The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1901-12-25
HOPES FOR THE new Line
BEDFORD's ATTITUDE TOWARDS A
PROJECTED RAILROAD.
City Is Anxious for Direct COmmunf-
Prosperity of the stone Center.
speclal to the IndlanapOlIs journal.

sations had recently with prominent citi-
zens Of this place 1t would seem that there
is foundation for the belief prevailing In
certain quarters that the promoters OF the
Indianapolis Southern Railway are meet
ing with opposition from company con-
trolling a road already built and In oper-
alton. While no one in this town has been
bold enough to assert unequivocally his
belief that such is the case, several men
very we'll known and of the highest stand
ing have stated that the Southern Indiana
Railroad Company has strong reason to
fear the success of the new road, leaving
the inference to be drawn that this fear is
melting some kind of action against the
rival line.
I'm the days when Mackey controlled
the Southern Indiana and that road was
all run down, with 'washouts' at frequent
intervals along the line" said Postmaster
Williams, 1.-THE people who desired to go
from Bedford to Indianapolis took the
Monon route; but when the Southern passed
into new hands and was put into good
shape it got back it's old patronage, and
now three-fourths of the travel to Indian
apolis is over the Southern Indiana from
Bedford to Seymour and over the Penn
sylvania from the latter point OF course,
If the Indianapolis Southern is built to our
city it will get practically all Of the pas
senger business from here. and the travel
to the Southern Indiana and the Monon
will be so small as to scarcely justify max
ing an effort to handle it,"
Concerning the probable effect Of the In
dianapolis Southern on the freight bust
ness Of the Southern Indiana, the business
men of Bedford are a little more chary
of speaking, for they are sensible of the
benefit that has accrued to their city from
the successful operation of the Southern,
and they do not care to see that road be-
come Improbable. 1t is. however, ad-
mitted that if the road being projected by
Indianapolis capitalists is run in an ap-
proximately straight line from the capital
city to Bedford it will be a formidable
competitor Of the Southern Indiana for the
business of hauling the famous oolitic lime
stone from the numerous quarries here
abouts to the markets both in the East and
in the West. This freight traffic of the
Southern furnishes the bulk Of its reve-
nue., and il is easy to comprehend, there
fore, that the owners of the road do not
look with favor on the coming Of a new
Richmond" into their field"
Notwithstanding their friendly feeling for
the men who are at the head Of the South
ern Indiana Railroad, the people Of this
city and county are so DESTROYS OF having
direct railroad connection with Indianapo-
lis that they are willing to undertake the
task of securing right of way through the
county for the new line free of cost, or even
to vote a substantial subsidy.
FAVORS SUBSIDY.
ct am opposed to the voting Of railroad
subsidies" said Judge Martin. OF the local
Circuit Court, because 1 really think the
day of their need has long since passed,
but If we cannot get the Indianapolis
Southern any other way l should be will
ing to vote to grant It a subsidy A new
railroad would be Of incalculable advan-
tage to us, particularly a line that would
put us into direct communication with the
capital Of our State"
1t was scarcely expected that ex-State
Senator Thomas j. Brooks would do much
elevating Of his hat in air and hurrahing
over the prospect of the Indianapolis
Southern being built since he is the prin-
cipal legal adviser Of John r. Walsh, pres
ident OF the Southern Indiana; but Sena-
tor Brooks thinks more Of his home city
and its welfare than he does of any one
or all Of his clients put together. while
we very fortunate at the present time
Bedford without much loss Of time" he
said, land there is no crying need for a new
railroad, still 1 believe that railroads are
good for a place and we cannot have too
many of them. So 1 would like to see the
Indianapolis Southern become an actual
ity"
Senator Brooks is skeptical. however
about the sincerity Of the announcement
made by the promoters of the Indianapolis
road that they intend to build to Bedford.
Those Indianapolis men," he said, have
Il srf1 ctr 1rr1xr
so that have conceived a doubt that they
mean to bring their road to our city. They
talk great deal about coal, and OF course
coal is what the people OF indianapolis
most want, but If they come straight
through Bedford do not see how they are
going to have a line OF their own into
the heart Of the coal district. They would
certainly have 10 enter into some sort of
| arrangement with ROADS mat do tap the
coal fields. However that may be, / hope
they will decide TO favor us with a call.
and L feel confident that the people of
this county would vote them a substantial
subsidy if they would agree to build their
road into this city"
From these and a host of similar express
siOns made by local business men IL ap-
/ pears beyond doubt that the promoters
of the indianapolis Southern have awaiting
/ them in this part OF the State a subsidy
! that greatly resembles an overripe apple In
! that il will require only a slight pull TO
/ bring IL into their possession. 1t is not
! thought likely that such a plain money
in the bank proposition will be ignored.
and therefore the people OF Bedford are
/ looking forward with confidence TO the time
when they will be able TO go to the capital
| OF the State without making a change OF
/ cars or waiting at a halfway station
BEDFORDS PROSPERITY.
point that never fails TO impress a
visitor TO Bedford is the air Of substantial
prosperity that prevails throughout the
city. The most searching Investigation
| fails 10 reveal a dwelling that bears the
unmistakable stamp of poverty. Bedford is
truly a city Of homes. There are few man.
sions here. everybody seeming TO enjoy an
equitable share Of the general prosperity OF
the city. To one who has been panied bv
the sharp contrast of a great city's palatiaI
dwellings Of wealth and wretched novels of
poverty, IL Is wondrously restful TO come
/ upon such place this.
| one OF the unexplained mysteries of this
| city is that IL contains only one dwelIine
| house built of the limestone that has spread
/ the fame of Bedford to the utterfnost pa rts
| OF the earth This house Is owned and oc-
| cupied by c. s. Norton. who with his