Cook County, Illinois - The whole text, 1884 (part 10 of 61)

"P.-nr Sir: - Hawing »ome leisure from the labor* of my circuit, I am induced to devote a portion of it in giving |rj ihe public a plan, tin- outline of which was suggested to me by an intelligent friend 111 howl County a few days since (Mr. Waite of 1 Ireenville), by which the North may get their long-wishcd-for canal, and the southern ami interior counties a channel of communication quite lis essential to their prosperity. In doing so, I have not slopped to inquire if my motives may not be assailed, ami myself subjected. 10 unkind remarks, believing, as I do, that the subject is of so much importance as to throw all personal considerations into the shade. The plan then is this : At the junction of the canal with the Illinois River let a railroad be constructed, to extend to the conrtucncc of the Ohio anil Mississippi, following, as near as may be. the third principal meridian, and let the credit of the Male lie pledged for the funds necessary to complete both works. This would he doing equal and impartial justice to three of the most prominent portions of our State, and would create a unity of effort and concert of action that would overcome every obstacle. The Oncral ('.ovemmem also would grant some of the unappropriated land on the contemplated road throughout its whole extent in aid of the undertaking, and that it can be accomplished with the means we can raise there can lie no manner of doubt. When made its benefit! will be incalculable. It w ill make ihe southern and interior counties, cause them to settle, raise the value of their lands 1 which arc intrinsically as good as any I, and furnish the means of transportation for their products either to a Northern or Southern market, of which they are now destitute. It is a stupendous project, but one so easy of accomplishment, so just, so equal, and M well calculated to revive the drooping energies of ihe South and of the interior, that no doubt can be entertained, if our effort is made at the approaching session of the legislature, but that the canal and the road will be under contract in less than sis months after the loan is authorized

" No sectional objections can operate successfully against the project, nor will the people complain of a loan the benctits ol which are to be so general and so important. I'osteritjf will have no cause of complaint if we do leave them a debt to pay, when at Ihe same lime we leave them the most ample means for discharging il. These things have not been regarded in the proper light. No objection should ever lie made to incurring such debts when the fund is left out of which to jwy them. As well might the heir object to taking his estate of half a million because encumbered by a mortgage of Sloo.uoo. By a united, zealous effort at the next session, an artihcial artery through the heart of our State, the fairest and richest in ihe Union, can lie made, which will mil be surpassed by the stupendous achievements of a similar kind in the other and older Nates. Toavoid jealousies and heart-burnings, let the expenditures on both works commence at the same time and lie prosecuted with equal energy, and when this main artery is finished il will not belong More smaller ones branching off to the Wabash and I'ppcr Mississippi will be constructed. Then Illinois will rival any other Stale of our vast confederacy, not excepting even thai which is so proudly, yet so justly styled the ' Empire State."

" To ascertain the interests lhat can be brought to bear in its favor take a map of the State and trace upon it the proposed route, and notice the many important and flourishing counties and towns il will pass through' and which it will benefit.

"Assuming Uliea or Ottawa as the point at which the canal will terminate, the mouth of the Ohio bears from it some few miles west. To reach it, the road would pass through I.aSalle. McLean, Macon, a part of Shelby. Payette, a part of Bond, Clinton, Washington, I'erry. Jackson. Union, and terminate as above in Alexander Countv. ' Pursuing nearly a direct line, it would pass through Biuommgion. Decatur, and Vandalia, where it would intersect the National Road, Carlylc, New Nashville, Pickneyville. Brownsville,

Jonesboro. nil seats of justice of the counties in which they are situate. Along the whole route, especially on the southern portion of it. abundant materials of the best kind can be had to construct the work. The distance from one extreme to the other, on a straight line, is only three hundred miles, and the ncccssarv deviations from that course will not make it more than three hundred and fifty miles. Three-fourths ol it. that is to sav, from L'tica or Ottawa to I'inckncyvillc. in Terry County, the surface of the country, so far as you can determine by the eye. is level or undulating : the remainder is hilly, bill by no means mountainous. Taking the estiinated cost of the Aliun \ Springfield road as data (which is on an average a fraction over $7,000 per mile), ihe com of this w ill not exceed $2,500,000, a sum insignificant indeed, when we consider the immense bcnelils to ourselves and to posterity lhat must How- from its expenditure for such an object. Allowing fifteen miles an hour as the maximum of speed upon it. a locomotive wilh its train of cars can kindle its lire at Ottawa in the morning and on the next rekindle it at the junction of the Ohio. From this poinl an uninterrupted communication exists at all seasons with every part of the world, and when the canal and the l#kes of the North are locked up by ice the markets of the South can be reached with certainly and speed by the railway and the Mississippi. Let then the South, the interior, and the North unite^lel the project be submitted at the coming session, let the loan he authorised, ami lei us all enter span it wilh that determined spirit which should characterize all great undertakings, ami success is certain. They who shall be instrumental in its commencement and completion will have erected for themselves a monument more durable than marble, and throughout all future lime will receive, as they well deserve, the grateful thanks of a generous people. I hope some gentlemen may feel sufficient interest in this matter to consider it maturely ami give the result of their deliberations to the public through the newspapers. It is a great, magnificent, and feasible project. Il can. it w ill, be accomplished.

This able letter renewed the Waning interest in railroad matters. Meetings were held throughout the State, conventions pronounced in favor of railroad and canal building, and as a result the files of the Legislature were literally weighed down with bills and notices of bills to provide for railroad and canal construction. Many opposed the enterprise in the central part of the Slate, because it was seen that such a north-and-south line would divert much of the traffic which that section might derive from a road crossing Illinois from east to west. Sonic localities were pledged to the support of the Wabash .V Mississippi. The line of road as traced iu Judge llreese's letter did Hot touch Springfield, and therefore was not looked upon with great favor by the citizens of that place. Those also who were mosl ardent in their support of tin- Illinois ev. Michigan Canal feared that its construction would be delayed by the prosecution of this "stupendous project." Dm Judge lireese never tired in his efforts to acquaint the people living along the proposed route of the road with the advantages of this central artery. He was the prime agent in obtaining the supi>uri of Senator Douglas. Chicago also was stretching her arms out toward the South and the West. " Internal improvement " was the cry of every one. With the meeting of the Legislature at Vandalia, in 1X.56, came also the convention which proposed wilder schemes for those times than the " internal improvement " act, which became a law the next year. And the people anil the Press were with the convention, for under the plans proposed there was not a " cross-road " in the State which would not in some way be benefited.

The first railroad chartered out of Chicago, upon which work was immediately commenced, and which afterward became an important section of her great transportation system, was the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, which was chartered January if), 18,6, The document was prepared by Kbenezer Peck and T. W.

Smith, with the object of increasing the value of real estate at both points ; but Galena being then the leading village of the West, obtained precedence in the naming of the road. The capital stock was placed at $100,000, but could be increased t<> $1,000,000. ami the incorporators were given the choice of operating the road Inanimal or steam power. They were allowed three years from January 16, 1H36, in which to begin work. K. I>. Taylor, Jesse H. Thomas, Jr., J. C. Goodhue, Peter Temple, William Bennett. Thomas Drummoiid and I.

W. Turner were named as commissioners to receive subscriptions. The survey of the road was begun in February, 1817. by Engineer James Seymour, with his assistants, from the foot of North l>carl\orn Street, and run due west to the Desplaines River. In June. 1837, surveyors and laliorers were discharged, In' iX;,S work was resumed, piles being driven along tlx- line of Madison Street and stringers placed upon them. These operations were continued, under the direction of K. K. Hubbard, until the collapse of the enterprise during the same year. The ambition of Chicago was evidently a little ahead of her meant, and the Galena \- Chicago Union had to wait ten years before it was fairly placed upon a successful basis.

On January 18. 1X36 two davs after the incorporation of the Galena St Chicago Union , the Illinois Central was incorporated. The incorporators numbered fifty-eight and they were empowered to construct a railroad from a point on the Ohio to a point on the Illinois, near I.aSalle, with the object of forming a remnection between the canal, then projected, and the Ohio and Mississippi rivers, ami thence to the Oulf of Mexico Hut the charter and the fifty-eight incorporators ailed to accomplish anything in the way of railroad building and the "stupendous project" collapsed remaining m that lamentable condition until revived bv its immense land gram, in September. 1S50

.nl Z vVandt"XtC,uiU^r,,,n his COai-heWs si.x miles from the Mississippi R,vcr> to Fast St. I.ouis. Among other dimcultics overcome by the energetic young men was the bridging of a lake over two thousand feet -uross. I he road was worked without iron, and with ^erZTT was elurte^ in ,&£ and long ffl.1*?11* k»<>»" « the - Illinois & St. K . Iroad. Governor Reynolds' railroad is claimed to be he first one actually constructed in the Mississippi \ alley, and within the circumstances, he appropria t e asserts "that 1, was the greatest work or entenStSeTef er ormed ,n I , mois. But." he adds " it well .^'h broke SLffK A ul the experience of these pioneers with that which were doomed to exist far away from the line of canals, railroads or navigable streams. To prove the magnificence of this legislative dream, the railroads were to be begun at both ends at the same moment ; so that the lllinoisians from east and west and from north to south could experience the greatest happiness in their consciousness of the impartiality and wisdom of their Legislature.

