The depot was one of the main hang-outs at West Middletown. For two decades it was the only railroad to serve Middletown, a rapidly growing city. Getting freight and passengers to the town presented a small problem. The Walters Brothers had started their horse-drawm omnibus in 1851, providing a transportation service. Then in 1879 a Horse-Car line was laid between the West Middletown depot and the new one at Middletown which became known as the Big Four depot. People used this convenient car to cross the long bridge into the city until the 1913 flood washed out the bridge and the rails. Since the automobile and truck had now come into use, the Horse-Car line owner never rebuilt the section over the bridge, but continued to operate out Central Avenue until 1918.

During the years, three depots had stood at West Middletown. While the later two passenger depots have been demolished, they stood on the east side of the track, the original combination freight and passenger depot remains, and has been utilized for business purposes. With its 12-inch wooden beams held together by wooden pegs and its 3 by 5 inch floor joists, it is not likely to fall.

It should also be noted that the original track was single gauge, then a new double track line was built, and with modernization of railroads, one track was removed. The single gauge track was then used to build a short line at Frisch's brickyard for industrial use, with a section of that track being preserved at the Canal Museum.

The depot has been the scene of many exciting events, for the railroad carried several important people on its cars. In early years West Middletown was the station where locomotives stopped to add water and pick up fuel being midway between Dayton and Cincinnati. This required a few minutes, thus the depot became a rest stop. Important political leaders found it an excellent place to greet voters, for large groups could easily reach it with Middletown just across the bridge. Let's look back on some of the happenings at the old depot.

The first major political candidate to arrive at the old depot was General Winfield Scott, the hero of the Mexican War, and in 1852 the Whig nominee for President. on Oct. 7, 1852 he had appeared at the Hamilton depot of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad where he delivered a brief speech. After a reception at the hotel he was driven back to the depot and the locomotive headed north to Dayton, making its usual stop for water and wood at the Madison station, where he arrived early in the evening. According to a contemporary report in the "Middletown Emblem", Oct. 8, 1852 "One thousand people had assembled at the depot over at the Madison House. He made a short, but eloquent speech to the assembled multitude, after which the cars bore him onward amid deafening shouts." An eyewitness described the 66-year old general as 6 feet, 4 inches tall, weighing over 250 pounds. Even in citizen's dress, he had the bearing of a hero and could be compared to "nothing but an old eagle." However, Franklin Pierce won the election.

The most distinguished guest that stopped at the station was a young politician, Abraham Lincoln. The date was Sept. 17, 1859.

He was on a whistle-stop campaign tour on the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton railroad. Stopping at Dayton Lincoln spoke on the old Courthouse steps. The train then headed south, stopping at West Middletown, to take on wood and water.

Only a small crowd had turned out to greet Abraham Lincoln, considered a possible Republican candidate for the Presidency in 1860. Only a few at the station realized that Lincoln might have a great future. One such person was Levi Huffman, a Madison township farmer who supplied wood for use in the locomotives, boilers being wood-fired. Huffman later recalled seeing Lincoln alight from the back of the train after a brief greeting to those gathered to take a short walk around the depot. Seeing Levi helping load on the wood, Lincoln remarked that he had once cut wood himself. The two men introduced themselves and in a few minutes the train rolled on.

Another was a fireman on that special train. He recalled being told that the train was behind schedule and to hurry things up, yelling to others on the crew at the Madison stop, "Come on men, we got to get out of here --- we got to have Lincoln at Hamilton on time."

On that afternoon of the 17th Lincoln had spoken for over an hour in front of the Courthouse in Dayton. He finished at 3:30 p.m. leaving for Middletown and Hamilton at 4. So at about 4:30 he was at the station. The rough ride in the small, cramped cars caused passengers to get off at the station for a brief rest.

Lincoln, too, wanted to take a stretch, and with his long legs lie had some stretching to do. First he viewed the Great Miami River, and then raised his eyes to catch the broad outline of the town across the river, called Middletown. He noted a few three-story buildings of brick. He noted the toll keeper taking change from those crossing the great wooden bridge, and a farmer driving a herd of swine onto the bridge for the pork houses of Middletown.

Certainly no one had realized when that tall, ungainly stranger swung back aboard the train as it pulled out of the station, that the fate of a nation rode with him---with Abraham Lincoln, the Man of Destiny.

