Rush County, Indiana
History
TRANSPORTATION
At the time of the
organization of Rush county, there were no transportation facilities of
any kind available to the settlers, no railroads, no pikes, no
canals. As most of the citizens of the state lived in the
southern portion, and along the Whitewater valley, and as the trend of
settlement was toward the north, it became a matter of pressing
importance to have avenues of travel opened up. When
Indiana was admitted to the Union, Congress set aside 5 per cent of the
net proceeds of all the land sold in the state for road building, 3 per
cent of this being-placed at the disposal of the General Assembly, and
was always known as the 3 per cent fund. An agent of this
fund was appointed, and he paid out, according to the appropriation by
the Assembly, to the various county agents where roads were to be
built. These state roads, as they were termed, were
supposed to be 100 feet wide, but owing to the insufficiency of the
fund which only served to have the timber cleared, and the extreme
shortage of labor, the roads for many years were little more than
bridle paths. Pioneers received $1.50 a day for
working on the roads, but so sparsely was the country settled, that
even this attraction did not serve to gain enough men for the
work. There were two main roads in the state leading to the
capital: a stage line from Madison to the East fork of the White river,
crossing at the mouth pf the Flat Rock, running almost due north
through Jefferson and Ripley counties, thence to Greensburg, across
Shelby county, and thence to Indianapolis. This was known
as the Michigan road, and was continued through Logansport. and South
Bend, to Michigan City. It was financed by the sale of lands, not under
$1.25 per In this county, the
first road ordered to be viewed began at the east line of Rush county,
at the corners of sections 21 and 28, town 12, range 11, one mile north
of the southeast corner of the county, thence on a due west line to the
western boundary of said township. The second one viewed commenced
where Whetzel's "trace" crossed the west line of Fayette, running
thence west, the nearest and best route to the house of Richard
Thornbury, in Rushville township, and then on westward to the Shelby
county line. The general plan followed in the construction of roads was
to have them radiate from the county seat, with occasional cross roads.
GROWING DEMAND FOR BETTER ROADS
However, the dirt roads were
so unsatisfactory as means of transportation, and their construction so
hap-hazard, that the people were in crying need of an outlet for their
products. The increasing size of the cities, and the consequent
development of manufactures and the employment of labor, created a
demand for the product of the rural districts which could be met only
with difficulty. Progress and development were being retarded in all
walks of life, the farmer had no ready market for his trade, the city
man no means of disposing of his manufactures. In 1849, the General
Assembly took steps to en¬courage the building of good (or better)
roads, by the enactment of a law authorizing the incorporation of stock
companies for the construction of plank roads, and the ready response
on the part of nearly every county in the state reflected the wisdom of
this bill.
Rush county was not slow to take advantage of the new law, and stock
companies were formed to build projected roads. One of the more
important of these early roads was the Andersonville Plank Road
Company, and -in July, 1857, there was published in the Rushville
Republican a notice of the coming election of seven directors of the
company, three in Rush county and four in Franklin, to be held at the office of
James H. Moore, Esq., August 10, 1857. Other road companies were
formed, and the advantages arising from them were great. Superior
facilities were given to the farmer for hauling his grain and stock,
and increased value was given to the land which lay along the road
routes. As business propositions, the roads themselves were profitable,
because when they were properly managed they paid the stockholders a
handsome profit on their investment. In 1865. although it was not yet
completed, the Rushville and Vienna (now Glenwood) turnpike paid a six
per cent, dividend to the stockholders. New roads were projected
rapidly, and the sentiment of the people and the press was much in
favor of them, money being freely subscribed.
In July, 1865, it was announced that the last legislature of Indiana
had passed a general road law which provided for the piking of public
highways where certain steps were taken. It was provided that where
three-fifths of the landowners within three-fourths of a mile on each
side of any public highway desired to convert the highway into a
turnpike, they might make their petition to the board of county
commissioners giving the length, beginning and terminus of such
proposed road, the same not to be less than five miles in length. The
land then lying within three-fourths of a mile on each side of the
proposed road was taxed in proportion to its valuation to pay for the
construction of the road.
