Rensselaer Republican, Volume 17, Number 41, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 18 June 1885 — ABOUT RENSSELAER. [ARTICLE]

ABOUT RENSSELAER.

What an Unprejudiced And Clear Headed Observer of The Pesent Aspect and the Future Possibiltles of The Town. An extended and interesting sketch of Rensselaer appeared in the last issue of the Indianapolis Sunday Sentinel. The fact that we have just published an extended history of the town makes unnecessary the republication of the Sentinel’s entire article, but many of its passaged are so full of interest, or of wise suggestions, that we gladly make room fdr the extracts here appended: OPENING OBSERVATIONS.

An expanse of country, an outstretching village, with wide, clean streets', grassy lawns and thickening foliage, and the sparkle of a river and the murmur of rapids, are among the first impressions received 'from a glance out and over the quiet, quaint and rural town pf Rensselaer, the county seat of Jasper county. Indiana bounds in pretty towns, but none impresses the traveler with such a sense of quietude and restfulness as Rensselaer, and yet it is not devoid of the stir rind animation of business life, and is in reality the center of an important section of coun-

try. It lies 127 miles northwest from Indianapolis and about seventy miles southeast ot Chicago on the C. and 1., Air Line Division of the L., N. A. & C. railroad. It is surrounded by a section of country rich in natural resources and greater possibilities th an have r s yet been realized. It is watered by the Iroquois and Pinkamink rivers, is in the center'd? a county comprising 553 square miles, the chiet characteristics of which are farming, grazing and mineral lands. Jasper county is better known than many owing to its illustrious namesake, Sergeant Jasper, of Revolutionary fame, whose exploit at Fort Moultrie is familiar to readers of history. Rensselapr was formerly known as Newton, its first settlement being made in 1834, at which time the present thrifty, well drained and pretty fields were all a quagmire and a swamp'. From this point to the head of the lr<> quois River the Valley was a marsh, With a spontaneous growth of wild rice, pond lily and splater dock.

THE FIRST RAILROAD running through the town was the Indianapolis, Rensselaer and Chicago Narrow Guage, which was opened February loth, 1878 arid was largelyinstrumental in enhancing the general interest of the city. Among the projected railroad interests, we learned ot a new road which wilj. run from LaCross south, giving direct communication with the coal fields in Glay county and access to the heart of this region; and another interest of vitaHmportance to the town is the Fort Waj ne, Rensselaer and Peoria road, which was surveyed in 1883. a two per cent, has been voted in the interest of the Rochester, Rensselaer and St. Louis road; thus, with the radiation from this point in various directions, added to the present advantages of its railroad facilities, the future of the little city may be counted upon as becoming one < f the important railroad centers of Northern Indiana. The materia!

GROWTH OF THE CITY dates from the first advent of the r.iil and iron horst 1 , the valuation of it< I improvements since then being not less than $500,000. Rensselaer is proud of its solid men, its moneyed interests, its fair fame as a town, and well she may be, but there lies‘wjthiu her grasp far greater possibilities of growth. iiiterpiTse and wider interests than have as yet been developed. With a fair prospect of communication with adjoining States, in the midst of a fertile country, watered by forces which’ can be garnered and utilized for the operation of industries, it only needs the enterprise and openhandedness of the spirit of the age to make the quiet, quaint city of our writing to resound with the hum and life of the business of the world. But it r<>

quires money to build a city; men and women must, open their coffers and lay the contents into the very lap of nature, and with nerve and unswervering energy drawn with the golden magnet the waters from the earth, the ttmber from the forests, tlie. pre from mine-, and from our lives the best possible good for humanity and the world. Rensselaer has a population of over I,(JOO, has only a light bonded debt of $9,000 on its school house. With sß>:>,598 of taxable property, only fifteen cent on SIOO as tiro tax levy, And the largest land owners of the county in her midst, there is rro town within its section with greater possibilities, and there is no valid reason why industries should not thrive here as elsewhere. -J. The raw material, fuel, water-powjtir

from which to generate steam; at least plenty of territory upon which to build homes for the skilled mechanics to life in, cheap freight facilities, all are here, and capital and land to commence with, and then there is the vast country to be supplied with what Rensselaer could produce, and other towns will, in the not-far-distant future. The advantages of this section for the establishment of local industries will bear investigation, and the closer the scrutiny and the more liberal its property owners, the more certain will be the inducemea®to enterprising men to establish here. Rensselaer was incorporated in 1859, but forfeited its character during the years of the war because there were no men to sustain the offices. It is quite evident, with the status of women’s work and interests in the town, that, had the women of Rensselaer, in the year 1863, undertaken to have offlpere the little town the charter would not have been surrendered, but, as it proved, it was regained Again hr JB6l, and to-day the growth of-the interests are due to the energy of all its people, both men and women.