As Lincoln's vice-president, Andrew Johnson stopped at the depot on Sept. 14, 1864 where he was greeted by a few loyal Lincoln supporters. One group even boarded the train and rode with him to Hamilton where he delivered an address at Beckett's Hall. None realized he would soon be president.

As a student at Miami University, Benjamin Harrison made a few trips on the C.H. and D. to his home near Cincinnati.

There was quite a bang when vice-presidential candidate, Theodore Roosevelt, who would soon become president, stopped at the West Middletown depot on Oct. 18, 1900. The young Republicans of the area under Richard Dowling Middletown postmaster, had an old cannon used for signaling special events. It began blasting away when Roosevelt arrived, he already being a celebrity. As Roosevelt was about to begin his speech, an irritated Roosevelt ordered Dowling to "stop that infernal cannonading" and threatened to kick his pants if he didn't. When it was quiet Roosevelt made his speech and then continued his train trip to Hamilton to make a major address.

Alf Landon made a whistle stop at West Middletown. Alfred M. Landon, the oil-man millionaire who had served as governor of Kansas (1933-37) was nominated for President on the Republican ticket in 1936. He was defeated in a landslide by the popular, Franklin D. Roosevelt.

Not all who rode the campaign specials were successful. On Sept. 26, 1860 Stephen A. Douglas made a whistle-stop appearance at West Middletown at the C.H. and D. depot. An old history reported that this was one of the biggest and most enthusiastic tours. Douglas rode in a special train of six cars and was greeted at each station between D ayton and Hamilton, where he delivered a major address to 40,000 people. At West Middletown he was greeted by the firing of cannons and music of a band. Farmers came in on large hickory wagons with hickory poles and banners. One wagon from Wayne Township was drawn by horses upon which was mounted a Democratic voter draped in black pants, red shirt and glazed cap. The report noted that "Madison Township turned out handsomely in numbers with large hickory wagons, banners and mottoes." Douglas was far more popular in Madison Township than Lincoln.

Not only had Abraham Lincoln once stopped at the West Middletown depot of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton Railroad, but so had his major protagonist, former Ohio Congressman, Clement Laird Vallandigham. Both had arrived on special trains, Lincoln as a prospective presidential candidate and Vallandigharn under guard by a detachment of the I 15th Ohio Volunteer Infantry. On Monday, May 4, 1863 Gen. Ambrose Burnside issued a military order---General Order #38---from his command post of the military department of Ohio at Cincinnati. It directed a military unit to proceed to Vallandigham's home at Dayton, and arrest him, taking him to Burnside's headquarters at Cincinnati. Vallandigham was charged with "expressing sympathy for those in arms against the government ... and declaring disloyal sentiments and opinions which undermined the government in its efforts to suppress the rebellion."

The soldiers battered down the door, taking Vallandigharn to an awaiting train. Just as an angry crowd was assembling, the special pulled out of Dayton on the C.H. and D. headed for Cincinnati, just after midnight. They had to stop at West Middletown to take on wood and water, but no account exists as to what happened at the depot during that short stop, however, the station manager would have been notified by telegraph of the train and its mission. By this time Vallandigharn was well-known with many followers in the area. After he left Dayton martial law had to be declared.

The township had many men who volunteered for duty in the Union Army. It is estimated that the Middletown area furnished 500 soldiers for the Union armies. The C.H. and D. Railroad carried many a Civil War soldier to Cincinnati for his induction into the military. With both pro and anti-war parties in the township, feelings must have run high.

By the time of the Spanish-American War all had been forgotten, and all Madison Township united in their enthusiasm for that war. Again soldiers were seen around the depot. The biggest event occurred on April 26, 1898 when the officers and men of Company L. First Regiment, Ohio National Guard arrived at the depot. After a farewell program for the soldiers at the corner of Main and Central, they left for the awaiting cars. The account noted: "Escorted by the Uniform Rank Knights of Pythias, the soldiers marched to the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton depot, and were soon whirled away to regimental headquarters at Cincinnati.

Fortunately, it was a short war and the men returned Sept. 16, 1898 to the same depot. They arrived shortly after 8 a.m. According to an item in the "Middletown Diary" long before the appointed time, the levee was crowded with people. When the train pulled into Heno (West Middletown), 5,000 voices filled the air with cheers and whistles. Church bells pealed. The soldiers found it difficult to get off the train, for the crowd pushed around them, hoping to get the first glimpse of friends and relatives. Along the road of march back into the city, school children who had been dismissed from school presented bouquets of flowers to passing soldiers. There were dramatic moments when men in uniform were pulled from rank by mothers and sweethearts. At Broad and Third (Central) the parade stopped, and from a temporary stand, draped in flags, a program was presented before the men left for their homes.