Those who were required to pay the tax to build the road were allowed
to form themselves into a corporation, elect directors, etc., and
become a regular stock company, and when they had constructed four
miles of their road, might erect toll-gates, toll-houses, and collect
toll under a very liberal rate as authorized by the law. The tax was
levied on the estimate of cost made by a competent com-missioner. The
receipts went to keep up repairs, pay the officers and the balance was
to be divided among the stockholders. The companies were
allowed to collect toll for
twenty years, and at the end of that period the road reverted to the
public and became free. From time to time objections were raised to the
provisions of this law on the ground that as the votes were
proportioned to the number of acres owned, the rich had more influence
in an election than the poor, but since the tax was also levied in
proportion to the amount of land owned and the benefits were shared
equally by all, there seems to have been but little logical excuse for
this opposition.
In 1869 the legislature passed a law giving the board of trustees of
incorporated towns in Indiana the exclusive power over the streets,
highways, alleys and bridges within the corporate limits of such town;
and the marshal, under the direction of the trustees, was empowered to
perform the duties of a road supervisor, and exercise all the functions
theretofore pertaining to that office, thus abolishing the office of
road supervisor within the limits of incorporated towns.
BEGINNING OF HACK LINES
Communication between the
towns of the county be-gan to increase with the improvement of the
highways, and in 1870 Caleb Russell ran a daily hack between Rush-ville
and Milroy, leaving Milroy at 7 a. m. and starting on the return
journey from Rushville at 2 p. m., except on Sundays. There also were
hack lines from Milroy to Greensburg, from Carthage to Knightstown,
from Milroy to Richland, from Rushville to New Salem, one out of
Raleigh, and others. The several'' star route'' mail lines, which were
operated throughout this part of the state in those days, also ought to
be recalled to mind in this connection, as there were a number of these
which served the rural communities in Rush county. But the towns of
adjacent counties seemed to be more aware of the neces-sity of good
roads, and while the neighboring towns were pushing highways into the
county to tap its trade, Rushville was apparently quietly
slumbering. There was great need, if Rushville was to keep pace
with the other county seats of the region, to have good turnpike roads
centering here and stretching out through every section of the county.
The lack of them would send trade abroad which should be retained at
home. In the direction of Milroy there was a good gravel road with two
branches, only partly completed, however, and that thriving little
village could only be reached by traveling four or five miles of the
most wretched mud road. In the meantime, parties at
Milroy were using great energy in pushing ahead a project which
promised to give them a good gravel road to Greensburg, and it became
vital to the interest of Rushville that a good gravel road be completed
to Milroy before the trade of that section was wholly diverted to
another county.
Moscow had a good road to Shelbyville and a miserable road to
Rushville, and the citizens of Rush county in that vicinity were very
well acquainted at Shelbyville. Manilla was also without good
communication with Rushville, and there was a gravel road running from
Knights-town through Carthage and on to Burlington (now Arlington),
which at Carthage tapped the Big Blue river country, one of the richest
portions of the county, and furnished a good highway to carry its trade
to Knightstown.
Urged on by the local press and by the knowledge that Rushville trade
was suffering by prevailing transportation difficulties, new life was
instilled into the building of roads. The Hilligoss, Miller, Rushville
and Moscow Gravel Road Company took up, in 1873, the construction of
six miles of gravel road out of Rushville toward Moscow, but later
amended their plans so as to construct only four miles, and in November
of the same year the Rushville, Shelbyville and Mull Company's gravel
road was completed. At the same time the town of Rushville itself took
steps to further improve its streets, and the corporation trustees let
a contract for $4,800 to Hugh Davis for grading and
graveling the streets around
the public square, the streets to be fifty-five feet wide with
bowldered gutters.
EXTENSION OF GOOD ROADS
As fast as was then possible,
good roads were extended into all parts of the county, free pikes were
constructed as fast as money could be devoted to this purpose, and many
of the old toll-roads had reverted to the county and become free, their
twenty years of grace having been passed, when, about ten years prior
to the close of the century, Rushville was known throughout the entire
region as a good place to trade. Farmers from other counties brought
their products to Rushville, the free pikes making a material saving
for them. They would come farther to Rushville in many instances than
the distance to their own county seat, if they were from other
counties, not only on account of the free roads, but also because the
large volume of business handled by Rushville made it possible for the
business men of the town to offer higher prices for grain at the
elevator, and to give better bargains in the stores.
In 1893, the General Assembly passed a road law which was substantially
this: Upon the petition of at least fifty voters in any township or
townships contiguous to each other, including therein any incorporated
town or city of less than 3,000 population, a vote could be taken on
the construction of free gravel, stone or macadamized roads at the next
spring or fall elections called for that purpose. If a majority of the
votes cast were in favor of the building of the road, the county
commissioners were to proceed to do it, but not otherwise, construction
to be awarded to the lowest bidder and bidders to file bond in twice
the sum of their bids. For the purpose of raising the necessary funds
the county commissioners were to issue county bonds for the full amount
of not less than $50 nor more than $500 each.
