RAILROADS
Page 256
RAILROADS
Page 256
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___________ PEORIA, PEKIN AND JACKSONVILLE RAILROAD The first we find in reference to the above named road is an editorial in the "Mason County Herald," in which the editor urges the voting of stock by Mason county in the Illinois River Railroad. The subject continued to be agitated, and we proceed to give extracts from the Herald, of this city, showing the progress made, and the feeling with which the people of the county engaged in this great necessity, then so severely felt. River transportations, and tri-weekly or semi-weekly mails, were becoming too slow for the increased population and advancing trade.
THE RAILROAD On Monday next our citizens will be called upon to say or gainsay whether the corporation shall take $15,000 worth of stock in the Illinois River Railroad. That a railroad is indispensable to our well-being needs no contravention; that the road in question will partially allay the evil of which we might complain, is a "fixed fact;" therefore, property holders within this precinct should turn out en masse on the day of election, and show, by their acts, whether they consider the advantages commensurate with the taxation. We have said, time and again, that wherever a railroad is built, in that vicinity (within eight or ten miles) he who cultivates the soil is most benefited; our expressed opinion remains still unaltered. The farmer finds a ready market at his own door for all productions he can spare, at prices commensurate with St. Louis, or other principal places of sale less the freight and handling. But these same farmers are the last men to engage in internal improvements; content to "let well enough alone," rather than risk a dollar in bettering their condition. Such being the case, the town of Havana proposes to do that for the country which the country proper will not do for itself: appropriate $15,000 to the building of the Illinois River Railroad, secured by the bonds of the corporation. Will the freeholders vote the amount? Not the least doubt in our mind exists but they will do it, knowing, as we do, they "love the glory of Rome better than Cesar." Whatever may have tendency to benefit our country friends, will ever receive a hearty response from our townsmen, even should they be the losers by the transaction. Then let every man to the polls on Monday, casting his vote for or against the improvement in question, as his own good judgment may suggest.
The annual meeting of the stockholders of the Illinois River Railroad Company will be held at Chandlerville, on the first Saturday of September next, at which time and place there will be an election of five directors of said company for the ensuring year. Every stockholder is requested to attend said election.
By order of the Board of Directors.
Call for installments of capital stock. An order of the Board of Directors and notice by the Treasurer. Whereas, this board has heretofore made calls upon the subscribers to the capital stock of the Illinois River Railroad Company for a payment of a portion of their stock, according to which calls thirty per cent of the amount subscribed by each subscriber to said capital stock is now due, (including what has been paid;) and whereas, part of said subscribers have not yet paid the full amount thus due; and whereas, the work on the road has been commenced and the money is needed now to pay for such work; and whereas, five per cent more of said subscription has been called for by this board, which will become due on the first Monday in next September, and also five per cent on each of the first Mondays of next October, November and December. It is therefore ordered by this board, that each and all of the subscribers to the capital stock of the Illinois River Railroad Company pay to the Treasurer of said company, or to his agents, at such places as he may fix upon, on or before the first Monday in next September, thirty-five per cent,--that is, the sum of thirty-five dollars, (including what has been paid) upon each share of one hundred dollars subscribed by him or her; and that they also pay to said Treasurer, or his agents as aforesaid, on each of the first Monday's of October, November and December, five per cent, or five dollars, upon each of such shares, and in default of any such payments by any subscriber, the Treasurer is hereby authorized to institute legal proceedings against each subscriber who shall fail or refuse to make any such payments. And it is hereby further ordered, that notice of the foregoing order or call be given to the subscribers, by publication in the Cass County Times and Mason County Herald. I certify that the foregoing is a true copy of an order passed by the Board of Directors of the Illinois River Railroad Company, at a meeting held by them, at Chandlerville, on the 10th day of August, 1857, as the same appears of record. Witness my hand and seal, this 11th day of August, 1857.
M. H. L. Schooley
Notice is hereby given to the subscribers to the capital stock of the Illinois River Railroad Company, to make payments of the amount due and to become due from them, as specified in the foregoing order of the Board of Directors, either to G. N. Walker, at Havana, or Benjamin Beesley, at Bath, in Mason county; Sylvester Paddock, at Chandlerville, or N. B. Thompson, at Virginia, in Cass county. The money must be paid promptly, as the undersigned is bound to do his duty in collecting it.
