The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-07-05
DEFICIENT In FORESIGHT
MISTAKES OF EARLY PROMOTERS OF
INDIANAPOLIS LINES.
A Large sum OF Money Now Required
10 Enlarge the Facilities OF the
Union Railway Company.

An experienced railroad man, who was
in a reminiscent mood yesterday, spoke of
some mistakes in early days mace by
those who were in charge of railroad prop
erty in this section in which Indianapolis
was interested. The old Junction road, for
instance, now the Indianapolis division OF
the Cincinnati, Hamilton & Dayton, once
owned the right OF way TO a track along
side the Union tracks from the east to the
west part of the city. Being poor. the
management decided to sell its interest to
the Union Railway Company. receiving
only a moderate figure for the valuable
franchise. Did they own it to-day the
Cincinnati. Hamilton & Dayton would be
masters Of the situation so far as connect
ing the c., Fl. & D. with the Indiana. De-
catur & Western, now owned by the Gin
cinnati. Hamilton & Dayton.
Another instance, even more striking
than this. is that of the Peoria & Pekin
Union Railway. c. ". Smith. when gen.
eral manager of the Indianapolis, Bloom
ington & Western. originated the idea of
building a road from Pekin to Peoria, and
his fundamentally it was con-
,structed. When the road passed into the
hands of General George B. Wright as re-
w = AC tNOuS lnuldildpollSs PAOOAl-
ington & Western had better let go Of it
rather than pay the interest on the bonds.
and A. L.. Hopkins, who represented the
Gould syndicate. saw his opportunity and
bid II IN for the Gould people. who after
ward sold il 70 what is now the Peoria d
Pekln Union Railway Company, which was
then organized and took possession. 1t has
become very valuable. Eight railroad COM
panies utilize it for the movement of their
trains. Had the Indianapolis. Bloomington
" Western now the Peoria & Eastern.
held the property IL would be master OF the
situation at Peoria and il would be a
valuable earning feature for the Big Four.
now controlling the Peoria & Eastern.
Another mistake made about that time
was the Indiana. Bloomington & Western
dropping what was known as the Cham
paign division, which is now the property
of the Illinois Central. Soon after getting
control the Central made II a hrst-class
Wright knew 1t was valuable to hold as
railroad property, but at the time the
ompany was under a heavy financial cloud
and the receiver was disposed TO unload all
Indebtedness he could.
"Ope of the most serious mistakes made"
said the official, was when the Union Rail-
way. Company bought on so limited a scale
for its union tracks through the city and
where its passenger station is located.
When the Union Railway Company was
organized ground which will now cost hun
dreds OF thousands of dollars could have
been purchased for a very few thousand
dollars, and another mistake was when
the Terre Haute * Indianapolis railway
Company entered into an agreement with
the Sheets heirs that in case the ground
the Vandalia freight depot now stands on
was not utilized for a station the property
would revert to the Sheets heirs. Now the
Union Railroad Company greatly needs
the very ground that the freight depot
stands on, but are unable to get hold of
the property on anything like reasonable
terms. The question now troubling the
Union Railway Company is how to set
more room for tracks approaching the sta
ton n for additional tracks on the
south"