Jasper County Democrat, Volume 2, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 7 April 1900 — Gifford’s Railroad. [ARTICLE]

Gifford’s Railroad.

Another railroad meeting was held at the court house Tuesday night and the proposed project discussed to some length. Committees were appointed for various purposes, one of whioh is to corral Mr. Gifford and bring him here forthwith and have him explain his plans in person. It is now proposed to ask Rensselaer amd Marion tp., to vote a subsidy of $25,000 if the thing reaches s focus. Some objections were made to the proposed route to Rensselaer, owing principally to its diagonal course and cutting up of farms badly. It is proposed we believe to run from the Elsworth farm in Hanging Grove tp., to a point some three miles east of town, there to cross the Monon right-of-way and thence along the east side of the river to a point at the south side of the city, where the depot and side-tracks are to be located, thence on the half-section line east of the range line gravel road, south to Remington. Some objections were made to the proposed route to Remington; that if run on the west half-section line Jordan tp., might vote a $5,000 subsidy. Many thought also that the road should come to Rensselaer on the west side of the river; that a depot away out in the country and a mile or more from the Monon depot would be rather inconvenient, to say the least. Mr. Gifford was here Thursday, and it. is understood did not favor any change in route. No public meeting was held and no one appears to know much more about the matter than they did before he came.