Effingham County, Illinois - Chapter 8, 1883

Harness me down with your iron bands, Be sure of your curb and rein ; I scorn the strength of your puny arm, As the tempest scorns a chain." - Steam.

IN another part of this work we remarked that there were two things in the history of the county, that were eras. The first one of these was the building of the Cumberland road through the county, the other was the building of the Illinois Central Railroad.

county that at all compares with the last named in importance. All other things are merely events; some of them of great importance, and others of less importance, but all placed together are insignificant to this.

The grand scheme of connecting, b}- means of iron bands of commerce, Lake Michigan with the great water highway of the Mississippi Valley at the confluence of the Ohio, had long been a desideratum with our people. It had constituted a part of the State internal improvement system of 1S37, and some work on the line was actually done, but was abandoned with the collapse of that system. The Central Railroad, from the southern terminus of the canal to Cairo, was subsequently revived by legislation, procured by scheming brains with an eye to the future, but the whole subject lacked vitality until the passage of the act of Congress of 1850, granting to the State a muniflcentdonationofnearly 3.000,000 acres of land through the heart of Illinois in aid of its completion. This noble tribute by the nation had its birth simultaneously with and amidst the throes of the great adjustment measures of 1850, which, during that long and extraordinary session of Congress, shook the Union from center to circumference. Twice before had a similar bill passed the Senate, and twice had it failed in the House, but now it was a law, and the State possessed the means to complete the great work. The final passage of the measure was hailed with great demonstrations of joy by the people and press of the State; Senators Douglas and Shields, and Congressmen Mc- Clernand, Harris, Wentworth, Young. Richardson, Bissell and Baker, the then delegation in Washington from Illinois, were tendered a public dinner and reception upon their return in Chicago in honor of the event.

The entire amount of railroad in the State at that time consisted of a section of the Northern Cross Railroad, from Meredosia and Naples, on the Illinois River, to Springfield; the Chicago & Galena, from the former cjty as far as Elgin, and a six mile track across the American bottom from opposite St. Louis to the mines in the blufls.

the' public lands of the width of 200 feet, from the southern terminus of the Illinois & Michigan Canal to a point at or near the junction of the Ohio & Mississippi Rivers, and for a branch to Chicago and Galena ; also the privilege to take from them materials of earth, stone and timber for its construction. But the main grant to the State was the alternate sections of land designated bj- even numbers for six sections deep on each side of its track and branches ; for the lands sold or pre-empted within this 12-mile belt or area, enough might be selected from even numbered sections to the distance of fifteen miles on either side of the tracks equal in quantity to them. The construction of the road was to be simultaneously commenced at its northern and southern termini, and when completed the branches were to be constructed. It was to be comj^leted within ten years, in default of which the unsold lands were to revert to the United States, and for those sold the State was to pay the Government price. The minimum price of the alternate or odd sections of the Government land was raised from $1.25 to $2.50 per acre. While the public lands were thus by the prospect of building this road rendered more salable at double price, it followed that the General Government not only lost nothing in dollars and cents, but in point of fivct was actually the gainer b}- this splendid gift. The land was taken out of the market for two years, and when restored in the fall of 1852, it, in fact, brought an average of .S5 per acre. The grant was subject to the disposal of the Legislature, for the purpose specified, and the road and branches were to be and remain a public highway for the use of the Government of the United States, free from all tolls either for the transportation of anj- troops, munitions or other property of the General Government. This provision, had it applied to the rolling stock as well as the use of the rads, would doubtless have saved the General Government, during the

Upon the passage of the bill, Mr. Douglas immediately prepared a petition signed by the Congressional delegation of all the States along the route of the road from ^lobile north, describing the probable location of the road and its branches through Illinois ; and requesting of the President the suspension of land sales along the lines designated, which was immediately done.

