Rensselaer Union, Volume 5, Number 45, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 31 July 1873 — Railroad. [ARTICLE]

Railroad.

A couple of our citizens, C. W. Hartley aud Dr. Maxwell, went to Oxford last Saturday to see Gen. Irwin, President of the Wabash and Lake Michigan R. R. Co., and also to see ,tlie people of Oxford, Pine and Gilboa townships, and to ascertain, as fnr as possible, the plans, purposes and prospects of said railroad company.— From these gentlemen we learn that the plan is to survey and locate the line immediately from West Lebanon till'd the coal fields at Fall Creek through Oxford aud northward within one mile'of Gilboa church, Remington and on to Rensselaer, if the people of that town give them suitable encouragement to do so. The line from Oxford south will be put under contract immediately, aud it is designed to complete that part of the road this fall, and if the requisite amount of donations are secured, to grade the line from Oxford to Remington this fall, and have it ready for iron next spring. From Remington northward the route is undetermined, and depends on circumstances yet to bo developed. There arc three plans suggested, either of which may be adopted. First, to make Remiugton the terminus of the new road, and run their trains over the Pau Handle road to Reynolds, on the L. N. A. & C., to Michigan City, an arrangement which the managers of these roads are ready to make at any timo on very reasonable terms. Secondly, to run to Rensselaer, and from tliere reach Michigan City by the Continental line to Francesville and to Chicago by the other arm of the Continental. The other plan Is to run on to Valparaiso and diverge from there to Michigan City and Chicago. 72” - The first of these plans will be adopted if no encouragement is given to run further northward. The second plan would bo the most desirable both to the people of Jasper county and the road, but will depend on tho building of the Continental as well as othgr assistance to build the line from here to Rensselaer. But a brief study of the situation of things will show to anyone the almost inestimable value the adoption and success of the second plan would be to our county. The southern terminus of the W. & L. M. R. R. is the mining fields of block and steam coal of Warren county, north of the Wabash river. There is unquestionably an -unlimited supply of these coals in that region and so near the surface that it is but little expense to mine it. Quarries of beautiful building sand stone aud black marble lie along side of the proposed road. t. These materials afforded cheaply through the fertile prairies of Benton and Jasper counties, will stimulate the development and wealth of these prairies incalculably, and with this block coal set down at Rensselaer, Chicago would alone, and in a very short time!, build the line from that city through the immense bog iron ■ ore fields of tho northern portion of Jasper county to Rensselaer so as to obtain both the coal and iron. We believe the wise policy for the people of Jasper county to pursue is to divert the soo,ooo of railroad money

in the treasury to the rapid completion of this railroad to Rensselaer and that portion of the Continental from Rensselaer to Frances ville. This would do more to resuscitate the whole Continental line both east and northwest than anything that could otherwise be done, aud would at Hast insure a road of great advantage to the whole county and would soon make another outlet to Chlicago. Should the Continental line bo an entire failure the third plan proposed may be adopted if the people along the line desire it. So much for plans and purposes and now a few words as to prospects. The necessary means have already been subscribed to build to Oxford and this will be built if nothing more is ever done. The northern part of Benton county is asked for $22,000 and the citizens say it will be readily raised and Remington is asked for $15,000, which if raised will insure the road this far. Shall we raise it? If not we will not get the road unless the people of the county conclude to have tne road built through the county as above suggested. The latter we think will meet with universal favor here and ought to do so in our opinion in the whole counts'. But if this is not possible, let us not see this road run eight or ten miles on either sideof us.—Remington Journal.