The voters in Ripley and Posey townships were the first to take advantage of this law. In
April, 1893, an election was held in reference to the Arlington and
Carthage turnpike. Since the road was already built, it was only
necessary for it to be bought, the construction having already been
taken care of. The result was in favor of buying the road, the amount
to be raised being $4,248.10, $800 to go to the owners as purchase
price, while the remainder was to go for repairs. Later in the year the
commissioners levied a special tax of about $9,500 to buy several
gravel roads.
Most of the bridges throughout the county were of wood, many of them of
the old covered type, and about this time many of them began to give
trouble, being inadequate to the demands of traffic placed upon them.
In November, 1896. the county commissioners contracted with the
Bellefontaine Bridge Company, of Bellefontaine, Ohio, for a single span
steel bridge, 120 feet long, over the Blue river, near Carthage, the
cost to be $3,500. Four years later, the commissioners submitted to the
county council an estimate of $15,665 for sixteen new bridges in the
county.
Thus, in the passing of a century, the county has progressed from
having only a few necessary trails cut through the wilderness to a
point where most of the farmers of the county have highly improved hard
surfaced roads passing their doors. The roads are kept in perfect
repair, as are the bridges and culverts, and the life of the county's
commerce and trade pulses unrestricted along the arteries of traffic.
The Indiana "Year Book" for 1919 presents the following statistics with
reference to Rush county, bearing on public highways, bridges and
ditches:
Highway Expenses—viewers and damages, $293.89; preliminary road
construction, $367.75; gravel road construction, $117,568.34; gravel
road bonds redeemed, $151,680.83; gravel road, $43,832.32; township
gravel road bonds. $513,027.40; miles gravel roads completed in 1918,
fifteen; total miles gravel roads, 328; miles
unimproved roads, seventy-five.
Bridges—expenditures, on new bridges, $11,013.20; bridge repairs,
$5,924.12.
Ditches—expenditures, $958.90.
Under the provisions of the
new state highway law a great deal of preliminary work is being done in
the way of establishing state highways, making surveys and preparing
specifications, and under the direction of the state highway commission
a tentative system of highways has been planned to reach every county
seat and city of five thousand in Indiana, making a network of highways
which will connect every market center of the state. Much discussion
has been created by the workings of the present highway laws and
revisions of the laws are likely to be made from time to time, but
eventually Indiana seems destined to have a fine system of trunk
highways, and in the working out of this system Rush county inevitably
will profit. The state highway commission has taken over approximately
forty-four miles of the county's highways to be maintained by the state
under what is known as the state highway commission law. This county is
widely accorded the reputation of having as excellent a system of
gravel roads as that of any county in the state, and it also has the
equally gratifying reputation of maintaining these roads in as
admirable a fashion as any.
The office of road supervisor has been one of importance in the
development of the county. At first these officers were appointed by
the township trustees, then they were elected on the county ticket
every two years, but beginning January 14,1905, a new state law
provided that only the voters in the road district electing the
supervisor could vote for him.
THE OLD WHITEWATER CANAL
Although it never materialized
as an important avenue of transportation on account of the advent of
the railroad, and while it did not quite touch this county, so important was it in the public
discussions of the time and would have been in the practical phase of
transportation as affecting Rush county, that the Whitewater canal is
worthy of some extended mention. Logan Esaray, in his "History of
Indiana," gives us an accurate account of the canal:
"The Whitewater canal was the starting point of all these discussions
[in the General Assembly]. The settlers in the valley, the most
populous district of the state, as early as 1832 had petitioned for a
canal. The assembly of 1833 ordered a preliminary survey, a report of
which, by Surveyor Gooding, was laid before the assembly December 23,
1834. The valley was reported to be shallow and the fall excessive,
requiring a great number of locks. There were many washed banks where
the canal would have to be built over the river. The survey began at
Nettle creek, near Cambridge City, in Wayne county, close to the
crossing of the old National road. Thence it passed down the west bank
to Somerset, at the Franklin county line, where it crossed, recrossing
again at Brookville, and following the west bank to the Ohio at
Lawrenceburg. The length was seventy-six miles; seven dams were
necessary, fifty-six locks, and 491 feet of lockage. The estimated cost
was $1,142,126.
