People's Pilot, Volume 2, Number 36, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 24 February 1893 — Monon's Steamboat Line. [ARTICLE]

Monon's Steamboat Line.

The Monon rcrat« is making extensive preparations for hauling a big crowd this year. Last season a large sum of money was expended in putting the Michigan City branch in good condition, and it will be operated the coming summer as a part of the Monon’s lake and rail line for a general excursion business. Two steamers have been chartered to run from Michigan City to Jackson Park and Chicago harbor in connection with the road. One boat will carry 3,000 passengers and the other has a capacity of 1,100. The trains bringing excursionists will arrive at Michigan City in the evening. Their passengers will be transferred to the steamers, which will leave about midnight for Jackson park. The run by boat is about four hours, but the passengers will be allowed to remain in their berths until morning. The boats will go on to Chicago harbor, taking those down town who wish to see the city first. In the evening they will call again at the park and take excursionists back to Michigan City, where trains will be in readiness for the passengers. Its boat line will give the Monon quite an advantage in extending low rates to people along its line. The boats can take passengers from Michigan City for 50 cents and then make good money out of the traffic. This is far cheaper than the road could do it by rail. A full vestibuled train will be run from Atlanta to Chicago throughout the season. Extra train service will be added by sections with the schedule the way it is now. The road has added materially to its equipment. Ten new coaches were built last year, and twenty-five more are now under way. Three parlor diners are also under construction. New locomotives, of ■heavy build and especially designed for fast running, are also being built. Preparatory for its immense traffic the Monon spent $1,000,000 the last year on its roadbed. General Passenger Agent James Barker says the outlook is favorable for a great traffic. The Monon, like most other roads, is not prepared to announce its position on excursion, rates. The road by its steamboat connection pan handle an immense traffic without causing a glut of trains on its Chicago division, and as the. boats must be kept running it is likely that rates will be made which will give them passengers. Two or three excursions by way of Michigan City were given last summer and the railroad officials were simply astonished at the number of people crowding, into their trains for a trip to Chicago.