56                  HISTORY OF CLAY COUNTY

Illinois, opening a through and direct line from Evansville to Chicago.
But the Mackey interests having also come into control of the Terre
Haute & Southeastern, which meant that the Straight (Short) Line
and the Terre Haute & Southeastern would he extended and brought
together, the proposed Washington & Brazil line was abandoned. The
gap of practically forty miles between the terminals, Washington and
Worthington, was subsequently closed up in the year 1883 and another
continuous line, parallel to the Terre Haute & Evansville, established
between these cities, passing through Clay county. The two gangs of
men at work on the extensions, one from the south, the other from the
north, met at the south end of the White river bridge, at 8 :30 o’clock,
Christmas eve, 1883, when the last spike was driven and the E. & I. line
connected through between the cities of the Ohio and the Wabash.

C. & E.I. Railroad.
    The Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad, originally the Indiana Coal
Road, from Brazil to Chicago, merging into the Eastern Illinois proper at
Momence, was built in 1885-86, going into operation as a through line
in the month of May of the latter year, an excursion going over the road
on Thursday, the 24th day of the month, in celebration of its completion.
This road intersects Brazil and Dick Johnson townships, a length of 6.97
miles, with 19.13 miles of side track, a total of 26.10 miles, of which the
assessed valuation, including rolling-stock, etc., for the year 1908, is $135,
400.    The Brazil division, known popularly as “The Peavine,” from Brazil
to Otter Creek Junction, was built in 1878, a length of 4.08 miles of main
track and 5.83 miles of side track, a total of 9.91 miles within the county,
valued for taxation at $67,615. Passenger service over this road between
Brazil and Terre Haute was discontinued March 1, 1906, and Brazil
made the terminus of the run from Chicago south.

Central Indiana and Other Roads.
    The Central Indiana Railroad, first known as the Indiana Midland,
to be built from Anderson to Brazil, known during the time of its con-
trol, operation and management by Harry Crawford as the Chicago &
Southeastern, now owned and operated by the “Big Four” and Penn-
sylvania systems, in process of construction and litigation for the period
of a dozen years, did not get into Brazil and make connection between
terminals before the month of October, The depot at Brazil was
completed and the iron laid up to the suburbs of the city before the close
of the year 1891, when all further work was suspended by process of
injunction at the instance of a rival road, the Fort Wayne, Terre Haute
& Southwestern. By this forced suspension the Chicago & Southeastern
was deprived of getting the subsidy which had been voted by Brazil
township on the condition that the road should have its trains running
into the city by the first day of January, 1892. After a suspension of four
years from this date the road was completed, through train service between
Anderson and Brazil going into effect in October, 1895, as already named.
The subsidy previously voted having been forfeited, a second election was
ordered, when the proposition to renew the donation in aid of the road
was voted down.
    The history of the Fort Wayne, Terre Haute & Southwestern is
briefly told. Only that section of it between Mansfield, Parke county,
and Carbon, Clay county, was built and operated, a distance, by way of