The act of Congress threw upon the Legislature of Illinois the entire dut3- of mailing a prudent, wise and satisfactory disposition of the magnificent grant. The point of departure of the Chicago branch of the main track was not iixed by the act, and this delicate duty the Legislature, it was generall}' expected, would take in hand. Before the meeting of that body, in January, 1851, much contention pervaded the press of the State regarding the location of the main track, and particularlj' the routes of the branches. Manj- worthy and ambitious towns were arrayed against each other. The La Salle interests wanted the Chicago branch taken off at that point. Bloomington, looking to a continuation of the Alton & Sangamon road (now the Chicago & Alton) to that place, wanted the Chicago branch to connect her with the lake. Shelbyville, which was a point on the old line of the Illinois Central, not dreaming but that she would have the main track, was grasping for the departure thence of the Chicago branch also, and lost both. Another route, which ought to have commanded great strength, was proposed on the most direct line from Cairo, making the point of connection in Pulaski Count}', taking otf the Galena branch at Mount Vernon, thence through Carlyle, Greenville, Hillsboro, Springfield. Peoria, Galena and on to Dubuque. But, of course, it was to the interests of tlie company to make tlie location where there was the largest amount of vacant land that could be brought within the belt of fifteen miles on either side of the road. And this proved the controlling influence ultimatel}-, both in the location of the main track and its branches.

Hnlhrook Charters. - One of the phantoms which loomed into public recognition, casting its shadow across the path of bright promise for the State, was what was known as the " Holbrook Charters," whose incorporators, it was feared, would step in and swallow up the Congressional grant of land under the broad terms of their franchise.

The interest of the people of Illinois is now deepl}' concerned in the history of these Holbrook Charters," owing to the extraordinary discussion that arose in the last 3'ears of the lives of those two men, Sidney Breese and Stephen A. Douglas, in regard to the paternitj' of the Illinois Central Railroad. Letters addressed to the public through the press of the country were written by each of these men on the subject, and the people are 3-et undecided as to where the paternity of this enterprise belongs. It is the widespread and profound interest among all our readers in anything that concerned these two eminent Illinoisans that is our apology for giving the history of the " Holbrook Charters " at length.

" The Cairo City Canal Company was originally incorporated for the purpose of constructing dykes, levees or embankments, to secure and preserve Cairo City and adjacent lands against the freshets of the rivers. The cutting of the canal to unite the Mississippi with the Ohio through Cache Eiver was also authorized. In the fall of 1835, the Hon. Sidney Breese, through i well-constructed published letter, had first en lied attention to the plan of a central rf :, connecting the southern terminus c ihe Illinois & Michigan Canal at Peru with the confluence of the Ohio and M'saissippi Rivers at Cairo. An effort was mi .e, r*^ the special session of 1835-36, to iiuite this project the canal, for which an approjiriation of $500,000 was granted. This failing, a charter for the railroad was granted, supplementing this project with the Cairo City Company, the corporators being Darius B. Holbrook (who was ^also President of the company) and others. Application was then first made to Congress for aid by pre-emption. One year later, the State entered upon the great internal improvement system, and, unwilling to brook a rival, applied to the Cairo Company to surrender the charter for the building of this railroad through the center of the State, which was complied with on condition that the State build the road on a route leading from Cairo through Vandalia, Sholbyville, Decatiu", Bloomington, Peru, and via Dixon to Galena. The State expended more than a million dollars, it is said, on this route, before the "grand system" collapsed in 1840. Subsequently, by act of March 6, 1843, the road, in the condition that it was abandoned, was restored to the Cairo Cornpany,^ under the title of the Great Western Railway Company, with a power to construct the road from Cairo by the places named to a point at or near the southern terminus of the Illinois & Michigan Canal, in such manner as they might deem most expedient. The Cairo Company was vested with the title and effects of the old Central Railroad. All the usual fi'anchises were sfranted to the Great Western Company as part of the Cairo Company, and in Section 18 it was added that ' all lands that may come in possession of said company, whether by donation or purchase,' were pledged and mortgaged in advance, as security for payments of bonds and obligations of the company, authorized to b" issued and contracted under the provisions of the charter. By act of March 3, 1845, the charter of this Great

Western Company was repealed; but, by act of February 10, 1849, it was received for bene fit of Cairo City & Canal Company, with the addition of some thirty names as incorporators, taken from all parts of the State, many of whom ivere well-known politicians. The company thus revived was authorized in the construction of the Central Railroad, to extend it on from the southern terminus of the canal - La Salle - to Chicago, 'in strict conformity to all obligations, restrictions, powers and privileges of the act of 1843.' The Governor was empowered to hold in trust, for the use and benefit of said company, whatever lands might be donated to the State by the General Government, to aid in the completion of the Central or Great Western Railway, subject to the conditions and provisions of the bill (then pending before Congress and expected to become a law) granting the subsidies of 3,000,000 acres of land. The company was further authorized to receive, hold and dispose of any and all lands secured to it by donation, pre-emption or otherwise. There were other details of minor importance, but these sufficiently indicate the scheme. "

Here, substantially, is the outline of the final legislation that led to the building of the Central Railroad. And it was this idea of 1835 whereon Judge Breese based his claim to the paternity of the great work.

