MELROSE CONSIDERED FOR RAILROAD ROUTE
CLARK COUNTY HERALD
4-Apr-1882
Submitted by;
Cindy McCachern
Melrose was today the theater of a general and rousing railroad
meeting in the
interest of the Louisville, Charleston and Peoria
railroad. The meeting was
organized by placing DR. J.M. Wilkin in the chair. Mr.
Lindsey of
Martinsville slated the object of the meeting briefly and showed
that he was
earnestly in favor of a general cooperation of the citizens along
the line in
securing the road. He was followed by Captain Harlan in
one of his usual and
interesting speeches, earnest and emphatic dealing out plain rounded
truths
which made a good impression on the minds of the
audience. The Captain has
many warm friends in Melrose; he was followed by Esq.Tom Johnson of
Martinsville in a fine statistical speech showing the yearly amount
collected
from the various railroads in the county in the way of taxes,
showing
conclusively that they were the best paying property for the amount
that they
cost the people of any property in the county real or
personal. Elder George
Sandoe then gave his experience in living in close proximity to
railroads and
living where there were no grand thoroughfares of this kind and
spoke of their
general utility. Next came DR. McNary in his humorous
way he believed in
railroads but he was in favor of railroad men building
them. He thought it
bad policy for farmers to take stock in them. The DR.
would make better
headway in talking politics than railroads and would get a great
many more
votes for Senator than he would for superintendent of the
road. If he is
nominated for senator, this county will be a blaze for
him. The people
believe him honest and well qualified. Mr. S.B. Lake of
York closed the
speaking in an earnest address to the people to be liberal in giving
the right
of way. After some other preliminary work, the meeting
closed to meet next at
West York on Thursday, April 6th at 2 o'clock