The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-01-17
The Rail Road from MT. Carmel to
st. Louis.

A correspondent of the Princeton Indian
ian, gives some very interesting information
in regard to the progress of the railroad
from Mt. Carmel, west to st. Louis. Most
of our readers, like ourselves, were not, we
suspect, aware that any work was being
done on the road, and they will therefore
be surprised at the following statements
The writer says the prospects of the road
are very flattering. He says:
will give the most important facts con-
| trail Railroad, to Mt. Vernon, the county
seat of Jefferson county, a distance of IS
miles. This part of the road is surveyed,
and about two hundred hands are at work,
grading it. Jefferson county gives about
twenty thousand acres of her swamp lands,
| and several thousand dollars in money, as a
| bonus to the Railroad. This piece of the
road Is to be completed in fifteen months
| from last October. Vandooser, Smith & Co.,
are the contractors.
The County Court of Wayne County, YES
| terday, concluded contract with the above
named Company, to build the road from W.T.
Vernon to the Eastern boundry of Wayne
county, distance of 40 miles. The contract
is to be completed in two years. The En-
gineers are at work and the laborers will be
on next week. Wayne county gives l0O,-
900 acres of swamp lands as a bonus, at FIVE
dollars per acre. to be conveyed to the Rail-
road Company as the work progresses. A
| good portion of the swamp lands of this
county are as good lands as can be found in
the Southwest.
Wayne county offered an additional bonus
of fifteen thousand acres of land if the road
is completed to Fairfield by the oath of De-
| cember, 1859, which will most likely Sc
cure the completion of the road to this point
by that time
The Pickering grade is very nearly fin
| ished from the Eastern boundry of Wayne
! county, through Edwards and Wabash
counties to Mt. Carmel. What this grade
can be had at is not known at this time, but
can probably be had upon reasonable terms
When this road is completed to Mt Carmel,
the Wabash and Mississippi rivers will be
connected by railroad, except about forty
miles between Ashly and Bellville, which
will probably be put under contract in a
few months. There is a road in good run
ming order from Bellville to the city of st.
Louis.
The importance of this road to Princeton
and Evansville can be seen at one glance
| If the citizens of Princeton ever expect to
build up their town, and make it place of
any importance, now is the time. There is
no doubt that they can by proper efforts Sc
| cure the terminus or crossing of this road
at Princeton.
When this road is completed to Princeton,
| Evansville will be the trading point for a
large portion of Southern Illinois. Since
have been in these parts l have heard a
| great many Merchants say they would rather
trade at Evansville than almost any other
| point on the Ohio river, and much rather
| than at st. Louis-that Evansville mer-
chants gave them as good bargains as they
could get in any of the Western Cities, and
the only reason why Evansville has not
nearly the entire trade of this country, was
a want of facilities for transporting their
merchandise and articles of manufacture.
1t is strongly hoped here that Evansville
and Princeton will at least build theEroad
| from Mt. Carmel to Princeton If this
road stops at Mt. Carmel and the Southern
Illinois Railroad is completed, the trade of
this country will all go to Cincinnati and
st. Louis, and Evansville will be left to seek
a trade in other parts.
will keep you posted as the work pro-
crosses. D.T.L.
Fairfield, Dec. 28th, 1858.