Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 21, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 13 February 1873 — The Indianapolis, Delphi and Chicago Railroad. [ARTICLE]

The Indianapolis, Delphi and Chicago Railroad.

I From Ihc Indianapolis Sentinel . A large number of delegates met yesterday afternoon in the Supreme Court room, over the State offices, to lake the initial steps in forming a railway company to construct a line of roafl from Chicago to Savannah. The meeting was held ifr conjunction with the Indianapolis, Delphi A Chicago road, which would form a link in the entire line in ease of its ultimate completion. The representatives present were from along the entire line in this State, the river counties being especially well represented by gentlemen from both Vevay and Madison, while Lexington, Kentucky, had its delegate at the meeting in the person of Mr. Sandusky, accredited by the mayor of that place. Mr. W. S. llaymond, President of the Indianapolis, Dhlpfii & Chicago road, was made chairman of the meeting, and explained at length the demand that had arisen lor a road along the proposed line. The claims of the road were urged in an able, manner. The seaboard could be reached, said Mr. llaymond, by this new line much more easily than by going to New York or Philadelphia, and thus au important outlet be opened for our products, while at the same time many tropical productions, in great and increasingdemand, could be brought to us in return at much cheaper, rates than by the present routes. Sir. Haymond had evidently given the subject careful study, and many of his statements as to the comparatively light cost of the road in building, and its chances for doing a productive business, were borne out by tlie statistics afterward produced. Mr. Foley, of Greensburg, then read a report on the line proposed, which gives a clear and concise exposition of the scheme as it now stands. It was as follows; If yoa continue the tangent made by the Indianapolis, Cincinnati & Lafayette road with its line from Indianapolis to Greensburg, you will find that it will strike the Ohio river a little west of Vevay, and passing through the counties of Carroll, Owen, Scott and Lafayette, in Kentucky, leaving Lexington a few miles to the west. The airline distance between Lexington and Greensburg is about ninety-sevep miles, and I think it is safe to as-

stime that a railroad could be built between . those mjiutfiw Huihfr. Tlujfr'wrtßUl ipte .J^Prnilcii 'Jirorn riuMaiiaj)olri.to BexIngtjn. jJThe rtre|ei|| routes arc vijJ tnftlTu^ndJKo2 miles via Louisville. This advantage would enable this road to compete with the other lines. But the want of better connection at Lex'ntgxbii presented an obstacle to the consummation of the scheme. At the suggestion of President Httyniond, I to obtain Information as to the feasibility of extend nut the lin« further south to tljc Atlantic on tbe* same tangent. This line, after leaving' Lexington, passes through Kpoxville, and down the valley of the Savannahriver through Augusta to Savannah. This whole country is rich in a variety of resources of the soil and mine. From Lexington to Knoxville it will pass through extensive coal and iron fields. The route is entirely practicable and a large amount of work has been done between Lexington and Richmond, and from Knoxville north forty-six miles are graded and thirty miles in operation, and considerable work done on the line from Marysville to the Tennesee river. -From the point l where the line will strike the Tennesee river it wtll continue up the course of that river to its head waters at Rabnu Gap. Rabnu Gap through the Blue Ridge is a remarkable one. It is a complete break through that chain of mountains. From Rabnu Gap thirty miles of rather heavy work will bring you to the Savannah river and the cotton fields of the South. The distances by this route are: From Indiunapois to Lexington 156 miles, ” Lexington to Knoxville, 188” ” Knoxville to cotton fields. 148 ” ” Cotton fields to Augusta, 125 ’’ ” Augusta to Savannah, 129 ” Total, 727 ” The mountains of N.orth Carolina contiguous to this line abound in a great variety of minerals of the most valuable kinds. The Legislature pf-Georgia has chartered a company to build a line from Augusta to Rabnu Gap, and the State guarantees their bonds to the amount of $15,000 per mile. Mr. Foley also read a letter from the President of the Cumberland and Ohio road, urging a connection with his line and with Madison as a crossing point over tha Ohio. ' Senator Dwiggins, of Jasper county, addressed the meeting, against hasty action. Should the road strike Central Kentucky there would spring up sufficient traffic when once built. Mr. Dwiggins expressed the opinion that the bonds would sell much better if the entire line from Chicago southeast was consolidated. The speaker said the road of which he was President would be built in the next.twelve months,(the Continentaljand that his company were desirous to join in with the Delphi and Chicago road, so as to make connection to thisihty and still further to the southeast.

The Hon. James T. Allison, delegate from Madison, said that the Cumberland and Ohio road was almost a direct line as proposed to the south, thiit it had many advantages in its favor and asked that Madison be made a point on the through line. That iu ca&e this is done they will there pay their full share of all expenses in making the preliminary survey. The people of Jefferson county had already determined to subscribe $250,000 to the C. & O. road. The President then called for further information as to the route south of Lexington, whop Mr. Sandusky gave the details of the route southward from that place, saying there heed be no expensive bridging, that until the Red river would be reached the grades would be easy, and near this iflaee a short tunnel would give an outlet into the very center of the mineral region beyond. Depending on the statement of Judge Hays of Kentucky, the speaker said, that taking into consideration the broken character of the country towards Tennesee, there was no region a road could be built cheaper. As far as the practicability of the route is con-cerned-there was nothing whatever in the way. It was also stated that provisions had been made for the surveys from the Ohio river south and the means provided. Mr, D wiggins suggested that before any survey be made some practical civil engineer be appointed to make arecounoisanceof the different lines proposed so as to form some estimate of the expense of building either. A resolution was adopted and the meeting adjourned.

A letter from a friend in sonthi eastern,January 23d, 1873, says: About Christmas we had snow and cold to about fifteen degrees below zero. Since New Years, it has been .mild, and. under the influence of showers, the ground settled and some ploughed. First of this week we had a succession of showers. It rained yesterday and at evening grew colder and snowed six to eight inches falling and piled iu drifts two feet to thirty inches high. Peach buds killed to some extent. Wheat looks splendid. Wheat worth $1.40 per bushel, corn 10 to 121 cents, oats same as corn; beef cattle live weight, good steers $2.50 per cwt., inferior grades, lower prices; dressed hogs $4; butter 20 cents.

A number of the sporting fraternity of this place, have brought in a largo number of live quail, and are keeping them In coops, and feeding them preparatory to turning them loose in the spring. The excessive oold weather, and tlio deep snow have nearly exterminated quail from this part of the country, and the action of those spoken of, in thus attempting to prevent the entire extermination of that splendid bird, is praiseworthy and deserving of imitation.— Northern InAianian.