The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-03-09
vac Rockport RaIIrOaa.


We alluded yesterday to the fact
that the committee from the Cincin-
natl Chamber Of Commerce, appoint
ed to pass over the proposed line of
this road, has reported favC,ably and
recommended that the city extend
sufficient aid to secure its early COM
pletion. This morning re print the
report in full. It will, no doubt, be
interesting reading to those of our
business men, who can pause long
enough in their pursuit of the nimble
six pence. in sight to-day, to glance
at the rich harvest Of property that
may be gathered in a few years by ju-
dicious preparation and management
now.
Cincinnati processes to be anxious
to seek railroad outlet to the South.
and thereby become emancipated
from the Louisville and Nashville
Railroad. This corporation throws
the weight of its influence, very nat
urally and properly, we think, in
favor of Louisville. Failing to get a
charter for a southern road direct to
Chattanooga from the Kentucky Leg
islature, Cincinnati concludes that she
must flank the Louisville and Nash
vile Road in some other manner.
Hence her interest in the Rockport,
Greensboro and RusselVille Roads.
Secondary to securing an outlet South
Cincinnati is interested in gaining ac-
cess to the country lying between
Loogootee and Rockport, and that
portion Of Kentucky between Ovens
boro and Russelville. In other words,
she designs competing with Louis
vile and Evansville for the trade
of the Green River country. Our
merchants can make note of that
Here, too, we may see the danger
which always arises from indiffer-
ence or hesitation. Had our people
been wide awake to their railroad
interests they would have organized a
company for the construction Of road
from this city to Mitchell or Seymour,
where it would have been joined by a
railroad from Sandusky, through
Eaton, Ohio, and Brookville,
in this State, thus affording US
a magnificent line Of road East.
The counties through which this
road would pass, would gladly have
contributed literally to aid in its con-
struction, and it would have given
Cincinnati the much desired facilities
for getting South, which will not be
secured even by the construction OF
the Rockport and Russelville Road.
For when Cincinnati has finished her
road to Russelville, she is at the
mercy of the Louisville and Nash
Vile Road if she desires to go to
Memphis, and equally at the COM
mand of, the Evansville, Henderson
and Nashville Road if she desires to
20 to Chattanooga, via Nashville.
But while we see the importance of
a road running to Mitchell or Sey-
mour, we do not write so much to say
what might ave been"-the saddest
of all sad words-but to show the ne
cessity of unusual activity in prosecu-
ting what we have already undertaken.
Our Railroad into southern Illinois,
must be pushed forward with energy
and enthusiasm. 1t should be upper
most in the thoughts of our people,
anil the staple of conversation until it
is completed. Our neighbors in
Posey County should be made to feel
an interest in the enterprise and every
body in southern Illinois should be
made to realize that we are in earnest
The road to Carmi and McLeansboro
completed, and the road to Nash
Vile finished, the city will be then
in good condition to take hold of a
road east to meet the road from San
dusky, and at the same time secure
other valuable eastern connections.
But we insist that if we remain as
apathetic as we have been Tor the past
four or five months, we may reasona-
bly, anticipate nothing else than that
Cincinnati and Louisville will draw
the trade from US on the north, east
and south, and st. Louis supplant US
In the west and southwest. We trust
that we may be able to definitely an
nounce soon that the Directors of the
Carmi Road have settled upon some
plan for its immediate and successful
construction. The people are expect
ing this, and we feel confident the
men to whose hands the fate of that
road has been intrusted will not dis
appoint these expectations.
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