Jasper County Democrat, Volume 22, Number 16, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 May 1919 — ROUSING MEETING HELD HERE [ARTICLE]

ROUSING MEETING HELD HERE

Wednesday in Interests of Ind tan-apoliK-Chicago Highway. One of the most enthusiastic highway meetings ever held in Indiana was held in Rensselaer Wednesday in the interests of a state road between Indianapolis and Chicago via Lebanon, Frankfort, Lafayette, Montmorenci, Wolcott, Remington, Rensselaer, Demotte and Crown Point, with delegates from every county through which it is desired to have this road pass. This meeting was for the purpose of discussing plans for best bringing the matter before the highway commission, and resolutions were adopted setting out the many advantages of this line, which follows the old Jackson highway, except in north Jasper, where it is straightened and shortened by going north through Demotte and continuing on to a point two miles soutn of Hebron, where it <turns west on the Orchard Grove road and takes up the old “J. H.” road again into Crown Point. Mayor Spitler of Rensselaer was made chairman of the meeting and Fred A. Ruff of Crown Point secretary. Impromptu talks were made by several of ths representatives of the various counties, and a committee on maps and data, consisting of the following members, was appointed: Senator Will Brown, Porter county; C. P. Fate, Lake county; Ed Nesbitt, Jasper county; Perry O’Connor, White county; E. J. Lewis, Tippecanoe county; W. L. Brown, Clinton county; E. A. Prenton, Boone county. This committee is to prepare maps and compile data to be presented to the state highway commission. A committee on resolutions, _ consisting of the following members: A. L. Courtwright of Lake county; Senator Will Brown, Porter county; Judge C. W. Hanley, Jasper county; Lewis Hinchman, White county; Henry Marshall, Tippecanoe county; Russell Guard, Clinton county, and Perry Crane, Boone county, reported the following resolutions, which wefe unanimously adopted: J “To the State Highway Commission: “Whereas, a meeting was held in Rensselaer, of this date, May 21, 1919, of representative citizens and taxpayers of Boone, Clinton, Tippecanoe, White, Jasper, Lake and Porter counties, and that it is the sense of the delegates to assemble;

that they call the attention of the state highway commission to a few' of the features of the route known as: The Jackson highway, from Indianapolis passing northwest through the following county seat towns; Lebanon, Frankfort, Lafayette, Rensselaer and Crown Point, and the Calumet regions, and we further urge and invite the attention of the commission to the following facts: “This route to be officially known as the J. H. Airline association from Indianapolis to Chicago. “1. That the route mentioned end known as the Jackson highway from the city of Indianapolis to the city of Chicago is 15 miles shorter than any other route mentioned, used, advertised, or marked out. “2. That the Jackson highway presents no difficulties whatever in the way of cuts or fills along its entire route. . “3. That prior to the establishment of any route by the old commission the government requested a route direct from Indianapolis to

the city of Chicago in a northwesterly direction. “4. That the government established a motor mail route on the Jackson highway, which has been temporarily stopped but will be resumed on June 1. "5. That the Jackson highway from Indianapolis to Chicago has less railroad crossings than any other feasible route. ••«. That the cities and towns of Lebanon, Frankfort, Lafayette, Montmorenci, Wolcott, Remington, Rensselaer, Demotte and Crown Point have accommodations and facilities for taking care of traffic, both truck and pleasure cars. "7. That this route connects six county seat towns. “8. That the principle bridges are of such width and construction that they are able to carry any traffic on this route without any immediate expenditure. “9. That the proposed Jackson highway is about equal distance between the Dixie highway and the Indiana-Michigan road. “10. Should the corn belt route e established from the state line to the city of Logansport there would be a distance from south of Wolcott to the town of Remington of about seven miles, where there would be no duplications in expenditure for construction, thereby cf.e/n" a saving of probably a quarter million dollars. “11. That this route is the oldest route, having been established more than 21 years ago.’’ The meeting was held in the Van Rensselaer club rooms and the visitors were entertained by the club with an excellent dinner at the Makeever hotel. Including the local committee members, the visitors and a few members of the Van Rensselaer club, there were about 70 who took dinner at the hotel. A vote of thanks wap extended the club for its entertainment of the visitors. , The visitors from other counties were: Boone county—Mayor JviVr, Paul English, Perry Crane and E. A. Brenton, all of Lebanon; Clinton county—Russell Guard and W. L. Brown of Frankfort; Tippeecanoe county—Henry W. Marshall, Frank Bonner, H. Rosenthal, E. G. Lewis, Thomas Follen of Lafayette; William Burkle, L. M. Jordan, C. B. Kneale, W. C. Smith of Montmorencie; White county Quincy Hughes, Lewis Hickman, S. C. Uhl of Wolcott; Lake county—C. D. Root, G. W. Frerick, Melvin Ross, J. E. Freass, A. L. Courtwright, C. iH. Meeker, Fred Bartholomew, J. J. Baldwin, H. F. Batterman, A. E. Heide, E. J. Crawford, Fred Ruff, S. H. Hickson, Sam B. Wood, all of Crown Point; Porter county —Senator Will Brown of Hebron.