ILLINOIS RIVER RAILROAD B. S. Thomas, Esq., President of this road, passed through Jacksonville on Monday last, on his way to New York. The object of his visit is to make arrangements for procuring iron for the road, and to make sales of some county bonds. We learn that among the bonds which Mr. Thomas has to dispose of, are some $100,000 voted by the people of Mason county. The value of "swamp lands" alone, owned by this county, is estimated at $300,000; so that the purchase of her bonds would be a safe investment. The work upon the road is still progressing. Some forty-five miles of the northern part of the line is now ready for the ties and iron, and the whole road, as far south as Virginia, can be placed in readiness for track-laying early in the season. The engineers are now employed in locating that portion of the road between Virginia and Jacksonville, and it will not be long before the work of construction will be going on throughout the whole line.
Chief Engineer's Office, Illinois River Railroad, Peoria, March 14, 1857 Proposals will be received by the undersigned until Tuesday, the 5th day of May next, for the grading, bridging and furnishing cross-ties for the Illinois River Railroad, between the cities of Pekin and Jacksonville, a distance of about seventy miles. Proposals may be for separate sections, of about two miles each, any number of sections, or all together. Bids will be preferred for the entire work, including the iron and station buildings. Profiles, plans and specifications are ready for inspection at the chief engineer's office. This line passes its entire length over a rich and well developed country, where supplies are cheaply obtained. The first fifty miles being very level, with sand subsoil. The last twenty miles passes over a rolling country, and presents some heavy work. It is also the closing and interior link of the great north and south trunk road between Chicago and St. Louis, and between St. Louis and the upper Mississippi country.
R. S. Thomas, President
Havana, September 11, 1857 ELECTION OF DIRECTORS The election of directors of the Illinois River Railroad took place at Chandlerville on Saturday of last week. A large number of persons were present on the occasion, and an amount of stock was represented equal to $350,000. Considerable interest was manifested among those present in regard to who should be elected to the directory, and as to how they should be appointed. But after the manifestation of considerable feeling in regard thereto, matters were finally arranged, as we presume, to the satisfaction of all parties. Judge Thomas was elected director for Morgan county; R. S. Thomas for Cass; J. S. Ruggles for Bath; Frank Low for Havana; and Joshua Wagenseller, for Tazewell. The selection of a more efficient board of directors could not have been made. They are the very best men to be found along the line of the road, and their selection will meet the approbation of a large majority of the citizens of the different counties through which the road will pass, and give renewed confidence to the friends of this great improvement. After the. election, the new board held a short session and chose James H. Hole, of Havana, to be the treasurer of the company, and M. H. L. Schooley secretary. The board then adjourned to meet again in Havana, on the third Saturday of the present month.
It is with no small degree of satisfaction that we inform our readers that active operations have commenced on the Illinois River Railroad at this place. At the present time between forty and fifty men, and also some dozen teams, are busily at work in despoiling the enormous sand-hill, which has so long been an eye-sore to the citizens of this place, of its huge dimensions, and they are now hauling away the dirt and making fills therewith on other portions of the road. The citizens of our town seem to manifest an extraordinary interest in the work, judging from the fact that all the "shady spots" in near proximity to where the work is going on, is constantly occupied all day long by persons who seem to contemplate with immense satisfaction its progress. This enormous sand hill is rapidly giving way before the "Mickeys," and it is a great pity but the road had been located throughout the center of it, the railroad company in making excavations for the road would have done more for the benefit of the town, more towards improving the appearance thereof, in three months' time, than the town council will be able to do in the next three years. The road from Market street to the little prairie above town will have to be raised, we are informed, something like four feet above the present level. There will be a bridge erected across Market street of sufficient hight to enable wagons to pass under with ease. The town council held a meeting on Wednesday last, with the intention of granting the company the right of way through the town, but did not do so, from the fact that they thought it best to wait until they could see the chief engineer, before making the grant.
Having thus somewhat in detail given the beginning of the Illinois River Railroad, which was the first in the county, we will quote from the report of Railroad and Warehouse Commissioners, giving the present status of said road, though by its transfer its name was changed to Peoria, Pekin & Jacksonville. Work was begun on this road in Havana, in Sept., 1857. The road from Pekin to Virginia, fifty-eight miles, was put in operation in 1859. From Pekin to Peoria, ten miles, was put in operation in 1864. From Virginia to Jacksonville, fifteen miles, in the summer of 1869. The P., P. & J. road acquired, by purchase, all the property covered by a deed of trust of the Illinois River Railroad Company, under the foreclosure of which it was sold. It also acquired, by legislative authority, the right to use any or all the powers conferred upon the Illinois River Railroad Company, by charter and amendment, but no merging of the company took place by a consolidation of these respective interests, except as here stated.
