The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1870-05-10
PosEYy1LLE. May .. 1870

consideration the plausibility as wei
as possibility Of building a railroad
from Mt. Vernon to Princeton. Large
delegations were in attendance from
Princeton, Owensville. Cynthiana and
Mt. Vernon. Committees had pre-
viously been appointed to raise q
sufficient amount of stock at least tc
organize a company. No effort, how.
eyer. was made to raise anything ex.
ch1t in two Or three townships. Not
wIhstandinA, ssme eighty thousand
dolfafy1as RreseFted as the result oil
the HSkgleTedpOn a company was
Organized, alSscles of association
signed, Board OF Directors elected
and the enterprise may be said to be
fairly under headway, with the fol.
lowing chances Of success:
The distance from Mt Vernon to
Princeton is thirty seven and one
half miles. It is supposed that If VIC
could raise ten thousand dollars per
mile, we would have a fair chance OF
success. A line from this place to
Mt. Vernon would intersect the line
Of the Mt Vernon q GRANVILLE Road,
some twelve miles north of Mt. Yer
non, and / can see no good reason
why the two roads could not consoli-
date at that point and save equal to
six miles to each road. This would
leave q gap of about thirty two miles
to be built by this company, and
would require us to raise, at $1,000
per mile, about 100000. a-r
What are the prospects for raising
that amount? First.-Mt. Vernon
proposes. in her corporate capacity,
to raise SIS 900 Posey County has
a reserve yet of $4,000, which she
ca5, by vote, contribute to the road
This she will no doubt do. as the road
runs lengthways through the very
center of the county. Then let
Smith, Robb, Center and Lyon Town
ships raise $57, 900 (which Smith
and Robb alone can raise), and we
have 100000 with which TO cross
the Gibson County line, where we
enter Montgomery Township. That
township has already raised by sub
scription $45 600, and can vote tax
Of $35 600 more; leaving 500, 900 still
to raise to make the 100000, which
she says she can, and have no doubt
she will, raise. Then allow Prince
ton and Patoka Townships to raise
$75 600, and we have a grand total of
1915, 600, equal to ten thousand doll
lars per mile for the whole longth of
the line, or twelve thousand per mile
with consultations. This amount
raised, Ishould think would inspire
strong hopes Of success. The road
will run itstentire length through the
very heart Of the best and richest ag-
ricultural country to be found any
where, and one, too, where there will
be no competitors for freights. The
whole of the products of this garden
spot of creation would be compelled
to seek an outlet over this road.
While | am on the subject Of rail
roads, pardon me for indulging in a
few criticisms with regard to the
course of Evansville, Cor perhaps
more properly speaking, the course of
those having the management of the
Evansville and Carmiroad, in charge.
I remember well to have been in your
city on the eve of the election by
which the County of Vanderburg,
was asked TO levy two per cent. tax, to
aid in building o road to Southern
Illinois. / remem Der also that there
were two very formidable parties
amongst the friends of taxation, one
party favoring a route by Mt. Vernon,
or direct to Carmi; the others favor
ing the GRANVILLE route. Itwas feareo
that the division might defeat the
election In favor Of taxation. SO {
compromise was entered into by which
IL was agreed that both routes shoulc
be surveyed, aud the road located il
accordance with the report of sale
surveys.
This was some six or eight months
ago. l have frequently heard of sur
veyiug parties being on the southern
route, but don't think that any thinl
has ever been done In fulfllment O.
the promise to survey the Grayvillt
route, not SO much as even to ridt
over the route on horse back. Thi
I think is not only bad faith, but bad
policy for Evansville.
There are many advantages pos
sessed by the GRANVILLE route which
are not by the southern, or Carmi, as
ID is called. First, the distance 4
| GRANVILLE is some eight or ten mile
less than it is to Carmi; again, it il
much the levelest and consequent,
much the cheapest route, You coult
start out Of Evansville. cross Pigeol
| Greek at the mouth Of Locust Creek
run up that valley until you come &
/ Bar Greek, which runs in a westerl
direction, and enter into Big Greek
from whence you have a perfect leve
route to Black River, and on to tn
Wabash River. There would not b
a cut to fill, on the whole route, wocth
the name.
Again, the Mt Vernon and Gray
Vile Road crosses the Wabash a
GRANVILLE; the two roads couid bridg
the river Jointly, and save 10 each
very handsome sum.
And then, when you get to Gray
Vile, you make connection with th
Mattoon Road runniDg north, whic'
will cross the New Albany & 81
Louis Road, the Ohio & Mississippi
and connect with the Illinois Centra
4 where the Terre Haute, Alton & s.
Iouis Road crosses it, givirg yo
railroad communication with all thi
northern portion of Southern I'll
nois. a trade which you used to eDjo
to a very considerable extent, befor
you were robbed Of it by railroad
running to other cities. And the
you could run down to Carmi frol
GRANVILLE, and secure all that 20
could gain by going the souther
route to that place.
. Aqain, you could have got fy
times the amount Of help on II
GRANVILLE route that you could on II
other route In this county
The local freight and business
the road would be infinitely great,
on this line. There would have bee
no com mpetitors for the freight as a