Tin- act appropriated $350,000 to the Great Western Railroad front Vincennes to St. Louis; $3,500,000 fori road from Cairo to the southern terminus of the canal and to Galena; $1,600,000 for a southern cross railroad" from Alton to Mount Carmel and to Shawneetown; $1,850,000 for a "northern cross railroad" from Quincy to Springfield and thence to the Indiana line, in the direction of LaFayette; $650,000 for a branch of the Central road, in the direction of Terra Haute; $700,000 for a railroad from I'enria to Warsaw, on the Mississippi: $600,000 from Lower Alton to the Central; $150,000 for a railroad from Belleville to intersect the Alton & Mount Carmel line; $350,000 for a railroad from Kloomington to Mackinaw, and a branch through Tremont to l'ekin The total amount appropriated for railroad building was $9,650,000. William K. Ackcrman, in a paper read hefore the Chicago Historical Society. February 10, 1883. gives the following extrac t from the report of Murray McConnel, commissioner, to the fund commissioners, which is dated August ft, 1837;

* * If you should believe that iron will decline in prior so thai I he nine may Ix- bought next year for less than at present, you may contract for the delivery of thirty miles say sis hundred and *ixly tuns of thn'Mbuutt, as we may not want to use more than that quantity in this district through the next season. - - * \ou will also contract for the hjriMini; hf one locomotive of the most improved plan, and a suitable number of passenger and bJNN then cars to I*- shipped via New Orleans lo the house of Mct'onnei, < Inn-d lee St Co., Naples, III."

"The commissioners' report to Governor Carlin of December 26. 3 38, gives the estimated cost of this four hundred and ftfi)- seven miles ol road (which covers only a portion of the present line of I he Illinois Central) to be $3.8011, 145, an average Out per mile «t S*,32b. The commissioners, in their report to the tiovernnr, say: 1 In making these estimates the I ward has included all the expenditures for superintendence, engineering, and all other incidental expenses. Kasy gTadcs have in general been adopted, and in all cases calculations havelieen made for lite inosl useful and durable structures; and the board lias no doubt bill that the work- may be constructed upon the most approved plans at the cost estimated upon each work. It is b*Hmd that in every instance the lines may be improved, locations changed, and improvements made in the construction thai may lessen the cost far below these prices.' Tlie same piece of road has c ost properly built and equipped as il »lands to-day §23.050,45(1. or an average of $52.4oS per mile. * * * If slight defects have been found in the law organixing the system, M if errors shall have been committed in carrying it into execution, il is what might reasonably have been expected in a sy stem so extended. In locating 1,300 miles of road ami performing other duties equally difficult, it could not well be otherwise than llul errors of judgment should occur, and that we should be brought into contact with private interests and become the unwilling (though necessary and unavoidable) cause ol disappointment to wine, nml the pn»tration of splendid but visiimarv schemes of speculation in others."

Engineer T. It. Ransom, in his report of December .5. 1X38, after noticing the progress of work upon the only section of the «;rcat system ever completed by the

-' believing, eonscicnliously, tha: the future proserin and happiness of the people will he greatly promoted bv carryis|j " the system lo its full and entire completion, I am bound 10 ad«ocatc il to the extent of mv abilities. So far from its being too large and extended. I believe that it might be enlarged w-rli " propriety and decided advantage to the general welfare of tkcwwh

Stale f if. suitable appropriations were made in addition to those already granted by the Legislature!, notoulv t<> improve the navigalion of OUT rivers, but in connection with'thc same to drain the pMl4a and lake*, which can be accomplished with an inconsiderableexpense in comparison to the general utility, health and pecuniary prosperity of the whole State. * * * And it appears to me that even at a period when steamboats are in full operation, the time and risk of life which could be saved by traveling on our road* would enable them effectually to compete with the river communication."

The Northern Cross mail from Meredosia, on the Illinois River, to Springfield, was completed in February, 1842. the survey having been commenced in May, 1837. The road cost the State for actual construction §1,000,000, was operated for five years at a loss, and in 1847 realized $21,100 in State indebtedness. The attempt to allay local jealousies by starting the different roads simultaneously from each 'terminus, was one cause of the collapse of the stupendous scheme; as, to do this, immediate and large appropriations were required. The result was that in two years from the passage of the act, the State was checkered with pan lies of road and had virtually nothing to show for the §6.000,000 of indebtedness, except a solitary locomotive running over S few miles of the Northern Cross road from Meredosia eastward. The act which had caused all this mischief was repealed in 1839. Far from lifting every community into an unexampled condition of prosperity, the operations of the law laitl the basis of the present' debt of the State, and the formal abandonment of the improvements undoubtedly retarded its growth.

I'pon the suspension of operations on the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, the people of the Rock River country made several attempts to avail themselves of Chicago's increasing commercial importance. First a plank road was urged to lie built from Chicago to the Rock River, at a cost of over §300,000. Next, in 1S43. a survey was made between Joliet and Aurora for a canal to connect the Fox River with the Illinois cV Michigan Canal ; and the suggestion was favorably received that it would lie a plausible undertaking to extend the improvements to Rockford. But these schemes were abandoned, and in 1S46, the Chicago & Galena Union was revived by the convention held at Rockford, in January of that year. Delegates, to the number of three hundred and nineteen, attended from all the counties on the proposed line between Galena ami Chicago. The officers -selected were : President, Thomas DrUmmond, of Jo Daviess; vice-presidents, William H. Brown, of Cook. Joel Walker, of Boone, Spooner Ruggles, of Ogle, and Elijah Wilcox, of Kane j secretaries, T. D. Robertson, of Winnebago, J. B. F..Russell, of Cook, and S. P. Hyde, of McHenry. A resolution was adopted that the members of the convention obtain subscriptions to the stock of the company, if satistactory arrangements could be made with its holders ; and resolutions were also (Kissed, presented by J. Young Scammon, showing the necessity of a general subscription to the stock by the farmers along the proposed route. Galena and Chicago vied with each other in the renewed enthusiasm with which the enterprise was taken up. But about this time Messrs. Townscnd and Mather offered the improvements, land and charter of the road to Chicago citizens for §jo.ooo. The offer was accepted under the following conditions : The payment of the entire sum in full-paid stock of the company - $10,000 immediately after the organization of the board of directors, and §10,000 on the completion of the road to Rock River, or as soon as a dividend of six per cent would be earned. On December 15, 1S46, the persons named above subscribed toward the expenses of a survey, and had one made during the succeeding year, by Richard P. Morgan.*

The Alton \ Springfield road had been commenced the previous year, and on February 27, 1847. a charter was granted to the Alton & Sangamon Company, now a portion of the Chicago & Alton system. On the same day the Rock Island anil l.a.Salle line was chartered, the nucleus of the Chicago. Rock Island cV Pacific Railroad Company. The "Pacific" termination of the name was early foreshadowed, by the hopeful, publicspirited and, as it seemed to the more conservative, the "crazy "sentiment of the times. During the legislative session of 1S47 the following joint resolution was atlopted :

" h\:<oh% .l by the .-/ fofr.-H-utathxi ,-/ St.,1. ,./' ////. H.u. tht ."i emrmrinr Iktam, Thai we have seen and read with pleasure the very interesting report of our worthy and intelligent Senator Brecsc, upon the proposition of Mr. Whitney, of New Vork. on the subject of a railroad from lake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean, anil heartily concur in the sentiment* and idea* therein set forth.

"AVWrW. Further. That our Senators and Kcprcsentati\e* in ( ongre**. be, and they are hereby, requested and instructed to use their influence in sustaining the propositions of Mr. Whilm-y. Which have been submitted to the Congress of the 1'nilcd state* for a railroad from l ake Michigan to the Pacific Ocean.

" AVWjvi/, That a copy of the above resolutions lie transmitted by the 1 iovemor of this Stale to each of our Senators and Representative* in Congress."

Subscription books were opened at settlements along the proposed line of the Galena ft Chicago Union. August 10. 1847, William H. Ogden and j. Young Scammon solicited subscriptions in the city, but could only obtain promise* for §30,000 from all the real estate men or others particularly interested. Some merchants opposed the scheme, fearing it would take the side of goods from Chicago to points on the line of the road. Up to April 1, 184S, twelve hundred and six subscribers guaranteed §351,800. on which sum payments amounting to §20.81 7.68 were made up to that date. Outside the city there was scarcely any monev, and the payment for subscriptions beyond the first installment of two and one-half per cent had to depend upon future crops. The people subscribed as liberally as their limited mean* would permit, and succeeded in raising a fair amount. Railroad meetings were not frequent in those days, the settlers residing so far apart that they could nut assemble on short notice, and those interested in placing the stock were obliged to travel the county to secure its taking. In many settlements the resident* were found willing to co-operate, the ladies vicing with the men in their readiness to render assistance. They appreciated how necessary it was to have the road built, and were preparetl to make any personal sacrifice to further the undertaking. Many of them helped to pay for the stock subscribed for at their solicitation from the profits derived from the sale of butter, cheese and other household productions, even depriving themselves of the means required to educate their children, that a railroad might be built for the good of that and future generations.

