Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 2, Number 39, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 19 January 1859 — The American Central Railroad. [ARTICLE]

The American Central Railroad.

[from tlis Railroad Record.

Messrs. Editors: My attention has been called to an editorial article in your number of December I*s, in relation to the Tiffin and Fort Wayife'Rai lroad, which requires correction. While doing no more than justice to that road, in - your representation of its good condition, and of the prudent management of its interests by its excellent. President, Mr. R. G. Pennington, you have fallen into grave error as to other connecting links of what is known as the “American Central Railway.” You describe the route of the American Central as extending westward from FortWayno to Chicago, and thence via Lacon and Oskaloosa to Council Bluffs. Thi s is confounding tire work,in part,with the Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad, and mistaking its peculiar character and merits as a great, continuous, straight, and due cast and west line. The American Central has no relation to any Chicago route. The links westward from Fort Wayne are, the “Fort Wayne Western,” extending to the western boundary of Indiana; the “ Western /\ir Line,” j across the State of Illinois; and the “Phila- | J delphia, Illinois and Platte River Air Line,” through lowa .to the Missouri at Council Bluffs. The towns Rochester and Rensselaer, in Indiana-v-Llcon, j Galva and New •Boston, in Illinois—Walp|ello, Washington and Oskaloosa, in lowa, are points on this long line;, and u glance at the map will show how both east and west of Fort Wayne, thoughout its entire length, is almost an air line, running nearly with the parallel of 41degrees N. (attitude across the Tour States, Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and lowa. In Illinois this? road crosses the Chicago Branch ol the Illinois Central Railroad, at a point about fifty-eight miles from Chicago, near Kankakee City. Throughout almost the j whole distance, keeping upon the plateau or middle table land, between the Waters that discharge northward into the lakes, and the sources of the streams that run south into the rivers of the gtplf, this great route traverses one of the finest grain and cattle-pro-ducing regions of the North-west. But it is not my purpose'to,''enlarge upon the character of the enterprise. 1 desire only to set you right, by correcting the mistake into which you have inadvertently (alien, in your notice of one part of this work. And nobody perhaps can more appropriately do this for you. • - 1 am President of flic tw<|> Railroad Companies. (the Fort Wayne Western and the W estern Air Line) which are constructing that portion of the line which is between Fort Wayne and the Mississippi river. We are proceeding as yet slowrfy, but we hope surely—ihe completion of the whole road being, as we believe, but a question of time. The companies have issued n > bonds as vet; intending to adhere to the policy of contracting no debt except such as will be exclusively for the purchase of-nails and equipment. With their local means, consisting ol individual and county subscriptions, they are proceeding gradually with the work in Illinois, haying 1 now nearly one hundred' miles of the.road! bed finished in, that State; and in Indiana the whole is under contract,' and the grading done from Rensselaer eastward to the crossing of the New Albany and Salem Railroad, with a prospect to the 1 contractor of resuming operations Vigorously in .the. corning.spring, and going liirward without further delay or interruption. In lowa some miles of* grading'the heaviest of their work, next to the Mississippi riser has been done; abd the masonry for a line bridge over the lowa river at Walpeild, I understand, is nearly completed. If the construction of the Antiantic and Great Western Railroad should become, .as appears very probable now., “a fixed fact,” with its wide track extending from New York to !St. Louis, the Various roads composing the American Central may also adopt, as, is proposed to them, the broad gauge. The intersection, with the Atlantic and Great Wos'ern will he at a point near AkronyDliio; and thus East of the Mississippi alone, there would he added it branch to that magnificent scheme. In the meantime, looking to that or another eastern outlet, the work on Mr. Pennington's part of our line, in this State, is .progressing eastward from Tiffin, as you have already noticed.

Respectfully,

R. C. SCHENCK.

Dayton, Dec. 20, 1858-.