The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-02-10
LEVEL HEADED.

VIEW OF "THAr MAP" IN SOUTHERN IN
DIANA.
The Cannelton Reporter gives a cordial
tribute to "that map" and to indianapolis
that will not fail to be appreciated both for
its good sense and good feeling. 1t says:
"The reproduction of the {" map" of
Indianapolis by the Sentinel, to which
we allude in jocular manner, and
which has been the occasion of many
witty remarks by the press, is, after all,
no laughing matter: The fact is, there are
but very few localities of which such an i'll
lustration OF natural and artificial advan-
tages are possible. AS citizen of the state
we feel proud ofthe growing Importance and
future prospects of our capital. Nearly every
state has its emporium of trade, of fashion,
and of learning. Massachusetts has
oils of the same name, Pennsyl-
vanis her Philadelphia, Chic her Gin
natl, Kentucky her Louisville, Mis-
souri, her st. Louis, and Illinois her Chicago.
These marts of commerce and manufactures
are Justly the objects of pride to the citizens
of these several states, and give character
and importance to the commonwealth in
which they are located. Until quite recently
our own state has had no one particular city
of sufficient consequence to establish
its claim to metropolitan character
and Importance. We have had sew
ofaI thriving Clues OF nOQoTdI0 Ill
mansions, but none of them of first class i'm
portance, none of them sufficiently wealthy
and popuious to give notOriety and character
to the state. or to makethem OF familiar refer
ence to the inhabitants of the Union. This
condition of things is rapidly changing. The
introduction of railroads has so turned the
channels of trade that Indianapolis, although
emphatieally an inland city, without the
advantage of a navigable river, strictly
speaking, is rapidly drawing within
her boundaries the trade, manufac
ture, wealth and influence that have hereto
fore conferred in cities and towns situated
upon large rivers, on the shores of seas aud
lakes Her system of railroads now so
prominently located and established have
fixed her prosperity and future growth
beyond a possibility of failure or diminution.
The original plan of the city appears to have
been prophetic of her artificial channels
of trade, illustrated by her present
that her streets diverge from the
''GovERNoR's CIRCLE"
so do her railroads diverge from the city.
They branch to the country in every direc-
ton, and so constitute her one of the most
remarkable distributing points to be found
in the world. In the heart of the Union, in
the midst of country of unsurpassed fertil-
ity and already rich in its developments OF
agriculture, il close proximity to untold
deposits of coal and other minerals, there
is no city of the United States that has
brighter future than our own CAPT.
tai. Her locality makes the trav-
cling pubic at all times tributary
to her prosperity You cannot travel to any
extent East or West, North or South, with
out passing through Indianapolis. She
stands directly in the way of the tourist, the
emigrant and the business man, from all of
whom she realizes toll. Her position now is
the same as though she were situated at the
confluence of many navigable rivers and all
those rivers free from the contingencies of
low water or ice. Seventy-six passenger
trains of railroad cars enter the city daily.
Her freight trains are much more numerous.
The scream of the locomotive there is
perpetual, and at no time do you fail to
realize the ground tremor of the rumbling
.team car. Within the last two years
her increasein population and substan-
tial improvements, costly buildings and
extensive manufactures, has been re-
markable, but by no means unnatural or
fictitious. Real estate has advanced
to such an extent that persons unac-
quainted with the intrinsic cause thereof
have predicted the usual results from over
trade and speculation. 1T is possible that
there may be some truth in such prognos
tics, but taking into consideration the many
advantages already enumerated, and reflect
| ing upon the natural growth and develop
ment of the country and the absolute pow
er possessed by the capital all ready invest
ed there. and the vigorous enterprise of her
citizens, we do not see any reason for de-
cline in prices. With present population
| of so 600, her ratio of increase based upon
solid elements O. growth and property will
| in all pro liability give her 100000 inhabi-
| tants within the next twenty wears.