The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1884-07-31
oONNoTToN AND VALLEY.
onioial Report ON the Former Cause OF tho
Valley Accident.
(CleYeland Ladder.

Valley Accident
Cleveland Leader)
COLUMBUS, July 23.--HOn. Hylas Ga
DlDe, state Commissioners OF Railroads
and Telegraphs, has returned from his
trip OF inspection over the line OF the
Connotl0n Valley Railroad. The party,
OF which he was the official head, was
composed OF the president OF the road,
MIR. w. W. Blood, OF Boston, accompanied
by his SON. Mr.. Walker, receiver of the
c., A. & O.; MIR. Monsarrat, general
superintendent OF the O., A. u c.; Mr..
Samuel Briggs, receiver aud general
manager OF the C0nnOtt0n Valley; and
Lieutenant Ruhlen, special inspector.
The party made tour OF the entire line
ana the opinions reached, after q criti-
cal inspection Of this road, are given 10
the public. lnasm1ch m this road, Its
ronte, history, and status are compare
lively unknown TO many, and inaamuch
az II Is about 10 undergo Il rec0nslrnc-
tl0n, additional interest will probably
be lent TO Mr.. Sabine'a official abatement
Of It's condition by brief historical pre-
face.
The C0nnOttOn Valley Railway was
formed IN 1880 by the consolidation OF
the C0nn0tt0n Valley Railway and the
C0nnOtt0n Northern Railway. In 1882 10
felt sufficiently strong 10 purchase the
COnnOttOn Valley & STaltsville Rail.
road. II runs from Cleveland through
Canton, where lts principal Offices are,
u C0ahocii0n, and Is TO be extended as
rapidly as possible toHanesyille, II has
two branches, one from Canton TO Sher-
Todsville, and one from Oneida TO
Minerva. Its total present length In l78
miles, the entire cost OF its construction
and equipment, up to June 80 of last
year, being $73S,S60.05. II Ia narrow
gnage, and II OF steel throughout nearly
its entire length. While II has been
placed In the hands OF a receiver, this
has been done rather TO satisfy and se-
cure the smaller stockholders, irritated
by slow returns. than at the demand OF
the larger capitalists.
The report OF the inspectors Is very
interesting, aud quite encouraging 10
those who have invested In this proper
W. They report tha the road Is excel
lently constructed They have no fault
10 lnd In This respect, The great and
only trouble with the road, and which
alone has rendered II thus far Anan.
eial failure, IL the fact that II n a mar
row gauge. This depriyes II of q large
share OF the great exporting commerce
OF Canton, TO obtain which one would
not only amply repay the expense OF re-
construction, but would put the road at
once on It's feet financially. As ID is, the
advance sheets Of Commissioner sabine's
report for 1883, shows that the transpor.
tation OF manufactured products con.
stltutes scarcely per cent. OF It's trafllc.
with q share OF Cant0n's commerce, OF
which II has now none whatever, and
with the immense coal traffic sure TO be
developed In the C0shoct0n district, as
soon as mining can be made profitable,
and OF which II will certainly get a big
share, its future financial success, with
the connection OF good management, is
assured, Al present Its coal shipments
are something like 1888 per cent. OF Its
entire business. IL also carries great
deal OF milk into Cleveland. Its ter.
minal facilities AT Cleveland, both as 10
depot ana " marriage, are good, This lat
ter feature becomes more and more Inn
portant, as its shipments OF coal by the
lakes daily Increase. But as long as Its
gauge remains thlrty-six inches II
must remain crippled and hamp-
cred, and be a comparative failure
IL VIII only be necessary TO change the
track, as the bridges have been con.
structed OF suitable dimensions for stan
dard gauge. President Blood has pro.
posed and Is working hard TO effect re.
organization Of the road. Immediately
after such reorganization II IL proposed
| a 10 A..
gauge, President Blood H. now there
energetically working towards these
important ends, and the outcome Of his
Efforts Will be watched with interest.
Something must be done, and that very
soon. The latest official report places
Its net debt liabilities at $,533, 600, an
Incubus OF which II will not easily re-
lieye Itself, as II Is now probably paying
little, II any, more than expenses,
the VALLEY RAILWAY INSPECTED.
Lieutenant Ruhlen was over the Val.
ley road to-day. In addition 10 the reg.
nlar inspection Lieutenant Ruben Ia
to make special examination NJ the
scene OF the accident which occurred
ON Saturday evening, for the purpose Of
determining the cause concerning
| which there IL much diversity Of opin-
Ion. II Is said by some TO be due TO flush
gauge cars, that Is, cars built for tracks
Of one gauge running over n track OF
another gauge. For Ohio standard roads
are not OF uniform gauge, some being
feet SIG Inches the strict standard
gauge, some feet q Inches, and nj least
two 1 feet 10 inches, The report at OIL
cial headquarters, however, IL that the
accident was due to spreading of the
rails, In which case the fault lies
entirely with the ties. Lieutenant
| Ruhlen'a official repOrt IA awaitpd with