The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1856-11-08
INp1ANAroLIs, Oct. 81, 1856.
EDITOR EVANSVILLE Journal

EDITOR EVANSVILLE JOURNAL
Dear Sir: have seen your editorial Of yes
terday, relative to the Evansville, Indianapolis
and Cleveland Straight Line Railroad. 1t is
written in the right spirit, and calls for my
sincere thanks on behalf of the Company
You do not over-state the importance to the
city of Evansville, of that great enterprise;
nor, indeed, can our anticipations realize the
effect of its completion upon the business and
value of your city. confidently say, judging
from the effect upon our business and pros
perity, of the railroads running into this city,
that the construction OF our road, connecting
Indianapolis and the railroads centering here,
from the North and East with your city, and
uniting Evansville with Cincinnati and ST..
Louis by through guage, and at the same
time, throwing the business of the White river
Valley upon your city, will add more than
fifty per cent to the value of your real estate,
and more than one hundred per cent. to your
business. Our property is more than three
times as high, since we bave eight finished
railroads, than it was when we had the Madl-
son road alone; and we feel confident that the
construction of the Straight Line road to
your city, will largely increase our business,
and the value of our property. Nor can l
doubt that our stocks will ultimately be good
at high rates. All our railroads are doing an
nually largely increasing business, and not
one Of the leading lines but that would now
pay fair dividends from their net earnings,
which mnst continue to increase from year to
year, with the growth and developments OF
the country. | have every confidence IN the
enterprise-it is true my heart is in it--but
still cannot believe that my judgment is mis-
led. concur with you fully, that the COM
pany | repsesent, and the authorities OF the
o,t 81 CHI hor nd oct
together in this great work, i'll which our in
terest is identical, and shall deeply regret, if
such shall not be the case, as l feel, that it
will require our mutual efforts to accomplish
the object, which trust we all have in view.
If the city Of Evansville shall stand by the
enterprise in good faith, we shall feel strong
in the prosecution of the work to final COM
pletion, and no effort on the part of the con-
tractors, and our company will be spared to
that end, so long as | may have anything to
do in the matter. If, however, your city
shall now falter, and refuse her countenauce
and support to the enterprise, the conse-
quences may be readily foreseen. l have
been President of the company since Its or
ganization, and such has been my anxiety,
and such the interest that | have felt in the
success of the enterprise, that | have not
taken from the treasury one dollar, as yet, for
my services and | assure you, that could we
be sustained by those who are thousand
times more interested, in a pecuniary point
of view, than | am, [ could most willingly
contend against ordinary obstacles, should
they continue to oppose US. But if in addi-
ton to these, our friends at home, upon whom
we rely, shall fcrsake US, so that all our hopes
and expectations may be blasted in the end,
for one intend that it shall not be said that
it was that did it. Indeed, such is my anx-
iety for the success of the enterprise, that
am ready and willing to retire from the Di-
rectory as well as from the Presidency, the
moment It shall be desirable to give place 10
a successor, who can do more for the success
of work that lies so near to my heart.
Very truly, 0. H. SMITH.