Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1854-02-03
From the Louisville Democrat. ]
The Rnilrond % Lake Erie.


ndvsntages which will accrue 20 Louis
Vile, Jeiicrsonvllle, and 10 New Albany
BY securing direct railroad connection
between the falls Of the Ohio river and
convenient point on Lake Erie.
The people OF New Albany common.
ced moving In this matter last summer.
aud having now matured their plans and
made such arrangements a. will, with
vigorous action on their part. secure the
completion OF the road, they ask the CO.
operation OF Louisville and Jacksonville
In the full belief that the project IL one
IN which they all have 4 common inter
est and which may DO 50 managed az
equally TO subserve all their purposes.
la determining az what point on the
Lake 10 make their connection, they
found two rival interests, from each oil
which they received offers Of aid and as
sistance.
One Of these interests desired them to
make Bellefontalne, a point, and thence
BY the Ecllefontslne road TO Gallon, aud
BY the Cleveland and Columbus road
from Gallon, TO form a connection with
Cleveland.
The other interest desired them TO
cross the indianapolis and Bellefontaine
70 cd, about four miles West OF Bellcfon-
tame and intersect the Mad River and
Lake Eiic road at Huntsville, 80 as to
form a connection with Sanduskv.
II being necessary 10 make choice be-
tween these different connexions, In do
ing so they were influenced by the fol-
lowing considerations:
The distance from the falls OF the
Ohio to Bellefontaine and TO Huntsville
y about the same.
Fsom BsIifoniaIne. BY Gallon, 10 cisve-
land, The distance is. ...............f no mIies.
Prom Huntsville 70 Sandasky........ VI
Making The limo TO the Lake by sandus-
~ shorter by ........-. .........-... ~ allies.
Considering that freight to Sandusky
from any points to the eastward costs no
moro than TO Cleveland, and that the
former city has much the best harbor, u
10 quite evident the connection with
Sandusky will make the best freight
road. II Is as miles shorter and the
road of the Mad River Company has the
easiest grade.
Considered with reference to passen-
ger travel the connection with Sandus-
ky is as favorable as one with Cleve-
land. The line would cross the Belle
fontaine and Indiana road at point
quite as favorable for passenger connec-
ton, as at Belleiontaine, and il would
also connect with the two lake shore
roads ut Clyde, and at Sandusky, by Ell
ther Of which passengers can be for
warded to Cleveland in as short a tim e
as by the BelIefontaine road.
But, in addition to these considera-
tons, Cleveland being situated further
TO the eastward than Sandusky, Is not
so deeply interested in forming such a
line as we desire to establish. An air
line from Cleveland to the Falls Of the
Ohio, passes very near Cincinnati
She. therefore, by her Columbus, xenia
and Little Mama roads, and by the Cow
ington and Louisville road, will have as
good connection as she would want,
and her only object in getting the con-
troll Of our road would be to prevent any
rival interest from having as good OF
better connection with the Southern
roads terminating at the Falls than her
own.
Cleveland Is also intimately assocla.
ted in her interests with Cincinnati, and
there is reason TO apprehend that il our
road made the connexion she desired, she
would not throw any strong interest up
on II, but would only use her influence
10 prevent It's injuring her other roads.
On the other hand, the Mad River
road has been greatly injured by the
Cleveland route, and the owners oil its
stock are capitalists, residing in Boston
and New York, so that unless they can
establish some new and better connex.
ioL, their road must remain u second OF
third rate road. and do only local bust
ness. Hence they are vitality interested
in the success OF the new route, anS
when 1t is completed they will, necessa
Tily, and rs a matter of course throw al
the trade and travel upon it they posi-
bly, can. The some may also be sai'
with reference to The Lake Shore road
before mentioned.
BY the connection with Sandusky
then. we obtain more reliable and sin
cere allies, and a shorter and better roa,
and influenced by these considerations
acontract has been entered into witt
the Mad River Company, by which thu
latter agrees to furnish very material ali
in the construction Of the road, reaching
from the falls Of the Ohio to Huntsville
in consider alton Of the connexion thu
70 be made.
The whole route from New Albany I
HUNTSVILLE has been surveyed, and tn
character OF the line is pretty accurate
ly known. A portion Of the road IL
Ohio. that from Eaton to Piqua, wa
put under contract last year, an the era
ding is now nearly completed.
The distance from New Albany TO The State In
OF ohio ISL. .--. i0S miles.
From The state line 90 Eaton. .........If
From Eaton 10 PIqua.. .......ss.'.".B
From Piqua 70 Huntsville. .....O
Making Of new road To be built ..... .is5 miles.
Add tho distance from Huntsville 20
sandusky. .......s.s..ol
Making the v hole road 10 sandusky. $50 miles
The companies engaged in the, cor
struction Of the new road are: /. TIL
Eaton and Hamilton Company, cor
struc ting the road from Eaton TO PiquI
2. The Sandusky and Louisville Com
pany. constructing the road from tn
State line to Eaton and from Piqua I
Huntsville; 3. The New Albany an
Sandusky City Junction Company, con
structing the road from New Albany I
the State line.
All these companies with the Ma
River Company, have entered into
written contract, by which they agree {
mutually guarantee each others bond
and afford other aid and assistance
and they form, In effect, but one cou
bined company, having in view III
speedy completion Of a through line.
That line presents advantages thu
cannot fail to be perceived at glanc
over any other possible connection frol
the Falls TO Lake Erie. From Cleve
land TO Cincinnati via Columbus the dis
lance Is two hundred and iiIty-fve miles