The Jasper weekly courier. [volume] (Jasper, Ind.) 1858-1922, 1897-09-10
Minutes Of . Public Meeting In Behal
Of B0one's Black Diamond
Railroad.

NouuVOO.
A public meeting was held at the
court house in the town of Jasper
Indiana, September 7th, 1897, fol
the purpose of considering the pre-
liminary steps necessary to under
stand the proposed construction Of
the "Black Diamond Railroad"
The Hon. John l.. Brett was
elected chairman and the under
signed secretary.
The Chairman introduced Gen. j
&c. J. Williams, CT Knoxville, Tenn,
who was quite eloquent in depicting
the origin Of the scheme, the beau,
ties Of ''the land Of the SKIES" the
granite deposits Of Tennessee, the
blue grass region Of Kentucky, and
the black diamond fields of southern
Indiana.
Gen. Williams was followed by
Col. Albert +. Boone, Of GAINESVILLE
Ohio, who advocated the construc.
ton OF the road in a sententious and
enthusiastic manner.
The proposed road had its origin
at Knoxville, Tenn, and is to be
constructed SO as to carry the tom
mage from the states Of Ohio, Hi
nols, and Indiana to the sea, at
Savannah.
The road passes through Knox
vile, Tenn, and reaches north to
Ripley, Ohio. From there a branch
goes to Columbus, Ohio; another
branch goes to Indianapolis, Ind,
while a third crosses the Ohio river
somewhere near New Albany, and,
passing through Jasper, Petersburg,
and Vincennes, goes on to SPRING
field, Illinois.
Col. Boone's policy for the oper-
alton Of the ''Black Diamond" sys-
Of railways is as follows:
"To encourage people to reside
the line of the Black Diamond
of commerce, passenger
for local residents to be fixed
not to exceed the following fares
One way, two cents per mile ; round
rips, LIMITED, GOOD FOR ONLY ONE
WEEK, n and a half cents per mile
or the outside public the rates shall
lot exceed three cents per mile.
An excursion train to be run over
he same route the local passenger
rain covers at least once a month,
lpon which the fare will be one cent
'er mile. Upon all legal holidays
nd during the week between Christ
mas and New Years, trains to be
'perated with rates not to ex-
eed one and a third cents per mile.
To enc )urage the maintaining of
manufacturing establishments along
he Black Diamond Highways, it
hall be the pledged policy of each
I the Black Diamond lines to sub
crihe as a bonus a sum equal to
OF less than one-tenth of the actual
ost Of any plant erected consuming
NV materials of NOT LESS than one
load per day, outside the cost of
'al estate, the bonus so subscribed
be paid by the railway company
permitting the freight bills of
lch plant SC erected and operated {
be credited with an amount equal
not less than one-ffth of its
bills, covered only by the
'rpOration SO subscribing, until the
mus is paid.
No tickets to be on sale outside :
the railway ticket offices of the ,
lack Diamond lines. (Hence the u
|ack Diamond lines will not be
reed to go into pools for the main :
OF arbitrary rates.)
The articles of good faith that will
inaugurated by the Black Dia-
ond corporations, and to insure
e carrying out Of same, will be in =
rporated in every right o. way
ken, shall be adopted by each
bard Of Directors and ratified by
e stockholders before the mort
.ge is made. 1t will make every
,e Of the Black Diamond High
ays a paying investment to CAPT
Why? Because it insures
instant 8 Of its tracks to handle
great traffic in store for it. 1t
i'll be a system of railroads that
i'll not only give its best service to #,
e people living along its lines, but
.rk solely for their welfare and ad-
lncement in the commercial
AT the suggestion Of Gen. Will
and Col. Boone the chair was
llled upon to appoint a committee
work in behalf Of Jasper and the
roposed road. 7.
After consultation and considera- :
on the chair announced the ap-
Of the following men to
rive or the above mentioned com .
John Gramelspacher, Phi. !
lily, Winfield s. Hunter, Herman