Judge Douglas had charge of the bill for the road in the United States Senate. He was radically opjjosed to the whole Holbrook scheme, because, as he warmly contended, it was a private scheme of speculation, if not peculation, and he frankly informed the corporators of the Great Western Railway that, unless they wholly stepped down and out, sm-rendered everything that had been granted them by the State, he would not press his bill to a final passage in the Senate, but would not even vote for it. Here the whole matter rested in uncertainty and doubt for some time, and the public press poured out charges and counter-charges, and negotiations looking to an adjustment satisfactory to all parties were frequently instituted, and as often came to naught. Judge Douglas would accept no terms except an absolute and total suiTender of everything that had been granted the Holbrook corporators, and he broadly based his action on the grounds that it was better for the country that the whole scheme should perish rather than go into the hands of irresponsible private schemers. His great mind must have fully realized that he was taking immeasurable responsibilities - that he was called upon to act, in the face, too, of the opposition of many and powerful political friends, in the most important and vital matter to the country that concerned his whole political life. He must have realized that, while this was on its face local legislation to some extent, yet it was a part of the legislation unparalleled in its great and far-reaching consequences. Had Douglas been a mere demagogue, as has been charged by his enemies, he could have here, by a mere negative assent, had easy sailing in smooth waters, and at the same time given the country the great railroad, with all its advantages. But here was exactly where he rose to the emergency - where his mind forecast the long future, and would not be corrupted. He could easily have dropped into this first attempt (if his judgment was right about it) to put on its feet a similar great scheme of national robbery and disgrace to that of the Union Pacific Eailroad. Had he been a dishonest man, he would have done so. There is one thing certain - he had his own way in everything, without compromising one jot or tittle of his judgment or conviction, and he gave the country one of the wisest and greatest legislative enactments that can be found in the law books of our continent. Millions of people are to-day reaping the fruits of his work that he gave them without robbing them of a cent or a drop of blood. Peace hath her victories as well as war. Indeed, war has none. Revolutions that strike off the heads of oppressors may have - often do. A free people that go into battles to repel invaders that come to enslave may be sacred men, treading upon sacred ground, but if it is an enslaved people, and the invaders promise even a modicum of relief fi-om their home oppressors, then it is pretty much like all war - a barbarous calamity, and a by-word of reproach to any one above a mere cannibal savage.

The Holbrook party had the ear "and confidence of the Illinois Legislature, but Douglas was master of Illinois' interests in the United States Senate. At the special session of the Legislature of 1849, he delivered a speech to that body, in which he attempted to demonstrate to it that a fraud had been practiced upon it, and frankly tcjld them that the important bill had been delayed and postponed in Congress on account of the action of the Illinois Legislature. He further told them that Congress had an insuperable objection to making the grant for the benefit of a private corporation.

To obviate the objection of Judge Douglas, Holbrook, on December 15, 1849, executed a promise of release to the Governor, a duplicate of which was transmitted to Douglas at Washington. But he refused to accept this as a valid and binding document upon the company, because, as he said, it was without the sanction or authority of the stockholders, or even the Board of Directors. While he did not impute such cunning designs to any one, yet he believed this release left it in the condition which would enable it to take all the lands granted, divide them among its stockholders, and retain its chartered privileges without building the road. He would not give his approval to any scheme by which the State could possibly be deprived of any of the benetite resulting from the expected grant. For the protection of the State, and as an assurance to Congress, the execution of a full and complete release of all rights and privileges, and a surrender of the charters, and all acts or parcels of acts supplemental or amendatory thereof or relating in anywise to the Central Railroad, so as to leave the State, through its Legislature, free to make such dispositions of the lands, and such arrangement for the construction of the road, as might be deemed best, was demanded.

