The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1876-09-13
THE BELT RAILWAY.
What is to be Accomplished by a
Vigorous Prosecution Of
the Enterprise.
THE ROAD REVIEWED.

THE KIND OF MEN WHO ARE SUPPORTING
THE MOVEMENT FOR INCREASED FRRiGH T
FACILITIES AND STOCK YARDS-A GOOD
GUARANTEES OF SUCCESS
The preliminary steps that have been
taken to construct what is properly known
az the "Belt Railroad" has brought the
enterprise into deserved prominence, and
the subject is being very generally dis
cussed by the people. The proposition 10
build the Belt road comes from
parties qualified to perform the
work agreeable to stipulstions. There
is, we believe. no controversy upon that
point. 1t is held by those who have given
the subject special consideration, whofare
familiar with 1t, and whose conclusions are
entitled to respect, that the constructions
OF the road in question will secure special
advantages to indianapolis ss q CONNER
cisl center, by affIrding enlarged facilities
for receiving, handling and shipping
the produces OF the field and farmland OF
giving new impetus to business in every
department.. In considering such a propo
siIioD, the inquiry very naturally arises,
what are the
ADVANTAGES THAT ARE TO ACCRUE TO THE
CITY?
It will be observed that the proposition
made to the city by Messsrs. w, R. Nc
Keen, president, and John Thomas,
secretary, OF the Union Railroad
Transfer and Stock Yard Company,
include the following:
"Said company Will also locate on the line
OF said railroad, stock yards OF sufficient Ca
pacity end on tract of land not less than one
necessary buildings, pens, ETC., OF a character
tn attract the shipment OF live stock to this
city: OF ample and sufficient capacity 10
accom- m cd ate and care for all live stock that
may be brought to this city,"
The advantages to Indianapolis of stock
yards. IS ample as those proposed, it would
oe difficult to overestimste. AS the cas- g now
stands, Indianapolis has no prominence
whatever as live stock market, but with
stock yards constructed upon modern
principles and of ample capacity
land we conclude that an area OF
one hundred acres will meet this demsnd)
potential factor will be secured in max
ing Indianapolis one OF the largest live
stock markets in the country, and OF
placing the city, in this regard, along side
of st. Louis, CHICAGO, Pittsburg, Buffalo
and other markets where buyers coDcen-
trate and make their purchases. Those
VITO will take this subject into cOnsiders-
ton and look at it in the
light Of the severest economy,
can hardly fail to arrive at the
conclusion that there is an imperative ne
cessity for the immediate inauguration of
The enterprise Tais conclusion will be
strengthened, we conclude, by consulting
the statistics of the commercial year end
ing the 30th inst., as derived from the books
OF the Board of Trade, showing the receipts
OF live stock at this point, and the approx
innate value OF the same;
Cattle-l7S "a head at s-O............s $4,000
Hogs-5S0, So h ad at Sl7.-............. $50, 1872
Horses and mules-9,929 head at $780,. 992,90O
Sheep-t5eS7 head at S3................... 27U,54S
Total. ,eSi $50
These figures, which may be regarded as
approximately cNrr6ct, indicate the
volume of the live stock current that
passes through Indianapolis. But 1t must
oe borne in mind that with the exception
OF hogs only q small per cent. contributes
anything to the business of the city. The
stock does not stop here, 1t Is not yaroed
here, IL pays no tribute here. No one
comes here to purchase stock. Indisnapo-
lis is not stock market and
never can be until stock yards
are of such magnitude as to insure ship
pers ample accommodation, and it il be-
lieved that as soon as that Is done the bus
mess will assume magnitude OF which
The above figures would form but an in
significant fraction, for 1t Is estimated by
ino OCSb lutOI uicu btOCh Dlcu Vi buO Clty
that the receipts of cattle, almost, would
resch 500 bead per day, and every other
description OF live stock In proportion.
We are quite willing that our reasoning
shall be critically exsmined-in fact, we
invite the most rigid scrutiny. That ln-
dianspolis may become at an early day
ONE OF THE LARGEST LIVE STOCK MAR
KErs OF THE COUNTRY
we regard as one of the most probable In
cidents in her commercial growth, pro-
vided city and citizsns take such interest
in the matter as the magnitude of the bene-
fits to be secured warrant and demand.
With the live stock market, second, we
conclude there will be indefinite expan-
sion in the business of beef and pork
Observation-Disclosures that demand immense
capital and employ q large number OF
wOrkmen. That our readers may have an
idea OF what the pork packing interest is
| already doing in this city, in the way of
sffording employment, we will state that
| for the current year, 1856 these establish
ments, for four months of the year, en-
ployed $40 men and paid out for labor
5000 and one establishment employs
$50 nAnds and paid out $lS2, 900 for labor,
making grsnd aggregate of 900
hands, and the disbursement for labor,
alone, OF S2l2,920. We assume that the
pork packing interests of Indianapolis are
but in their infancy, and with the improv-
ed facilities, must expand to such proper
tons as to place her Hrst. instead of fourth,
in the list OF prip cipsl pork packing cities
OF the West. We see no reason why bsei
packing may not, with the cattle coRcen-
trsting here, assume equal IL not larger
| proportions than that of pork packing,
and instead of the amount named, 81, O00, :
0CO shall be annually paid out Tor labor
in these departments of industry.
| Bot tAis is noe all, as business men and
thCss who will give the subject intelligent
consideration, will readily perceive. The
building of the road, in securing the bene-
fits alluded to, cannot Tail to
UTILIZE EVERY OTHER BRANCH OF BUsI-
Mes.