The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-10-24
STATES FIRST RAILWAY
THE EARLY HISTORY OF THE OLD
MADISON & INDIANAPOLIS,
The Pioneer Line of the Northwest
It's Pa1my Gays and Its DecadeDce-
Railroad Veterans Relics.


man in the West. In 1888 he entered the
service Of the old Madison & Indianapo-
lis road, which was then in its very begin
nings; for more than thirty years, through
its changes and varying fortunes, he was
at the head of all it's clerical work, and for
fifty-four years his name was on its pay
rolls. So. from it's crude infancy, he has
been intimately in touch with that won
derful development in transportation which,
more than any other factor of the age, has
modified and influenced civilization. In a
little shop at the rear of his premises Mr..
Elvin has a perfect museum of relics that
let one into the past and illustrate the
changes that have taken place in railroad
Observation-Disclosures changes that the
casual observer might scarcely note. For
instance, the transition through shifting
stages from fiat bar Of iron two and one
quarter inches wide by one-half inch thick,
laid along a stringer as a tramway for
machine about as big as modern thresh-
ing engine, to a steel rail of eighty or
ninety pounds to the yard, adapted to
ponderous seventy-hve-ton locomotive, I'M
plies marvellous quickening of the worlds
commerce and the inventors response to
the growing demands for swift and heavy
traffic. Specimen pieces of five or SIX
grades OF rail laid at different periods, and
continually increasing in weight, are kept
in Mr.. Elvin's curiosity shop, and along
with these the various devices for securing
the rails in place; first, clumsy cast-iron
"chair," as it was called, which clamped
the rails at the joints, and, finally, "splice
bars" which, now evolved into an angle
iron, practically make one solid rail from
end to end Of the road. Here, also may
be found many other articles of interest a
part of railroad history, among them being
leathern bucket, such as was carried on
early tenders for the purpose of replenish-
ing the tank from wayside pools or
streams; the flag staff from the first depot
in Indiana; pictures of obsoiete locomo-
tives; a gorgeous red, white and blue spec
linen of the printers art, advertising the
railroad facilities of Indiana in 1852, and
numerous other curios, not forgetting a
copy Of the first book ever published on
railroading, by Nicholas Wood, and printed
in 1884. In addition, there are boxes and
portfolios filled with documentary matter
that would furnish invaluable data to a
historian Of the railroad movement in this
State. This material includes maps Of orig
inal surveys, official reports and, in short,
a complete collection of unpublished rec
ords of the old NJ & I. road, together with
many manuscript notes relating to the
early histories of other lines in Indiana
1t is from these documents, reinforced by
Mr. Elvins personal recollections, that l
rely for the authenticity Of the accompany
ing historical sketch
THE FIRST THREAD.
The Madison & Indianapolis Railroad
while contemporaneous in construction with
two lines in Ohio (the Little Miami and one
southwark from Sandusky), was the first
in actual operation in what had been
known as the Northwest Territory, and can
justly claim to be the first thread in that
web which spreads itself over the map of
the Northwest to-day. The interest that
attaches to 1t is unique and at least three
fold. Not only was it the pioneer road of
this country. but 1t was, in it's earlier days,
part of that internal Improvement that,
sixty years ago, came near swapping the
State of Indiana; and, again, the part it
played for decade or so in determining
| the tide Of development in Indiana most
strikingly exemplifies the incalculable in
fiuence of the railroad in modern civiliza-
| ton.
The internal improvement act Of Jan. q.
| 1886, provided for the building at public
expense of various canalsv turnpilxes and
other improvements, eight in all, and
| among these was a railroad to run from
| Madison to Lafayette by way Of Indian
apofis, thus connecting the Ohio and Wa
bash valleys with each other and with the
capital. That year the line was surveyed
from Madison to Vernon, twenty-five miles
June ~, 1888, the first consignment of iron
rails, two thousand tons of which had been
contracted for in England, was delivered
at Madison. BY November of that year
these were laid and the first part of the
road completed from the top of the hill at
North Madison to Big creek some eight or
nine miles out. The 2Sth Of that month
was set for the formal opening OF the road.
and the event was to be signalized by a
private excursion given to the Governor
and other state officials, to members Of the
Legislature and sundry citizens who were
distinguished enough to be included in the
invitation. Meanwhile a locomotive had
been ordered from the Baldwin shops at
Philadelphia, and this had been shipped by
way of the ocean, but on the voyage a
storm necessitateG throwing it overheard
Hence, as the time for the Opening" ap-
preached no locomotive was forthcoming
The officials, however, were not to be
thwarted in their plans. Over in Kentucky
running out of Lexington on stone sills
laid end to end, was little experimental
road, the only one then in operation west
or the Alleghenies. and to this company
the M 81 l. people sent, requesting the
loan or a locomotive. In response a dimin-
utlVe perambulator of eight or nine tons
weight, called the Elkhorn, was got to Lou
lsVille' thence towed to Madison on a flat
boat and hauled by oxen up the hills over
the old Michigan road TO North Madison
Wnere the track began. The excursion
went of per arrangement, with all the
country side, and the town as we'll, to wit
| ness the start and swell the enthusiasm
10 the DoundleSs establishment of the in
credulous, the engine moved off with its
load like a thing of life" and after riding
as far as the rails went and back again
the dignitaries were taken in carriages
down to Madison. where they had a big
dinner and made speeches. We of TODAY
who are used to all kinds of improvements
that crowd upon us fairly before the de-
mands for them arise, can scarcely appre-
ciate the intensity of the interest that went
with this occasion. 1t was new country
dominated BY the commercial spirit, with
undeveloped resources, and no adequate
means OF ingress or egress. The crying de-
mand was for transportation facilities:
upon these the future of the State depend
ed, and this modest little runway, stretch
ing across Jefferson county, was the be-
ginning of the fulfillment of roseate
dreams
COST OF THE ROAD.
In due time apnfhar lonop,ofix,a