The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-08-03
Reply to the Committee Of Five.


harmony with their enterprise.
Reply to the Committee OF Five.
Editors Journal:
In Sunday mornings issue OF the
Courier five gentlemen, organizing
themselves into a committee, and
claiming to be enlisted in lhe interest
of the old Straight Line Railroad
Company, make an unwarranted and
uniustifable attack upon the Carmi
Railroad Company, one of the best
friends of their enterprise
The Oarmi Company has, at all
times. assured the friends of the
Straight Line Road of its desire for
the early completion of that line of
road, and has volunteered to render
them such assistance as might be
within its power. If they insist upon
it. however, and by CONSUMPTION array
those towards whom we feel kindly,
against US, and compel US, in self
defense. to state objections to their
enterprise which we have so far been
willing to overlook, we will do so,
although we do it with much reluct-
ance. EAa
The road bed Of the Straight
Line cost the people four hundred
and sixty thousand dollars (S46O, 0OO)
in cash Thousands of acres of valu-
able l2nds ESTIMATED by those well
informed a6 10000 acres) along the
line of the road were given by the
l., r. Ho M
completing the road. Now, after some
fifteen years, these Eastern capital
lists" Of whom they speak with much
ostentation, after having duly ma
nipulated cases In court, come to us
as the purchasers of the road bed
and franchises at the sum of eighteen
thousand dollars, aud as the owners
in fee simple of these same lands
given by the people for the purposs
of building the road.
Not only this, bat less than two
years ago the same capitalists " sued
the city of Evansville, and when 1t
was known that they were in posses
sion of secrets that were supposed TO
be securely locked In the breasts of
the attorneys Of the city, the city was
glad to compromise their suit by pay
ing them ninety-six thousand dollars
more. What have these capitalists T"
done with this sum Of ninety-siX thou
sand (S96, 000) dollars? They certainly
do not intend TO use this In building
the Straight Line, for they now come
to Us with demand for one hundred
and fifty thousand dollars $3.50, 00O)
more. a sum sufficient TO do the
bridging and put the iron on In this
county. They make similar demands
upon the people along the line.
The best quality of cross-ties cost
about, and usually less than
seveG hundred dollars per mile.
The iron, such as Is used on the
u. & @. Road, about, and not over,
nine thousand dollars per mile; leaY-
ing, as you will see, the sum OF
twenty-eight hundred dollars pei
mile for chairs, spikes and bridges
The Straight Line runs about eleven
and not more than twelve, mile;
through this county. IF we allow
the Straight Line Company tt
take cae hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars from the townships
under The late law of the State
what guarantee have we that they
will not ask for the money until thu
road is completed, and the cars run
ming to Chelsea. They ask the voter
of Vanderburgh County to vote dowl
the proposed appropriation to the Lii
nois Road, IN order that these 'eapi
talists may come In and ask for thu
same money under the same law. A
two of the Committee are lawyers (botl
of whom signed the petition to thu
Board of County Commissioners, ask
ing the Board to take the vote on thu
question of aid to the Illinois Road
we take the statement of the law con
tanned IN their article as their inter
probation of the law. 1t is as follows
Under the law, when the money il
voted one-half can be demanded by
the Company when work equal to one
halt OF the donation has been done
and for anything you can know, thi;
may be done on the faith o.
your donation on credit; wher
the road is so far completed as Il
reach the line OF the county and tt
allow train of cars to pass over If
the whole amount can be demanded. ;
If this Interpretation of the law i
correct, why will it not apply to tn
Straight Line Road as well as any
Is there anything In the conduct O
these capitalists" during the las
fifteen years, to inspire confidenc
such as would allow them the advan
tages of the law without further Guar
antees of good faith? But we thinl
these gentlemen give the law III
wrong Interpretation. The languag
of the law is so plain that its litera
language Is its best Interpretation
The sixteenth section reads as fol
lows Eve quote from the book:
NO donation of money shall b
made to any railroad company b
such Board of Commissioners unit
the railroad to be constructed sha
have been permanently located an
work thereon done and paid fC
by the company equal to th
amount of the donations then mad,
nor shall to exceed fifty per cent.
the money voted to be appropriate
to such railroad company Be donate
and paid over to the company mt
the iron is laid upon the road and
train Of cars shall have passed ovt
the entire length thereof, in sue
county or township, as the case ms
be-"
Now, we insist that this law is
plain that it needs no interpretatio
and that the Interpretation given