- kirhard H Murom, whuilied almui tux. ream a*.., «a* one «f the ..!ile-l rivil raginn-n In the United State*, and anisted in laying .ml many of the pmn i|X>l nnlroods m the I niun. He- in^le lnt. experimental slurry of the ( lena Air Line M, the first railway emaiulmc. (ram Chiai|ii.. At the time el his death he was over ninety-two yean of mtc.

minute (heir road at New Buffalo in [ulv lust, anil step* were taken preparing the way for an extension ol their road to Chicago about the same time. l'pon this vour directors proceeded at once to announce their intention of opening books ol subscription to Mock ; for the extension of this continuous line of *iilroad from Chicago westward to Galena. Hooks were accordingly opencil at Chicago anil Galena, and at the towns intermediate, on the loth day of August last and aliont 8250.000 of stock were then siili- ICTHXdi The first expectation of the lioard was to obtain a general subscription from the citizens of northern Illinois and southern Wisconsin residing along the line of the contemplated road, and in its vicinity, as indicative of their faith in the profitable character of the roads when constructed, and of the general interest of the people in its construction; and with the aid of this subscription, to open negotiations with and solicit other subscriptions or loans from Kastern capitalists, sufficient in amount to justify the commencement of the work. The amount subscrilicd, how. ever, on the opening of the books, was so liberal, and the feeling manifested along the line, so ardent and so universal, that it was quite apparent the country and the people immediate!) interested tn the construction of the road, were able to. and would increase their subscriptions to an amount sufficient, in connection with the credits on iron and engines then offered us. to build the r.sid from Chicago to Klgin at once, and own it ourselves. Experienced parties at the Kast largely interested in railroad stock, and decidedly friendly to the success of the Calcna \ Chicago road, were consulted, and made acquainted with the particulars of our 'position at this luncture. ami with the proposed plan of obtaining the additional means at the Kast necessary to secure the completion of the road to Fox River. They were clearly and decidedly of the opinion that the wisest and surest w ay .«, the 'speed v extension and completion of the entire route to (ialcna was "for the inhabitants along the line of the road to raise means themselves for its commencement and completion the Kox Kiver and Klgin and further subscriptions solicited and obtained on this basis o opera ton, to an extent exceeding altogether the sum of §350000 xtvT?" "' h»« since been added, Z\ h ,< *? u,mmcnc«' "> earnest. A corps engineers was he ,K ?S ' '-"^r'-vemploved to survey *an7lo",,e the line from Chicago to the Kk Hiver, and prepare it for letHn* loan of 87,000. This money completed the road across the marsh to the foot of Cottage Hilt. Again thev purchased two locomotives from the Baldwin Works. In the meantime, Mr. Ogdcn, then a member of the Common Council, had introduced an ordinance into that body, which was voted down, proposing to grant the right of way to the road front the west into the city on a line with Kinzie Street, with the necessary privileges for constructing tracks, drawbridges and depots. Notwithstanding which, the contract for the first thirty-two miles of road from Chicago was let March 1. 1848, the first sixteen miles to be finished by August 1, and the balance by October 1, 1S4S. John Van Nortwick had been appointed engineer. George W. Waite. assistant engineer, drove the first grade-peg, near the comer of Kinzic and Halsted streets, in June, 184S. then a point outside the city limits. The Council had refused the entrance of the road into the city : but granted leave to build a temporary track east to the river so that one of the two engines could be brought to the head of the road.

In September the management purchased a locomotive ol the Tonawanda N. V.) Company, and also one of the Auburn & Syracuse Company, these were fitted up with new gearing and boilers, and the first one was placed on the section between Chicago and the l)esplaines River, in November. The " Pioneer '* arrived on the brig -- Buffalo," October 10. 184& The engine was taken off the boat on Sunday bv Redmond l'rindiville. Wells Lake, George W. W aite! George C. Morgan and John Kbert. the engineer. This engine was sold by the Baldwin Company on commission for the Rochester \ Tonawanda Railroad Company. It served its purpose well and is in existence to-day, as if waiting some signal act of public approbation.

When the Desplaines River division was in working order, the rolling stock consisted of six old freight cars and the "Pioneer." By November 21 the engine was running daily on the ten miles of completed road, west of Chicago, conveying materials and laborers to earn- on the work. The day previous Chicago received the first wheat ever transported bv rail, l'pon the invitation of the board of directors, a number of stockholders and editors of the city, took a "Hying trip" over Chicago's system of railways, then extending ten miles west to the Desplaines River! A couple of baggage wagons had been provided with seats, and at about four o'clock v. M., the train bearing away about one hundred persons, moved from the foot of North Dearborn Street, where a crowd bad collected to witness the novel spectacle. On the return trip a load of wheat was transferred from a farmer's wagon to one of the cars, and this was the first grain transported by rail to Chicago. This fact soon became known to the fanners living west ol tin- 1 ity, and '.In- company made arrangements :> accommodate the expected increase of their business I hey at once placed covered cars upon the track, and about a week after the line was open to travel, the business men of Chicago were electrified by the announcement that over thirty loads of wheat were at the Desplaines River waiting to be transported to the city. I he expected receipts of the toad would amount to

Thk Railroad System

$15 per day for the winter, and wheat-buyers were informed partly with a view of increasing the passenger traffic that they must now take their stations at the Desplaincs River instead of at Randolph-street bridge. Facts and statistics were pouring in from Galena also, showing the benefits that would accrue when the line should reach that flourishing city. For instance, in January, 1849, the public were informed that the arrivals in Galena from March 17 to December 6, 1848, were: Keel-boats, 158; flat-boats, 107; that the revenue was §1,950, and the value of the exports for 1848 was $1,601,050.40. Furthermore that "a large portion of these wiil seek an Eastern market by railroad." The citizens of Galena were shoulder to shoulder with Chicago in the building of this road, but mmors were soon afloat that there was a disposition in certain quarters to cut off that thriving town from the benefits of the road which she was doing so much to build. To allav these suspicions, at the annual meeting held April 5. 1849, the stockholders resolved that Galena was the true terminus Of the road and that "any diversion would be a violation of good faith, a fraud 'on the stockholders and an illegal perversion of the charter." Of the $150,000 loan, authorized in May, 184S, to be negotiated, $71,700 had then !>ccn expended.

Henry \V. Clarke, DeWitt Lane, now of Lane's Island, and Major James Mulford. were the commissioners appointed to procure the right-of-way for the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad, and to assess damages within Cook County. This work was undertaken in March, 1849. The commissioners were accompanied by William B. Ogden, John B. Turner, John Van Nortwick. engineer, James II Recs, M Ogden 's own surveyor," and a few others. When the party reached Harlem, then called Oak Ridge, the commissioners agreeil that the assessment of damages for right-of-way should be merely nominal, and from this agreement resulted the offer of six cents to each land-owner along the route. This offer was accepted without dissent, quit-claim deeds were made to the company, and the roadway was secured.

had been extended to Elgin, forty miles west of Chicago, and Galena was still cut off from railroad communication; her ambition, finally, was not to be realized through the instrumentality of the mad which she was helping to build. Another rival for popular favor was reaching out its giant arms to embrace, at least, the territory of a great State.

The superstructure of the road was completed to Elgin. January 22, 1850, the length of the main track from the North Branch of the Chicago River to the western terminus being 42 44 miles, which, with side track 1.8S miles, gave a roadway of 44.32 miles. The amount expended on this superstructure was $1 64. 1 3 1 .87. The stock of locomotives and cars May 1, 1850, was as follows: One ten-ton locomotive second hand , sixwheeled, two drivers ; three fifteen-ton locomotives new Norris's eight-wheeled, four drivers; thirteen double covered freight cars ; sixteen double platform freight cars ; three single covered freight cars ; six single platform freight cars; eleven gravel repairing cars ; font hand cars ; two passenger cars new , one of fifty-six and one of sixty seats ; two passenger cars old forty seats each ; two' baggage and accommodation cars of eight wheels each.

The inner history of the Galena \- Chicago Union Railroad is most valuable, for the reason that it goes into such details as are not generally given in animal reports. Such facts, as a reminiscence could only contain, have been fortunately noted down bv one who was himself a most important pillar of Chicago enterprise. In J. Young Scammon's biography of William 15. Ogden this history appears to be well and impartially treated ; and, therefore, in justice to the men named, is here given so much of that sketch as relates to this road and its builders.*

" In the winter of 1S46 a convention was helil al Kockford, the half-tray house between Chicago ami (Jalcna. to favor Hurt ork. There w as a large meeting, attended by [icrsons from (ialena to Chicago. Thomas I Immmond, then residing at (jalcna. presided oser the assembly. The late William II. tiruwn, always a director and subsequently a president of the t.altna Company and of the Chicago Historical Society: with Ucnjamin W. Raymond, our ever publiospirited citizen, and more than once Mayor of the city, and a director of the road till it merged in the Northwestern, ami who still remains among us to witness and rejoice with others over the success of his faithful public efforts, was among the active men there. Isaac N. Arnold, mi long and favorably known in Ihe politics of Illinois, and as a Representative in the late War Congress of the United Slates, and long a leader a l the Chicago liar, now President of the Chicago Historical Society, and devoting the calm of mature yeans to literary work, with On eral Mart I.. Stewart, one of Chicago's oldest citi/iens, whose whole life has licen spent in building public works wc&t of Lake Erie, in Michigan, upon the Minus & Michigan Canal and elsewere - and in the public councils of the State or official positions under the Government - rode in the same carriage with the writer, and were active participants in the work of the convention, as was Thomas I). Robertson, of Kockford, for many years a director of the road Wcwere two days on our journey each way, spending the night at Klgin, then a little hamlet. The landlord there told us that he was against railroads. They were Kid things for farmers and holel-kccpern, but good for ' big fellows at the ends of ihe road.' lie " Intended to make money w hile the mail was building and then sell out and go beyond ihem.' lie declared that Klgin would cease to be a place of business as soon a> the railroad went beyond it.

"The meeting was harmonious and quile unanimous in its action ; the only exception being a tavern-keeper at Marengo, who, fearing that his business would be injured by the road, appeared with his friends in the convention and denounced railroads as "undemocratic aristocratic institution* that would ride roughshod over the people and grind Ihem to powder. The only roads,' said he, ' that the people want arc good common or plank roads, upon which everybody can travel."

