The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-10-02
TO PUT CANTON
ON A SIDETRACK.
That Seems To Be the Ultimate
Object of the Latest Scheme
BY THE PENNSYLVANIA ROAD
short Cut Line From the junction OF the
Ohio State Line and the River To MAS
silIon, VIII Cut Down Distances
and Make Better Grades.

There has been incorporated within
the past two weeks at Columbus, in
this state, and Harrisburg, Pa, the
Massillon G. Little Beaver Railroad
company and the incorporators are all
stockholders Of the Pennsylvania rail-
road company. So far as immediate
results are concerned, the object Is said
TO be the building Of five miles of new
track in Beaver county, Pa, as short
| line or cut off, to facilitate rapid transit
on the C. & p, but there are those who
believe that the Incorporation will ulti-
mately mean new line west to Massil-
| Ion, via East Rochester and Bayard,
connecting at the latter place for Alli-
ance and Cleveland. One Of the incor-
porators is Mr.. Joseph Wood, third vice
president Of the Pennsylvania lines
west of Pittsburg. 1t is understood
about Massillon that much of the right
Of way has been secured and that the
lccnstruction of the short line will pro-
ceed with as little delay as possible.
This proposed line Is the much talked
of short line Of the Pennsylvania COM
pany, which will shorten the distance
from Pittsburg to Chicago and from
when the Pennsylvania roads were
first built between here and Pittsburg,
the Sandy and Beaver canal then run
ming from the Ohio through Lisbon,
had very powerful lobby in the legis-
lature. 1t was feared that the railroad
WOULD INJURE THE CANALS,
and, owing to this pressure, the natural
route, through which the canal ran, was
forbidden to the railroad companies. So
the Fort Wayne went over the high
hills through East Palestine, and the
c. e. P. took the Yellow Creek route,
with its heavy grades. The natural
route was along the bed Of the Little
Beaver, which gave very low grades,
and almost an air line.
The shortening of the distance from
Massillon to Pittsburg and from Mill
port to Pittsburg-Millport being a sta
ton ON the G. & Ply this new Hne,
would be considerable, and the saving
in the hauling Of trains and gain Of time
would be enormous.
In 1Ss2-the time Of the Worlds Fair
"a company was incorporated for this
purpose, and 1t was thought that the
Pennsylvania company would have the
line built in time for the Worlds Fair
travel; but for some reason the
project was abandoned. 1t Is supposed
that the road will now be built by men
Interested in the Pennsylvania railroad,
and leased to the parent company,
following the well known custom of the
Pennsylvania company, in which enor-
nous profits are made on such trans
actions.
WOULD SIDETRACK US ALL.
If this line is put through 1t will leave
all the cities east of Massillon and west
Of Rochester, Pa, on the Fort Wayne,
upon a minor line or sddetrack Of
the Pennsylvania railroad, as their
through business will run over the new
route. There can be little doubt that
this is the solution Of the mystifytng
actions of the crews Of surveyors who
have been at work through this sec
tion Of the country for number Of
years.
The new road will also reach the
virgin coal fields of Columbiana county.
said to be one of the richest fields in the
state, and will no doubt prove profit
able, independent Of the traffic Of the
through lines.
1t was this proposed route, shortening
the distance, that was projected by the
Canton and East Liverpool railroad
company. Many Of the stockholders In
that company were residents of Canton
Of which Captain Harry Frease made
the surveys. Capt. Frease attempted
to form company to build the road
and worked on the project for over two
years.