The Middlebury register. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1850-1882, 1854-02-15
Weston Correspondence.



ter mark took the cars OF the Jefferson
Vile Railroad. and arrived here at eight
o'clock This is one of the cheapest
railways ever constructed. costing hardly
$4,000 per mile, and connecting, as it
does, the capital of Indiana with the i'm.
portant city Of Louisville, it cannot fail
to prove a profitable investment to its
owners. For the first thirty or forty
miles from the Ohio, the road passes
through an almost unbrokcn forest Of
beech, maple aud oak, the cold wet clay
soil Offering but few inducements to the
farmer, especially when thousands Of
acres Of the richest land still remain
unfurrowcd within the borders of the
state. Coming into the valley Of the
Whitewater at Edinburg, the country as
sumcs very different appearance, and
from this point to indianapolis the soil
is very productive ana the country well
settled indianapolis, or the Railroad
city, is situated in the centre of one of
the faircst agricultural districts in the
country, and is, as you well know, the
capital Of the IIoosicr state. The State
House is in a far advanced state of de-
cay, and though young in years, is old
enough i'll appearance. 1t seems to have
been very poorly built, and is literally
falling to piece but will doubtless be re-
placed within few years by building
more crcditable to such progressive
and 50 rich a state.
Tie city is built upon ground slightly
elevated above the surrounding country.
and is regularly laid out, with fine broad
streets well graded with broken stone
and gravel. The population numbers
about $1,000, and a pushing, driving,
90 ahead population it is, whose jealous
enterprise, vigorous industry, and thrift
+ habits, are rapidly forcing the place
into the front rank among our inland
cities, AS an evidence Of the rapid
growth Of the place, builder informs
me that he has already contracted to
put up sir'y brick buildings the coming
summer. and thinks that at least three
hundred new buildings will be built
within the present. year.
\ stranger cannot fail to notice the
apparently equal distribution Of wealth
among the inhabitants While there
are few men Of large fortune, still fewer
suffer from want, and if no gaudy equip
ages roll through her strcets--no per.
inmcd oilers loiter on her walks-so
there are no bcggars at her doors, no
want or distress in her suburbs.
The term Railroad City could be
applied to no place more justly than to
Indianapolis Already cight railroads
radiate from the capital to all parts Of
the state and number more are in
process Of construction All Of these
roads meet in an immense depot, con
structcd and owned jointly by the sew.
cral companies. At morning, noon. and
night, the meeting of from eight to
twelve trains. exchanging passengers and
baggage. leaving some and taking on
others; the noise Of the engines, the
busting throug cf people, the clattcr Of
omnibuscs, baggage wagons, coaches,
and carriages Of every description, ming
led with the perfect Babel of human
voices, hurrying into the several trains !;
form altogether scene of no ordinary
character
In taking little stroll through the
city this morning, | noticed something
which seemed to me most striking H..
lustration Of the rapid growth Of the
place On Tie same Li0ck where the
American House stands, and within a
hpHlreR feet of the Union Depot"
there still remains the rough log cabin
Of settler, apparently as fresh and
strong as when it first rose up III the
wilderness The storms have scarcely
darkencd the roughhewn sides, and yet
the forests from which it sprung arc
gone. Shops, stores, depots, and brick
walls in all forms, surround it on every
side.
The Union depot, if not the largest in
the United States, is the largest have
seen 1t is built at the joint expense of
all tie roads, and has six tracks through
it, 1t is 100 feet wide and cannot be
less than 800 feet long. Trains on all
the roads reach here at noon, and at
night; and leave here in the morning
and at noon. Consequently, the inhab-
itauts of all parts of the State can visit
their capital, and their principal place
of trade and return to their homes the
same day.
Washington street is the principal
mart Of trade and has many elegant
and spacious stores a very large and
elegant hotel on this street is nearly fin.
ished, aud will soon be opened
The policy of the State in converging
her railroads at her capital, will soon