Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 19, Number 50, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 February 1898 — A Successful Meeting [ARTICLE]

A Successful Meeting

In The Interest of The Electric Railroad. t Much Enthusiasm Manifested And Local Interest Greatly Revived. The Company's Electric Engineer Will Accept Or Keject This Koute, Next Week. A general meeting in tKo interest of the Winamac, Francesville, Rensselaer, Remington and Fowler route for the Michigan, Indiana and St. Louis Electrio Railroad, was held here W ednesday afternoon. The meeting was held in the temporary court room, in the Odd Fellows’ building, and the room was crowded.

Col. Wm. Sears, of Chicago, the president of the company was present. Dr. Matchette, the secretary, was expected from Bourbon, but was detained at the last moment. W. H. Dagne, the Fowler banker, an officer of the company, was also present. Remington was represented by Hon- Robt. Parker, J. H. Biddle, Levi Hawkins and W. C. Smalley. Winamac sent over Dr. Geo. W. Thompson, who has been most active in securing the location of the line to Winamac, and John Anstis. The representatives from Pulaski were S. A. March and J.

J. Lowry. The northern part of White county had several representatives, as J. EL Shell, Mr. Neil and Dennis Teeter, of Buffalo. Mr. Moore, of Headly. and several others. Benton Co. had W. H. Dague, the wealthy .vFowler Banker, Chas. Hampton, J; L. Conover, David B. Eastburn, and two Oxford gentlemen, W. R. Phares and T. J. Harrington. - A. Leopold, the local chairman, called the meeting to order, after which Dr. Thompson, of Winamac, was made chairman of the general meeting; and John Conover of Benton, S. A. March of Pulaski, Dennis Teeter of White and Jas. Chapman of Jasper, secretaries. Dr. Thompson said that in Pulaski Co. the line had been surveyed and located to Pulaski post office, and that the survey and right of way to the Jasper county line could be secuied. Committeemen Moody, Washburn and Hawkins all reported that the survey and right of way through Jasper county could be obtained if the company would agree to here locate the road. In Remington the. survey money is reudy in the bank.

All through Benton county the survey mor.ey is raised and the right of way assured. Dr. Thompson, the chairman, said he had paid much attention to this enterprise. He was firmly convinced the road would surely be built, and he said everybody else about in his community, thought so too. In White county the survey and right of way are secured in the two northern townships. They want it bad there, but of courso if they get it, we won’t. A letter from Secretary Maohette was read. He says that the line is located for 65 miles, surveys made and right of way secured. A good offer for the bonds already in sight. The road will surely be built, and on the line which furnishes thessurvey and right of way. Counties which so prefer, may procure a competent surveyor and have the surveys and profiles made themselves. President Sears then addressed the meeting. A very important statement or rather offer he made was to locate the line before tlie surveys wer6 made, if the people preferred it that way. He will send the company’s electrician over

the line, at the cost of only three dollars a day and his expenses, and if his report of the routs is favorable it will be adopted, and the surveys may then be made and right of way secured. The conditions for survey and right of way were such as The Republican has already several times published, namely: The survey and profiles will cost not to exceed $lO per mile. The right of way to be 50 feet, except in hills wlieie 66 feet is needed. The deeds for the right of way not to be delivered to the company until the road is built. The road will haul freight as well as passengers, and will have regular stations about every three miles, and stop most any old place to take on or let off passengers. Freight and passenger rates will be very low. The road will be of standard guage, and freight cars of other roads can be handled the same as their own, 65 pound rails will be used. Col. Sears expects that work on the road will begin eajjly this season. Ties for it are being gotten out around Bourbon, and he wishes the people were doing tho same in this county. On motion of Robt. Parker, the offer to send the company’s electrician over the route was accepted. He will be at Winamac Monday and arrive at Francesville Tuesday noon and at Rensselaer Tuesday night.

The following committees were appointed to convey the electrician over the line. Pulaski county, Samuel March, Samuel Brown, W. R. Jones. Jasper county, J. W. Burgett, Granville Moody, J. F. Warren, A. Leopold, Levi Hawkins, W. C. Smalley, Wm. Washburn, Wm. M. Hoover. White county, Moore of Headlee. Benton county, J. H. Biddle, Elias Julian, J. L. Conover, J. M. Ritchey, Chas. Hampton, J. P. Smith, A. J. Freeland, John Grogan, Lee Bartlett, J.T. McCormick, John Dunn, J. S. Albaugh, Curtis Branson, Ed Heatb. Banker Dague, of Fowler, is an enthusiastic worker for and believer in the road. He said everybody was anxious for it in Benton. He presented a letter from D. A. Williams, the postmaster at Fowler, in which the great business which the road would do in Benton county was set forth in a most convincing manner. , The meeting then adjourned without day. It is certain that the meeting has greatly revived interest in the road and belief in the sincerity and ability to build, of its promoters.