Richmond daily palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1876-1904, 1898-10-07
LOCAL HISTORY.
The Facts About the Construction OF
Our Passenger Depot.

Eaitor Palladium
Early in 1870 the Cincinnati, Rich
mond & Fort Wayne railroad com
pany, by William Parry its pr si-
de1., presented to our city council a
communication asking that the
city subscr be for thirty thousand
dollars 10 the capital stock of the com
pany TO aid in the construction of SAID
road and in securing necessary con-
nections on this side of the river and
the construction OF a passenger depot.
The matter was referred to the proper
committee who after time reported
favorably and later a resolution passed
having two negative votes granting
the aid asked for, and subsequently
an ordinance was introduced and
passed b unanimous vote providing
for this issue of bonds amounting to
thirty thousand dollars for the benefit
of said railroad company. This i'm
portant transaction was the subject OF
a good deal of talk among our citizens
at the time. those who favored the
action of the city council claiming
among o. her benefits the increased
prosperity of the city from the compile
on of the road, cheap fuel from the
imrnense lumber region along the line
I of the road, the addition to our popu-
lation by the location of shops here,
not only for the repair but
| for the construction of rolling
stock and equipments as well Jas
| the erection of passenger depot, the
necessity of which was disputed by no
one. All these advantages and sub
stantial benefits were fully set forth
and layishly promised by the railroad
company and its friends and were en-
bodied in contract drawn by VIM. A
Bickle, who was employed for that
purpose by the city council.
A diligent search of the records OF
council proceedings for 1870. 1871 and
1872 has resulted in a failure to find
any record of this contract, and its
provisions can only be gathered from
the recollection of few of our citi-
zens who took an interest in the mat
ter and made themselves familiar with
the details. A resolution passed by
the city council August End, 1870
throws flood of light on the subj cot,
a copy OF which is as follows:
Resolved, That the bonds to be giver
TO the Cincinnati, Richmond Il For,
Wayne Railroad company shall be de
livered to the board of public improve
ments, to be by said board deposited
in the Citizens bank of this city, Il
be drawn from tGere only upon the
order of the city council Only certified
and whenever said board of public i'm
provements shall report to the city
council that the walls of said passenger
depot are up in accordance with plan,
aid specifications submitted, said board
shall deliver to the president of the
Cincinnati, Richmond Railroad Co
one third of said bonds or ten thou
sand dollars, and when the roof is com
lpleted another one-third of said bonds
or ton thousand dollar, and when the
whole is completed in accordance with
said plans and specifications the re-
maining one-third of said bonds or ten
thousand dollars; that a copy of this
resolution be presented to the presi
dent of the Citizens bank.
1t would seem from the provisions of
this resolution that the city council
| were not taking any chances in the
matter of passenger depot, and the
delivery of the bonds was made condi-
tional only in regard to the erection
aud completion of that structure, there
being no reference to the location of
the shops, as had previously been can
Ivassed aud definitely. set forth in the
Contract which had been prepared by
| Attorney Bickle, but which l have not
been able to find neither in the original
or in copy, nor can the plans or specifi-
cations be found.
In the proposition submitted by the
railroad company at one time it is re
cited that said depot to be erected on
the north side OF Noble street parallel
| with the main tracks of the p, C.. Il
St. l.. road, the west end not to be
| farther west than the west side of
sixth street nor farther east than the
east side of said street, and if the
terms and details offered by the
| railroad company was accepted
| by the council work on the
| building would be commenced within
thirty days and probably completed
by January l, 1871.
| The city council seems to have used
a good degree of caution and care in
all the negotiations which were had,
and their proceedings show that in the
issue of the bonds they were backed up
| by petition signed by a majority of
the freeholders of the city.
/, But notwithstanding all the care and
caution used to prevent any delay or
failure IN the construction of a pas
| senger depot it was much nearer Jan
uary /, 1873, than 1871, when it was
-! up and ready for use.
The causes of the delay, change of
| plans ard some inside railroad history
1 no 20 IL
w. 7. DENNIS.