Jasper County Democrat, Volume 7, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 April 1905 — LA FAYETTE-CHICAGO. [ARTICLE]

LA FAYETTE-CHICAGO.

Revised Plans of an Air Line Traction Company Through Jasper. Charles F. Knowlton, general manager of the Indianapolis & Chicago Air Line Traction Company, which proposes to construct a through electric line from this city to Chicago, says that John A. Shafer, the chief engineer of the company, has run his permanent surveys for the proposed line from Indianapolis as far northwest as Francesville, in Pulaski county. The work has, it is said, been in progress for several weeks. The plans of those who are promoting the “Air Line” proposition have grown even more ambitious than at first, as they now propose to run a thorugh electric line from Lafayette to Chicago, which, as the Indianapolis line would be forced to do, would depend upon its through business between Lafayette and Chicago for earnings. They propose to run their Chicago surveys by way of Stoutsburg, where they would connect with the line of the proposed Chicago & Wabash steam roads, built from Stoutsburg, in Jasper county, southeast to McCoys burg, in the same county, This line, continued southeast, would reach Lafayette. By a continuation of the Chicago line northwest from Stoutsburg, the Lafayette line would get into Chicago. Mr. Knowlton says the company will lease that part of the Chicago & Wabash that has already been constructed of the builder and ownsr; Benjamin Gifford, of Kankakee, lll.—Thursday’s Indianapolis News.