The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1894-10-19
THE ANSWER GIVEN.
Route Asked for Refused and Other
Routes Suggested.

hOutcs SuSSestcu.
The Board Of Public Works yesterday
answered the petition of the promoters of
the Logansport road, refusing to grant the
franchise on the route asked for, but ex-
pressing itself as ready to open a feasible
avenue into the city. The letter was as
follows:
q. A. Myers. secretary; N. S. Byram,
E. G.. Cornelius, s.. p. Sheerin ct al.
representing the Indianapolis, Logans-
port & Chicago Railroad Company:
"Gentlemen-On Sept. 8. 1892, you filed
with our predecessors a petition asking a
right of way for your road through the
to the Union Station. The route petitioned
for is along the old mill race, from Fall
creek to a point near Landers's pork house:
thence along the south bank of the canal
to Missouri street, and thence parallellng
the main line of the c., c., c.. & st. l..
tracks. The former Board of Public Works
did not act on the prayer Of your petition.
1t was renewed by you before this board,
and we have been patiently considering the
matter in all it's phases for several months.
Great opposition developed TO the granting
of the petition as soon as we took up the
matter, and has grown In intensity ever
since. The same route was asked by the
Monon Railroad Company several years
ago, and refused by the Common Council
opposition then made, and that company
was obliged to make terms with the Lake
Erie & Western Railway Company for the
use of its tracks from the city limits TO
the Union Station. Other roads have also
been obliged to lease existing tracks
t the0d dangers tns toy to life tn a redeG damages saFs; to to p propl
erty, which would be occasioned by the
building of independent lines. such as, you
I'VE regret that you have refused to
enter into negotiations with other roads,
as requested by us, looking TO a settlement
earnestly desired to aid you in bringing in
this new road. We have also been disap-
pointed to learn that you will not consider
the new route recently surveyed by the city
civil engineer, known as the Merritt route,
bringing. your road in from the west, cross
ing White river south of Kingan's pork
house. We took much pains in having that
line worked out for you, and believe it is
the only feasible independent line that can
be found. We stand ready to assist you
in obtaining all necessary rights to enter
the city along that line, If you should see
fit to reconsider your present determination
Notwithstanding the serious opposition
interposed by interested property owners,
we would still have considered your petit
ton favorably from the city limits as far
south as Landers's pork house, on condition
that you should run from there over the
track of the G., G.; C.. & St. L. Railway
stand in the way Of the building of the
road, as we nave heretofore explained to
you; or, as a last resort, would have prob
ably consented TO the laying OF a new
track parallel with the Horn switch track
from the pork house Co Missouri street; but,
as you are aware, tie indianapolis Water
Company refuses even TO consider a propo-
sition TO have another track laid on the
bank OF the canal owned by it. As it
would be necessary to build a wall of stone
or drive piles in the waterway, in order to
make room for another track, 1T is not
probable that you could condemn a right
so to obstruct the flow Of the water, any,
way; and hence, any attempt we might
make to aid you in this direction would not
likely avail you. We came 10 the con-
c%lusion, early in our consideration of this
matter, that another track ought not to
be laid across Washington street, and
hence it would be necessary for you to
secure the use of the Big Four track down
Missouri street from Market street, in any
event. But as you nave declined TO nego-
tiate with the Big Four company for such
use. we are unable TO aid you in this d.
rection.
1--WE yet stand ready and willing to do
anything We can, consistently with our
duties TO the public, in aiding you to build
the road you represent"
Mr.. Cornelius called the boards attention
to the fact that the board was in error in
reference TO the Horn switch. His COM
pany, he said, had conferred with the Big
-Four company about the route. and the
latter had refused to grant the Logansport
road the right 10 use this section Of track.
The board ordered that the letter be
changed SO as TO embody the correction.