Rensselaer Gazette, Volume 3, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 September 1859 — BLINDNESS OF LAFAYETTE. [ARTICLE]

BLINDNESS OF LAFAYETTE.

[For the Rensselaer Gazette

Mr. Editor: I see in the last “Ga i zette” that you have noticed a rumor that, you say, came from a gentle-; man horn Lafayette, that there was! a company formed in that place for j the purpose of constructing a railroad from there to Chicago, and that the wealthy citizens of Lafayette had subscribed a large amount of stock; also, that the Lalayette and Indian apolis, ami the Cincinnati and Indianapolis Railroads, had had taken $100,090 each. Now, I do not know who the man was that you refer to, or what reasons he had for making such state ments; but 1 have not the slightest doubt that the thing is entirely with out foundation not but what 1 look upon the project as feasible, and one that will be eventually completed lint the wealthy citizens of Lafayette have ne\er been very great ft finds to railroads, and those that they have, except the fir-t, have been more pushed upon them than taken there by their own exertions. They seetn to think that every road that touches them is only opening an artery to bleed them, instead of building them up and giving them strength; and, to prove this, they will refer you to the time when they had no railroads as they days of their greatest prosperity. And true enough it was, but it was at the expense of the surrounding country We then had to haul our goods and groceries from Lafayette or some other point on the Wabash river—thanks to the friendly aid of railroads. that bring them nearer to our hands. They tell us a railroad from Lafayette to Chicago will detract greatly from the former in favor of the latter. But how this can be we cannot see; they surely would receive more trade along the fine of the proposed road than they do now, and would lose none. The advantages are obvious. They would retain to their railroad and town the travel from Cincinnati to Chicago, which they cannot without it. But should the company spoken of, or the citizens ol Lafayette or Chicago, find it to tin ir interests to construct this road-, they will find the citizens along the line in Jasper and Lake counties ready tc to their part, and we understond that an arrangement can be made to run into ' Chioago on another track, thereby

cutting ofT the greatest proportion of the entire expense.

More anon.

VERIRAS.