The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-09-05
Extension Of the RAILROAD to the River.


We have already alluded to the project of
extending the track of the E. & G. Railroad
from the depot to the river wharf. The lead
ing objection to this enterprise is that it will
ruin or very much injure our draymen. We
do not think this well founded objection. If
it were calculated to have this affect, we should
not hesitate to oppose the project, even with
the great good in view it seems likely to pro-
duce. With the increase of business which
would at once be produced by extending the
road to the river, more draymen than we have
could find plenty of business doing the wharf
transportation of the road. AS it is some por-
ton of the year they have nothing to do, and
at certain other times business seriously suffers
because they cannot do it fast enough-produce
comes in faster than it can be taken care of
by draymen. We do not think draymen will
be at all injured by the carrying out of this
project-but even if they were in some degree,
at first, it could not last but few weeks.
Now we wish to bring fact or two befored
readers There will soon be an immense, and
utterly unprecedented or unequaled CROP seek
ing its way from the interior and the Wabash
River to the Ohio River 1t will seek the
cheapest channel generally, although to secure
promptness and safety the railroad will obtain
the preference in the shipment of consider
BILE proportion of this crop. Winter before
last it was utterly impossible to do justice to
the freight which came down this railroad.
The draymen could not haul it to the river
fast enough. Shipments were delayed and
dissatisfaction resulted. What will it be this
winter? Why we tell citizens that double our
draymen, and if but half the produce comes
down this road that is anticipated, long and
tedious delays will again occur in transferring
it to the river, and the business of the road
may be injured more than it would cost to lay
track to the river, while the city will have
to bear her share of injury. The expense Of
draying freight from the river to the wharf and
from the wharf to the river, is so great that
immense business is diverted from the road
While any other channel of transportion car
be used this will not be touched. The drayagC
is for many articles almost equal to the freight
rate on the road. Let this tax be taken off Of
greatly lessened by extending the road to the
river and there must follow an immense in
crease of buiness on the road, and correspond
ing good affect on our own city.
There are many facts and details of trans
actions which might be given to abundent
ly prove that this extension of the roat
would be of great benefit. We know at thu
same time there are more serious objection.
probably than the one we have mentioned
But it should be a great object with our citi
zens to lessen far as possible every expense
connected with the transposition Of freight BY
the railroad to the Ohio In view of any pro
position well calculated to lessen such ex
penses, and thus to increase the business o
the road and to augment our own prosperity
minor objections founded upon fancied in
jury to individuals or even to a class, should
not prevail. There is no class of working mel
in our city who can be injured, except perhaps
for very brief time, by any improvement
tending to assist the growth of our city. Tha
may be set down as a fixed fact.