respectively for the decennial period, eighteen hundred and nintey to nineteen hundred. This is a record for growth that is equaled by but twelve out of the eighty-eight counties in the State.

RIGHTS OF WAY AND FRANCHISES

The Lima Eastern Railway Company has secured a private right of way of sufficient width to construct double track the entire length of line. At terminals and in municipalities along the route franchises have been secured in the streets for the necessary tracks, switches and turnouts. These grants are particularly valuable at Marion and Kenton where the road fulfils the requirements of a city line, giving local transportation to the more densely populated territory in addition to the through service.

DESCRIPTION OF ROUTE

The Lima Eastern Railway cars are calculated to leave Lima over the present city tracks at the Public Square, then out Market Street and Bellefontaine Avenue to the Allen County Fairgrounds, the present limits of city line. Extending southeasterly, from Fairgrounds to north line of Erie Railroad Company's right of way, three and fourtenths miles from Public Square in Marion, the line deflects from highway and parallels the steam road.

Numerous oil wells and pumping stations are located along the line, but in such locations that it is not necessary to alter track alignment to avoid them. At a point one and one-tenth miles east of deflection from Bellefontaine Avenue, a cemetery is located adjacent to Erie right of way which necessitates a deflection to the north in passing; this, however, is accomplished by means of two one-degree and a four-degree curve, after which the line again parallels the Erie.

At Westminster station another deflection is made to overcome an offset in the north line of steam road and to avoid the railroad station and other buildings. At Harrods, ten miles out of Lima, the location was made for a distance of sixteen hundred feet in Second Street, parallel with and adjoining the railroad property.

Near the western limits of Hardin County, thirteen miles from Lima, a large county drainage ditch, on north line of Erie right of way, necessitates offsetting the Lima Eastern to the north, and a mile further along again deflecting to pass through Alger on Lee Street. The route parallel with and adjoining steam road is again taken up after leaving Alger and continued easterly a distance of six miles through McGuffy and Foraker.

At a distance of twenty and one-half miles from Lima, a slight deflection is made to pass along north side of highway paralleling.the

Erie. The location continues easterly, parallel with highway, to Station 1,151, then parallel with Erie Railroad until at crossing of Sciota River, a course is taken, which, extended, passed along Franklin Street through Kenton, passing the station and crossing the tracks of Toledo & Ohio Central and of the Big Four at Grade, in the west part of city. Traversing the main business thoroughfare of Kenton its entire length, easterly to Grove Cemetery, a private right of way is followed along south side of highway a distance of thirteen miles which is practically all tangent, there being but six hundred fifty feet of one degree curve in the above distance.

At station 2185 the line crosses to north side by a two degree reversed curve and continues east two and one-half miles in a straight line through Scottown. From a point one mile east of Scottown to Big Island, the alignment is somewhat irregular by reason of following line of highway; it has been possible, however, to limit curvature to six degrees, which will not materially decrease the running time.

From Big Island to North Main Street in Marion, the line is run with very little curvature. The Hocking Valley Railroad is constructed upon an embankment of sufficient height above general level of ground to permit an under crossing. The Pennsylvania Railroad is built at such an elevation that a grade crossing is necessary. As this is a single track branch road, there would be less objection to a grade crossing than to the expense of and conditions created by an overhead crossing. The route along North Main Street is straight south in centre of highway to Court House, the eastern terminus of line.

Throughout its entire length the locations conforms as nearly as possible to a direct line. The grade shown on profile is equal to any that could be secured throughout the territory traversed. The line, as located, passes through all cities and villages along the route by traversing the main thoroughfares, thus making conditions most advantageous for passenger traffic.

By following line of Erie Railroad a most economical construction can be secured and the shortest possible distance obtained between Lima and Kenton. East of Kenton the location passes through a more densely populated territory than exists to the south along line of steam road. When the Erie Railroad was projected through Ohio, the original location was made through Scottown, covering practically the same territory as traversed by proposed electric line; after grading for roadbed, however, the line was altered to present location.

The following schedules show data relative to alignment and curvature for the entire distance between terminals:

PLAN FOR CONSTRUCTION.

The Lima Eastern is contemplated as a single track line with sufficient turnouts and sidings to permit running on fifteen-minute schedule. While it is improbable that such running time would be immediately required, such conditions as unforeseen delays on sidings, due to a car off schedule or a work train on the line, would be more readily overcome and traffic more speedily restored to normal equilibrium by having siding not more than two and one-half miles apart.

The details of construction, upon which estimates are based, are set forth as follows:

Roadbed to be graded to lines shown on profiles; all changes in grade to be made by means of long vertical curves. In single track work, width of roadbed to be 14 feet on fills and 18 feet in cuts.

Ties to be 6"x 8" spaced 24 inches on centres with four spikes to the tie.

Rail, along private right of way, to be 70 pound standard tee rail, joined with four bolt splice bars. Through village streets it is intended to use 9 inch 95 lb. girder rail.

No. 10 spring frogs and 15 foot split switches are contemplated for turnouts to enable cars making sidings at a high rate of speed. The length of turnouts is estimated at 500 feet, point to point, except where passing along streets at points of heavy passenger traffic, where they are extended to meet the requirements.

The ballast to be broken stone or gravel to a depth of 6 inches under ties and crowned up to the center.

The construction of concrete arches is planned at such points as will afford the necessary clearance; over low ground, however, concrete abutments are planned, having a clear span of "I" beam construction. Plate girders are contemplated where the spans are in excess of limits of "I" beam construction. The principal structures are over the Scioto and Little Rivers and under the Hocking Valley Railroad. Spans of plate girders and trusses are as follows:

For line work, 35 foot cedar or chestnut poles are contemplated, spaced one hundred feet on tangent, the trolley wire being carried on brackets, with cross-arms for high tension and feeder wires, and for telephone line. In streets and on passing switches, double pole line and cross suspension is estimated.

POWER EQUIPMENT.

After a careful examination of the route, consideration for traffic, and a comparison of the steam roads crossed, it is found that the proper location for power house is at Kenton, along the Toledo & Ohio Central Railroad.

It would be possible to secure an abundant supply of water at this place, and by reason of the Toledo & Ohio Central being a coal road, a fuel supply at the lowest possible cost.

This point is as near the centre for distribution as it is practical to locate; the eastern terminus is 28.4 miles distant from power house, and the western end, connecting with city line, is 24.3 miles.

The power house is estimated as concrete block construction in walls with steel trusses and gravel roof.

The boiler room is calculated as 48'x72′, being 26 feet from floor to roof trusses; the engine room as 48'x72', being in the same building and separated from boiler room by a 12 inch fire wall.

For boiler equipment there is required 5 300 H. P. water tube boilers connected in battery so that any four might carry maximum load, leaving one in reserve.

Two electrical generator sets of 750 K. W. each, are necessary for operation of line. During light traffic on one hour schedule, one of the units will carry the load, the other being held in reserve for heavy traffic, accidents, or conditions that may require its use.

The units are alternating-current generators of three-phase, 25 ycle direct connected type, developing a current of 600 volts, and being driven by steam turbines, condensing being done by means of a jet condenser connected with each engine.

The exciter sets are 50 K. W. each, direct connected and working in independent units.

A rotary converter, located at power house, feeds direct current a distance of about 54 miles in each direction. For transmission to