Marshall County, Indiana - Chapter 17, 1881

Chapter 17

by means of railroad communication, was not seriously contemplated by the citizens of Marshall County until the year 1553. The Cincinnati, Pern & Chicago route had been talked of prior to that time, and a company had been organized for the purpose of building it, but as to whether it would be built by way of Plymouth, or on some other line, leaving it out, no one could tell. The following notice appeared in the Plymouth Banuwr of July 21, 1853: "Goy. William Bebb and John B. Niles will address the citizens of Marshall County at the court house, in Plymouth, on Wednesday next, the 27th inst., at 2 o'clock P. M., in relation to making Plymouth a point on the Cineinnati, Peru & Chicago ' Railroad."

The meeting was held and a lively interest awakened, but no definite action by the people at that time was taken. In the meantime, the feasibility of building a railroad from Fort Wayne to Chicago had been discussed, a company formed, and a preliminary survey made. In an editorial in the Banner of April 7, 1853, the editor said: line will be put under contract. Engineers will be here this evening. They are locating the road this time - being the third time - and will pass on westward as fast as possible. An effort is being made to employ another corps of engineers. We hear rumors, almost daily, that if is uncertain whether the road will be built or not. It is unnecessary to spend much time in contradicting the many rumors gotten up by men who do not know anything about the matter."

The line was established on the completion of the third survey, and most of the contracts let at the time advertised. The same paper of June 16, 1853, contains the following: "The contractors are making arrangements as fast as possible to com- mence work upon their several contracts. Already shanties are being erected in many places along the line. and we are told by one of the directors that within one month from this time, there will be at least 2,001) hands at work between Fort Wayne and Chicago." ,

The contract for building the Cincinnati, Peru & Chicago road was let to French, Tyner & Co., who agreed to make ita first-class road in every particular, with water stations and rolling stock complete, and have it completed by September 1, 1855. They failed, however, to complete their contract by the time specitied. A communication to the La Porte 7'imes, Jone 5, 1856, stated: "Regular trains are now running in connection with the Logansport stage. The work on this road is pnshed forward with energy, and before the 4th of July we expect to hail our neighbors of Plymouth with a steam trumpet that will startle the natives." The Plymouth Banner of Tune 26, 1856, said: "The cars of the La Porte & Plymouth Railroad will make their stoppings in a few days, at the depot grounds of the Fort Wayne Railroad. The track from the present landing is bnt a few rods west of the town seminary, and is now nearly completed."

No record was made of its final completion, but the date may be set down as September 1, 1856. There is no account of the arrival of the first passenger train on this road, after its entrance into the city limits, but passenger trains arrived at the turn-table and water tank, about a mile out of town, some time previous to the last-mentioned date - perhaps about the Ist of August. This road and the Fort Wayne road were built about the same time, the latter being completed as far as Plymouth some two months later.

The report of Samuel Hanna, President of the Fort Wayne road, dated December 1, 1854, stated that it was the purpose of the company, at that time, to direct their efforts to the early completion of the division lying between Fort Wayne and Plymouth, to get a temporary connection with Chicago, as that part of the Pern and La Porte road, lying between La Porte and Plymouth was then ready for the snperstrueture. This plan was carried out, and August 25, 1855, the Fort Wayne Sentinel said: "The track-layers are now busily engaged laying the rails on this road. The road will be completed to Warsaw the ensuing winter, and to Plymonth early in the spring." - It was, however, not completed until late in the fall of that year, The Republican of November 13, 1856, contained this important announcement: " Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad. This road is now completed to this place from Pittsburgh, and the first train of passenger cars arrived here from the latter place on Monday night about 11 o'clock (November L), 1856). Arrangements, we understand, have been made by the road to connect at this place with the Cincinnati, Pern & Chicago Railroad, so that passengers going west will not be detained at this point." The Democrat of the same date spoke as follows; "The first train of cars on the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railroad arrived here last Tuesday morning at 2 o'clock A. M. (November 11). We have had one or two night trains since, but no regular running time has been announced."

Which one of the papers was in error as to the hour of arrival is not known, nor is it of any great importance only as a matter April 16, 1857, the Democrat contained this item; "It is perfectly astounding to see the crowds of passengers which are daily conveyed over the road. It is estimated that there are from five to six hundred going west each day on an average. Two trains run each way daily, and one freight,

When the road is completed to Chicago, which will be the Ist of January next, we can see no good reason why it will not be one of the very best paying roads in the West." The prediction has been fully veritied.

