The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-02-18
14ist 191t6 ks911a Communicated.
Shall Evansville be Made q Large
uG9liaDg City? nnsF 1aa1E

Shall Evansville be Made q Large
aeaile City? 1900
IF it is the intention of the people
Of Evansville that we build a city
here, we must look for some other
means of transportation by which to
carry goods and manufactures to the
customer, and to bring the customer
to our place to buy The city has at
tanned such size that we can not long
er rely upon the river as a means of
further advancement. The river is
very important, and may be made
more so than it is, but our ambition
rises above that of a small town, and
we must cast about us and find the
means by which we can raise our
selves to the dignity of a first class
city. Many who will read this article
would laugh at the idea of citizens of
Evansville, who have their money in
vested in real estate becoming mil
honaires within ten years from the
advance in the value of their property.
While this is not now probable, it is
possible, and within the power of our
people. .IfhT
By the energy and influence Of our
people, seven railroads, in addition to
the one we have, can be centred at
this point within ten years. Railroads
ought to be built from Evansville to
each of the following places: New.
Albany, Indianapolis, Nation or De-
catur, st, Louis, Cairo, Nashville, and
through Eddyville, Ky, to Paris, KY,
and jackson, Tenn.
IF Evansville is ever made the Gen.
tering point of eight railroads going
out to every point of the compass. we
will see property which is now thought
high-priced at 800 per foot selling in
steady market at $1,000 per foot,
and the population swelled to two
or three hundred thousand. There
will be no trouble about water-works
or street railroads; they will come of
themselves.
But how can all of this be done ?
The city cannot subscribe all the
stock in all of these roads at one
time. True, the city ought never to
subscribe stock in any road for which
good reason can be given. 1t should
be done as it is done mother places.
In the first place, a railroad that will
carry passengers and freight, can be
built for much less money than many
sof2.aour railroads have cost, The
American idea seems to be ia every very
case to build a grand trunk road, with
the broadest gauge. heaviest iron and
most costly machinery and rolling
stock, with large depots, warehouses,
shops, &C., complete at the first effort.
This is surely the correctidea if trade
is to pour in upon the road to over
flowing from the start, which does not
appear to have been the case with
many of our roads.
The great trouble is that we spend
too much money ia building, and in
getting them up on such grand scale,
that it costs twice as much to run
them as it ought to do.
We insist that all our roads shall be
as straight as meridian line, no diff
ference how much tunneling is requir
ed that they shall he as level, (not
smooth, )sas a parlor floor, no differ
ence how much excavating and filing
it may require to make them so. We
insist upon the, highest speed, the
finest, most costly and heaviest ma
chinery to mash the road bed and tear
itself to pieces in the very beginning,
Is it not possible that a one-horse
town could put up with one-horse
railroad better than it could do with
out any. OF until able to make a bet
| ter one? A road with stock amount
ing to s3,OOO,09G that pays FIVE per,
cent dividends, would with stock Of
$1,000, 900 and the same earnings, pay,
Fifteen per cent Dividends There is
I - -.oad Il Il, the T1nitad Ctates &c