality, regardless ofexpense, and
they are doing 1t too without begging donations
fran property owners along the line. The 2,
miles Of road now in use ls already more thar
paying expenses and people who formerly laugh
ed at the project now open theireyes In amaze
ment. At Carrollton the company have large
brick yard in operation, manufacturing brick fol
round houses, depots and for use in the tunne
At the company's Office here, we met Charles
Ro' er, ESQ., the secretary and treasurer Charle
Ellis, chief civil engineer and Capt John sulli
van, superintendent of the construction of the
tunnel. After remaining in the city short time
Mr. Roser furnished carriage and accompanied
by Messrs Galloway and Mckinney We were soor
on our way through the Indian fork Of the Con
notion Valley, to Del Roy. We had rode but q
short distance when to our surprise we found
ourselves In the center of an immense coal terri
tory that stretches along the valley for distance
of over fourteen miles The hills tower aloft like
mountains from l5O to 175 feet above the open
ings into the No. 6 strata Of coal that runs mort
regularly through this valley than in any othei
field yet found, and in quality is superior to any
No 6 yet found, excepting perhaps the Coshoctor
Valley, After a fair trial we found the Connot
for domestic and smith purposes and made excel
lent coke.
Righ here we would say that what surprised III
the most was the fact that this extensive and pro
ducuva coal field had never been fully developed
before; the farmers In the neighboIhood bein(
about the only ones to take out coal and that only
for their own use. The completion Of the Y. & @
Railway will be Godsend to the valley and de
velope source of wealth that the natives nevel
dreamed Of l..'. .....
After leaving Atwell station, we passed tht
Armstrong bank that is now working successful
ly and then drove TO scott's station. Here we lef
the carriage and took 1t afoot over the hill
among the most pioturesqe scenery 1t has beer
our lot to witness. Stopping at scotts bank We
found 1t working and running out an excellent
quality Of the "bsck diamonds" from six foo
wien. We then visited the openings now being