The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1858-12-31

canal, alarmed at the lnoicaIions OF an
intention to abandon the Southern portion
of the canal, have held large public meetings
to determine what steps where necessary to
prevent being shut out from all revenues of
transportation to the markets of the COM
mercial world, for their rich agricultural
products. One influential citizen of Pike
county, writing to the Petersburg Reporter
says:
1t appears by recent developments that
our worst fears are about to be realized, re-
spectinp the abandonment of the Southern
division of the Wabash and Erie Canal by
the Trustees 1t is said that the canal at
best, is poor dependence, in consequence OF
the uncertainty of navigation, occasioned
in the first place by the frsil and imperfect
manner of its construction, and secondly, by
the ineficiency and Negligence of major
ity of those who are employed to keep it in
repair. But then, poor as it is, and badly
as it has been managed, it is the only facility
afforded US, for the transportation OF pro-
duce, lumber, coal, and general merchandise,
except by the hazardous operation OF hat
boating down White River and Patoka,
which is an age behind the times.
The grave question now forces itself upon
us. what shall we do ? VIII we in Pike
comfy Quietly fall back to the "days of
yore'S in the conveyance of all our goods
and produce in wagons and fat-boats,
whilst the adjoining counties are belted
with the metal track, and our neighbors of
Gibson, Knox, and Daviess are every day
saluted by the thunder of the iron horse,
and the rumbling of railroad ears What
is the best for us to do under these discour-
aging circumstances This is an important
inouiry-an interrogatory of serious import
"a question which demands our calm and
dispassionate consideration, followed by
unanimous response, and prompt efficient
action.
All will admit that it is necessary for us
to do something, and that we do il speedily;
for we have all learned by long experience
that it is the height of folly to place any
confidence in the canal. We have 1attered
ourselves year after year that it will work
better after while-but instead of improv-
ing it is all the time getting worse. 1t is in
such wretched condition that no sane man
will willingly risk his property upon it to
90 a distance of fifty miles; if he does, there
is no certainty that it will reach its intended
destination in three months.
10 seek a,more convenient and reliable outlet
for the various commodities which are beg
ging for market from this county. pro-
nose the building of railroad from Peters
burgh to the most convenient point ON the
Ohio and Mississippi Road. The distance
from Petersburgh to Washington is about
thirteen miles, and TO Vincennes about
twenty miles. 1t is thought by some that the
route to vincennes is the most practicable
of the two, considering the ground and the
amount of stock which can be raised there
over and above what we may expect to OBJ
tain in Washington.
At Newberry large meeting was held
on the 18th inst, to take into consideration
the expediency of constructing branch
railroad to Washington, in Davies county,
to intersect the Ohio and Mississippi Rail-
road A number of spirited speeches were
made, and good deal, of enthusiasm was
aroused in favor of the project. Resolutions
were passed declaring--that the citizens O.
the county had lost all hope in the fns
completion of the Straight Line Railroad
and all confidence in the canal as moan!
of transportation for the products OF thu
county to a market; they were, therefore
determined to use all thesinfluence anC
money in their power to construct railroad
from Newberry to Washington. Large anC
respectable committees were appointed II
promote the object-to solicit aid-to NEE
the citizens of Washington, and to consul
and arrange the preliminaries for the enter
prise. The citizens of Washington, and o
Green county generally, appear to sympa
thize in the movement tA
These proceedings are matters of dee
concern to our citizens, for though there ma.
be no immediate prospect of getting rail
road through these fertile districts to th
Ohio L Mississippi Railroad, which woul
carry off the important trade of Green, Pix
and Clay counties from this city to Cincir
nati-the description of it suggests res
danger that is worthy of our consideration
If the Southern section of the canal were
be closed, and the people of those count'
should be reduced to the primitive mode
hauling their products over mud roads to
point for shipment, they would inevitably 6
Is or 20 miles to the Ohio Il Mississippi Raj
road instead of coming 100 miles to the Oh
river. If, therefore, the canal goes dow
the trade of the important counties of Pix
Green and Clay will be lost in great mea
ure, to Evansville, whether a branch railro;
through them to Washington be ever CO
structed or not Unless we can keep !
the navigation of the canal, or finish t
s.raight-Iine railroad the trade of the VIII
river valley will surely desert US.
1t is undoubtedly true that the Truste
contemplate the abandonment OF the emit
line of the canal as sosn as they have
hausted the land fund and the Southe
sections will be the first to be given up,
the most expensive and yielding the ie'
revenue. It is well to consider what Dug
to be done III such an event In the discI
sions which the subject has elected IN III
and Green counties, we see that suggt
ton is made to form local company to 9
the Trustees in keeping the divisions fr'
Nesaerry to Evansville in nayigable ord
If thess~@uld be placed under efficient &
a )ndcious corrs'al, it is believed, this part