The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1897-11-01
FACILITIES AND RATES
INDIANAPOLIS SHIPPERS WELL
TREATED BY THE RAILROADS.
Convenience of the Local Freight
Yards and Extensive ComDetI-
ton to Distant Points.

One of the largest shippers remarked on
Saturday: There are but few Of our bust
ness men who appreciate the advantages
we have in the way of railroad facilities
There are but very few points in the coun-
try-in fact, practically none-that an In
dianapolis shipper has not railroad compe-
tition to aid him in securing reasonable
rates. When the local lines are not COM
petitors, through connections they are made
so, and north, south, east and west the
shippers Of Indianapolis have an opportuni-
ty to take advantage of any low rates
offered. Investigation will convince any
one, unless a chronic grumbler, that the
business men of this city, with its fifty
roads diverging in every direction, have adj
vantages which but few cities in the Union
enjoy.
But this Is not the real point want to
make The city freight depots are in the
very heart of the business center of Indian
apolis, and proposed improvements will
even better conditions, as both the Penn
sylvania and the Cincinnati, Hamilton &
Dayton roads are in the near future to
build city freight depots. That of the Penn
sylvania will be large enough to handle all
the business of it's two lines, and that of the
Vandalia under the same roofs The Gin
cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton will CONSOLE
date it's own business and that of the In
diana, Decatur & Western under the same
roof The several city freight depots will
then all be within three squares of the
heart of business that is not done on pri-
vate switches of the various industries. The
wholesale merchants of Meridian, Pennsyl-
vania and East Maryland streets and the
commission houses on South Delaware and
East Maryland streets can, in five to ten
minutes, reach either of the city freight
depots or the yards.
Another great point is that 245 Of the
industries, outside Of the territory above
spoken of, have private switches, and cars
are placed on the switches for loading or
unloading at less cost to the shipper or con-
signee than in any city in the Union. This
statement is based on facts, and so sharp
is competition that should the Big Four.
which has the largest number of private
switches on its line, attempt to be arbitrary
or unjust, its competitors would soon find
a way to bring it into line. The Big Four,
however, is not built that way, for it gives
shippers and consignees every advantage
that the rules of good business will justify,
placing cars promptly and at the same time
giving a competing line permission to take
business off their side tracks, if it be the
desire of the shipper. While the present
terminal facilities Of the Indianapolis roads,
in the way of depots and bulk yard tracks,
are excellent, the Pennsylvania, the Big
Four and the Cincinnati, Hamilton q Day
ton are all planning to still further improve
the terminal facilities at this point The
Pennsylvania will build q freight depot
on the Sinker ground, on South Pennsylva-
MIA street. The Big Four has now the larg-
est and best-arranged freight depot in the
country, and proposes to utilize several
acres of ground just north of the Union
tracks, on South Alabama, street, by laying
an extensive system of tracks from which
cinnati, Hamilton & Dayton proposes to
build freight depot next spring which
will be a credit to the road. 1t too will in
the aim of the several railroad companies
to give the Indianapolis business men the
best terminal service of any railroad center
in the country"