"' In the (all of 1S47, Mr. Ogden and the writer traveled the entire distance from Chicago to Calena together, stopping at all the principal intermediate places, making speeches for the road, and going into the highways to compel men lo come in and help the enterprise, even if they could not take more than a single share of stock. Many farmers and other persons, lie it said lo their credit, did come forward and subscribe, though they had to borrow the first installment of two dollars and fifty cents on a share rViKLs's Scr.«, Bicsmph) -of William K. LWen.

and gel trusted ' till after Mm*,' 'or the same. Mr. ( >gdcn was in his element in such enterprises. His g,w,.hca.lal.vencss here nit full play to his imagination, an.l tilled not only himself, but his hearers with high hopes ..n.l generous courage. When it is remc.nl.ercd that it est live hushels ..( wheat, and often fr..m four days' to a week's journey to Chicago with a load of grain to get the jfeaj installment of a single or few shares of stock, nunc can doubt the puhlic interest in the enterprise

At tialcna. business men an.l hankers were (earful M Intellect of the railr.u.l upon their town. Among MChM advocates then- were ludyc Drunimond, t . M. Ilempsteiul. Klihu B. Washhurne. MM Thomas Home. t.alcnahadlongl.ceuaicrypr..s|icroUs town at the head of navigation on l ever Kim. and the great Icad-mimng center and mercantile distributer for northwest Illinois and southwest Wiscrmsid, and the country north in the mine-. The ureal obstacles we met there were two ; one the local effect upon the town, and the other the fear that More the road should In- completed the enlerpcisc would break down, the small stockholders sacritucd, and the road pass into the hands of the large capitalists. We had to meet these objections bv the promise to respect and protect the local interests of tiakna. to whose capital we were much indebted in starting the work, and a pledge that until the st.u k r.»* to par. and was saleable at that price, we would never allow the work to proceed faster th.in its ready means would justifvwithout endangering the capital invested. This promise was faithfully kept so long as these two persons remained in the director). It has been said in justification of the abandoning of the west end of the line to the Illinois Central Railroad, that tlalena was doomed, and a different course could not have saved it. The writer dissents from this pr. .position, ami believe* that if the pledge-. Mr. < Igden and he made at tialcna had been faithfully, energetically, and courageously carried out. Galena would have Ixrn greatly ln-nelitcd. and its importance and business permanently advanced. Hut whether this opinion lie correct or not, (ialena was a pioneer in the work, and the company had no right to S.-H her birthright to the Illinois t entral Company. It would not have lieen dune had the two most active directors, who were among the large-si subs, rilx-rs to the st.s k. when the com pa n\ was re -organised in tin- writer's ..liiie, on the southeast corner of lake and Clark streets, in the old Sa|<1(in Ituililing, in the city of Chicago, in IS47, remained in their hMM in its management.

" In a pa|>er read licfore the Chicago Historical Society, by Mr. Arnold. I>cce-mbcr 20, tSSi, on the occasion of the presentation, by Mrs. 1 of a portrait of her late husband, it is said 1 the officers of the r.sid. after he | Mr. Ogdcn I had been comt>cllc-d to retire, had received a public dinner (] think at Klginl in which they drank toast-, to each other an.l everybody except Mr. tlg.lcn. The oini«ion of his name, the man who everyone knew had built the road, only made nini the more prominent.' If such an occasion took place, the occasion must have been more marked by the AWMNU of the original an.l most efficient projectors of the road than their presence. There were otticers of the road that were engaged in speculating along its line, as was confessed some years later, when one of them was made a scapegoat. I'ublic allusion having been thus made to these |K'rsonal troubles in the board of dircc1ors. it lie-comes pro|ier to explain the same somewhat, as in doing so a trait in Mr. Og.k-n's character and conduct presents him in very bold and advantageous reliel. when compared with that of sonic of his associates. Chicago at that lime was a comparatively small an.l very ambitious city. It had three divisions, occasioned bv the river and its North and' Smth branches, which run almost at right angles with the main river, leaving cast of them the North and South divisions, and west of them the West Division, extending the whole length of the city. Such divisions always, create local jealousies, and the sclrish interests excited arc often* difficult to manage or control. Mr. Ogdcn resided on the north side of the liver, as did three other directors. Walter I.. Ncwlicrry, Thomas l>yer. and John II. Turner. Two, 'Thomas Dnimmond and Charles M. Hempstead, lived in fair - , and one. Thomas L>. Robertson, in Kockford. while the live others, Hcnjamin W. Kavmond. t.eorgc Smith, t harles Walker. James II. Collins, an.l J. Voting Scammon. lived in the South I tivision, which was then, as now, the principal bus. iness and commercial portion of the tow n. Mr. Ogdcn lieing especially identified w ith the North Side could not exercise as much influence in obtaining subscriptions to stock in the business portion of the town as some of the South Side directors, as he was accused, by those who never suppose other than solely scllish motives can influence action, of 'wanting to build a railroad that would never pay. to help him sell his lots.' The gentlemen on the North Side naturally desired the road to cross tin- North Branch, and locate its depots or stations in the North Division; while the West Siiltrs could seen,, necessity of expending money to cross the river, because the West Side was the largest division of the city and the nearest to the country. In the railroad work, either because Ogdcn and Scammon luu more time to devote to it, or (or some other reason, thev became the specially active representatives of the road on their respective sides of the river. The out-of-town directors could rarely attend its meetings, or only when very important ipicstions demanded their presence. These tw o men gav e very much of their time to the enprise; Mr. Ogdcn receiving a small salary in stock, and the nrilet no compensation, except for legal services when required by the lioard. Ogdcn and Scammon traveled over the country together, visited Albany and lloston in the interests of the road in company with the late' Krastus Corning, then president of the New York Central Kailroad and the controlling spirit in the Michigan Central, the only road then in operation west of Lake Krie. Thcv hoped to interest the lloston gentlemen who were stockholders in and engaged in extending the Michigan Central to aid in Iwiilding the (ialetia. Thev called upon the Michigan Central directors, and csiieciallv upon W illiam r . W eld, an iron merchant in lUrJon, MM had then the reputation of being ' the kailroad King.' 1 hey were very kindly received and entertained by John M. rorlies. then a director of the Michigan Central, an.l a wealthy hast India mrrchant, and since long identified with the Chicago. llurlington A Ouincy road, and one of its principal stockholders. Mr. Weld said to us 'licntlcmcn, 1 do not remember any enterprise of this, kind we lloston people have taken hold of upon statistics. ,ou must go home, raise w hat money vou can. expend it upon MM road, and when it breaks dow n, as it surely, or in all probability will; come an.l give it to us. and we will take hold of it and com plcte it, as we are completing the Michigan t entral. A resolution was then formed though not publicly expressed, that thcl.alcni should not tweak down. We came home, sought and obta.nec. subscriptions to the Modi of the road upon the pledge that the st«k should never l>e endangered unlit it r..sc to par. and the holders nan an opportunity of selling their shares at that price. This pledge was kept. , .

"An ..pttorlunitv occurred, as we were commencing the work, of buying the old strap rail which was being removed (mm the Rochester \ Canan.laigua road, to Ik- replace! with I iron, together with two little second-hand passenger cars and 1 wo like engines, for *tso..»x.. on a credit of live years, if the writer recol- Icts correctly, provided two ol the directors would endorse the l».n.ls. This would require each of the thirteen directors to make himself responsible for a liltle over one-sixth part of that sum as guarantee of the < i.ilcm company. There was on, direcK* »r«. said 'he never endorsed other people's paper, and vlechned 1" d.' so, though he was subsequently made president and claimed irefln (or Molding the road, with what pr.qiricty and how justly, in comparison with the endorsers, let others nidge. All the others mw the requisite endorsement, with the understanding that wr were to sti.k together an.l re-elect the ..Id l.oar.1 until these bonds should l« paid. We went ahead with the rr«d and had got out west nine or ten miles, across the wet prairie, to the sand ridge, where m teams (mm the conntrv met us. and translerred then loads to tnc cars, nu.ki.ig the Psidpav as MOO as the jilt *«fc» pleted. W e were so encouraged that we thought there ought to lie no doubt alx.ut raising money to push the work. Mr. V". . as president, had boldly made some contracts with Met agg. R \ Co.. and others, lor tics and lumber, based upon expectations « raising money in New Y.wk or at the Kast. A committee consisiing perhaps of Mess,,, t igden and Kavmond. went jo 'he fc« - for thai HMM Thev returned unsucccsful. A directors was called. It looked blue. To go ahead ger the k. To stop entirely would be a full.lmrnt of the Kail road King s prophecy. Mr. Ogdrn was embarrassed. He kne that manv ol the public had no (aith in the railroad and *Mcvcu it to be. on his pan. an undertaking to aid him in selling lots, they saying that he could well afford to km would help him to sell his land. Most of the other directors urn fcarli.1. Mr. Kavmond was hopeful, and Walker. I oil ins and Scammon. courageous. The latter said he believed fc--^ - ~_* could be made to defer or extend the contracts, and to Mf

00 the stock that would be paid alter realized, when the work on the road could Mr. Dvcr. who then owned B" and was very anxiovis thatth' work should go on and the road lie extended to the U-ncht his property. I.*t faith. The writer called h.m « Thomas.- He replied. ' If Mr. Scammon has s.. much fait' road, I move that a committee of five I* appointed. »]"" |Miwer to do anything which they deem expedient, in "gam road, and that Sir. Scammon lie chairman of that commnwx. be authorized to apprtint his associates.' 1 his was agreci it committee, consisting of Mr. Scammon, James Charles Walker. 'Thomas Oyer, and Mr. Raymond, appOBH have charge ol the subject. This committee ^t,~~jl.tM larteMamlu. He immediately applied to George Smith. tl»e . kcr in the place who could make »uch a loan, fjo.ooo (or six innm** to enable him to go on with the road. Mr. Smith dCCttH*"' director o( the road, and desirous o( seeing it completedrler or c-xteno MM conirac.s, - ? , asked why; if he had not the money. He rrjitit^i, ' Vcs, hut I do not wish li> lose it. I have n<i confidence in the pad.' Mr. S. rejoined, ' Uon't you think I can build the uiaJ to Klgin with the 3303,000 stock subscript ions we have <if farmers, which are good and sure to be paid?' He mannered, ' Vcs, but vou arc not the president of the road.' Mr. Scammon rejoined. ' Donl vou think Mr. Ogden can r ' Mr. Smith -slid, 1 He can. but he won't," adding, ' Mr. Scammon, I will lend you the money.' The writer replied, 'Make out your note, anil let me have it.' He did so. and the money was taken and place') in the treasury ol the company, no other person in the r.iad, except those connected with the loan, knowing from whence it came, except the treasurer the late Frank Howe. Thus, with arrangements that were made for tUMIHHHf contracts, enabled the road to meet its encasements, and prevented any suspension of work thereon. The road was pushed and completed to Klgin. It did not cost much money in those days to build a Hat railroad on mostly level land. Vet to obtain the small amount necessary, required, at that time, mitre courage and perseverance than is now requisite to build a road across the continent. The careful economy exercised in the building of this forty miles was nevertheless very conspicuous. We had money enough only to build the track with very few accessories It was a single straight line - hardly mere. Station-houses, sidings, turn-outs and turn-tables had to be, for the most reirt, deferred to the future.

