Rensselaer Semi-Weekly Republican, Volume 20, Number 100, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 August 1899 — Railroad Changes In Prospect. [ARTICLE]

Railroad Changes In Prospect.

The Chicago Tribune announces, with much apparent authority, that the practical consolidation of the Big Four and the Monon Routes is soon to be perfected. The two railroads are already owned by practically the same parties, and have been for some months, and their actual consolidation has been looked upon only as a matter of time for the arrangement of details. The Tribune gives as the principal reason for the Big Four’s desire to absorb the Monon, its wish to enjoy the latter’s excellent terminal facilities in Chicago. At present the Big Four gets into Chicago in a very unsatisfactory maimer: namely over the Illinois Central tracks from Kankakee, 111. It has no Chicago terminal of its own, at all and in going in over the Central pays a big rent for very poor facilities. The Monon, on the other hand, is in permanent possession of one of the best terminals in Chicago. It goes in from Hammond over the tracks of the Western Indiana and jointly with five other roads which use the same tracks and depot, it owns the Western Indiana. The Tribune states that the Big Four will thus soon begin running into Chicago over the Monon tracks. The place where the Big Four trains will take the Monon tracks is not stated, but obviously Lafayette is far the most likely point. In that case the trains would pass Rensselaer and thus, as would be reasonable to suppose, greatly increase our train facilities. Another route, which would secure the Big Four more business, but at the disadvantage of having to buy or lease another piece of railroad, would be to continue to run to Fowler over its own* lines, and from there run over the old Coal Road to Fair Oaks, and there taking the Monon tracks. The distance into Chicago over these routes would be practically the same, but the Rensselaer.route is the more probable one, as being all the way over the Big Four and Monon’s own tracks.