James G. Blaine had come down the line from Dayton on Oct. 1, 1884. He was the Republican nominee for President.

On Oct. 20, 1896 --- Democrats in Butler County held the biggest political rally ever held in this county. It was a massive turnout for their candidate for the presidency, William Jennings Bryan, known as the Great Commoner, who spoke from a platform erected at the northeast corner of the county courthouse yard, to an estimated crowd of 30,000. After the speech, Bryan went back to the C.H. and D. depot followed by many Middletonians, who were fortunate enough to board the same train on its way to Dayton. Of course, not all local Democrats could get to Hamilton, and they assembled at the West Middletown C.H. and D. depot hoping to get a glimpse of their candidate.

When some local citizen told Bryan of their hope and that his campaign manager had said the train would not stop at Middletown, the Great Commoner, true to his name, ordered the train to stop at the station.

Here was another great crowd of humanity, wishing to see and hear William Jennings Bryan, the boy orator of the Platte. Mr. and Mrs. Bryan went to the rear platform of the train. After a few brief remarks, Bryan began shaking hands with some of the crowd. His broad, strong hand clasped all within reach.

In the crowd at Heno was a small child about five years old. Although caught in the crush, he was making his determined way to the back of the train. When Mrs. Bryan saw the small lad, she pointed him out to the candidate, who then motioned for the crowd to let the lad through. He came up to the train, and Bryan gave the future voter a handclasp. Before the train pulled out for Dayton, Mrs. Bryan went back into the car, and brought out a large bouquet of carnations, which she threw one by one to the crowd. Many of these were pressed between the leaves of thick books for preservation.

As the train pulled out. a group of school children chanted: "Bryan, Bryan, he's our Man; Throw McKinley in the garbage can!"

Bryan then made another stop at Middletown on May 11, 1912 where there was a short conference in his railroad car with local Democratic leaders.

As a Democratic political leader around the turn of the 20th century, Bryan's appeal was great, but not enough for him to win the presidency for which he was a candidate three times--1896, 1900, and 1908. Butler County voted for him each time. However, Bryan's protege, Woodrow Wilson did win the presidency in 1912 and 1916. For almost 3 decades, Bryan was the leader of the Democratic party and a master of molding public opinion.

Probably more people came to the depot to honor a symbol rather than a person. When citizens of Middletown learned that the Liberty Bell would be on a train on the C.H. and D. Railroad as it was being returned from the Panama-Pacific Exposition at San Diego, they requested the West Middletown stop. On Nov. 22, 1915 on a cold, dreary afternoon, patriots began to gather around the West Middletown Station to catch a fleeting glimpse of the famous bell. They streamed in from all directions, farmers in horse and buggy, town folk in automobiles, and others, walking.

They braved crossing the temporary bridge across the Great Miami river, a result of the 1913 flood's washing out the regular bridge. By 5:45 p.m. the area was jammed with eager as spectators, with automobiles parked on all the side streets and up the hills surrounding the village.

At about 6 o'clock word came by telegraph at the C.H. and D. station that the special train would be at least an hour late. Since temporary lights had been strung by the Middletown Gas and Electric Company, the area was light as day. The crowd settled down for the long wait with expectancy.

At 7:05 a C.H. and D. scheduled train passed, arousing false hopes, but at 7:25 a whistle was heard and the locomotive pulling the Liberty Bell special with Its eight bright, all red, steel cars pulled into the station. As the first cars went by, the crowd could see some 42 members of the Philadelphia committee aboard. There were also various Ohio political leaders. At the end was the flat car bearing the Liberty Bell, spotlighted by the tungsten lights.

A huge standard supported the most famous bell. The car was banked high with flowers, gifts from cities along the line. Ohio's governor stepped out to the bell, along with members of his staff in uniform. The crowd formed a line to move past the car with the Liberty Bell, which was beyond their reach.

After the 5-minute interval, the train pulled out from the station and the Liberty Bell left Middletown forever, as this was to be its last tour. One of the men on the train suggested as the train began to roll that all give three cheers for the Liberty Bell, and as momentum was gained, the cheers rose in a great chorus --- Hurrah, Hurrah, Hurrah.

