54                  HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

vacated, and was afterward resurveyed and revived. The length of the
main track of this road in Clay county is 13.80 miles, with 48.09 miles of
side track. The development and output of the coal and clay fields of the
county tributary to the Vandalia necessitated the building of two diverg-
ing lines, known as the Center Point branch and the Saline City branch,
the former extending from Knightsville to Center Point, a distance of
8.16 miles, which went into operation in the fall of 1891; the latter, from
Brazil to Saline City, a distance of 11.77 miles,, which went into opera-
tion in the fall of 1887. The Center Point branch has 4.96 miles of side
track, and the Saline City branch 6.48 miles. The Center Point branch
is operated exclusively by the Vandalia Company, while the Saline City
branch is operated by the Evansville & Indianapolis Company under lease,
with privileges reserved by the Vandalia. The total mileage of the Van-
dalia line proper is 61.89 miles, with an assessed valuation for taxation,
including rolling stock, etc., of $872,895; the Center Point branch 13.12
miles, assessed valuation, $86,200; the Saline City branch 18.25 miles,
assessed valuation $122,280; grand total of mileage 93.26; grand total
of valuation for taxation, as shown by the duplicate, $1,081,375.
    For the period of thirteen years, from 1887 to 1900, the run by way of
the Saline branch was maintained between Brazil and Clay City as termi-
nals, but a change in schedule went into effect on Monday, July 9, 1900,
when Worthington was made the southern terminus, where the trains
then lay over night, instead of at Clay City, as previously.

The Big Four.
    The Indianapolis & St. Louis Railroad, or the St. Louis division of
the Cleveland, Cincinnati, Chicago & St. Louis, known popularly as the
“Big Four,” which crosses the extreme north end of the county, inter-
secting Dick Johnson and Van Buren townships, was constructed in
1869-70, going into operation in mid-summer of the latter year. The
last rail was laid and last spike driven on the 4th day of July, the first
through train going over the road on the 12th day of the month. This
is sometimes called “The Parallel Road,” for the obvious reason that it
lies parallel with the Vandalia from Indianapolis westward. The mile-
age of this road within the county, main line (including second main), is
13.07 miles, with 3.50 miles of side-track, the total valuation for taxa-
tion, including rolling stock, etc., as shown by the assessment of 1908,
$348,555. At the time of the location of this line of railroad there were
no towns in the county touched by the survey, but a half dozen sprang
almost immediately into existence. On the 25th day of August, 1869,
there was received for record by Recorder P. T. Luther, a mortgage
executed by this company hearing ten $200 revenue stamps.

E. & I. Railroad.
    The Evansville & Indianapolis Railroad, of which Evansville and
Terre Haute are the terminals, traverses Clay county from the northwest
to the southeast, the point at which it crosses the Vigo-Clay county line
being ten miles further north than the point at which it crosses the Owen-
Clay county line, 16.56 miles of the main track and 6.15 miles of side-
track lying within the county, a total of 22.71 miles, of which the assessed
valuation, including rolling stock, etc., is $142,305.
    The Lancaster Switch, which leaves the main line at a point two
miles southeast of Clay City, extending to the Lancaster Coal Mines, on