Rensselaer Union, Volume 2, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 11 November 1869 — Railroad Prospects. [ARTICLE]

Railroad Prospects.

As will be seen by posters around town, a meeting has been called at Rochester on the 30th Inst., to organize a company to build a railroad from Kort Wayne, via Rochester, Winamac, Rensselaer and Morocco, to the State Line, there to connect with the Muscatine, Kcwana & Eastern Railroad. The M. K. AE. Company has been organized for some time now, and secured, by county am! town donations, about half a million dollars, or enough to secure its construction from Muscatine, lowa, to the State line of Indiana. Tills company Is now seeking an outlet through Indiana to the east, and if sufficient encouragement is not afforded tlicru on tliis line they will seek some other. Meetings nave already been held at Knox and Plymouth to secure the road through those places, via Momence and the north part of Jasper county. The Illinois Company assure us that their portion of the road will be built, if so it will be built through Indiana on some line; hut it will take a united effort along the Rensselaer and Rochester line to secure it, the Plymouth line being some fortymiles the shortest. Fulton county pledges herself to raise SIOO,OOO, Ft. Wayne pledges an equal amount, Newton county pledges herself to raise a sufficient amount to grade, tie aud bridge the road through her limits, and we have no doubt but that Jasper will do the same. About $45,000 would be ample to do this, and that amount can certainly be raised In the county. If Allen and Fulton counties redeem their pledges, and wo believe they will, we can see no reason why this road cannot be built and tliat speedily. In fact, notwithstanding the fair prospects of the I. D. A C. Company, we would not be surprises! if the first train run into Rensselaer, on, or near, the old A. C. route. Bpeakiug of the I. D. A C- reminds us that a few of our citizens are exult- ■ Ing, and some of them are despondent at the assumed fact this project is dead. We can see no reason [for doubting a moment but Unit this road will be built. We are assured, by those who know, that SSOO,(XX) will secure this road. There has already been raised $28(1,000, leaving yet to be subscribed. To cover this deiieiency we have the following pledges: Lake couutys 50.000 Jasper “ 35.000 White •* 100,000 Cliutou “ 60,000 Boouc ♦* .....’ 50.000 Total $295,000 Already raised 284,000 Total... >579,000

So that without counting Indianapolis anything, or anything additional from Carroll county', we have a margin of $79,000. We do not doubt for a moment but that each of these counties will raise the amounts estimated, consequently we look upon the I- |D. A C. as being out of the ■woods. We suggest that a meeting be called at the Court House on Saturday, the 27tli innt., to elect' delegates to the Rochester meeting and to instruct them as to what Jasper county will do for the enterprise. We need two roads as much as wedoone, andshouldmake as strong and as united an effort to secure the second as the first. We cannot see that a movement now, in favor of the Ft. Wayne project, can injure prospects of the Delphi road in the least, and beside that we must move now in the east and west road, as others <re moving. A company will J?g organized at Rochester on the aud if we are not represented in the meeting we will not be in the company^-but will be at their mercy’ to make such exactions as they please. Let every body come out then to the meeting on the 27th, and let there be a full attendance of people from the country’ esjieclally Gillam and Hanging Grove townships, which are largely interested in this project. Iroquois.