This absolute release was executed, and one copy furnished the Governor and the other to Judge Douglas at Washington. Judge Douglas was satisfied with this release, and he pressed the bill to an immediate passage.

After the passage of the bill granting the land by Congress, there arose many doubts and misgiving in the minds of the people of Illinois as to the sufficiency of the release, and the matter was freely canvassed pending the election of the Legislature, which was to dispose of the splendid donation of the best interests of the State, regardless of local considerations or sectional desires. The claim was set up that the Cairo Company could and would repudiate the relinquishment of its charters, or use some expedient to induce the General Assembly to fail in accepting it according to its second stipulation, which would enable that concern to resume its former position, and grasp the large grant of land under the provisions of its charter of 1S49. On September 25, 1850, D. B. Holbrook, from New York, wrote a curious and pu22zling letter on the subject, which was published in tin Illinois paper and floated through the press for some time. This letter gave color to the fears of the people, particularly the 0[>eniug sentence of it. " I can truly say that I am under obligations to those who, with Gov. Casey, prevented the repeal of the charter of the Great Western Railway Company. It was granted in good faith, and from Cairo to Peru, Galena and Chicago will be built. I am now organizing the company, to commence the work this fall, and to put a large part of the road under contract as early as possible. We shall make the road on the old line of the Central route, through Vandalia, ShelbyvilJe, Decatur and Bloomington. I rejoice with the people of Illinois that this important road to the whole State will now be made. "

This singular letter was as a fire- bell at night to many a voter in the State. It was construed as a pretension on the part of the President of the old Holbrook charter that the State could not grant any other charter than that which this company already owned. Many read the letter as an open repudiation of the release, and believed it had been writ ten and published for the sole piu-jiose of warning the people of their intentions. Here, too, was a claim to a share in the glory of procuring the grant from Congi-ess, and the assertion that his company was ready to resume the work (mentioning the old route of the road), bordered closely upon the assertion that the Cairo Company deemed itself master of the situation.

Another straw indicating the shiftinswinds was a vile and coarse attack upon Judge Douglas in a Chicago paper published in the Holbrook interest, as follows: lease of the Cairo Company illegal and defective, but that he obtained a second one that was legal before he would vote for the grant of land. That will likely be found equally so (that is, defective as the tirst). For, although he is an ex-Judge, it is doubted if he knows enough law to either dictate or draw a legal release in such a case, and his whole concern in the matter may be looked upon as much a piece of political trickery as his braarging about it is bombastic, and that he had no more influence in procuring the grant than the barking of a poodle dog. * * The Cairo Company has never asked anything of the State but the privilege to expend their owoi money in it, which would never injure, but do much good, to the State. * * * If Breese and Casey and Holbrook can be killed off by the politicians of Illinois, look out for more pkinder. "

These pretensions plainly show that the apprehensions of the people were not groundless, particularly when it is remembered that there is to this day no positive evidence that the release executed in New York had ever been signed or duly authorized by tlie Illinois corporators, and when the Legislature did meet, it was soon manifest that the Cairo Companies had secured friends in that body. But, when baffled at every turn by Douglas, a new and a yet bolder scheme was inaugm-ated and presented to the Legislature. When the Legislature met to jaass the Central chai'ter, one of ;he iirst things that met the members was a voluminoiis printed bill for a charter, which was simply a proposition to place this grand enterprise into the hands of the State bondholders with a wild-cat bank added to the scheme. It was known as the bondholder's plan. The provisions of this extraordinary bill contained about as hard a bargain as "creditor ever offered bondsman," or as Credit Mobilier ever offered the Government of the United States. It was coolly proposed, among the provisions, that the State appoint Commissioners to locate the road, survey the route for the main stem and branches, and select the lands granted by Congress, all at the expense of the State; agents were further to be appointed by the Governor to apply to land-holders along the routes who might be benefited by the road, for subscriptions, also at the expense of the State; any person subscribing money shall be entitled to draw interest upon the amount at - per cent per annum from the day of said advance, and shall be entitled to designate and register an amount of "New Internal Improvement Stock of this State" equal to four times the amount subscribed, or of stock of this State known as "Interest Bonds" equal to three times the money so advanced; and stock so subscribed may be registered at the agency of the State of Illinois, in the city of New York, by the party subscribfng, or by any other person to whom they may assign the right, at any time after paying the subscription, in proportion to the amount paid; and said stock shall be indorsed, registered and signed by the agent appointed by the Governor for the purpose, and a copy of said register shall be filed in the office of Auditor of Public Accounts, as evidence to show the particular stock secured, or as herein provided for.