Not all who stopped at the depot were famous, some being infamous. As a youth of 17, Clyde Barrow, who had left his Texas home after a fight with Bonnie, arrived in Middletown in an old car the afternoon of March 17, 1930. Needing some money, lie and two fellow fugitives robbed the West Middletown depot, taking $57.97 from its safe. Two Middletown policemen, Harry Richardson and George Woodie went to West Middletown offering assistance in investigating the safe robbery. A nearby service station owner told them he had taken down the license number of the car involved. They went back to the police station to check it out and coming back early the next morning they stopped again at the depot. Looking out they saw that very car coming down the hill, for it seems the three men had spent the night hiding out along Elk Creek. After a wild chase the fugitives were caught and sent back to the Texas jail. Bonnie and Clyde would be reconciled and a legend would be born.

The Traction, or electric trolley line, that ran through Madison Township beginning in 1897 until its demises in 1939, went through many consolidations and reorganizations during its lifetime. On July 1. 1902 through a series of mergers it became known as the Cincinnati, Dayton and Toledo Traction Company. This merger included that of the Hamilton and Lindenwald Transit Company; the Cincinnati Northwestern; the Miamisburg and Germantown; and the Southern Ohio Traction Company. The new company was capitalized at $5 million.

It all began with the Hamilton Horse Car Line on High Street in 1875, which in 1889 was modernized as the Hamilton Street Railway and Electric Company. In 1890 it completed a line to Lindenwald and changed its name to the Hamilton and Lindenwald Electric Transit. This line then merged with a Cincinnati traction line to operate as the Cincinnati and Hamilton
Electric Street Railway, which joined up with the Dayton Traction Company, making the line complete between Cincinnati and Dayton.

Its tracks were completed through the township and full service began on Aug. 24, 1897. Within 5 years the Traction line had become a valuable asset to the area. The line came up from Hamilton through Ohlingers, Overpeck, Busenbark and Trenton over to Engleside and into Middletown, thus connecting it with all the major cities and towns in western Ohio. Not only did it provide passenger service, but freight service as well. It was especially useful to farmers, where freight cars collected at trackside merchandise at rural stops. perishable goods reached to market in a few hours. Milk cans, holding 5 to 10 gallons of liquid, and chicken crates were often seen. Baby chicks often traveled the rails. Manufactured items from the cities were also delivered by traction freight.

Each car had two company men on board. The Conductor collected fares ringing them up on a special device. At railroad crossings he flagged the motorman safely across. He also helped people get on and off the cars.

The Motorman operated the car which was as large as a regular railroad car, heavy and well-constructed. They ran so smoothly that one felt as if riding on air. They whizzed along at 40 to 60 miles per hour in the open country. The whistle could be heard as the cars approached a crossing or station. There were also combination cars --- one-third freight and two-third's with passenger seats, as well as all-freight cars.

Fares in the early 1900's were only a few cents per mile. Mileage was figured at the rate of 1- 1 /2 cents a mile, with a 600-mile book selling for $9. Student books sold for 60 percent of the regular cash fare. Dogs, other than lap dogs, had to travel in the baggage car at a charge of 25 cents a trip. Baggage could be checked through at 25 cents. Children under 5 rode free when accompanied by an adult, while those 5 through I I were charged half fare.

The 217-mile Cincinnati to Toledo mainline was the longest such one In the United States. Even though a little slower than train travel, the interurban, as it was known, took passengers right to their destination in the downtown section. Fares were also lower than on the railroads.

Trenton was a major station on the Traction line, for at that point was the car barn and repair shop erected at 400 East State Street. The building 70 by 185 feet had four bays with tracks to permit the cars to enter and leave. Several conductors, motormen and maintenance workers for the line made their homes in Trenton. This building would later become the property of Magnode. An electrical converter station was located to the northeast of the car barn. It was a brick building about 10 by 20 feet. Trenton historian Edward Keefe stated it once housed a rotary converter which converted 33,000 AC current to the 555-volt direct current used to power the traction cars, picked up by the trolley following the overhead wire.

In 191 1 the original route of the traction between Trenton and Middletown was changed. A shortcut was made across the lowlands with a new bridge being constructed.

However, the opening of the new steel-tressel bridge was to have one disadvantage, although it cut the time between Middletown and Hamilton from 45 to 30 minutes. In making this short cut, it ended service to Engle's Corner.