" An incident occurs to (he wTitcf which mav lie worth recalling. Upon the completion of the road to Elgin, a general invitation was given for an excursion over the furty miles between Chicago and that place. Among the p.trty was .in Irish engineer, who had published, in Dublin, a work on 'railroad engineering, which he had with him in bright red binding. On alighting from the cars in Chicago, on our return, the writer asked him what he thought of our road. He replied : ' If it is the engineering yon'rr asking about, I don't think anything of it. We would spend more in the old country, upon the engineering of a single mile, than yon have spent upon your enlire r«iail.

" In the- meantime rivalries between the west and north sides ol the river had sprung up, and some of the North-Side directors liecame suspicious that Mr. Ogdcn did not want to extend the road across the North Branch into the North Division, because his gTcatcr interest was on the West Side. The temporary dc|H»t was then there. Some of the directors proposed to the w riter |o accept the presidency of the road. L'pon this tn-ing declined, it was pro. posed to nuke him treasurer and financial agent. This was also declined, for the reason that it would too much interfere with professional work, which the writer was unwilling to give up. Meanwhile, certain officers of the road had been busy misrepresenting Mr. Ogden's actions and intentions to Mr. Scammon and Mr. Scammon's to Mr. Ogden. until the latter was led to believe that there was a conspiracy to turn him out of the presidency and elect llie wriler in his stead. A counter movement was therefore undertaken by Mr. Ogdcn ami the few who were in his confidence. This movement was not discovered until a few ilays before the election. Nine of the directors were verv much surprised to learn it, and all of these nine sided with the writer. What combinations had been nude, and how many proxies were held bv the parties in this movemint, were unknown. We started for Klgin, where the meeting was to Ik held. Mr. Ogden's party, with Mr. Arnold as their attorney, went in one car, the other Chicago directors in another. On the way out, the writer said to the directors w ho were in the car with him. that he had been thinking over the matter, and had come to the conclusion that inasmuch as we did not know how strong the other fatly were, and what they intended ultimately to do, I he liettcr way would In- to propose to them that the writer would decline a re-election upon condition lhal all the other directors should lie re-elected without opposition ; anil he said he would name, as his successor, Mr. Knowlton, of Krecport. That the other party would be obliged to accept this, or lose Mr. Knowlton's and the other I'reeport votes, which would certainly defeat them. That we could not afford to have an open quarrel, which might hurt our credit and embarrass the progress of the road. The directors with the wriur replied, if Mr. Scammon is willing to make this proposition they thought it would succeed, but no one could ask it of him. He replied, that he was more interested in the completion and success of the road than in anv personal question ; that he had worked solely in the interest of the road as a public improvement demanded by the country, and had no selfish axes to grind, and he would make that proposition, and trust to time for his justification. It was made, much to the surprise of the other party, and after some hesitation or consideration, as it ' broke their slate," it was accepted. Mr. Ogdcn was re-elected president ; but no sooner was Mr. Scammon out of the directory than all the batteries of the conspirators were turned against Mr. Ogden, and his place was made so uncomfortable that at the end of the year he left the road. Immediately after the election, the nine directors called t!ie conspirators to account ; and there was a confession that the writer had Urn grossly misrepresented and improperly treated, anil a promise made that a proper explanation sliould be made. It was never done. Itut William It. 1 igdcu acted otherwise. When he learned the farts, and that we had both DCCM made the victims of UDbitious and designing men. who wished to get rid of the wriler, because he had nipped in the bud their first attempt at speculation in the lucation of the road, and prevented its repetition, and liecause they knew that they were watched, and so long as he was in the board such movements were likely to lie detected and defeated. Mr. Ogden came directly to the writer, and, on learning what statemenls these parties hail made to the latter, relative to Mr. OgAen. at once frankly acknowledged that in his action he had been misled and imposed upon by those he trusted, and that the writer's con. duct, to which he hail taken so grave exception that he felt justified in self-defense to enter into combination to defeat his re-election, was entirely in the path of right and duty, if the writer bcKtvcd the representations made to him. as he 'was bound to do within the circumstances."

Judge Breese's stupendous project, which hitti been lying dormant, hut not dead, since tin- hunting of the internal improvement bulihle in 1839, was taken up with renewed energy in 184s. John S. Wright, who had early taken a deep interest in public enterprises, anil was a man of great foresight, energy and enthusiasm, was actively employed in circulating petitions and documents in favor of a land grant from the General Government 10 assist in the construction of the road, while the father of the enterprise, Judge BreCSC, was giving his time and energies to it in the Senate of the United States. Mr. Wright flooded the country with documents laying the matter before every class of people. He is said to have distributed at his own expense six thousand copies of petitions to Congress for a grant of laud in aid of a railroad from the Upper and Lower Mississippi to Chicago. Three different ones were prepared - for the Smith. Illinois and the East Judge Douglas said they came to Washington by the hundreds, numerously signed and had much influence, being the earliest movement for this object outside of Congress, except by the Cairo company. Arrangements were then January, 1848. being made to continue the Michigan Central Railroad from New Buffalo to Chicago, sixty miles, which, with the road then building across Canada, would connect the city with the East. The Galena & Chicago Union Railroad had been surveyed. The proposed Buffalo \ Mississippi road via Chicago to the mouth of Rock River was to be extended, in time, to Council Bluffs. An ardent admirer of this project and a warm practical supporter, and a hard worker to make the enterprise a success was Hon. Stephen A. Douglas. The Illinois Central from Cairo at the mouth of the Mississippi to the canal was designed to be a most important link in the great system of communication between the lakes and the Mississippi, as that river as far south as Cairo was open to the gulf at all seasons of the year.

The original bills, introduced by Judge Brcese, as he himself says in a letter to Senator Douglas, published in lanuarv. 1851, did not contemplate a connection with Chicago. ' 1'hev confined the roads to the routes from Cairo, bv Yand'alia. Shelbvville. Decatur. Bloomington. Peru anil Dixon, to Galena. In 1847 Senator Douglas made Chicago his home, antl he. in connection with other large property owners, determined to establish a line binding the Northwest with the lakes. Thus many friends were secured for the measure in the northeastern antl middle States, who did not favor a propositioh having for its natural tendency the diversion of trade from the l"pi>er Mississippi toward New Orleans alone.*

On the 1 1 tit of December. 1848, in the United States Senate, Mr. Douglas gave notice that he would introduce a bill granting the right of way and making a grant of land to the Slates of Illinois, Mississippi and Alabama in aid of the construction of a raili oad from Chicago to Mobile. I he bill was introduced on the ityh of the same month, read twice, and referred to the committee on public land, of which Judge lireese was chairman. On the t9th of December Judge Breesc reported back the bill without amendment and it was ordered to be printed. On the .jot h of J antiarv, iNj«i. Judge lircese moved that the prior orders be postponed for the purpose of taking up the bill. The Senate was in committee of the whole proceeded to its consideration. Mr. Hreese submitted sundry amendment- but moved that the printing uf thtm lie dispensed with -Mr. Dodge of Iowa, suggested a further amendment so as to provide for terminating the road at Dubuque, on inserting after the word "Galena" the words -to the .Mississipp, R.ver ..pposite Dubuque." No further amendments being submitted the bill was reported to

S,e"i,U'- M-"Vt'r;'1 aiW"«meiHs were concurred m. rhebiU was then ordered to Ik- engrossed and read a third time, and was subsequently by unanimous consent taken up and passed in the Senate. In

General James Shields was sent to Congress as the he successor of Judge ,{rwst. l)tx?m] , "L Congressman Shie d* and S,,,ator Douglas, supported was . n, reduced m.o the Senate by Mr. Douglas in January. 185a It passed the Senate May 2, an<l the House of Representatives September io is>rt i, . that hlu-lv «- 1 H'jeruoir .0, is,,o. Its triumph in that Doth was largely due to the energy and ability of Hon. John Uentworth. the Representative ..f l is lis from C hicago to F.lgin ; a section of the Northern t russ Railroad, from Naples and Meredosia to Springfield and six miles of Governor Reynolds's track from a point opposite St. Louis to the Bluff coal mines What new hopes the great land grant built up mav be learned from the repeal of the act canceling the (Treat Western Railroad Company's charter, and the regranting of the charter to the Cairo City & Canal Company, with additional privileges. This transaction, known as the " Hoibrook Charter," became notorious; so much so that Douglas prevailed upon D. B. Holbrook, president ol the Cairo company, to yield up to the State the charter, which surrender was made December 24. iS4y.

