The Stark County Democrat. [volume] (Canton, Ohio) 1833-1912, 1900-10-02
CANTON A JUNCTION POINT
That Is the Outcome That One Well
Informed Man Expects
If THE NEW LINE Is BUILT.
Col. Harry Frease Suggests the Various
Routes---It Is Claimed the Survey For
the New Line Enters Canton, and
That 1t Is READY Completed
---MaDy New Guesses.


the New Line Enters Canton, and
That 1t Is Already Completed
---MaDy New Guesses.
There are varying views regarding
the object Of the Pennsylvania COM
pany in it's alleged project for a short
low grade line from the junction of the
eastern boundary line of the state with
the Ohio river, to Massillon.
The News-Democrat' report of the
Massillon & Little Beaver railroad
created a sensation in business circles
throughout Canton and was the subject
Of widespread comment. AS all talk OF
this line must, at this stage of pro-
ceedings, be purely speculative, there
were dozens of different opinions.
A well informed Canton gentleman,
however, whose large interests here led
him to investigate the project very care
fully sometime since, before the matter
got into public print, on Saturday pre-
pared statement of the situation as he
sees it, and handed 1t to the News
Democrat for publication. Business
considerations forbid the publication Of
the mans name, but here is his state
ment:
''The article in last evenings paper,
entitled, ITO put Canton on a side
track" is not in accord with the facts
in the case, as see them. Indeed, If the
proposed line is built on the recently
surveyed route, 1t will instead of placing
us on side track, make Canton juno
tion point on the Pennsylvania system.
From time to time, during the sum-
mer, We have read accounts of corps of
surveyors, then supposed to be in the
employ of the B. & o., but in the light
of present evidence, undoubtedly of the
Pennsylvania company, which entered
the state at the Ohio and Pennsylvania
line, several miles north of the Ohio
river, and after surveying some dis
tance UP the middle branch Of the Little
Beaver, abandon that route because Of
It's tortuous course, and staked off j
line through the south branch of the
Little Beaver valley.
~ ROUTE TO BE TAKEN.
& "That line, according to the short
newspaper accounts, runs through or
near the little hamlets of West Point
and Gavers in the southern part Of Co.
lumbiana county. From Gayers, 1t
continues westward through the Little
Beaver valley to Millport, where 1t in
tersects the Clevland & Pittsburg rail-
road, as stated in your article last
evening. The line enters Stark county
near Minerva.
About a month ago the surveyors
constantly working westward staked off
the line into Canton. These stakes may
be seen and the line followed by anyone.
l myself have gone over parts of the
route for some miles east Of Canton. The
stakes are set at the south side of Jack.
son street. After crossing the East
creek the line curves slightly to the
southeast. Continuing generally in that
direction, 1t passes through a valley
perhaps a mile south of Osnaburg,
thence onward to Minerva, where it has
previously been stated 1t reached.
"Some years ago, when the Massillon
& Little Beaver railroad was first talk
ed of, the Pennsylvania company made
survey between Canton and Massil-
Ion through the valley
A MILE OR so SOUTH
Of the present route. By building this
new route and abandoning the old, the
heavy grade up Buck hill, and one or
two
MINOR GRADES
would be avoided. According to the
seeming intention, then, while the new
route would start at Massillon, yet the
real divergence from the present route
would be at Canton. A glance at q
good map will show that Canton is the
natural point for new line through the
Little Beaver valley, to deviate from
that old route. For 1t is at Canton
that the present line starts Off to the
northeast, while Pittsburg is to the
southeast. A look at the map will also
show that any railroad starting at Mas
sillon to go through Little Beaver valley,
which did not touch Canton, would
make a circuitous route, and one Of the
objects of the proposed line Is to shorten
the present circuitous route.
Further, distinctly remember read
ing in one of our local papers at the
time the line was about to be built be-
fore that high Pennsylvania official,
while in the city, in an interview stat
ed that the main line was not to leave
Canton.
II am not an authority on the situa-
tion. but taking all these facts into
consideration, 1t seems much more likely
that Canton. instead of being on a
side track of the Pennsylvania lines, is
destined to be junction point on that
system, and as trains from the west
pull into the new Market street depot,
which we are looking forward to, the
brakeman will shout, Canton, Canton!
Change cars for Alliance, Salem, Youngs-
town, and Ashtabula.'
Canton, o., Sept. 29"
COL FREASE TALKS.
Col. Harry Frease, chief engineer Of
the Canton & East Liverpool project,
was seen Saturday morning by News
Democrat representative with refeyence
to the rumors Of the Pennsylvfnia's
new short line project. Probably no
man In Stark county ID a. well informed
as to the many railroad surveys thst
9no heen made 10 this section the past
d. .