Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 38, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 29 December 1900 — Future of the Clifford Railroad. [ARTICLE]

Future of the Clifford Railroad.

In a recent letter to parties at Wolcott, regarding his plans for the future of his road, Mr. Gifford states, “the mystery touching my plans south of the Monon is easily explained by saying 1 have no plans. The south end of my track now reets on the Monon at McCoysburg, and the line from Gifford to Rensselaer will doubtless be put under construction next spring, ‘but further deponent sayeth not.’ ’’ He says that he wants to extend the road southward into the Wabash Valley, and will adopt any line which may present itself upon which he may be able to build, but I shall not be able to build upon any line without some degree of local co-operation. He says that the volume of business from the territory traversed by his road must nfccessarilly be small, yet he thinks the enhanced value of real estate tributary to the road will more than equal the cost of construction. This idea no doubt was uppermost in his mind when constructing the road through his own lands, and so far as his own real estate is concerned this has no doubt been true, as much of the territory did not possess sufficent natural advantages to attract people to that section of Jasper county, From private sources we learn that Gifford intends to build to Cedar Lake next season, but as to his plans further than this we are unable to learn anything whatever. Regarding this and the voting of subsidies for the southern extension, he has this to say in the Wolcott letter: “The prospects in Lake county where very little effort has yet been made seem at this time to be very fair and doubtless will become the principle field of labor next summer. And whether a line may be found across White or Benton counties, where a majority in interest can cheerfully unite on the above proposition remains to be seen. Should they fail po do so, the south end will remain stationary until a ‘change may come over the spirit of their dreams.’ ”