During the previous month. November 5, 1849, the act to provide for "a general system of railroad incorporations" went into effect, it provided that not less than twenty-live persons might form a railroad corporation, and elect directors when §1,000 of stock per m:le should be subscribed, and ten per cent paid in. Thirteen directors were to be chosen, at least seven of whom must reside in the counties through which the road was to run. Rules were laid down for the conduct of the directors, making the stockholders individually liable to the creditors of the company to the amount of stock held by them. Every company before proceeding to construct their road through any county was to make a map of its route and file it in the County Clerk's office. The corporation was not to interfere with navigable streams, or obstruct roads and highways. The compensation for any passenger and his ordinary baggage was not to exceed " three cents per mile, unless by special act of the Legislature." Rules were also laid down for obtaining the right of way Each employe was to be appropriately " labeled " with his company's badge. Annual reports were required to be made to the Secretary of State, and the railroad property listed by the proper officer, the State having a lien upon appurtenances and stock, for penalties, dues and taxes. The act admitted the right of the Legislature to alter rates, if the profits were not reduced less than fifteen per tent per annum on the paid up capital. Three commissioners, appointed by the Governor, were to fix the rates of transportation for the United States mail, in case the railroad could not agree with the General Government. Should a passenger not pay his fare the conductor was authorized to " put him off." Under no circumstances were freight cars to be placed behind passenger coaches, and at least a thirty-two-pound hell or a steam whistle was to be placed on the locomotive, anil worked at least eighty rods from a railroad crossing. Penalties were provided for a violation of these sections. " N arning boards " were to be erected, on which were to be painted, in capital letters of at least the size of nine inches - " Railroad Crossing - Look out for the cars while the bell rings, or the whistle sounds." This was not to apply to city streets.

By act of the General Assembly, approved February 17, 1851.au act entitled "An act to incorporate the Great Western Railway Company," approved March 6, ,843: " An act to amend an act entitled a" act to incorporate the Great Western Railway Company," approved February 10. 1849, ami -ss "An act to incorporate the Illinois Central ) Railroad Company." approved January iG.

Prior to the passage of this wholesale repealing act. a memorial was presented to the General Assembly. U is dated December 28, 1850, and signed by Robert Schuy- fer, George ( ris wold , Gouverneur Morris, of Morrisania, Franklin Haven, David A. Neal. R. Rantoul, Jr., J. Sturges, Thomas \V. Ludlow and John [-'. A. Sanlord. The memorialists offer to build a road from Cairo to Catena, w ith a branch to Chicago, on or before July j, i854."as well and thoroughly built as the railroad running from Boston to Albany," agreeing furthermore, in consideration of the charter and the land grant to "pav road." The general reader may be glad to learn that this blank was filled with a "seven" and that this agreement became one of the corner-stones of the financial stability of the State of Illinois.* On February 10, 1X51, the Legislature, declaring that in its judgment the object of incorporating the Central Railroad Company could not be attained under general laws, passed an act incorporating the Illinois Central Railroad Company. The event was celebrated in Chicago by a popular demonstration of favor. The corporators were the memorialists mentioned above, and Henry Crinnell, William H. Aspinwall, Leroy Wiley and 'Joseph W. Alsop. These gentlemen, with the Governor of the State for the time being, were constituted the first board of directors.

To this company the congressional grant of right of way and public lands, together with -'the right of way which the State of Illinois has heretofore obtained;" the lot of land obtained by the State within the city of Cairo for a depot; "all the grading, embankments, excavations, surveys, work, materials, personal property, profiles, plats and papers constructed, procured, furnished and done by or in behalf of the State of Illinois, for or an account of said road and branches, and the right of way over and through lands owned by the State," were " ceded and granted," and the company were required to execute a deed of trust of all this prop'- erty, together with " the railroad which mav be built," to Morris Ketchum, |ohn Moore and Samuel I). Lockwood, trustees, to secure to the State the first lien on the property so conveyed, the construction of the road, and the indemnification of the State against the claims of the United States, in case the road should not be completed within ten years as required by the act of Congress of Septem!>er 20, 1X50. Thus the magnificent grant to the State was relinquished to a private corporation, not without strong opposition, however, for there was a deep feeling against the measure. The magnitude of the grant was so overpowering to the minds of many good citizens, that they argued earnestly that by proper management the State might not only build the seven hundred miles of railroad, but from the proceeds of the lands pay off a burdensome State debt of many millions of dollars besides. Doubtless this might have been possible, but the opportunities for "steals" might not have been easily resisted. John S. W right published a pamphlet in which he insisted that the State would be "everlastingly dishonored if the l egislature did not devise laws to build the road, anil disenthral the Stale of its enormous debt besides, out of the avails of this grant." The company negotiated a loan of $400,000. but the money could not be realized until there should be a conveyance of the lands from the General Government. In this there was some delay. Justin Itutterlield. the commissioner of the general land office, at Washington, who was from Chicago, construed the grant as entitling the company to lands for the Chicago branch, on a straight Hue to Chicago, which would avoid the junction with the Michigan Central. After some vexatious delay this construction of the act was overruled by the President and Secretary of the

Interior, and in March, 1X52, the necessarv patents were issued, contracts were awarded, work commenced and the road pushed forward to completion with little interruption.

In March, 1851, the board of directors had chosen Roswell 11. Mason.* of Bridgeport, Conn., engineer in chief. It is entirely fitting that he should himself give an account of the survey and building of the line, as he was at the head of the work from its commencement ato its conclusion. The following letter to a personal friend explains itself:

-' Dear Sir.- In compliance with your raqum, I give vou very briefly a few facts ami incident* connected with the early operation ol the engineer department of the Illinois Central Railroad.

" I received my appointment as t hief engineer of the Illinois Central Kailrond on theaad of .March. 1851, and entered at once upon the duly of selecting my assistants ami making preparations for the journey to what was ihen considered this far off Western country. Leaving New York on the 14th of May with a party of ten or twelve voting gentlemen, we traveled In steamer to Albany, by mil to Bultalo, by steamer to Detroit, by rail to New Buffalo, on the cost side of Lake Michigan, and thence h\ steamer lo Chicago, airiving on the 19th of May. My assistant engineers were appointed over the work M follows:

" After seeing my assistants on their way to their several locations. I went by packet-boat on the Illinois ,v Michigan ( anal from Chicago lo LaSalle, and then look a private conveyance to Cairo and hark to Chicago. We traveled very nearly on the line of the road as now located south of LaSalle through Bloomington and Clinton to Decatur. From LVratur I went to Springfield to have a consultation with the solicitors. Messrs. Bisscl & Brayman. and on my return tit Decatur I was joined by W. II, Bisscl, K.sq., who went wilh me to Cairo and a pari of the way l*ack south ol Decatni ivc traveled substantially on the present line .f the roa.: through Vandalia anil near kichview anil Jonesboro. But owing to high water we could not drive to Cairo and went to Mound 1 lily on the Ohio River, and ihencc by steamer to Cairo. Owing to cholera, which then prevailed there, and what appeared to me a very fair prospect of being drowned, 1 made a short visit, returning by steamer to Mound City; then followed back sitlrslanlially on our route lo near Decatur, thence to I'rbana. The expectation at that time being to have the Chicago branch leave the main lineal some point between Decatur mad Vandalia.

"(ruing north from I'rbana. we traveled over an unbroken prairie, almost the entire distance to Chicago, with no settlement in view on the whole one hundred and twenty-eight miles except at Spring Creek and Baurbonia until you came near Chicago, where we arrived in about one month from ihr time I left there, traveling by private conveyance between seven hundred and eight hundred miles. During the journey I met all my assistants except B. B. Provoost, and found them well equipped and entering very heartily into a vigorous prosecution of their work.

-'After spending a few days at Chicago. I went again bypackctbuat to I-aSalle and thence by private conveyance to Dubuque, through Dixon. Free-port and Galena, meeting Mr. Provoost at Frecport. who had his work well in hand; returning to Chicago after about ten days, where I spent several weeks. But during the summer and fall I visited different portions of the line several times and was able to complete the location substantially and get my profile! and maps ready to take with me to New York late in the

-' On live id of February, 1*52, 1 went lo Washington to deposit the map of our location with the Commissioner of the Land Department as required by law, and to gel his approval of the selection and quantity of the land. This was not accomplished until

(In- 14th of March. WWfc in Washington in the early part of Mirth I directed the work It. he put under contract from < hicago m t alumct. ill order to enable the Michigan t - ntr.d kailr.ud 1o .each the lily. Spending a few tlaf* wi'n '»>' ,n ciiuit after leaving Washington. I tfartcd lor Chicago "HP*" tin- 17th ..f M;.rch via Philadelphia and I 'ill -.burn h, an<l alter .1

.linn line tot he cast side of Michigan Avium-, immediately wnth of Tliirtecnth Ktiect, when a temporary passenger dt-poi was provided Mid uuaphal for wwrthiiig nun; ihan a year, until the road was completed t" the prescat depot at the f.«>t of |_ake Street.

