Rensselaer Union, Volume 1, Number 52, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 23 September 1869 — The I., D. & C. Railroad. [ARTICLE]

The I., D. & C. Railroad.

Messrs. Editors: I sec by the last Union that you have given up the hope of building the 1., D. A C. railroad »inec the vote of Marion county was taken, and advise the people to be looking after some other road —as one from Kankakee City to Loganspdrt, Ac. You say, “the people of Indianapolis don’t want our iron, stock,” Ac. I am astonished at this. The people of Indianapolis, who feel anything, feel the importance of this road, aud I will venture that they will give largely to build it. Who could have expected that county, with a road now running through almost every neighborhood, to vote tor this road, which w r ould run into Indianapolis through one» of the darkest the county if not of the State, where a few years ago the women, even, had forgotten the name nf the church they belonged to? I think every man in the township voted against the road. Marion can boast some of the greatest men in the State—men of . intelligence, enterprise, and public spirit—but (he mass of the people are common —certainly not superior to the people of other counties. Then why should we be discouraged at ths vote in Marion? This is a new thing in the State, and our people have not been educated to see the fitness and justice of the law. The people vote as they trade and live, for their own seeming interest The principle of disinterested benevolence and universal good is not that which actuates the mass of mankind. Melancholly reflection! A negro in Kentucky, a few years ago, driving an obstinate hog till clear out of patience, turned and said to some men passing by, “Gemnym, dere’s a great ’eal o’ human natur in a hog.” I used to hear it said “when a man gets religion, he wants others to have it, too,” but this principle don’t hold true in the matter of railroads. It is a fact, established since the voting commenced under the late law, that people living along roads in operation, uniformly vote against appropriations for new ones, showing clearly they are satisfied with the blessings that have been poured out upon them, and that they are unwilling others should enjoy the same unless they procure them by their own efforts—efforts which the mass of them had not to make.

Jasper, Carroll and Clinton go for this road. They have done well. White and Lake will probably go agaist it. Lake is so near the bum and buzz of Chicago — three-fourths of the business of .the world carried ob roads now passing through it—and having but few inhabitants, and only five or six of them ever having been south of the Kankakee, the presumption is that they will take little interest in this road. Though there is a strong feeling for the road in White county, yet we may expect the strong influence of the two roads now crossing nearly centrally in the county, will defeat any appropriation, unless the commissioners again order a township vote. - Now, I say. let us not give this thing up without another effort,because only halt the counties will vote appropriations. We commenced the movement for this road without any calculation of this law, indeed we only heard of its passage while at Delphi organizing the company to build it. We thought it might be turned to advantage, and we have done well with it,— Let us hold on to it and do the balance. Will not men of business

and enterprise b’e as ready to subscribe stock and money as they would Ijayo been had not the law been passed? Then how are we set back ? We have lost nothing and have gained many thousands of dollars. Let us try for the balance. Then if we can’tget enough to grade, bridge and tie the road which will put it in shape for completion, we may despond. Jasper resolved to do this; Carroll and Clinton will do it; White will do it or do at it; and wont Marion ? I think she will, easily. Boon* will do something, and what ahe wont do. likely Colonels Catterlin, Blake, and Messrs. Ridenour, Landers and others will make up. Let us try this. Let us subscribe gifts and not stock and see W hat can be done. This will be one of four leading roads of the State—the Terre Haute, connecting Indianapolis with St.Louis; thy Lawrenceburg, going to Cincinnati; the Jeffersonville, to Louisville and all the South; and this road to Chicago, destined to be the greatest one of all. Let ua not yet think of anv side' roads. This is the road of nil this section. We have a road runnlqgeast that for the present can carry our surplus cattle, as McCoy, Thompson and Makcever e'au testify, Le| us have a road to Chicago am) In : dianapolix. S. W. Rtjcuey.