Jasper County Democrat, Volume 9, Number 37, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 15 December 1906 — NOT DEAD---ONLY SLEEPING [ARTICLE]

NOT DEAD---ONLY SLEEPING

Rumor That Pennsylvania Lines Are to Use C. I. AE. Franchise In * Through Line to Chicago. Indianapolis New*: There is a well-defined rumor in railroad circles that the franchise acquired by the Chicago, Indianapolis & Evansville railroad company is to be used by the Pennsylvania in building a direct line of its own to Chicago. The franchise was given gratis to the C., I. & E. men, whose identity has always been carefully concealed, in spite of the opposition of all the commercial organizations of Indianapolis and its citizens generally. In the stories now current the name of Bushrod Taylor, of the Pennsylvania company, is associated with the granting of the franchise. At the time of granting it there was suspicion that tde Pennsylvania was interested, because of probable loss of its lease of L. E. <fc W. tracks. The rumor now is that the Lake Erie & Western, whose tracks the Pennsylvania uses from this city to Kokomo junction, on its way to Chicago, has given notice that the Pennsylvania’s lease of the L. E. & W. tracks will not be renewed. The lease will expire in 1908. One of its terms is that the lease shall be for ten years, and that if either party to the lease wishes not to renew it, notice to that effect shall be given two years in advance. Though the C., I. & E. promoters are doing absolutely nothing to forward their plans, their project seems not to be dead —only sleeping. The company has not had any engineers in the field since the franchise was granted, and operations, which were active for months during the time the franchise was pending in the city council, terminated suddenly with the granting of the franchise. The company still maintains offices in the Traction Terminal building, but only one or two men are to be seen about them. Stenographers, clerks, engineers, draftsmen and others who thronged the offices before the franchise was given away by the council were dismissed by the company long ago. John B. Carter, vice-president of the company, and the only man who identified himself with the project, comes to Indianapolis occasionally, but spends most of his time away from Indianapolis.