Several residents of Plymouth were connected, in one way and another, in perfecting the organization of the company and build ing the road, Amzi L. Wheeler was a member of the first Board of Directors, and took an active part in its management until it was completed, when he declined to longer serve in that capacity. Charles-H. Reeve was attorney and solicitor for the company, and to Plymouth. Jerry M. Klinger, George H. Briggs, George Edwards and A. C. Thompson were also connected with tie engineering department, for a time, while the road was building. Joseph E. Young was Chief Engineer, with headqnarters at Plymouth. He was assisted by his brother, William Young, W. 5B. Montfort, Peter Simonson, Joseph and William Larwill, Ma. Mercer, N. D. Wright, Horace Paige, Henry Rankin, Horatio B. Sellon, and perhaps others whose names are not now imprinted on the memory of the writer. Charles E. Morse was the first station agent at Plymouth. Until the road was completed to Chicago, he had his hands full, making up trains, transferring through freight to the La Porte road, ete. He resigned in [S55, and was succeeded by John G. Osborne, who soon afterward resigned, when Seth R. Edwards was appointed and continned to act as agent nntil L865, when he resigned and went West to grow up with the country. He secured the ageney at Ovden Junction, on the Union Pacitie Railroad. Leaving there, he went to Houston. Texas, where he died about seven years ago. Robert C. Fulton was appointed to the agency upon the retirement of Mr, Edwards, and served until his death, about 1870, when a Mr. Dutty, of Chicago, was appointed. He resigned, after serving a year or two, when he was succeeded by M. W. Simons, the present incumbent.

The Indianapolis, Peru & Chicago Railroad

Daniel Brown and Horace Corbin, of Plymouth, were appointed members of the Board of Directors, at the Jannary meeting of the stockholders, in 1554. This road was not completed south of Plymouth until the winter of 156'. The Pern Sentinel, of November 1), ISGS, said the work of laying iron had commenced from Peru north, and it was expected that the work would be prosecuted with vigor. The Rochester Spy, of the same date, said that the locomotive from the north was expected on Saturday, So that the read was probably completed about the close of LS6S, There was little or no pmblie interest manifested on the completion of this end of the road. It had been so long building, the excitement had worn off before it was finished. When the road wis completed from La Porte to Plym math, the event wus celebrated by a free ride from La Porte to Plymouth, The enthusiasm was immense. A general row occurred in the middle of Michigan street, in which about an equal number of Plymouth and La Porte fellows received black eyes and bloody uoses. Nobody was seriously hurt, however, and thus the first railroad to Plymouth was celebrated.

" None of the citizens of Plymonth figured very extensively in building this road. Martin H. Rice, who afterward became a resident of Plymouth, was the Chief Engineer who located the line. Weleome Rice, who at one time made his headquarters at

Plymouth, has been connected with the road from the beginning to the present time, except during the war of the rebellion, in which he took part. Hugh Rose, at one time a resident of Plymouth, was also connected with the road as passenger conductor for several years, A gentleman by the name of Sherman acted as agent for some time. He is now a resident of the famous city of Duluth. Platt MeDonald, of Plymouth, was also station agent for some time, in 1869-70. J. C. Jilson followed him, and has

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad

The Baltimore & Ohio Railroad was completed through Marshall County in December, 1574. So rapidly and quietly was the work done that few of the people of the county were aware that it was being built. Its road-bed lies across the north part of the county, about six miles from Plymouth. There are three stations on its line in this county--Bremen, La Paz, and Teegarden. It is an excellent road and doing a large business.

The Plymouth, Kankakee & Pacific Railroad Company

Klinger, Chief Engineer, both of Plymouth. Center and West Townships, in Marshall County, voted aid to this road to the amonnt of about $60,000, but the company failing to come up to their part of the contract, ouly a portion of the amount voted was paid. 'he line was about all graded, several bridges built and ties purchased, when the affairs of the company became financially embarrassed, and were placed in the hands of a Receiver for final settlement. Work on the road has been abandoned, and if it is ever completed, which it undoubtedly will be, it will be aecomplished by the formation of a new company.

The advisability of building a road from Plymouth to South Bend; one from Plymouth to Ligonier via Bremen: a narrowenage from Plymouth to Logansport via Maxenkuckee, has at various times been mooted, but up to the present nothing tangible has been accomplished. These are all the railroad schemes in which Plymonth and the people of Marshall County have in any way been interested.

patent to every thinking mind, that they have been of incaleulable value to the people of the county. They have been the means of increasing the value of real estate at least fourfold; they have furnished a market for our timber that otherwise would have

| been burnt in "log heaps," and have brought our merchants, business men and others in close proximity with all large cities and the rest of the world, and in hundreds of ways that eannot be enumerated, have added to our material and permanent prosperity. In addition to this, they have paid their full quota of taxes in the county since their completion, as the following table will show:

Indianapolis, Peru & Citicago Railroad

Asnter Towish ipiccaumcncie OSes. "8 4,270 15 PaMke: Township. cwaaaasnend ed soaked «cece: 4,823 56 Walnut Townships. esse icisies ne acccascencaues. BAGLRO Wiest Fowmatibp caeiaacercnkacwnts assonnvsaceles 100 52 Mouth Townships 22aiine v:einaineaee.cvnomncceue ecsin 248-16