"It would give an outlet for Franklin, Rush, Fayette, Henry, Randolph
and Hancock counties, as well as a large part of Wayne, Union, Decatur
and Delaware, a district aggregating 3,150 square miles. Produce could
be transported by this means at an average cost of $3.65 per ton as
against $10, the present cost. This would save $221,000 for the section
each year. The water power would turn 318 pairs of
millstones.
"A big celebration at Brookville September 13,1836, at which David
Wallace, Governor Noble and ex-Governor Ray were the orators, ushered
in the undertaking. The work was always pushed more than any other on
account of the great bulk of the population of the state being
in that valley. December 20, 1838,
Superintendent Long reported the canal well-nigh completed to
Brookville. This line was practically finished when the failure of the
State Bank required a cessation of work, notice of which was given by
Noah Noble, president of the board, August 18,1839.
"The Whitewater canal was turned over in 1842 to a company organized to
complete it. It was finished to Brookville in 1843; to Connersville in
1845, and to Cam¬bridge City in 1846. A flood in 1847 did $100,000
damage, and the repairs for a single flood in the next year cost
$80,000. The Whitewater Valley railroad paralleled it in 1865, and
forever put it out of business."
COMING OF THE RAILROADS
As the population increased
and the production in all lines of business, but especially in
agriculture, increased, it became apparent that ready foreign markets
would have to be sought. The only feasible way to reach them was by
means of the steam railroad, and agitation accordingly was commenced in
favor of attracting to Rushville and Rush county this means of
transportation. Since no outside capital could be influenced to
construct a line through the county, the citizens decided to raise the
money themselves by stock subscriptions, and accordingly the Rushville
& Shelbyville railroad was built, the first cars coming into
Rushville over its tracks on September 10, 1850. Another railroad
touched the northwestern part of the county, but was of no great
importance to the larger part of the county. This was the Shelbyville
& Knightstown railroad. At Shelbyville these roads connected with
the Indianapolis and Cincinnati roads, and at Knightstown with the
Indiana Central, serving to give some outlet to the county.
The Shelbyville road from Rushville was a flat-bar affair, and while it
supplied the wants of the people to some extent, it was in general
quite inadequate. Passenger
trains made a round trip from Rushville to Edinburg once a day, and
many were the curious who sought a novel experience by taking the trip.
In 1857 sentiment in favor of a $30,000 subscription to improve the
road by laying an iron rail was aroused, and gradually the road, now a
part of the Pennsylvania system, was improved until it compared
favorably with other roads. In 1860, the new rails were laid, and after
the track was ballasted, the trip from Shelbyville to Manilla could be
made in thirty minutes, and in April of the same year, an excursion to
Madison was run over this road and the Madison & Indianapolis. Two
months later a return excursion was held, the young people of Rushville
entertaining those of Madison with a grand ball and supper at Odd
Fellow hall. In 1857, the Sandusky, Indiana & Louisville railroad
was projected. Its course was to be from Sandusky to Winchester, Ind.,
there making a connection with the Pittsburgh, Indianapolis &
Bellefontaine railroad, and with two important roads at Cambridge City,
the Cincinnati & Chicago, and the Dayton & Indianapolis, or
Central. This was considered to be one of the best routes in the state,
connecting the Ohio river with the Great Lakes. The merchants who
bought their goods in New York and Philadelphia were at that time
compelled to ship via the Lake Shore route, but after leaving that road
the goods took such a circuitous route that freight amounted to an
enormous figure when the destination was reached. The same was true for
the cattle raisers and drovers, who shipped to Eastern markets. It was
pointed out that this new road would obviate these difficulties by
giving a direct road to the best markets of the world. As it was there
was no prospect of real estate rising in value until there was an
outlet for trade. The county was cramped grain and other surplus
products frequently had to be carried miles in wagons and often the
price declined before it could be shipped. Lewis Maddux, of Rushville,
was elected president of the road, and although it was favorably
thought of, it never materialized.