Length of main line
83 miles
Number of miles run by passenger trains, The extraordinary care exercised in the management of this road has made it almost free from accidents. During the year above named, three passengers were injured, none killed; of employees, there were two injured, and one killed. This is attributable to the very sensible plan of Mr. John Allen, President and Superintendent of the road; which is, that when he has a good, careful employee, to hold him. In a somewhat extended railroad travel, we have yet to meet more efficient and gentlemanly conductors than are in the service of this road. Among them we are pleased to name Mr. J. D. Cork, Mr. N. McSherry, Mr. George Elwell, Mr. S. Reiley and Mr. W. H. Haynes. To Mr. Cook and Mr. Kelsey we have referred at length in another place. This road has been peculiarly fortunate in acquiring and holding the good will of the people along its entire line; is doing a prosperous business, and is in excellent condition.
This line runs from Champaign to Havana, a distance of one hundred miles, and traverses Mason county in nearly an east and west direction, and began operations in October, 1873. The guage of this road is four feet eight and three-quarter inches. The further details at our command, in regard to this road, not being of general interest, we omit them, and have only to say that the road is carefully and judiciously managed,. Is in excellent order, and supplied with efficient and gentlemanly and efficient conductors. This line gives us a long wished for and much needed direct eastern connection for mails and travel.
SPRINGFIELD AND NORTHWESTERN. In 1853 a railroad from Springfield to Petersburg and Havana was discussed, and in that year Mason county voted $25,000 of stock in that enterprise, but for the time it was delayed. On Dec. 13, 1855, the city of Springfield voted $50,000 of stock to the Sangamon and Northwestern Railroad, and Menard county voted $100,000 to the same project. An organization was effected by the election of V. Hickox, J. T. Stuart, John Bennett, W. G. Green and John S. Wilbourn, directors, but here again it ended for a time. The date of the charter of the present company was March 24, 1869. The road was built in 1871-'72-'73. The entire length from Springfield to Havana is forty-seven miles. The weight of rail per yard is fifty pounds; guage of road, four feet eight and a half inches. This line is in good order, and is carefully and judiciously managed by the present officials and employees. They receive from the government $45 per mile per annum for carrying mails, and $40 per month from the U. S. Express Company for carrying express. John Williams is President and principal owner of the road, and Geo. N. Black is Receiver. The important points connected by this line gives it a liberal share of through travel, and the rich farming region through which it passes, combined with the accommodating and popular conductors, Messrs. W. M. Bacon and M. Myers, give it a fine local passenger travel. The S. & N. W. connects south with the T., W. & W., the C. & A., the O. & M., the G. & C., giving access to all points of the compass, from Springfield at all hours. At Petersburg it makes connection with the Jacksonville branch of the C. & A. north and south, and at Havana with the P., P. & J., and the I. B. & W. extension for the north and east, and thus to Peoria, where numerous roads diverge to all points of the compass. The large stock and coal interests on the line of this road, with the increasing development of the country must eventually make it one of the most paying lines in the State. The line is in excellent condition, is operated with care, and accidents are unknown on it.
THE CHICAGO AND ALTON RAILROAD-JACKSONVILLE BRANCH. For many years this line terminated at Petersburg, but in 1867 it was extended to Bloomington. It was opened up for service to Mason City in June, and to Bloomington on the 23rd of September, in that year. It was incorporated as the Tonica and Petersburg Railroad Company, January 15, 1857. Richard Yates was the first president. In 1862 it was consolidated with the Jacksonville, Alton and St. Louis Railroad Company, the whole taking the name of the St. Louis, J. & C. R. R. Co. William G. Green, of Menard county, was the first president of the new company, succeeded by George Straut, of Peoria. This road was leased to the C. & A. road April 30th, 1868.
A letter from George Straut, of Peoria, Illinois, dated June 5th, 1876, says: J. Cochrane, Esq.:
HAVANA, RANTOUL AND EASTERN RAILROAD COMPANY. Length, 128 miles; western terminus, Havana, Mason county; eastern terminus, the C., D. & V. Railroad, in Ross township, Vermilion county. Length of line only graded, 36 ½ miles. This road has been in progress for some time, with prospects of a rapid completion.
Amount of stock subscribed
...$1,000,000 Iron and rolling stock have been purchased for the first division of the road. Width of gauge, three feet. The splendid region of country through which this line is to pass, and the very low cost of operating that class of roads, ensures it a good, safe investment, and completion at an early date. |