The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1896-11-24


} ti0n. The Hooking Canal has be er
in disuse for many years, and from
time to time spectators attempted
raids upon It. In January, 1894
Senator NJ. u. Earnhart, OF Colum
bus, introduced a bill 70 abandon II
for canal purposes and lease II to
corporation styled The Columbus
Hooking Valley and Athens Com
pany. The incorporators Of this
company were Z. NJ. Poston, George
w. Lamb, afterwarL member oi
the General Assembly from Fair.
field County; Abram B. Howe; An
drew Bauman, of Lancaster, and
Chas. B. Cowan, OF this city.
The bill passed the Senate In
short order, but when 1t reached
the House the real light began.
Representative ID. l.. Sleeper, OF
Athens County, aterward the
General Counsel for the road, ap.
peared on the floor as It's champion.
1t developed that Charles l.. KurtE,
now State Oil Inspector, was inter-
ested in the fight. The agents Of
Senator Calvin s. Brice appeared
shortly, and Representative
Charles p. Griffin, OF Toledo, as
sumed the leadership against the
bill.
The Miami and Erie Canal AS
sociation and the State Board OF
Public Works also lent hand In
the fight, while Governor McKin-
ley, whose message Of the month
before declared against the aband-
onment Of any part Of the canal
system, did what he could to check
the legislation.
| On the night Of its passage, May
1s, 1894, a notable scene waa ere.
ated in the House by the open dec.
laration OF Mr.. Sleeper that he
had been offered $4,000 to desert
the measure. The excitement was
heightened when he pointed out
Colonel w. G. Lem"rt, OF Bucyrus,
seated on the floor beside Mr.. Griff.
in, in contravention to the rules Of
the House, and demanded his ex-
plusion by the Sergeant-at-Arms.
Colonel Lemert was active In his
opposition to the bill, and was sup
posed to represent Senator Brice.
Tho original proposition OF the
company was to pay the state $780,
600, and $4,000 II year rents. In the
House this amount was increased
to 10000, and $4,000 year rental.
The Chicago and Southeastern
Company offered $4,000 down and
$4,000 per annum. II was declar-
ed that the new company was a
fictitious one, and made the bid
simply to defeat the building OF the
road. The House took this view Of
the matter evidently, for It passed
the amended Earnhart bill.
A resolution demanding an in
vestigation Of the bribery charge
was offered by Representative
Southard, OF Union County, but II
was suppressed. Litigation follow
ed. Acting for number Of the
opponents of the victors, Attorney
General Richards prepared quo
warranto proceedings to oust the
company on the ground that the
act was unconstitutional. At this
point Governor Mckinley interfer-
ed and squelched the proceedings.
Individual suits followed, being
brought in the names OF alleged in
jured property owners on the line
of the proposed railway. The real
parties were the disappointed cor
poratiOns.
Following this came the disposal
of the lease to new company styl-
ed the Hooking Valley and Lake
Erie Company, and .or the first
time the real projectors began to
show themselves. The company
as incorporated was made up Of
Oliver S. Kelly, the wealthy
Springfield manufacturer; Chas. l..
Kurtz, Henry G. Ellison, OF Cleve-
land, a wealthy capitalist and
brother Of Hon. J. ID. Ellison, OF
Cincinnati and Columbus; Willis
F. Kelly and VIM. fl. Jennings, and
was capitalized at $3,5OO,OOO.
1t is stated that an effort was
made to float the bonds abroad.
Mr.. Elias NJ. Poston visiting Hol-
land, Belgium and England for
that purpose. The fight wns kept
up In those markets by the oppo
sition, the statement being made
that the company had defective
title. The depression in financial
circles also initiated against the
projectors. II was only last week
that Messrs. Kurtz, Ellison and