The lands were to be conveyed by the State to the managers of the road; to be by them offered for sale upon the completion of sections of sixty miles, expenses to be paid by the State; the money was to go to the managers, but the State was to receive certificates of stock for the same. They appointed their own managers, and the State was to pay two of them $2,500 a year each, and all the others were to get SI. 500 a year each. These were very big salaries for those days of democratic simplicity. The company, with the sanction of the Governor, was to purchase iron, etc., pledging the road for payment; and the road stock and property to be exempt from all taxation. To this admirable scheme of plunder were added provisions for a bank attachment to the concern, to be organized under the general banking law of the State, to be adop'ed at the session of the Legislature granting the charter. It wound up with the magnificent proviso, if the constitution was changed or amended, such as was pending (it failed, however, to carry), changing the 2 per cent mill tax to a sinking fund to be generally applied in redemption of the State debt, that then the stock registered in this act should also participate in the proceeds thereof.

Such were the salient points in the bondholders' magnificent scheme of robbery. For boldness and unblushing impudence it has never been excelled, and it has only been equaled in this respect by its stupid frankness in admitting and proclaiming its own venality and rascality. It was a bold and daring attempt to fasten upon the State a horde of high-salaried officials to eat out the sustenance of the people, empowering the company to increase at pleasure its officials, and fix their compensation; and to holders of interest bonds - then worth but little in the market - it offered the control of the road to four times their actual outlay; to mortgage it for iron, attach a wild-cat bank to the enterprise and strangle it. It bore the brands of its own infamy upon its face, and to the eternal good fortune of the people of the West, so plainly was this seen by all that it was unceremoniously scotched and killed.

Perhaps, from all these things combined, and the further fact that, as the people discussed the measure, the magnitude of the gift by the Government was so overpowering to the minds of many that an opi^osition arose to turning over to any private corporation this golden fountain. There was that foolish chimera of the State policy also ready to step to the front upon the slightest pretext, although its career had already nearly strangled and maimed the young State of Illinois, and spread only bankruptcy and desolation along its entire path, and all over the State it had its unconvincible followers and proselytes. These, too, were besieging the Legislature with their Utopian schemes. They argued that the State should alone act, and, keeping everything within itself, build the 700 miles of railroad, pay off the public debt of many millions, and, by wise State management, make all its own people rich. Mr, John S. Wright, of Chicago, published a pamphlet, insisting that the State would be everlastingly dishonored if the Legislature did not devise laws to build the road, and disenthrall the State of its enormous debt out of the avails of the land grant.

It was soon a developed fact in the Legislature that efforts on the part of the Holbrook influence for delay were being strenuously put forth, in the hope that this might revive the Cairo charter. To this end, a resolution was offered in the Senate instructing the Committee on Internal Improvements to prepare and bring in a bill providing for the ap. pointment of agents to locate the road, with the view to further construction, and to select the lands Tinder the grant of Congress.

These were some of the obstacles and assaults that were made upon the enterprise when it was in its budding state, and which Judge Douglas was called upon to guard and defend it against, and to all these were added the jealousies and bickerings that were raised at every stage of the work, by genuine and by false claimants, to a part of the credit of the idea. It is to be regretted that Judge

Breese and Judge Douglas were ever driven into any controversy in reference thereto. And it is only now that they have both gone, when they are silent forever, and their works alone may speak for them, that men may dispassionately look into the merits of that controversy of paternity. It is highly probable, from quotations and facts already given, that Judge Breese had formulated in his own mind - partly his own and probably partly other ideas - what resulted and was eventually the Central Railroad. And when he was in the United States Senate, he did all he could to hasten the good work. There is but little doubt but that he and other men were not only di'eaming dreams that were to become a real road some day, but they were moving forward in the actual work. But it is doubtful that, without Judge Douglas, we would ever have had the Central road as we row have it - the richest jewel, to be untainted with corruption - that ever came from a national or State legislation. The two great and invaluable ideas that are unquestionably due to Judge Douglas are the idea of giving each alternate section of land and doubling the Government price of the remainder, and the watchful and rigid exclusion of all jobbery from the enterprise, These are his. Let the others be awarded to the memory of Judge Breese. Thus are divided and abundant honors for both.

