The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1874-04-14

committee performed its duty and obtsined
charter, giving 10 the company the privi-
lege OF extending line across that state,
giving counties along the line privilege 10
subscribe stock and making the road for
ever free from taxation. The IndlanapOlls.
Delphi q Chicago Railroad company has
been consolidated with the Chicago & South
Atlantic company. This company (the c.
u ,. A. set forth in its charter the PROPOSE
ton to build a road from Chicago
through indianapolis, thence to the
Ohio river, which il shall cross at
a point between Louisville and Gin
cinnsti, thence to London, Kentucky,
Knoxville, and finally to Charleston. or
Port Royal. The speaker discussed the va
rlous routes that were advocated by differ
ent delegations from the south. The COM
pany, however, have decided TO build
through cumberland Gap in straight direc--
tion Tor Charleston. 1t is a remarkable fact
tnst shorter road can be built by the way
OF indianapolis and Cumberland Gap than
Dy any other route; simply because
can get through the mountains
easier. 1t will also be cheaper.
IL is calculated that this proposed route is
cago to New York.
THE GENERAL DIRECTION
of the road tails in the line of the gaps in the
mountains The advantages of a through
line from Chicago to the Atlantic sea-board
were next C Dnsdered. The question of
cheap transportation, which is the all inn
portant one, and which is being agitated will
oesolved. The commercial necessity of such
road was urged. There is a great necessity
loi ROAD rom the great corn production
portion OF the country TO the Atlantic sea
coast. The road proposed will pass through
t tne Jfo'untry that produces one-tweifth of the
taxable wealth of the United States. You
VIII hnd that the proposed line from Chi
cago to indianapolis passes Though the best
| iano In TINS state 1t passes through the great
fertile lands OF Clinton, Carroll and other
rich counties of the state, No one can ones
ton that road passing through a strip of
| country 10 or 20 miles wide, such as
the fertile valley of the Wabash
az az Delpnl, will pay. The trade
Of. 81 1nis sectlon OF country is important to
She clty OF indianapolis. 1t is proposed TO
build strait line between these two cities
that Will be thirty-five or forty miles shorter
IMAM any other line. Again, if Won follow
shls Inc through to the Ohio river, you will
a nna anolher section of country in the south.
eastern part OF this state which is in like
manner cut OFF from this city. If the pro-
posed line is completed you will mage a line
40 miles through the state of Indiana
longer line of railroad than snow controlled
ny any one company. When we leave the
ONO river and reach Lexington. we come
TO the great blue grass region one of the
most fertile regions in the United States
lnen we enter the mineral country. which
Is ni.ed with untold millions of unearthed
y
there In lncalculable quantities. This road
VIII pass $50 or 200 miles through this sec-
ton OF country. When we pass that sec
uon we enter the great cottOn-producing
portion of the country. One OF the greates2
advantages of this road will he tI,sf9 - Iii
open up trade to four of the South
Atlantic states that are now de-
pendent upon the northwest for
S tI supply OF grain, which they now get
DS the way Of New York. The distance by
S tne Jew nne would only DE about eight
THE SHORTEST DISTANCE
to New York is 900 miles. They Obtain
their supply by the way of New York. IT
passes through the hands of middle-men. If
Is reshlpped or transported, it undergoes a
a long journey by water down 10 Charleston
naSinS distance of 1880 miles, thus
making the consumer and producer tribu-
tary to the extra distance of TRANSFORMATION
OF LOCO miles 1t is fair to the producer
OF corn or wheat and everything else nro.
ducd in the northwest that he sbould besnb-
Jected to this inconvenience. When corn is
worth from twenty to forty cents in Illinois
1t brings from one dollar to one dollar and
forty cents in North Carolina and South
Carolina. The money is not made by the
producer but by the middle man. The ex-
ira amount of money alone paid for trans
Atlantict states would more than build the
proposed road. 1t can be shown that we nave
the greatest market there than at any other
point OF this continent In constructing this
road we do so through a pc pula ted country
with great resources, unlike the wild
speculative schemes of Jay Cook
through a country that can never
be settled. We are building this road
to connect ourselves with 3 people who are
our greatest consumers. They do not pro-
duce one.tenth of the products which they
necessarily consume. The people of the
southeastern states are an agricultural peo--
pie but of a different class. While we raise
that which feeds mankind, they raise that
which clothes mankind, and they can pro-
duce that more cheaply and it Is to their in
tereSt to go on and develop this peculiar
species of agriculture. Let us unite the
bonds of common interest existing between
us. We can look beyond to advantages of
this road of which l have not
building of this large avenue of trade
between Chicago and Charleston. Through
it we command lions share of the West
India trade, which is enormous. Charleston
the tropical trade should be carried on.
They are 600 miles nearer than the harbor
of New York. There is danger of running
ships around Cape Hattras. There is another
trade prospective which this line will open
up and that is from South America. Charles
ton has a harbor equal to New York and by
the building of this road to the city OF
Charleston you will have
LINES OF STEAMERS
placed upon the waters, connecting
with Hamburg and Liverpool, which
will be a great route for the pro-
ducts of the west passing TO the European
You cannot keep grain at Mobile,
and that is the reason why this thing of
Mississippi navigation has never fulfilled the
expectation of the people. Thirty years ago
New Orleans was the market OF this country,
but that day has passed by. Nearly all the
products of the west move toward the east
and by railroad, and you never can have
water communication to the section OF coun-
try to which 1 have alluded. We have a
company organized that has capital to build
the road, backed by the people, and whose
financial reputation is equal to the Roths-
q O. 1or hor