The Ohio Electric's old roadway, which went down Main Street to Engle's Corner, had turned there following Oxford State Road into Trenton. Trenton had long objected to the Traction tracks across its narrow bridge, which when in use held up traffic. Also in the winter and spring Oxford State Road, before its bed was raised, was often inundated by flood waters stopping traction service for days. So the traction abandoned the old route regardless of public protest. Unfortunately, the 1,200-foot steel tressel bridge, which opened in November 19 11, lasted only until the 1913 Flood. Then a temporary wooden pile and timber trestle replaced it, serving until the end of Traction service here on April 13, 1939.

Buffeted by competing means of transportation --- the automobile, rail coaches and finally motor buses --the days of the Traction were numbered. Even the addition of the "Red Devils" that weighed 20 tons and could glide along at 60 miles per hour, could not save it, for the company known then as the CL&E was doomed, and Depression Days hastened its demise.

On Thursday, April 13, 1939, the Cincinnati and Lake Erie Railway Co. ran its lasts car, No. 100. Harry Bell, a Hamiltonian, was at the controls of that last northbound "Red Devil" headed for Middletown. The next day, 32 inter-city passenger buses replaced the traction cars which had long made the 276-mile run between Cincinnati and Toledo.

As there were tragic accidents on the C.H. and D. Railroad at West Middletown, there was another terrible accident on the Traction. It occurred one early morning of June 30, 1932 on the traction line between Trenton and Middletown. It happened on the line just south of the trestle which crossed the Great Miami river off South Main St. at 6:38 a.m.

The accident was the result of a head-on collision between a heavily loaded, two-car freight bound from Cleveland to Cincinnati, thus headed south, and a fast-traveling passenger traction car headed north. According to the passenger register, there were I I on board. On the freight cars were two men, the motorman, who was killed instantly, and Conductor H.A. Shank of Miamisburg, who leaped to safety just before the crash.

Death was indeed riding the rails of the passenger car this morning for nine of its I I occupants were killed. This included three who had boarded the car at Trenton --- Harry C. Augspurger and his son Walter and Anna Louise Raymond.

The two cars struck with such force that they telescoped about two-thirds of their length. The victims were caught between the floor of the heavy body of the freight or crushed between the walls of the cars. Bodies were hopelessly crushed and mangled.

Rescue workers, including Middletown police, street department employees and volunteers worked to get to the killed and injured. The dead were placed on the ground. The injured were carried to a waiting emergency traction car and rushed up Main Street to be met by ambulances which transported them to the local hospital. Then the dead were carried away on another trip by the emergency traction car, and taken to local funeral homes.

Investigation into the cause of the tragedy was begun almost immediately by Dr. Edward Cook, county coroner, and traction company officials. They soon placed the blame for the crash on an experienced Hamilton conductor, who in 33 years had compiled an excellent safety record for the company. He was killed in the smashup.

According to C&LE officials, the passenger car operator had been ordered to meet the southbound freight at the north Trenton siding and remain on that siding until the freight had passed. No one will ever really know what happened, or why the conductor did not follow this order. Dr. Cook, however, observed that the traction line's policy of one-man car operation led to this tragedy, claiming that two men are really needed on each car. This policy was begun in 1930 to save operating costs due to declining riders and the Depression.

One of the surviving passengers, Duke Herr, interviewed at the hospital described the crash as "horrible." fie related: "I was riding in the smoker, and near the switch I saw a freight car coming. When it was a few feet ahead, I raised up out of my seat and that was the last thing I knew. Luckily he was knocked through the window and landed on the ground, dazed and conscious, only slightly injured and hearing those screams for help, which he was unable to give.

Of the eleven passengers, nine worked for the traction line itself and were on the way to work. The Augspurgers, father and son, were C&LE employees, the older man a car inspector and the younger in maintenance. They are survived by the widow and mother, Bertha.

Due to the early hour, few were near the scene of the accident. Arthur Winsted, whose farm overlooked the scene, was first on hand and had the presence of mind to grab red warning flags, placing them up and down the tracks to warn any approaching cars.

After the news spread, many local residents rushed to the scene, which was difficult to reach. Middletonians had to walk the tracks crossing a trestle and bridge. The curious also had to tramp through a cornfield to reach the ravine where the two cars had crashed. A bus was pressed into service carrying traction fine passengers between Trenton and Middletown.

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