Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-03-24

the farmer has rich lands, the artizan
healthy locations, the manufacturer
water power, and the merchant towns
rapidly becoming good places Of busi-
ness. We certainly do not exaggerate
when we say. that nothing can offer to
the great city Of the West a surer guar
antee for continued growth, than the
opening up Of this valley by railroad.
IL can never be accomplished at less
cost TO this city, and it, as well rs Ind
annapolis, does its interests greivous
injury, by the backwardness with
which they meet this, to them, all
important project.
These two cities are on the eve Of
grasping far.reaching connections. and
they may blame us for recalling them
from those distant regions TO matters
nearer home; but we would, as good
citizens, rather be blamed now for our
importantly, than be blamed hereafter,
for neglecting to call our fellow citizens
attention to that which. in our humble
opinion, concerns them more nearly.
OF what use are these great lines OF
railroad. il we fail to supply them with
the products from the homes near us?
There can be no market without its
smaller tributaries, and there can be
no successful long chain Of railroad,
without the links which bring TO the
larger cities the products Of the coun-
try near them.
Baltimore. Philadelphia, New York.
aud Boston. are very properly stretch
ing forth their hands through railroad
facilities. to the larger cities in the
West. We shall soon have a railroad
to st. Louis, and the time is not very
distant. when we shall have the broken
links TO New Orleans collected togeth-
er into one line. Does not the very
fact. that these large lines are drawing
uron US for. produce of every descrip-
ton. suggest. that TIVE must stretch forth
our hands to localities through which
We may supply this growing demand?
SO great and so far-stretching web.
must have cross threads to support It.,
and to give it vitality. This extensive
foreign trade must have home foun-
dation; and what can give this home
foundation, except speedy means Of
communication from our city 90 the
country. and the towns, lying within a
circle of hundred miles around US,
and especially those West and South
of us. They are, and will always be
the main accessories to our city's
growth. There is the starting point
for oar Flour and Pork trade, for our
manufacturers, and our mechanic S
shops, and our clothing establishments;
there too is our market for groceries
and dry goods. There labor, with
water power at hand, may be aided by
ingenuity. There it will find good
and healthy homes, and so give our
city more reliable golden harvest, than
the fields of California. Then only
will Cincinnati remain the commercial
emporium of Ohio. of Northern Ken
lucky, and south eastern Indiana.
The trade of the country which our
road traverses, is now, and has always
been, a vital ingredient in Cincinnati
commerce within the circle prescribed.
To leave it undeveloped. or to suffer it
to be drawn to other cities, would be a
most fatal neglect. The valley never
can find its real prosperity except thro'
Cincinnati, but the latter will also find,
that the loss Of the custom Of that val
lev will create a vacuum, which can
no, be filed up from other quarters.
These are the chief considerations
which we would urge, even if our road
were to be confined to the mere way
business.
We shall now present a more extern
sive view of the subject, which, when
added to those already advanced,
must remove every doubt rs to the
practica6iiity Of our road.
Indianapolis is the Railroad Centre
Of Indiana. The following Railroads.
which must be accessories to ours, are
already complated'
The Terre Haute, running so miles
westward.
The Peru, running 10 miles north
ward.
The Lafayette, running rs miles
northwestward.
The following railroads occupying
the same relation to our road, will soon
be completed:
The Indiana and Illinois Central rail-
way. leading to Hannibal, Mo-,
The Cincinnati. Indianapolis and
Chicago railroad.
The Atlantic and Mississippi railroad
to St. Louis.
The Lafayette and Indiana and
Bloomington railroad to Burlington,
Iowa.
The Terre Haute and indianapolis
railroad to Alton, III.
1000 passengers arrive daily at. and
depart from indianapolis, and that
number is rapidly increasing.
The distance 10 ST. Louis by our road
and the Atlantic and Mississippi will be
$50 miles from Cincinnati. BY way
of indianapolis using our route, It
will be $40. The first named distance
is less than that Of the Ohio and Miss.
Road, and that by way Of Tcrre Haute
is very little more.
BY using the Straight line from In
dianapolis TO Chicago IL will be 275
milesio Chicago. from Cincinnati, and
by going by way of Lafayette il will be
3l3.
We have been unable TO ascertain
the amount of freight now centering
from the west and northwest, at In
dianapolis, but il must be very large.
with IN unlimited prospective in
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