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156 HISTORY OF ERIE COUNTY
Dayton, through whose influence a meeting of the citizens was convened
at the ' Portland House,' then kept by Col. A. Root, for the consideration
of the subject. There were present at that meeting, David Caswell,
cli 'in; Doct. George Anderson, E. Cooke, Hector Kilbourne, C. W. Alarsh,
Moors Farwell, Aaron C. Corbit, and as I think David Campbell, John
N. Sloane, Abner Root and others.
'' The meeting Avas addressed by Air. Cooke, who made a thorough
and searching exposure of the manner in Avhich Sandusky and the Central
Route had been defrauded out of the Canal, and proposed as the
only panacea which could effectually heal the malady, 'the construction
of a Rail Road from Sandusky to Dayton.' Resolutions Avere submitted
and adopted by the meeting—commending the project—which Avere afterwards
noted by the paper then published at Cleveland, and held up to
public odium and ridicule—but owing to the novelty of Railroad enterprises,
the newness of the country, the extent of the proposed route, and
perhaps other causes, the project was permitted for the time being to sleep
'but not to die.' This movement, then, made at this early period, may
justly be considered the germ from which sprung into life and being
the Mad River and Lake Erie Rail Road.
"Very respectfully ,yours, etc.,
"JohnN. Sloane."
The legislature of the state, on the 14th of February, 1824, passed
an act providing for the incorporation of the Town of Sandusky, and
providing for the election of officers thereof. The limits of the town, as
provided by the act, were as follows: Commencing at a point in Sandusky
Bay, eighty rods from low-water mark, directly opposite the
north end of McDonough Street; thence running a direct line to the
north end of McDonough Street, and along said street to Washington
Street; thence east along said Washingtbn Street to Decatur Street;
thence south along said Decatur Street to Jefferson Street; thence east
along said Jefferson Street to Hancock Street; thence north along said
Hancock Street to Washington Street; thence east along said AVashington
Street to Warren Street; thence north along said Warren Street to
the shore of Sandusky Bay; thence to a point in said Sandusky Bay
eight rods from loAA'-AA-ater mark, directly opposite the north end of
Warren Street; thence running directly to the place of beginning, shall
he, and the same is hereby erected into a toAvn corporate, henceforth to
be knoAVn and distinguished by the name of Sandusky; subject, however,
to such alterations as the legislature may from time to time think proper
to make; and the,remaining part of said toAvn, as SIIOAVII by the plat
thereof on record, shall be, and the same is hereby vacated, excepting the
streets and public grounds thereof.
On the first record book of proceedings of the authorities of the
toAvn there appears the following entry:
'' Be it remembered that in pursuance of an Act of the Legislature
of the State of Ohio, passed February 14, 1824, entitled ' A,n act to incorporate
the toAvn of Sandusky, in the County of Huron, the qualified
electors who had been residents of the said toAvn of Sandusky six months