Stories of Guernsey County by Wm. Wolfe Page 204
Beginning of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad
By a special act of the state legislature February 8, 1847, authority was given for building a railroad from the Ohio River to Columbus, through Cambridge, Zanesville and Newark, and its extension to the Indiana line. When news of the passage of this act reached Cambridge there was much rejoicing. The people here did not care what point at the river it left, neither did they care what route it would take across Guernsey county, since, according to the legislative act, it must pass through Cambridge.
Bonds Are Issued by County.---The Central Ohio Railroad Company was organized and steps taken to determine a route and sell stock. Since Guernsey county would be benefited as a whole, whatever route should be taken across it, the commissioners were asked to issue bonds in the amount of $100,000 that would become an obligation on all the people of the county, and use the proceeds of their sale in the purchase of stock of the new railroad. This was done after the company had agreed not to expend more than half the amount west of Cambridge and to pay the county eight per cent per annum on the investment when, and if, the stock reached par.
Three Routes Proposed.---Outside of Cambridge there was much concern as to what route the railroad would take through the county. Three routes---northern, middle and southern---were proposed, each of which had its ardent advocates. The northern route was surveyed through Londonderry, Antrim and Winchester (Winterset); the middle, through Fairview and Washington; and the southern, through Millwood (Quaker City) and down the Leatherwood valley.
As an argument for the northern route it was pointed out that the railroad would have the patronage of Harrison and Tuscarawas counties and divert traffic from the old canal. The middle-route advocates claimed that theirs was a half-way location; that it was understood the bonds had been issued for the benefit of Guernsey county people who would be benefited most by a mid-county course. The southern people made a different type of appeal. They argued that their route was the shortest and cheapest as the road could be taken down the valley of Leatherwood creek, through which very little grading would be required.
Why Southern Route Was Chosen.---After much wrangling in which Cambridge people took no part, as their location was safe by the legislative act, John Hall, the pioneer Quaker of Millwood, presented an argument in the form of money that influenced the company to choose the southern route. In addition to the $100,000 subscribed by the county commissioners, stock subscriptions by towns and individuals, to the amount of $125,000 were sought by the company as an inducement for building the road. Cambridge village voted $10,000. John Hall pledged $23,000 for Millwood, of which $10,000 was his own subscription, on condition that the road would be built through Leatherwood valley. As one of the largest stockholders, he was chosen a member of the first board of directors of the railroad, an office he held until his death when he was succeeded by his son, Isaac Hall, who, in turn, was succeeded by his son, the late John R. Hall, of Quaker City.
The First Train.---Work on the railroad was begun in the county on August 12, 1852. It was nearly two years later (April 27, 1854) that the first passenger train arrived in Cambridge. The road was opened from Newark to Zanesville on January 26, 1852; from Newark to Columbus, January 8, 1853. To carry on the work of railroad construction out of Zanesville an receiver five years after it was opened. It was reorganized and continued under the same name until 1866, when it became a part of the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad system.
Guernsey county received no dividends on the $100,000 (taxpayer’ money) invested in the stock. The commissioners sold a part of it and invested the proceeds in the stock of the “Calico” railroad which was surveyed through the county from northeast to southwest. This investment was a total loss, as the “Calico” never materialized. Finding railroad investments unprofitable, the commissioners sold the remainder of the stock and applied the amount received towards the cost of the present court house.
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