The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-03-08
The IlIInnIs Railroad.

We are informed that nothing def
tie has been decided upon by the d.
rectors of the Carmi Road, and that
when Spring opens we will be as far
from the completion of the road as
when they were first elected.
nearly a year ago. This is discourag-
ing. It may be that nothing could
be done; but the opinion is quite pre-
valent among the people that the i'm
mense sums of money voted by them
to the enterprise sufficient, alone
with economical disbursement to con-
struct the road to Carmi - demanded
that steps should have been taken
promptly to decide upon route, and
with the opening Of Spring to enter
upon the work of construction. At
the very least our directors might have
created such a stir through this part
OF the country that all eyes would be
directed to the enterprise, and rival
projects, conflicting with our interests,
would not be able to profit by our
apathy. That activity and agitation
are very important, is easily seen by
reference to meeting of the st. Louis
Board of Trade in the latter part 81
February. At that meeting Col. Nor
-rison appeared in behalf of the st.
Louis & South Eastern Railroad, and
argued at length the claims of that
enterprise. The burden Of his speech
was the necessity that st. Louis
should have Nashville connection,
aud to show that via Shawnetown was
the best route. Some of his state.
ments we're not strictly correct; among
other things he said:
The only southern outlet now open
to st. Louis is the Iron Mountain
Railroad. To Nashville by this
route is 377 miles; by the route now
proposed it is two hundred and
eighty five, a difference of ninety two
miles. At Shawneetown connection
is made with a road now running to
Madisonville, KY, and this line is
now In process of construction to
Hopkinsville, whence there is rail
road now running to Nashville.
There is no road running from
Shawnestown to Madisonville, Ken
lucky, nor IS there likely to be for
several years to come. There is a
road running from Henderson. This
fact Dir. Morrison could not have
been ignorant of, and his statement
looks as though he designed purposely
to deceive the St. Louis Board of
Trade.
In reference to the South. eastern
Road the gentleman said:
Thirty miles of this road are now
constructed in Illinois-ffteen miles
on either side of the Illinois Central
Railroad, crossing that road at Ashly.
From st. Louis to Shawneetown is
40 miles. Under the Illinois law
$500, 600 has now been subscribed by
more will be subscribed by ST
Louis, in case the county of st.
Clair does not subscribe. On the
basis of 81, 100000 of subscriptions.
General WinsloW expects to raise 81
ZZO.UOU on uTEb mortgage DOnQSz ana
$4,000, 600 on preferred stock, no Sec
ond mortgage bonds to be issued.
This road will run through the finest
coal fields of Illinois, and its great
wheat producing region, with its di-
rect Southern connections, will pay
its interest. The speaker said he was
President of the Belleville Railroad.
1t was thought that would not pay,
but it now pays $4,000 per mile
yearly. Now the proposed road runs
through the same coal fields and
thro' fine country, which advantages
will enable 1t to pay seven per cent. in
terest on g, 225, 600 and eight per cent.
on So. 600, 600. There is another line
leaving st. Louis and running to New
Albany, which, under the stimulus of
the Illinois law, will be built in time
and this. as it runs west, must tan
the ShaWneetown railroad, and makes
It's western line trunk for both
roads. This would largely add TO
the roads value. They did not i'm
mediately want money; they only
wanted an Endorsement by the people
Of ST. Louis, and such a feeling
created that if he should call for the
100000 loan he could get it.
We find not a syllable in this speech
relative to the Evansville & Carmi