The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1857-03-13
Straight Line Railroad.

reading columns for the pest two weeks, to the
discussion of the management Of the affairs
Of the Straight Line Railroad. We have al
lowed the writer full and free opportunity
TO make out his case, uninterrupted by any
remarks Of our own We are not the defend
yd ers Of any party interested in the road. AS
1sg i individuals, we have high respect for both;
i'-i but we have regard for either in dis
cusson Of the public interests. We are ad-
vocates Of the road and deem its success
Tv'' of vital importance to the further advance
Inent of the city, and we shall oppose all that
conflicts with its interests; and as far as the
management Of the present contractors has
impaired its prospects and delayed its COM
pletion, We shall raise our voice in condemna.
s-as ton loudly as any citizen. We shall
leave them to make their own defence for
their own personal acts Till they are heard
-sl. IN reply, it will he unjust to condemn them.
Let US suspend judgment till hear
.rr their defence.
o.s 60 There are, however, certain reflections up
on the Expose" that has just been made,
az which the public interests and the success of
The road as great public work, has forced
upon us; the utterance of which we cannot
suppress, with proper regard to duty and
due of justice to others.
The only question before the public is,
what the interests Of the city in this
affair? With Mr. Carpenter-whether he
makes or breaks-we have nothing to do
;a' 1t Is admitted, that without him, we should
have had no attempt to build road. And
,t.ga.i tho question is, whether are willing to
a. ~
from him. or go without it.
The whole substance Of the Expose" is
comprehended in the two principal charges;
first, that the road was begun prcmaturely,
and without adequate means to accomplish it;
''i and sscondly-that there is an attempt to
build it under fraudulent, impracticable,
and a nugatory contract.
Nothing great has been accomplished in this
world, FROM the first conceptions of Columbus
that new world was to be discovered, down
to the building of the Z. & c. Railroad, but
what appeared to the collators of arithmeti-
cal sums to be premature, and begun with
wholly inadequate means To such men.
E. + Napoleon was reckless, mprovidont mad
being of luck and destiny; Dewitt
Ciinton's folly apparent to al such cal
culators when he hogan to dig the ditch that
to bury him with shame and ridicule-
..,. "a There no railroads.&c. least at the Vest
ra.iF but have been commenced with means so
r''F slender, that school-boy with his slate-if
that were the only mode of cphering out their
=. - results--could prove that their projectors were
b, ,.r lunatics or swindIers. And according to all
iH- ID such views and calculations, was there a
greater imposition. than the attempt to build
the Evansville and Charlottesville Railroad
with subscription of $4,000, which on
'1 T ly about $4,000 colectable? Did men
ever draw more boldly upon the credulity and
blind confidence OF community, than those
who undertook to build a road costing mil
lion and half, on a basis of S25 600? Did
the "Exposer' ever expose how it was done?
Did he dare to reveal during the progress
., Of the work, all the secret processes by which
it was accomplished? Would not an Eek.
pose" and personal onslaught upon its man
ayers and the work, have annihated both in
the midst of their labors? Could not the
dullest man in the city. with his slate, have
proved them to be reckless adventurers be-
traying the trust and interest of their fellow
citizens? And if his zeal had been quicken
ed by a rival interest, could he have not con-
-Uz signed them and their work to ruin and pub
81 lie contempt? And even now can we not
demonstrate by the figures that ap-
piled to the Straight Line that it was prema-
ture in time, and not worth one half its costs,
ii IL we coun: its own earnings? Yet where is
the citizen, among the narrowest-minded men
that does not rejoice over the deusion in which
he was kept, and heap the thanks of CRATE
-. full heart upon the far-seeins and enterprisnS
-i- men, who, with slender means, accomplish
So. cd so great work? Arc there any men
among us, who are more proud Of their hon.
ors and who make greater demands upon the
g. 7'FI public gratitude than those VINO deuded tue
-ai'' people into the construction Of their railway
Is there citizen who wishes it had never
. been done? And with what deep, and
damning curses would they now look upon
any intruder, who, to subserve any rival or pal
try personainterests, should have, Ivy untimely
q, discussions, revealed to them only the truth,
% and by that disclosure excited their alarm,
destroyed their confidence in the builders and
arrested the work Had it not been better
f for him to have taken a milestone about his
,.-- neck and gone down to the Ohio? And we
most sincerely hope that the future OF
s tho Straight Line may prevent the Expos
f..., bo,y tbe most fatal record in tho lifa M