COMPLIMENTS TO " SMOOTH-TONGUED SCOUNDRELS"
Another road, the Fremont
& Indiana railroad, which was seeking a connection with the falls
of the Ohio, was urged to construct its track through Rushville, but
was never built. In June, 1860, arrangements were made so that the
daily train over the Rushville & Shelbyvllle connected with the
Lawrenceburg train from Indianapolis, the train from Rushville arriving
at Madison in some seven or eight hours, the fare being $2.50 from
Rushville to Madison. Later in the same year an impromptu meeting was
called in Rushville to find out the sentiment of the people in regard
to the Lake Erie & Pacific railroad, another projected road. Stock
to the amount of $4,000 was at once subscribed, and plans were made for
the construction of the road through Rushville. The road was to be
built in three divisions, one hundred miles each, and Rushville was to
be at the end of the second division, which would mean a machine shop
and at least two hundred inhabitants to the town. The enthusiasm of the
people was great, and nearly $100,000 of stock was subscribed in Rush
county alone by the end of the year, 1860. It was figured that a saving
of from five to ten cents per bushel would be made in the shipping of
grain, which would very soon pay for the investment, and that the rise
in value of real estate would more than cover the cost of the road. A
stockholders' meeting was held at Cambridge City, and Gr. B. Rush, of
Rush county, was elected chairman. Plans for raising the rest of the
stock were made and a resolution passed in favor of running the road
from Union City to Rushville, making Cambridge City a point. However,
so slow was the work on this road, that the people rapidly lost
confidence in it, and when $12,000 additional stock was asked to be
subscribed in Rush county, it was refused, and the work for a time
abandoned. The sentiment of the people was reflected in the Rushville
Republican in 1865, when the Fort Wayne & Southern railroad tried
to interest them: "If we are not the worst deceived and most systematically
trifled with people in the world, we are, at least, very fortunate in
always having a peg to hang hope upon. It is not so long since that the
memory of our citizens runneth to the contrary that we were very
certain, indeed we felt that it was a dead sure thing, that the Lake
Erie & Pacific railroad would be built, but alas, all our hopes
vanished into thin air and our money into the pockets of the
smooth-tongued scoundrels that had the management of the institution.
But we bear our disappointment and losses with fortitude and
resignation, hoping for better luck next time. Next came the Junction
Railroad with fair promises of speedy completion and we got on our
'high hosses' thinking of the wonderful benefits we were soon to
realize from the building of this road, but judge of our feelings when
we found that we had again been sold. Now comes the Fort Wayne &
Southern railroad and our hopes arise like the fabled bird from its
ashes, but we are not going to make fools of ourselves. All we know
about the construction of the Fort Wayne road is that a party of
engineers, said to represent an English company, lately passed through
here examining the proposed route.''
In September, 1865, at a meeting at
the court house, a proposition was laid before the people of the county
by the agents of the Indiana, Central and Jeffersonville roads,
pledging that if the citizens along the line of the Lake Erie &
Pacific road, between here and Cambridge City would raise $60,000,
$20,000 of which had already been subscribed, the company would have
the road done and the cars running by June 1, 1866. No action was taken
at the meeting, some attending being in favor of the company getting a
release of subscription notes to the Junction railroad, and that then
perhaps they would subscribe the amount needed.
However the Junction railroad was not defunct. Work on it was rapidly
pushed in 1867, by the first of January it was completed to Morristown,
fifteen miles west of Rushville, and trains were run daily from Cincinnati to that place, and by the middle of
the following year it was completed to Indianapolis, and the citizens
of Rush county could make the trip to the capital and back without
taking a week for the trip. On July 4,1868, the first train was
operated through the town on the Jeffersonville, Madison &
Indianapolis. This gave Rushville two good railroad facilities, and
there was a rapid improvement in almost every branch of trade, while in
population and building there was an equally rapid advancement. Clark's
addition became dotted over with new dwelling houses, and in the early
spring of the next year several fine brick and frame dwellings were
erected. Rent was very high, and there were not sufficient houses or
business buildings to supply the demand. Trade of every kind, taking
into consideration the times and conditions following the war, was
lively. With as rich a farming county as Rush, the means of
transportation now in existence could not but improve Rushville
rapidly. People began to improve the appearance of the town, and
altogether there was a general trend upward.
NOT GOING TO BE "DONE" AGAIN
On January 25, 1870, on
petition of more than one hundred freeholders of the county, the board
of commissioners ordered an election on whether or not the county
should be taxed $90,000 to be given for the construction of the Toledo
& Louisville railroad, through Rushville, and the measure was lost
by an overwhelming majority. The people had been "done" too often to
favor a tax of this kind.
