The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-06-28
From the Carmi CourIer.l
Evansville and Southern Illinois
Railroad.

The meeting of the Illinois and In
diana Directors of the above road in
Evansville last week, it seems, was
not conducted in a spirit that should
characterize and encourage an enter
prise Of such mutual advantage and
interest to the two sections. We
understand that parties were there
trying to get the contract and control
of building our road to Evansville,
while they are Interested in building
a road through Southern Illinois to
Shawneetown. We do not know but
what proposition from such source
would look all right to set of persons
du fat on building railroads, but to an
ordinary individual the proposition is
absurd, as coming from party whose
interests are known to be inimical to
our own. And we should regret to
know that the Evansville Directors,
instead Of consolidating with our Illi-
nois road from Duquoin, have let a
contract to the ShaWneetown inter.
ests, for building the Indiana part of
the road to the Wabash; but such, it
seems, is the case. Presuming the
Evansville Board of directors are
representing the wishes and interests
of the stockholders and business men
Of their city, (Which we do not be-
lieve,) they should consider that
Southern Illinois, though assisting
only In a small degree, should at least
have some knowledge of its own inter-
ests and advantages. 1t would there
fore look reasonable that Evansville
should concede something to the Illi-
- -oafSnv. IS he ~onA Vha manila
of White, Hamilton and Franklin
Counties, after fully considering all
that could be advanced for or against
the different roads, arrived at the
conclusion that to run a road due
west from Evansville through these
counties to Duquoin, would be the
best possible route that could be Sc
lected, and have, therefore, united
their strength upon that line, and pro-
pose to work tremendously and in
good faith with each other to secure
it, and they do not propose to walk
blindly into the trap of those gentle
men, who upon one end of the line
are attempting by every means in
their power, 10 induce the people of
Franklin county to vote against their
donation to the road, and the other,
to gull the people of Evansville into
a contract, which, we believe, they
never intend to fulfill. Aud we i'm
agine that the trade which the city of
Evansville will get by the build
ing of this road, is no Insignificant
item to her business men, and as
that is their object in building the
road, it also looks reasonable that
they would desire the connection that
would secure to them their most legit-
innate territory, instead of connecting
with point farther north, where they
would have to compete with ST. Louis
and Chicago. Again, we say. that
we regret the lack of harmony In the
views of the two sets of Directors, and
we think if the Evansville Board of
Directors are DESTROYS of convincing
the people on this side the river that
they are not working in their individ-
ual interests, instead of observing a
strict duty in their official capacity,
they will reconsider their action in the
matter of lettingthe contract to Messrs.
Winslow q Co, who are interested In
building a road 10 ShawneetoWn.
1t is true, that the people of South
ern Illinois want an outlet. and must
unnecessarily A6hO a AaAAAOAA AOA E4dN
purpose. but it does not necessarily
follow that the road should run direct
ly to Evansville; aud should the latter
city, by permitting obstacles to pre-
vent the early completion Of their
road, let Cincinnati secure through
the Cairo & Vincennes road the trade
of Southern Illinois, they will fnd
it more difficult to regain what they
have lost, than they would now,
through harmonious action, to secure
what they might legitimately claim.
Knowing. as we do, the men who COM
pose the Illinois Board of Directors
of the Evansville and Southern Illi-
nois Railroad, we can safely say that
they are vastly 10 earnest in wanting
a road, and that all their official acts
will reflect the wishes of the people.
Our section has been abused too often,
and these men now propose to build
a road, and not to sell one.