Jasper County Democrat, Volume 12, Number 17, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 2 June 1909 — INDIANAPOLIS TO CHICAGO, [ARTICLE]

INDIANAPOLIS TO CHICAGO,

An AutomoMlr Roadway Will Bb Constructed. IT MAY STRIKE RENSSELAER. A Toll of One Cent a Mile To Be Charged Automobillsts Over the Track, Which Is To Be On Private Right-Of-Way and Will Be Used Exclusively for Automobiles. Charles S. Hernly, of Newcastle, former Republican State chairman, announced yesterday that a company would be incorporated in Indiana next week to build an automobile highway between Indianapolis and Chicago. “The preliminary papers,” said he, “are being signed this week. The company will be organized with $250,000 capital stock as a beginner. Carl Fisher, of Indianapolis, and Ben Briscoe, of Tarrytown, N. Y., president of the Maxwell-Briscoe Motor Company, are associated with me in this project. There are others, but I can not announce their names this week. “We propse to build a great highway for automobilists between the two cities. It will be a finely graded road, built as railroads, on private right-of-way, and it will be oiled and kept in as fine condition as any city speedway. It will be open to •' automobile owners and the

toll will be 1 cent a mile. “We intend to begin the construction this summer and get twenty-five or thirt? miles of it ready for use by early fall. The work of getting the right-of-way will begin as soon as we file our articles of incorporation next week. We have men whose names will be sufficient guaranty that the highway will be built. “We have three routes in mind at this time. We don’t, of course, * want to give them definitely, but one is by Lebanon and Frankfort, another by Crawfordsville and Lafayette, and the third by Noblesville, Tipton and Logansport.” He was asked if the report that the company also intended to establish a through regular passenger service of cars between Indianapolis and Chicago is correct. “There is nothing in that. It will be just an auto road open to all automobile owners who will pay the toll. It is the first big project to take definite shape, and we propose to make it a reality from Indianapolis to Chicago by next year. A good start will be made this summer and fall.” The estimates for the construction of the entire highway, which will be approximately 200 miles, are not made public. It is understood, however, that the estimates are between $1,500,000 and $2,000,000. The toll, which is announced, will be $2 for the use of'the speedway between the two cities, or $4 round all” for a man with high power trip. It is thought that the pleasure seekers alone would keep the road so full that a big return would be assured on the investment. The new Indianapolis speedway and the boulevard system of Chicago would be exceptional terminal attractions for such an undertaking. It was announced that the roadway will be kept in such condition that it "won’t be any trick at all” for a man with ahigh power, machine to make the railroad time of approximately five hours between the two cities “look like a snail’s schedule.” The roadway, as planned, is to be wide enough so that there will be no danger to the “slow pokes” when owners of high power machines let them out. ' “We will file our incorporation papers next week,” said Hernly, “and will then be ready to talk about the details of the undertaking.” , . The shares of stock will be SIOO, and Hernly announced that this will be placed with automobile people. In this way they will be made interested in the success of the undertaking.