In 1872, shipping was further facilitated by the establishment of
through freight rates by the Jeffersonville, Madison & Indianapolis
to all points east and south, and at the same time through passenger
tickets were sold for all eastern cities. Passenger traffic increased
with the, years, and in 1877 it was reported that the receipts from
this traffic alone on the C. H. & I. (the old Junction) amounted to
$1,000 per month.
There had been various
meetings from time to time in the county to construct a road on the
line of the old Ft. Wayne & Southern, one of these in 1872 held by
the citizens of Rush and Decatur counties, was so strongly in favor of
it that steps were taken to construct such a road. Large donations were
made by the people in the way of stock subscriptions, and in September,
1881, the V. G, & R. railroad was completed, opening for better
trade facilities a large portion of Rush county, benefiting not only
the county seat, but the town of Milroy. The year before its completion
a surveying party had been over proposed lines for the Rushville &
Newcastle railroad, and in 1882 this road, known first as the N. &
R. railroad, was finished. In 1889 the C. W. & M. railroad was
built north from Rushville, touching Carthage and continuing through
Knightstown to Anderson, Ind. This gave Rushville its four railroads.
In 1890 the J. M. & I. railroad, formerly the Rushville &
Shelbyville railroad, was changed to the P. C. C. & St. L., or
Pennsylvania railroad; the name of the old Junction was changed first
to the C. H. & L, and now operates as the Cincinnati, Indianapolis
& Western; the N. & R. is now the Lake Erie & Western. The
V. G.. & R. railroad is now a part of the C. C. C. & St. L.
Railroad or Big Four system.
Aside from the large amount of
freight business done by these roads, there are exceptionally good
passenger accommodations afforded. The C. I. & W. operates five
trains daily east and an equal number west; the Pennsylvania, two each
day south and north, a total of four; the Big Four operates four
passenger trains, two each way; and the L. E. & W., though
primarily a freight road, operates one each way every day.
COMING OF THE TRACTION LINES
A later development in rail
transportation was the electric railroad, or traction. In 1898, the C.
H. & D. railroad organized the C. H. & D. Traction Company, and after two years of inactivity it began to
consider building an electric line from Indianapolis to Rushville. In
June of the same year, 1900, the Rushville & Brookville electric
railway was promoted with a capital stock of $50,000 in 500 shares, 310
of which were subscribed in Rushville. However, more than one traction
company was not deemed necessary at the time, and the work done in
pushing through the Indianapolis line caused the other to be abandoned.
In 1901, in May, fresh impetus was added to the building of the
electric line from the capital when the Rushville city council granted
the right of way for the line through the city. This company was known
as the Indianapolis & Cincinnati Traction Company, and every effort
was put forth to construct the line as quickly as possible. In 1903, it
was announced that the power plant for the line would be located either
at Connersville or Rushville, and there was consequently keen
competition between the two cities for this addition to the business of
the town. In June, 1903, it was located at Rushville, the terms of the
agreement guaranteeing a site for the plant at a cost of $5,000. At the
beginning of the year 1905, although the line was not completed all the
way to Indianapolis from Connersville, its present terminus, cars were
run through Rushville every two hours, attracting great attention from
the people, many of whom rode for the novelty. When the road was
completed to Indianapolis a short time later, and through cars run over
the entire route, the people realized what an advantage it was to the
town, although at first it had been opposed by many merchants on the
ground that much of their trade would go to the larger city when the
trip was made so easy for them. The I. & C. traction was the first
to use the single phase alternating current system in the operation of
its cars, and its success attracted the attention of electric railway
men all over the country.
A considerable amount of
freight, principally light, is carried over this line in addition to
the twenty-eight passenger
cars which are operated daily, fourteen each way from Connersville to
Indianapolis, giving excellent service and satisfaction to all who can
avail themselves of it. A right-of-way has been secured by the
Indianapolis & Cincinnati Traction Company for a line southeast of
Rush ville and at this time (1921) there is a strong probability that
the project for the construction of the line will be accomplished. One
phase of the traction systems is the accommodation of towns along the
lines which are able to secure ample current from the traction wires
for local lighting purposes, and the Indianapolis & Cincinnati is
now furnishing lighting current for Shelby ville, as well as to some of
the villages through which it passes.
Before passing from the subject of railroads it is proper to note that
there still is visible in places the elevation thrown up in the '50s
for the creation of a roadbed for a railroad that was operated through
this county from Knights town to Shelby ville. The road seems never to
have been properly financed and was abandoned after a few years of
unsuccessful operation.