The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-08-30

1t Was UnIucky from Beginning and
the Prey of Sheriffs.

The passing of the Midland is the final
chapter of the story of a road with singu-
larly troubled career. Its reorganization
quiets for all time the herculean fight Of
one man-Harry Crawford-against ire
mendous odds 10 keep the road out of the
hands of a receiver and in his own con-
troll; a fight without parallel in reailroad
history, not only on account of the desper-
ate tenacity with which it was waged, but
because, also of the uninterrupted series of
successes gained by the single-handed
transportation gladiator Only once. and
that was at the very last of the fight, only
a short time ago. did Crawford ever lose
a move on the legal checker board. That
was when the Appellate Court ordered Re-
ceiver Simpson recently to take charge of
the road after it had previously issued a
restraining order instructng him to keep
his hands off The history of the Midland
is a chronicle Of injunctions. suits for a
receiver attachments. sherifrs sales bank
ruptcy proceedings. strikes and episodes
of disorder No matter what happened.
however or how much were the odds
against him, Crawford always came out on
top. Frequently his enemies had made
what seemed final coup q etat and had
gathered al their backs the power OF the
court; but by some counter move. till then
entirely unthought Of, and directed by legal
intelligence OF brilliant order, Crawford
would render all carefully-laid plans un-
availing, and would come out OF the smoke
Of battle with the court at his back and
points of law bristling around him like the
spikes OF a hedge. Probably no railroad
president, certainly no railroad owner
had ever to contend with such discourage
ments and difficulties as the Chicago at
torney who had embarked Indiana
railroad magnate. There were times when
the doors of his passengers stations were
shut and padlOcked, times when every To-
connective on the road was chained fast TO
the track; times when big freight cars were
derailed and thrown sidewise across the
right of way TO interrupt traffic with
greater certainty; times when. in the midst
of legal harassments. his troubles were
doubled by most inopportune strikes: times
when the receipts of the offices all along
the line were seized simultaneously by Of
fcers of the court at the instance OF en-
Moves or of locomotive or car works TO
whom Crawford was indebted. But always
In the thick OF his evil times, the Chicago
man smiled and plotted and won. No wall
OF adversely tightly and compactly
reared by his enemies but that he found
a crevice to wriggle out OF. No plaintiff s
brief was ably written but that he dis
covered a flaw TO render IL valueless a
weapon OF offense. Ii was his declaration
that he put every cent he made
into the road TO keep IL going,
and IL was his hope that II the cred
itors OF the road would cease their constant
attacks ne could place IL ultimately upon
a paying basis. IL was his ambition 70
own a railroad and the amount of money
ne put into the Midland would represent
a big fortune.
UNLUCKY FROM THE START
But even before Crawford's time the Mid
land had embarked on the sea of vicissi-
tude. 1t was first built between Anderson
and Noblesville. The farmers along the
line became interested in the project and
thev advanced the money 10 finish the eon-
struction between those points. The first