Evening Republican, Volume 17, Number 46, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 22 February 1913 — GIFFORD’S RAILROAD IN BAD CONDITION [ARTICLE]

GIFFORD’S RAILROAD IN BAD CONDITION

,± f Main Hoad Has Not Been Repaired and Road Bed is Unfit to Run Trains of Any Kind Oven The Chicago & Wabash Railroad, better known as the Gifford road, is now said to be in a very dilapidated condition and the roadbed to be unfit to run any trains’over. Cheaply constructed in the first place and neglected in the way of repairs owing to the fact that the revenues derived from the V road have not been sufficient to pay its running expenses, and because the owner, Benjamin J. Gifford, was putting all of his money into the effort to extend the road .to the north and south, the main track between McCoysburg and Kersey, which was built some fifteen years ago, is now in such bad condition that it is doubtful whether any railroad concern will ever pay anything for it and also very doubtful whether any adininistrator or trustee of the affairs of Mr. Gifford would ever undertake to repair it and make a railroad out of it. The ties have rotted, the rails are bent and rusted and the cuvlerts are in need of attention. It is virtually a railroad gone to rust and decay. Since it was the ambition of the promoter’s life it is a great pity. As it was, he accomplished a great deal in* the face of great difficulties and if he had ten years to live and enjoy good health he Would certainly have taken his road into Gary on the north ahd the coal fields on the south. The misfortune of the stroke of apoplexy, however, has evidently brought to an abrupt conclusion his operations and the road is fast going into complete decay.