He built a brick and tile plant near Horace and used the railroad to ship his finished products to customers throughout Ohio and New York.
In 1898–1899 the Ashland and Wooster Railway Company extended the line to Ashland, Ohio, where it built a large freight and passenger depot and served many large industries in that city.
After several years of financial difficulties, the line went into receivership and was eventually purchased by Zebulon W. Davis of Canton, Ohio.
In 1907 the Ashland and Western Railway was sold to former Wabash Railroad president Joseph Ramsey, Jr. Ramsey had constructed the Lorain and Ashland Railroad between Wellington, Ohio, and Lorain, Ohio.
This line fell into disrepair and it was not until 1913 that the entire system was refurbished and a connector between Ashland and Wellington was completed in 1914.