Indiana State sentinel., 1848-03-30


throughout the entire line for the construction of the
road, but very little expense will be required to pro-
the right of way. Relinquishments Of the eight
of way have already been given to the company very
generally, both the line by way of Danville and
the south line, except in the immediate vicinity of
IndlanapO and Terre Haute. From the small num-
Der, however, who will obtain damages this
count. have thought il unnecessary 10 estimate any
thing for this object.
TOTAL COST OF ROAD.
The total cost OF the road, completed for locomo-
tive power from Indianapolis to Terre Haue, will be
as follows:
Cos, Of srubbing grading and bridging, (so1heIn 90
1858 mie' track complete, s8,873 80 per
mile, 653,3T SO
Total, sI,OlS, 1888 50
Average cost per mile, Sl3, S33 Sc.
fto the total cost, above be added for contingencies
and suPerinendence, per cent the cost of grading
and supentruceure, 26,55S 90
And probable for engines, cars, warehouses,
shops, turnouts, &c, of $l40, 900 90
The total cost 5 G road and ready for ls1 50
The average per mile will then be Sl6,l00 90 nearly
BUSINESS
If an estimate were made of the surplus products of
the district of country which will contribute to the
transportation of this road, which would at this time
be conveyed upon it it in operation there is
doubt but sufficient business could be shown to make
an investment in the stock of tSe road a profitable
There cannot be found, at this time, route for
rail road within our State, where the contiguous
country is better able to sustain it than the route here
contemplated.
When we consider the fact universally ottested of
the power inherent in railroads to create their own
business, any calculation Of probable business from
data now 10 be obtained, must be very far below the
reality when road has country to support 1t of such
unusual productiveness the through which this
road passes more satisfactory mode or arriving al
the transportation this road would be to compare it
with some other road similarly situated. Tne Mad
ison and Indianapolis road will perhaps afford the
most appropriate comparison. The length of this
road is eighty-six miles The road however las only
been in operation far north as Indianapolis, since
the first of October last-for the remainder of the
year from Edinburgh, thirty miles South of lndianapo-
lis The gross receipts for four months, beginning with
October this road, $Sl ,6SS. 1t is true that
this cOmpehends the most active part of the year
this road, and were the receipts for the whole year
assumed in direct proportion to this amount it would
ma Ike the business of the road greater than experience
will show it to be.
Looking at the business that has been done during
the balance Of the year between Edinburgh and Mad-
son, think it safe to $500, 900 the gross
receipts for ear the whole road. Taking this
then, and deducting from ii the costs of working
and maintaining the road for one year, and we shall
have sum for the net recep pts, which | have no
doubt will be less than will be realized. have no
means of asceraining the amount actually expended
for maintenance and working expenses on the Madi-
son road, for the four months above named. But
taking the usual expense for these items on most OF
the roads in the country constructed in permanent
a manner as our estimates contemplate l believe
that allowance of forty per cent of the gross re-
cepts for these expenses, will be entirely sufficient
to cover them. Deducting then 40 per cent. or
$50 900 from 5000 OO0 there is left Sl20 600 as the
NET fOr oDnv will Uiva lvld n
of ten per cent the capital necessary to put
your road in operation. Taking into consideration
the great superiority of the region upon which this
road will depend for business, both it regards its
present state of cultivation and its ultimate agricul
tural productiveness, over the country contiguous
with the Madison road, there can be no doubt that
this estimate for the business of the road is far below
that which would be realized.
To this estimate of the probable proftableness o
this road, II has been viewed isolated and
ly sectional work, and as such only, it has merits
which must insure its early construction. When
completed it will form important part of one hun
dred and sixty miles of continuous railway, running
from the Of the Wabash valley the centre Of
State, and thence to the Ohio river, touching the
rich valley of the Wabash at the junction of the Wa
bash and Erie and crosscut canals al Terre Haue or
the river and passing through five of the most fertile
and productive counties Of the State, on centra
ine remote from the OhO river and the lakes, where
travel must sooner later be made. Indeed work
of this kind is indispensable to the agricultural and
commercial wants Of this section of the State and is
the only means by which it accomplish ex-
change of commercial equivalents. That railway
is the best that be made Is too evident to require
demonstration. Their superiority all other art
fetal modes of communication, in regard to the very
per centum they pay the cost Of their construction
and the benefits they confer on the country through
which they pass, is at this day universally conceded
Not only is il fair to suppose that this road will dc
so much business the Madison road ut viewed as
an extension of that road il must In the very
of things enhance the business of both very greatly
Being the most central and direct route from ST
Louis to Pittsburgh and the north, not only vii
the great mail from the east be transported it, bu
the number of passengers il will transport mus
greatly exceed the average travel upon roads of it
length: The Wabash river, and the Wabash anC
Erie Canal, which will be finished to Terre Hautt
during the present year. will aid in swelling the bus
iness of the road and it is not unworthy of conslde
ration, that this road passes from Terre Haute
through the eastern edge of the great Illinois Goa
basin. In time the coal from this field will be sen
this road to the CENTRE 1t shall be required fol
fuel or for manufacturing purposes
However great the intrinsic merits of this roaC
may be viewed as an isolated road from Terre Haut,
to indianapolis, yet when consider it link in
great chain of railway reaching from the Atlantic
ocean to the Mississippi, it assumes character o
the greatest importance. Such line, when compile
ted, as it must be in few years, will be the mos
important this continent and perhaps in the world
blending it will the commercial and social interests
of half the Union.
PROMOTER OF MARRIAGE.-By ancient act o
the good old Scottish Parliament, passed in the reigl
of Margaret, about 1898, it ordint that during
| of bar Maj ilar