Democratic Sentinel, Volume 4, Number 1, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1880 — Indiana Railways, 1879. [ARTICLE]

Indiana Railways, 1879.

The year 1879 has been a remarkable one in railway progress in Indiana. During the year several important new lines were opened, but the most noteworthy changes relate to the reorganization and consolidation of the old companies.

Nearly all the travel and traffic between the West and New York and other Eastern seaports must pass through Indiana. Hence the general revival of business lias had a specially favorable effect on railway property in this State. The Indianapolis, Cincinnati and Lafayette aud Chicago roads now form a consolidated line from Cincinnati to Chicago, with a thorough reorganization of the offices aud a judicious distribution of these at Cincinuati, Indianapolis and Lafayette. The Cincinnati, Hamilton and Indianapolis is rapidly becoming an important part of the consolidated lines of the Cincinnati, Hamilton and Dayton, and other companies. The Ohio and Mississippi road has greatly improved, both the main line to St. Lonis and tho branch usne to Louisville, under the stimulus of the heavy business of this year of pros perity. The Louisville, New Albany and Chicago road, which hitherto has been only a local road, yet which of late years has paid good returns on its reorganized capita], will become a part of the Louisville, Nashville and Great Southern system, and will at once take rank as a through line from the Southern States to Chicago and tho Northwest. The indications also are that there will be a consolidation of the lines from Terre Haute via Danville to Chicago, which, with the road to Evansville, will form another through lino from the Ohio to Chicago. The Logansport, Crawfordsville and Southwestern road has been sold, under foreclosure, to the Vandalia Company, and is now part of the Indianapolis and Terre Haute road. Uider the new management the road will be thoroughly rebuilt ; the special coal interest will be more fully developed and the entire line be placed under better management than was possible in the hands of a receiver.

The Incl anapolis, Bloomington and Western road has been taken out of the hands of the receiver and is now thoroughly reorganized under the name of the Indiana, Bloomington and Western. The new company is possessed of ample means, and Las the sagacity to fully appreciate the unequaled value of the location of this line from Indianapolis by the most direct route to the Northwest and to Omaha and the Pacific. The completion of the Indianapolis, Decatur and Springfield road is a very important addition to the Western roads from Indianapolis. This road is the most direct route to Decatur and Springfield, and will be a formidable competitor with the old roads for the valuable business from the coal regions of Indiana a,nd the rich agricultural sections of Central Illinois. The grand consolidation of roads from Toledo to Omaha, by which the Wabash became a part of the Toledo, St. Louis, and Western, is the greatest of the changes in the railway system of the State, and is ono the- importance of which is but feebly realized. The ultimate seems to be a united interest from San Francisco to New York, with all the possible advantages and disadvantages which are included in such a colossal scheme. The immediate effect has been the diversion of a large traffic to tho Wabash line which hitherto has been carried over the lines eastward from Chicago. The Pennsylvania Company has reorganized the Jeffersonville, Madison and Indianapolis road, and will in the future, as in the past, make it one of the best roads in the State. The Cleveland, Columbus, Cincinnati and Indianapolis, the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati and St. Louis, the Peru and Indianapolis, and the two lines from Indianapolis to St. Louis continue under essentially the old organizations, with their well-known efficiency. The new system of transfers at Indianapolis over tho Belt railroad is a complete success. The city tracks are no longer crowded, while the new road quite around the city, and common to all the lines, offers attractions for the location of every sort of manufacturing business, unequaled in the United States.

On all the lines in the State special attention has been given during the year to the improvement of the roadbeds and the renewal of the tracks. More miles of steel rails have been laid than in any previous ye -ir, and, with the contracts already made for further improvements, there will be scarcely a line in the State which will not be fully equipped for the rapidly- iueroaaihg business of the country for IB6o.•—Cincinnati QctteUt,