The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1855-05-30
From the State Sentinel.

MEssRs. EDIToRs:-lndianapolis, il not
now, is certainly to be a wonderful city,
Possessing. no peculiar local advantages, she
has become the centre of system of Rail.
roads that may give Der an Importance never
before attained by an inland city not washed
by a navigable stream.
These Roads extending in every direction
through districts of country remarkable even
in this valley, for fertility of soil, will ever
secure indianapolis an abundant, certain and
cheap supply of food. This subsistence is,
after all, the chief material that enters into
the most necessary article of manufacture.
Thus having, in her roads, the inlets of ma
terals and the outlets of commodities, this
city may easily become one of the chief seats
Of manufacture. 1t now only needs increased
facilities of obtaining FIRE Goals, iron and
building stone. These important articles
that will I'll up the complement other wants,
she can readily reach by the straight line
Railroad to Evansville = which will run
through the heart of the mineral district OF
the State. The coal beds on the Patoka
were long ago noticed by DR.. Owen, as the
most extensive and richest deposit OF fuel in
the country. The iron stone of that section
has for some years, been known as Of the
best quality and in vast abundance The
Gosport stone, now to be seen here, is unsur.
passed by any in the West-in some respects
it is superior to any in the country. au
aware that the Goals of Clay county are now
brought here over the Terre Haute Read
These, however, are inferior in quality, and
cannot be reached bv "adit levels" On the
other route they are OF better description
being worked in the sides of the hills, where
the mines can be made self draintnr ard ven.
tilating, they can be furnished at a lesb cost
On the Reading road, where the freight is all
in one direction, and although the road cost
about $4,000 per mile, one cent per ton
per mile, pays cost and yields fair profit oil
transit. On our level grades and cheap road.
y cent per mile per ton ought to be satisfac
tory. Al this rate the Goals On the straight
line road should be brought here and sold
with satisfactory profits to all concerned in
mining. transit and delivery, at eight cent:
per bushel. This would be something les.
than the average price of similar Goals al
the manufacturing cities of England, anc
about one-third of the price paid for the same
power of heat in the manufacturing town.
and cities on our seaboard. In this view
the road in question is, by far, the most i'm.
portant Of all that are connected with India.
napohs. Allow me here to remark that my
residence is not near the road alluded to, and
that have not the slightest interest in il
that these hasty remarks are written after al
examination of = recent report of the officers
Of the board.
| i do not suppose that cotton or iron fabrics
OF course quality. where the work is done
chiefly by machinery, will ever likely be
carried on here, although the city has in.
finitely the advantage of the Manchester OF
New England, and the Manchester of Old
England. The proper positions for working
heavy machines are directly at the coal beds
Of our State. If any one doubts this, let him
examine the operations of the cotton mill at
Cannelton. Yet, all the manufacturing that
requires but small amount of power Of heat
and where combinations of skill are necessary
could be carried on with wonderful falcty in
indianapolis. In these, food and facility OF
reaching markets, are far more important
elements than power and heat. Phila.
delphia, for these reasons, has now become
one of the largest and most important manu-
featuring cities in the world.
i Boston and Liverpool derive most of their
growth and Importance from the control oil
the cotton, wooden and iron mills behnC
them, and located where the power and heal
are found at the least cost. They also man.
ufacture extensively as at Philadelphia
where labor is larger ingredient in the
fabric than power and heat. indianapolis
can become the exponent of the heavy mills
on the adjacent coal fields, and for the lighter
fabrics, has infinitely the advantage Of
either of the cities named.
Yours, &C.,
Il