The only towns "I importance ..n the main lint- wen t.atcn.i. 1-rccp.m. Dixon. La Salle. Illoomingtnii. Clinton. Decatur. Van. tfalla, kichvicw, |onc-hoto and Cairo. Kichvicw ami Jomwborn wen n..i immediaiclv um thv line, hut within about one mile. We did not gnlheowgh "a single settlement on the branch, hut passed limbered almost the entire distance. In going north on the 1 hi. cagri branch (r..m the main line we pawed over patches 01 timber ami prairie to a point a little south Mat loon, ami from Ihcre to t 'hicago it was entirely prairir, except for a short distance al Spring t reck and Kankakee. In going south from l a Salle we soon came on to a prairie an.l irau-lcd forty miles without seeing a house of tay kind, and generally there wan scarcely any nettlenajai lictwecn the |..wn< mentioned above, which are Iroin twenty -live to lifty or sixiv miles apart. < In the branch I think there was no settlement immediately on the line of the toad fiotn where it leave1) ihe main line until you come within about twenty miles of Chicago, There were ipiite a Rtntdace of platen from iwenly to folly nidts without a settlement. The only railr.Kids in Illinois in the spring of wen' the ('WcaOO \ tialena, exlendini; from t hicayo 10 t-il^in, ahoiit forty tmlea, laid with strap-rail : and a road ironi |,>. ksonville to the IIHatrfi Uiver, abo laid with »trap-rail. and pretty much abandoned. I think, at that time.

" In June. tSsi. Ihe contract was let for grading; the Mad lmm l.u Salle to ISIoominKlon. Hut liaywi to the high elevation in crvMNtg the Illinois Kivvr and the expaMTC |>radlnX on each side ol the river for several miles, a lempi^ary track w-as laid lr.»m the main line a lew miles south of l.a Salic lo the lop of the hlull immediately opposite in I ... Salle, an.l an inclined plane was eonsiriuled from the top of the Mull down lo the llllix.ii Uiver, so that iron and oilier material for the ConstraCtfrm ol the mad COttld b* loaded On Cars at the loot Ot the plane and draw n up by stationary power at the bead of the plane and then distrib, ntcd w ilh an engine and tars that had previously l.een taken up the plane. This road was completed to Itlonmin^toii in the earlv pari of (BS3,aadon the completion of the k«>ck lafauM] road to l.aSalle a leiup-irary bridge was eMMnttCtCtl over the Illinois kiier and a track laid iron the foot of the plane to connect with the Rack I-laiid Uailro.nl, making a c.miinu.His railroad track fromt'hieai;n in |l|.«.iiiiii»t..n.

" During l the entire line was put under contract and was completed on 1 he 17th of September. l?50. bat Owing to the few settlements it was very diHicuit to set men and teams and supplies for them. Agents wire sent to New York and New Orleans to Kit men, anil in some cases their fare was paid, with the promise of refunding it out of their work. Hut these |>romiscs were frequent ly entirely disregarded. Some men w.ml.l not even go on to the work a few miles only from the strambnai landing ; others would come on perhaps at -evening and get their tuppcr, lodging and breakfast and iMt off the next morning for other quarters, but notwithstanding these draw lucks nianv men were procured in this way. In the early construction of the'road. large supplies for men and leams came from Si. l ouis for the Main line south of Decatur, and from Indiana for the Chicago branch. In manv raves fVm and other supplies were hauled rcarlv ..1 quite rate hundred miles. Ihe iron for Ihe road from LaSalle to |tlo..niing'...n was sent from New York by HudatW Uiver. Krie Canal and Ihe lakes to Chicago and by Illinois It Mt.higan C anal to I aSalle. < In ihe 5th «i March, |S5j, | was advised that from twelve to fifteen thousand Inns of raihocid iron would soon arrive in New Orleans, subject to my order, flits iron «xs distributed to all points where the line of the rnad could be reached by water, lot instance to Cairo; lo

Ihe mouth of the Cash kiecr, a few miles north of Cairo : lo Ibr mouth of the llig Muddy Kiver, from whence ii wa» taken by tu boatfi up to the line of the road, to Galena and lhinlieth, anil track laying was commenced at all of the-*- points a> won as the grading was completed, and on the completion uf the 1 >h. .-. Mississippi kailroad from St. Louis to the main line, rails were sent to St. I.miis and over thai nail, and track laying was cammcnenl both north and WUtii from that point; and when in tne tireit Western kailroad was completed from Springfield to Decatur, anil the Chicago- llurlington iV QubKy from Chicago to MendoU. and the I aetOM kailroad from Chicago 10 Freepoil. irun was sent over those roads lo each one ol th«>sc connecting points, enabling c.s in lav traik each way from each |H»int. Track laying was continued s*.uih from lllooniiiigton wilh iron sent from 1 .aSalle. and south of l hicago as fast as the gT.iding was ready. (Jn the cnmplction of the t hicago. BoriingUM & i.luincy to Menduta the track was laid 011 the Illinois Central south lathe top ol the bluff north ol la- Salle, and thence a temporary track into l.aSalle making a continuous railroad track Iroin Chicago to 1-iSalle, which was ixperaled by the t hicago. llurlington ,V QutnCf Kailn>ad for a year or morr.

" Several engines were sent from the Kast In lluffalo. thence bv the Lake to Detroit and by Michigan Central kailroad to CWcago. And for the southern portion of the line an engine was sent to Cincinnati and taken down ihe Ohio kiver on a llal-Kai to the month of Cash kiver. and ihence up that to the line ol the road. S.me cars were sent from the Last, but the greater pari were built here in Illinois. The road -» completed in detached puces, thai pari of il from Frceporl to Dunlieth being operated for suoie linn- l.\ the ( ialena Kailroad.

'- 'To give vou some idea of the pleasure of iravehng in Illinois ai that earl'v dav. I will describe a trip made with David A Veal Ir . vice-president of the Illinois Central Kailroad Company, in Ihe fall ol |S.jZ. Leaving Chicago NovemlieT 10. ll J3. we went bv packcUboM on the Illinois ,V Michigan t anal 10 l.aSalle. Ihence 'hv steamer on the Illinois and Mississippi rivers to Cairo, arriving al St. Louis on ihe 14th and Cairo on the 17th of ^ove'°- licr. a verv cwnforiable journev. But our plan was to return by iirivale com evance near the line of the railroad to t hicago. Leav. ing Cairo on the l>th. we reached Vandalia on thcijd.and Dreamt ihe 2sth with onr team nearly exhausted, and unable bigoan) Inn her, The roads were s,, bad it was thought nearly >n'rx"lWt to get thr-rtigh and it was determined to go 10 Springheld and then by railroad, which had just been completed to Alton, and then pv the Illinois Kiver anil Illinois & Michigan Canal to « hicngo. «c |..und il iliflu uli to get a team to take us to Springheld. MB an offer of 8,t« induced a liverv-man u> agree lo take us thmugti i* Springtield. about forty mile*, in a day. Leaving Decaiur rnm morning. Novenilier 2»'.. we loilinl through the mud. water MM 1* to a small town within twelve miles of Springtield, arming tnerr abtnt .lark with our team tired out and entirely unable to go infurther. I he train left Springfield Saturday niurmng at ognj (."dock and an offer of $is more induced a man who had a gncu learn to agree to take us ih'eie ill time for the train, or else forte.t ini Si s. W e agreeing togoat once <«- let him fix the time of »"Jj" named two o'clock in the morning as Ihe time to start. » Se"'^ a lit I le rest we wen- under wav at two o'clock. It was cold, and ice of considerable lliickncss formed on the water ciminK Ihe horses legs quite liadly 10 go through il. And in W the driver would go through on foot and break the to* °*"**"!L iug th.ough it. We arr,ve.l at Springlicld abo.,1 twenty 1 Mint ^ Inrlore the train left. 1 le earned his $1 5 and we had a fW^W journev fiom thereto St. I.miis. where wc staid over >un'la-\r" took a steamer Monday morning for 1-aSalie, thence bv P*"1

"It was tome considerable time after the work »«f«f"2 * Ivfore a local treasurer was ap|x.inlcd to Ik- stationed at /-"'"^ And in the mean time all the funds for the payment ol m« c k -ers and conlractors passed through my hands, so that icavnj large amounts of money to all iiarts of the road in my In going into the extreme southern part of the Slate 1 wwi m^- Louis with mv funds or sometimes procured ihcm there on New York and then secured a reliable police officer l°S° ~ until I had disbursed them. Hut after a time 1 was yen mu licved by having lohn II. Calhoun senl out W C hicago '» ^ treasurer. He wasTa competent, faithful, rcliiible man. an u not aware that one dollar was ever lost or misappropnaiea the eonstriictiun of ihe road. husoi ' There were important reasons for completing the *"« , the road bv January I, 1*56, and somemonUw previous i« ^ uas autboriecd to use every possible effort to complete it time, regardless of expense. Oil consultation Willi tne k conlractors a lime was fixed for the completion of their a , - serving only time enough 10 lav the track, and a bonus was I hem lores:cr> dav il w as completed liefore the tune. 1 (J was completed within the time, but 1 he conlractors did n« very large bonus. Extra track layers were engaged and teams employed to cart iron a few miles in advance of (he regular party. When the extra party would commence and when the regular party reached that point they would go on a few miles in advance of the extra party and commence again. So by this and various other methods the track was completed on the 2ath of December, 1855, and a telegram was sent to New York announcing the completion of the uiiUn Urn- of the Illinois Central Railroad on that day.

The successive steps by which the Illinois Central has obtained a property foothold in Chicago commenced with the payment of §45,000 to the General Government, In October, 1850, 111 consideration for which the company obtained possession of the unoccupied portion of the Fort Dearborn reservation. The railroad company paid the sum under protest, claiming that this tract was included in the Congressional grant. Suit was brought in the Court of Claims for the recovery of the money, but the decision went against the company. In 1852 the Legislature empowered the company to build a branch from the terminus at Twelfth Street to the south pier of the inner harbor, and the City Council supplemented the action of the Legislature in June of the same year by an ordinance admitting the company to lay tracks parallel with the lake shore, the condition being that the road should enter the city at or near the intersection of the southern limits and the lake, and pursue a course along the shore to the southern limit of I-ake Park, in front of Canal Section No. 15, and continue due north to the proposed site within the Fort Dearborn addition to Chicago, between the line of Randolph Street and the main river. This actually handed over to the company the right to use a strip of three hundred feet wide, cast of a line drawn parallel with Michigan Avenue, four hundred distant from the west line of that thoroughfare.

