The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1894-12-26
Tne Electric Road Question Settled.

Inc Electric Road Question Settled. |
The County Commissioners decided, last
Friday afternoon, to grant a right of way
Railway and Power Co., to build and operate
line Of road along the Main Street thor
oughfare between the west corporate limits
OF Ravenna village, and the east municipal
boundary line Of Kent, on the compliance
with certain conditions to be incorporated
into the franchise, an outline Of which ap
pears in the Journal entry published below.
The Commissioners also granted a similar
franchise to Thomas F. Walsh, of Cuyahoga
Falls, between the west limit of Kent village
and the Summit County line.
1t is an open secret, vouched for by first
class authority, that one of the conditions
accompanying the franchise of the Ravenna
Co., will be the building of spur to Brady
Lake and the probable certainly of clause
requiring another branch to Sandy Lake.
As far as the County bridge across the Cuya-
hoga river at Kent is concerned, the Com
missioners took no action, as it is understood
that majority of the citizens of Kent do not
desire q street railway to cross the bridge,
and in view of this fact the Board deemed
it advisable to allow the people of that town
to determine this matter for themselves.
The Commissioners found that the three
companies applying for franchises, viz: the
two already mentioned and the Akron, Bed
ford & Cleveland Corporation, had each OBJ
tanned a majority of frontage consents be-
tween this place and Kent, but between that
place and Summit County the Walsh COM
pany alone had obtained the requisite con-
sents. AS will be seen by reference to the
Journal entry the Ravenna company has
until September 1st, 1895, and the latter
company until June LIST, 1895, in which to
complete their respective lines.
Many opinions and theories have been set
afioat by the public concerning the. .fnterpre-
tation to be placed on the action of the Com
missioners in granting franchise to one
company over portion of the line and to
another over the remainder. Almost every
individual has a theory, and from an inter-
view with representatives of the Ravenna
Company it appears that it also has theory
which it proposes to develop into fact, and
that is, to build and equip its line as talked
Of and applied for. Of course at this time
there il very little if anything to be said in
detail by either company, but that each in
tends to build its part of the line is, we are
assured, positive fact. Considerable talk
has been current about the prospective sell
ing out by the Ravenna Company of its fran
chise to the Walsh people. While this is a
matter Of pure conjecture, we are of the
opinion that it would make no difference to
the public, one way or the other, providing
the purchasing company be equally respons-
ibIe and sincere in its intentions of building
the road. 1t is the road that the people want
and they are little concerned az to who shall
build it, ~ long as the conditions and pros
poets are equal.
Again, little type muttering has appear
ed in a neighboring publication, about the
Ravenna Co. being in the field merely to
shut out the others. The same thing was
charged against the Seiberling Co., by the
Walsh people, but as there was no greater or
different assurance on the part of any of the
companies that they would actually build
road, and as the Ravenna company is fnan-
cially as strong as either of the others, we do
not see the justification for the criticisms in
either instance. The PRESS has taken the
position that, other things being equal, it
was right for the Commissioners to favor
home enterprises, and it remains to be dem.
onstrated yet that other things are not equal.
One thing must be apparent to all, line
merely from Ravenna to Kent, touching
neither Of the Lakes, would be foolish in
vestment of money, and in the event of the
Rsyenna company accepting the conditions
laid before them by the Commissioners, the
people may look for spur to either resort.
The matter will, we understand, come up
for further action on Tuesday, January Sth,
the day following the next regular session of
the Commissioners.
The following Journal entry was made:
ON motion of R. NJ. Risk. seconded by Hub
hard. we hereby grant to Thomas F. Walsh, his
successors and assigns and the survivors Of them
the light, privilege and franchise TO construct,
onerate and maintain along the line of highway
described in the first section of his application,
commencing at point on line between Por-
tare and Summit Counties where the main road
from Stow Corners to Kent intersects said line
thence easteriy along said road to the west line
AZ The corporation Of the village of Kent, an
electric street railway with switches, side-tracks
terminals, &C., necessary for the proper opera
tom of the same, on condition that the rights
of property holders be in all respects observed,
aid that inside of go days the complete terms
~ its franchise be accepted, and said railroad
he built and in operation by June. 1895.
This franchise is granted on the application
- A. mid Thsmes T. Walsh, aad shs ssassnt