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

Salem Railroad, on the east, some
sixty miles In width aud one hun
dred miles in length, is entirely IN
traversed in any direction by rail-
roads, and is, therefore, waiting to be
occupied and possessed by the enter
prise OF our commerce and trade. It
has been no part of the duty of your
committee to make inquiry into the
advantages of one route over another,
but simply TO determine as far as
practicable whether railroad through
this section of country could afford
sufficient facilities for trade to in
duee our capitalists to advance por-
ton of the means to build such road
and open up the country through
which it should pass.
But such has been the favorable i'm
preston made upon our minds, both
In regard to the ease with which a
road may be constructed and the ex-
traordinary advantages to be secured
to Cincinnati by Its construction,
that we feel somewhat called upon to
give a partial statement, at least, of
our observations In these particulars.
In order to become thoroughly in
formed as to the character Of the
country and the people along this
route. a portion of your committee
left Loogootee, on the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi Railroad, on the morning of
the 22d of February, and arrived at
Rockport, on the Ohio River, on the
afternoon of the 24th. This Journey
was made in the day time, the party
stopping at various points for the
purpose of conversing with and as
| pertaining the views of the people,
who seem not only unanimously in
favor of the road, but determined to
do all in their power to assist in its
construction.
The general surface of the country
from Loogootee to ROckport is little
rolling, but, when taken as a whole,
can be easily graded, there being no
hills OF consequence to cut through,
nor heavy fills to make, besides hav-
ing the advantage of only having to
cross one river and but few small
streams; and it is believed that this
entire line can be completed and put
In running order for a small sum
compared with the cost of other
roads. This road, running as it will
through Daviess, Dubois, aud part oil
Spencer and Martin Counties, cuts
through the center of a prosperous
and enterprising population and opens
up country which possesses perhaps
more Of the general elements oil
wealth than almost any other section
of the same dimensions in the State
of Indiana, and is only equalled in Its
productions by that portion of the
same line lying south of greensboro
In order to prepare themselves foI
the practical duties of a Railroad
Company, and enable the several
counties and townships to vote assist
ance to the road under the statutes
of the State, as In such cases pro-
vided, Company has been formed al
| Rockport, under the style Of 1.-THE
RockpOrt and Northern Central
Railway Company of Indiana" with
the Hon. L. Q. DeBruler, as Presi-
dent, and E. Ell. Sabin, Secretary
from whom we have the following
proposition:
We believe that it is to the inter
est Of your city, in every way, to
adopt in some tangible form this en-
terprise, and make it your own. We
do not forget that the construction oil
this road will greatly benefit the coun.
try through which it passes, and will
greatly add to its future prosperity
and wealth. If it would be of ten
times the value it will be to the peo-
pie along the line, they could not,
without outside help, build the road
Can you, in any other direction, COM
mand so much trade by an outlay Of
five times the amount asked for in
support of this line? Our PROPOSE
ton is to lay at your feet a donation
Of $780, 900 as our share of the cost Of
a road less than sixty miles in length.
Nor is this all; indeed, this is the
smallest amount involved in this ques
ton. We invite you to the control,
for all time to come, OF the commerce
of a country of immense natural re-
sources, a country in which Provi-
| dence seems to have condensed His
| blessings of natural elements OF
wealth, by furnishing in one district,
soil, timber, minerals, water, and eli
mate unsurpassed in all this great
| country.
No consideration ought to have
more weight in determining the bust
ness men of Cincinnati to take hold
of this enterprise with a vigorous
hand, and complete it at once, than
the we'll assured prospect Of the speedy
| completion of the Greensboro anC
Russellville line, and the consequent
connection with the Southern system
of roads. We are assured by the Hon
Judge James Weir, the President o.
this road, that they have the frs
twenty miles from Greensboro tC
Green River now ready for the iron
and that they have ample means, not
only to put down the rails and furnish
all the rolling stock and necessary
buildings to put this first section IL
complete running order, but that they
have no doubt that they will have
ample means to complete the entire
road from the bank Of the Ohio
River opposite Roekport to the
State line. Looking over this long
belt of territory through which these
two connecting roads must pass
and embraced between the Ohio
and Mississippi road and the State
Line of Kentucky and Tennessee, nc
correct estimate could be made of the
importance of the trade that must be
developed in the interest of our city
Nor is this, admitting all we claim foI
it, the most important reason why we
should lend all the assistance in ouI
power to our friends of the Rockport
road. Our large and rapidly increas-
ing trade with the Southern and
Southwestern States, demands that
we should have new and greater facil-
| Iting for the fransDorfafIop Oe nur