In September, 1S52, the Illinois Centra! commenced work on the lake-shore protection, or breakwater, which was completed in two years, under the superintendency of Colonel R. 15. Mason, chief engineer. Mr. Bross, in speaking of the great work, says :

" This great work commences at the south pier, four hundred feet inside of its extreme east end and extends south one thousand two hundred and fifty-seven feet into the lake ; thence west six hundred and seventy-five feet on the north line of Randolph Street ; thence. southwest one hundred and tifly feet ; thence to a point opposite the American Car Factory, making fourteen thousand three hundred and seventy-seven - in all sixteen thousand four hundred and fifty-nine feet". From the pier to the engine-house the breakwater is twelve feet wide ; thence down to the car company's works half that width. The upper portion of the crib work is h-.iili of square timber twelve by twelve, locked together every ten feet, anil the intermediate space filled by stone, piles being driven on the outside to keep it in place. The first piece of crib work sunk, in building the breakwater, has a very stout plank bottom. The water line of the crib work, south of Randolph Street, is six hundred feet east of the cast side of Michigan Avenue, and the outer line of the crib work, between Randolph Street and the river, is one thousand three hundred and seventy-live (eel. The area thus inclosed, and rescued from the dominion id the lake is about thirty-throe acres."

In 1855 the Common Council gave the company permission to use a triangular piece of land, which lay north of Randolph and a short distance west of the land granted in 1852. In 1856 the city granted a right to use the space "between the breakwater, from a point seven hundred feet south of the north line <>< Randolph

Street, branching out and running thence to the southeast corner of the company's breakwater as then established, and thence to the river. In February of this year, passenger trains over the Illinois Central, the Michigan Central and the Chicago & St, Louis roads, commenced to run into the new depot of the first named company. After that year the company continued to improve and possess submerged and other lands east of the cast line of the two hundred feet granted in the original ordinance.

This company was the first to take action in the matter of suburban trains. A time table was issued June 1, 1S56, and three trams placed on the line between the city ami Hyde l'ark.

The gross earnings of the Illinois Central Railroad from March 24 to October 31, 1855, were $595,633. <S6 ; the amount of State tax paid into the State treasury, §-'9,751.59, the rate levied being live per cent. For the six months ending April 30, 1856, the gross earnings were $630,580.02 and the tax $31,529. The earnings for the half year ending October 31, 1S56, aggregated $922,053.30 and the taxes paid $46,102.66. For the six monthsending April 30, 1857, the total earnings were $9.?5>;?So 6? : the rate of tax varied from five to seven per cent, yielding to the State a revenue of $59,196.82. During the half year ending October 31, 1 85 7, the gross earnings amounted to $1,234,986, and the tax, levied at the rate of seven per cent, to $86,449.02.

Land Salks. - C. C. 1". Holden furnishes the following interesting facts in regard to the early sales of Illinois Central Railroad lands, and their marked effect upon the prosperity of the State :

" The foundation upon which rested the corner stone of the Illinois Central Railroad was the grant of lands from the General Government to the State of Illinois - under the act of Congress of September 20, 1*50. and from the State of Illinois to the company, by act approved February 10. 1B51. This grant consisted of 3,595,000 acres of land selected from the public domain and lying on each side of their road, within fifteen miles thereof. The grant of this large body of land gave the company a credit which otherwise it might not have been able to obtain. With these lands as a foundation upon which to guarantee the payment of their Iionds at maturity and the interest on the same as it became due, their credit took immediate *ha|>e and they readily placed their bonds, of which there were ten thousand of fti.ooo each, and fourteen thousand of $500. each, in all for $17,000,000, The payment of these bonds was secured by a mortgage pledging 2,000,000 acres of the company's land* therefor. The residue of 51)5,000 acres of said lands were at the disposal of John Moore, S. I). Loekwood, and Morris Kctchum, trustees named in the bill, the proceeds to lie used in paying the interest on the .il» u- l-.:id», -m- !.- ' meet such demands as the exigencies of the company may demand.' With this advantage Secured, the cbmpany took immediate shape and went forward to carry out the object of the grant, under the act of Congress and of our own State Legislature.

" The writer hereof having been for I long period of years BOWPcCted w ith the sale and management of these lands, it may not be amiss to briefly review some of the results accruing to the railroad company, to the State of Illinois, and finally to the great Northwest through the sale and settlement of the lands of this corporation. The Slate of Illinois at the time the grant was made had a popu'alion of 351.470; and the counties through which the road was located - to-wit, Jo Daviess. Stephenson, Ogle, l.ee. I_a- Salle, Marshall. Woodford, McLean. Hewitt, Macon, Christian, Shelby. Fayette. Marion, Washington, Perry, Jackson, Union, Alexander. Vulaski, Clay, Effingham, Cumberland. Coles. Champaign, Vermillion, Iroquois, Will and Cook - had a population of 255.264. The State debt at that time was $15, 000,000. In the early spring of 1851. the company fully organized, when its officers anil board of directors took immediate steps for the construction of the road and the branches thereof, a task that would have appalled the mi>sl of men ; but the directors were fully equal to the occasion, and one of their first acts was to select Co'lonel Koswcll B. Mason, to locale and build the road.

" In 1852. 1S53 and 1S54 the company's lands were selected ami platted, under the supervision of John C. Dodge, of Chicago, with local agencies at Freeporl. Dixon, I-aSatle. Bloomington. Clinton, Richvicw, Joncsboro. Urbana and Kankakee. Those who were living upon the lands prior to September 20, 1S50. had the right to prove up their claim, pay S- 5" per acre and take deeds therefor. The agents at the above points were John A. Clark, Free port ; Silas Noble. Dixon ; S. B. Carter, LaSallc ; A. (Iridley. Hloomingion ; C. II- Moore, Clinton; II. C Know, Kichvicw ; I). L, 1'hillips, Jonesboro ; John Campbell, L'rbana, and A. Chester. Kankakee. They also made sales of other lands miring to the company in their respective districts.

" Karly in 1 ^55. under the administration of J. N. A. Ciris. d, president of the road, the Land IVparlmcnt was thoroughly organised under the immediate supervision of Charles M. Duptlv. The lands of the entire grant were divided into districts where engineering parties examined each and every tract, reporting the result of their labors to the Chicago office. These examinations were made for the purpose of ascertaining the quality of the soil, whether timber or prairie, its nearness to any settlement, proximity tu water, with any other Information bearing upon the value of the same. When these examinations had been completed and copied in books furnished for that purpose at the Chicago oliicc, prices were attached to each tract, and then the land was thrown into market. Mr. hupuy thoroughly systematized the work, and by a judicious system of advertising both at home ami abroad, the demands for the lands of this company soon commenced to increase. People came from all parts of the country - from the North and from the South, from the Kast and from Europe - seeking homes for themselves and their families along the line of the Illinois Central.

" By the hrst of May, l*?;. emigration began to pour into the State, especially seeking the lands of this company. It was about the 5th of that month that the writer hereof was detailed I,, locate for Adam smith thirty-two tracts of three hundred and twenty acres each between Ashkum Station, on the north, and Kantoul on the south. I he amis were to I* located in the following manner hach tract to be three miles from the railroad, three miles from timber, and three miles from any improvement whatever; that is we have a distance of forty miles north and south in whu h to make the sck-Lhons. W e started out and succeeded in making nearly ..11 ol the locations. There were a few tracts, however, which had to come ins.de the three-mile limiis, and »e had the order so changed as to allow this .0 be done. When the land gran, was made, from I few mile* south of Chicago to the south line of Coles t y 1h ow Ma.toon. the country was one bleak wilderness, save sinail'scttleniems along , he timber behs. which were off from the line of ot I axton inside the fiftcen-mile limits on the west side of the railroad, there were but two families living at lhc time. The same condition of th.ngs existed on the maill |me, ij];v M £££

LaSallcand Pana. Along .he timber belts and water-ways .here were meagre se.tlements, while, in the great open prairie will emems had not begun. This was the condition o ,hc along the line ot the Illinois Cen.ral in .he beginning of 8« fi was a common occurrence in those days for , te» ram stop ,n the great open prairie .0 allow himself and a and hun ers ,0 get off. and start rmt over the prairie from i i, o sert.on making sales ,f was possible .0 do so. Then strik * plorers after looking over the country tributary to the Illinois fen. tra! followed the water-courses to the far West and Northwest Md saw the endless plains and the beautiful countries now eadmctd within the boundaries of Minnesota, Nebraska, Dakota anil 00 the far-off country beyond."

Galena & Chicauo Union Railroad Company. - The year 1X50 is the commencement erf an era in the railroad history of Chicago ami Illinois. Then the olitaining of the land grant by the Illinois Central made the building of that road an assurance, and the construction of the Catena & Chicago Union Railroad to F.lgin, forty miles west, placed that line on a paying basis from the start. The hearts of the stockholders were gladdened, even in 1850, by their |K« ket-books receiving a dividend of ten per centum. It already was assuming so independent an air that when, in December, 1850, the Michigan Southern made a proposition to build a road to the Indiana State-line, using the grant of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad in its construction, that corporation flatly refused the offer, saying that it could build the road itself.