Rensselaer Union, Volume 7, Number 7, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 5 November 1874 — Chicago & South Atlantic Railroad. [ARTICLE]

Chicago & South Atlantic Railroad.

Half-a-dozen distinguished gentlemen considerably interested in the projected line of railroad between Chicago and Charleston S. C., left on the Pan-Handle train at 8 o’clock Saturday morning, for the I purpose of inspecting the work that has already been done in the vicinity of Cedar Lake,»_ Lake county, Indiana. The party consisted of Gov. Magoffin, of Kentucky ; the Hon. William S. Haymond, ‘of Indiana ; John W. Musson, of New York; and Robert Rae, Lyman Bridges, and the Rev. W. T. Stewart, of Illinois. While on the train the following information in regard to the proposed enterprise was gleaned: The Chicago & South Atlantic railroad is chartered to be built between Chicago and Charleston S. C., in an air line. Those interested in the project held a convention at the Palmer House in this city Oct. 9th, 1873, and 300 delegates were present, representing the States of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Tennessee, Georgia, and the Carolinas. Resolutions were then passed indorsing the movement. Since then the work on the road has been pushed rapidly.— Except in Kentucky, surveys have been made and the route located. In the east and south of the mountains $1,600,000 has been subscribed to the project. North of the Ohio river $4,000,000 has been subscribed while south of the Ohio river, and north of Cumberland Gap, $2,000,000 has been pledged. The officers of the road are as follows: The Hon. W. S. Haymond, member of Congress elect from Colfax’s district, President; the Hob. C. G. Memminger, ex-Secretary of the Confederate Treasury, First Vice President; Col. JamesH. Steward, of Delphi, Ind., Second Vice-Pres-ident; the Hon. Thomas L. Jones, of Kentucky, Third Vice-Presi-dent; and Robert Rae, of Chicago, Fourth Vice-President. A rather singular circumstance connected with the enterprise is this: The Company is so constructed that the Vice-Presidents are ex-officio Directors of the Confederated Chicago & South Atlantic Railway Company. These Directors every two years elect a President. The President and Directors, acting as a unit, will arrange through rates, make treaties and alliances with other roads, and they also will settle matters df general or inter-State commerce.— Local traffic and commerce is reserved to the Vice-Presidents of the several States themselves, and their local Board of Directors for settlement... The road in one State is not liable for debt of the line in any other State. The leasing of the road, o; its franchises, or any part thereof, or consolidations with other roads, is expressly prohibited without the consent of the consolidated company, thus being a check to fraud. Watered stock is also prohibited. The road has been in operation for over a year, and no differences of opinion or misunderstandings have arisen between the officers, everything working harmoniously. The road is constructing at both ends. From Charleston, 73 miles are under contract at a cost of §1,390,280. The cost of masonry, giading and bridging from Spartanburg to Ashville is $367,545. — From Chetwood to Careysville, 30 miles, 9 have been graded. From Wolf Creek to Ashville, 45 miles, 24 have been graded and bridged. From Chicago, the right-of-way has.been obtained from Archer avenue and Thirteenth street, having a river front of more than one mile. Through Lake township the road is ready for ties and iron. The contract has been,let to Davis & Co., of Chicago, for bridging, grading and ties from Englewood to Dyer. Two hundred men are on this portion of the work, and it will be finished as sobn as the weather permits. As soon as the right-of-way can be obtained to come up Wabash avenue with Pullman cars, work will be commenced at-Englewood. The contract for the road from Dyer to the Kankakee river, via. Lowell, has been let, and 20 miles are now ready for iron. Clifford & Sons, late contractors of the Baltimore & Ohio road, have taken the contract, to Monti cello, and 35 miles is to be ready for iron this winter. A good portion of the road from Monticello to Delphi is under way and partly completed. Bridges over the Wabash and Tippecanoe rivers have to be built on this section.— This gives a continuous line of road from Chicago tor a distance of 105 miles to Delphi, Ind. One-half of this is completed, making three eastern and three western connections. The road is almost wholly out of debt; having only to pay such bills as accrue from week to week.# No bonds have been issued, and none will be, to/ any greater extent than SIO,OOO a mile in Illinois and Indiana. Bonds are not to be negotiated at less than 90 cents on the dollar, payable in gold with exchange on Liverpool. Every effort will be made to build thisYoad without bonding it.

On arriving at Crown Point, 42 miles southeast, the excursionists were met by Messrs. Z. Summers and M. A. Halstead. Carriages had been provyied and the distinguished visitors were at once driven to Lowell, 12 miles southwest. It had been anticipated that the citizens would be addressed in regard to the undertaking, but this part of the programme was omitted for want of time. Dinner having been done justice to, the excursionists re-entered the carriage preparatory to a 30 mile drive over uncomfortably rough roads, and on a very cold afternoon. z Cedar Lake, 6 miles was the objective point, and it was reached in about an hour and a quarter. Grading along this sheet of water is in progress, and on an eminence overlooking the site of the depot that is to be, a halt was made. The view was entrancing, and the Kentucky Governor grew very enthusiastic. The lake is about 3 miles long and 1 mile in width, the water being clear as crystal. Thousands of ducks, principally mallard and teal, floated on its surface, while immense flocks of the same birds were to be seen high in air. A large flock of wild swans was noticed in the northeast corner, and many of these birds were also seen migrating southward. The lake has an average depth of about 10 feet, and its waters contain fish of all species. On learning that the mills at Lowell were fed by this lake, Goy. Magoffin alluded to the utilizers as barbarians, and not blessed barbarians by any means. The officers propose to have the road completed to this point early next spring, and, in order that Chicagocitizens may have the benefit of the beautiful locality for summer residences, intend running Pullman, cars hourly that far. A rumor also pi evails that a fashionable hotel is to be erected there at an early date. Before leaving, the sheet of water was christened Lake Calypso by the visitors. From here the new road was followed, as closely as practicable, for abbut 20 miles, the excursionists passing through the village of St. Johns, and, leaving the road at Dyer, finished their carriage drive at Schererville, a station six miles north of Crown Point. An informal meeting was held here while waiting for the train. Gov. Magoflim being called on, stated that the South Atlantie road had a 1 ’resident who would give dignity and character to the whole route. They knew this from what he had already accomplished. The speaker referred to the road ns a great concentrating link that would bima the people of the Northwest and Southeast together. This link would command the attention of the country at large, and interested people being dependent upon each other for the interchange of lheir products.

The Rev. W. S. Steward acknowledged that the experiences of tlie day had been to him a series of very pleasant surprises, especially the magnificent agricultural country through which they had passed the thrift of the farmers, and the village of Lowell, a promising town of 600 inhabitants. He was also delighted with Cedar lake, which was destined to become a popular summer resort. The amount—of—work that had been don£ on the road was beyond his expectations, and increased his faith in the speedy completion of the enterprise. Mr. Robert Rae had not much to add. He would state, however, that the improvements appeared to be of the most substantial character. Twenty miles of scientific grading and durable bridges, through a riph agricultural district, with straight lines and slight grade gave promise that that portion of the road would be fruitful and productive. It was very gratifying that what had been done was paid for, and the road was entirely out of debt. President Haymond was explaining how the harbors on the seaboard would be utilized by the people of the South and West by means of this link, when the express train was announced, and the excursionists started on the return trip, reaching the city in safety shortly before 9 o’clock.— Chicago Tribune.