In the 2>erpetually increasing grandeur and glory of this master-work of modern time, there is so much, so rich a legacy of respect and gratitude, flowing like the ever -gathering river, bearing immeasm-able tributes of wealth, hajjpiness and gratitude to the millions of people in the Mississippi Valley, that Illinois may well say to her two noble and ambitious sons, peace and amity, " for in thy Father's house there is enough and to spare."

men - Douglas and Breese - that those who have in keeping their memories should ever permit to clash and jar the one against the other. Breese was a great and pure jurist, and it was here he toiled, and his genius built his enduring monument. Douglas was a statesman - the most difficult place in life for genius to properly assert itself and rear its tenement among the immortals. It has been said by a great philosopher that statecraft, in its whole nature and conditions, is an inferior plane of life, from whence it is nest to impossible for true greatness to spring forth, that great measures of law are simply compromises - temporary expedients - and it is of necessity their nature to decay, and soon they have passed away; that their effects are short-lived, and at best they are merely the developed one-half, or part, at least, of the ideal of the statesman. The great Burke realized this in his young and better days, to the extent that it is said to have cast a gloom over his life. But in the face of the saying of the philosopher, it is a truth, and will so remain forever, that men are, after all, dispassionately judged at some time by their posterity, according to the real and true work of their lives. When this just judgment comes - and if it is not here now, it will come - Stephen A. Douglas will take his j)lace, easily and naturally, as the preeminently great man that Illinois has yet produced. This is not prediction; it is the assertion of a simple, palpable truth. The mob, "with stinking breaths and gi-easy caps," may not have run after him shouting " Live forever! " But of this a just posteritj' will make no inquiry. They will inquire of him. as they will of all: In life, what did you do for the permanent good of men? And history will jjoint to the Central Eailroad, by which the greatness and glory of Illinois - more than could all the battle-fields in history

- is proudly tixed, and the comfort and happiness of her millions of people secured beyond peradventure. One other act of Doug;- las' life should and will be placed by this as a companion piece, namely: When the Illinois Legislature, of which Douglas was then a member, had concluded to repudiate its State debt. When Douglas heard of it, on his sick bed, he had himself carried into the hall upon a stretcher. The matter was iindergoing a closing discussion. He was not able to rise from his sick couch and speak, as he only would or could have spoken, upon such an occasion, so he wrote and sent to the Clerk the following: " Resolved, That Illinois will be honest if she never pays a cent."

And repudiation was instantly killed forever in Illinois. Are not these two acts properly denominated companionpieces? The one saved the honor and credit of the State; the other created her wealth, her greatness and her glory.

When the General Assembly of 1851 met, there were wealthy capitalists represented there, who proffered, in the most equitable and generous terms, to build the railroad and its branches, as the following memorial will fully explain:

The mt'iiiorial of Robert Schuyler, George Griswold, Gouverner Morris, Jonathan Sturgis, George W. Ludlow and John F. A. Sandford, of the city of New York, and David A. Neal, Franklin Haven and Robert Rantoul, Jr., of Boston and vicinity, respectfully represent ;

Having examined and eonsidered an act of Congress of the United States, wliereby land is donated for the purpose of insuring the construction of a railrojwi from Cairo, at the mouth of the Ohio, to Galena and northwest angle of the State of Illinois, with a branch extending to Chicago, on Lake Michigan, ou certain conditions therein cxjiressed ; and having also examined the resources of the tract of country thi-ough which it is proposed that said railroad shall pass, and the amount of cost and space of time necessary to construct the same, the subscribers propose to form a company, with such stockholders as they may associate with them, including among their number persons of large experience in the construction of .several of the principal railroads in the United States, and of means and credit sutKeient to place beyond doubt their ability to perform what they hereinafter propo.se, make the following offer to the State of Illinois for their consideration :

The company so formed by the subscribers will, under the authority and direction of the State of Illinois, fully and faithfully perform the several conditions, and execute the trust in the said act of Congress contained. And will build a railroad, with branches between the termini set forth in said act. with a single track, and complete the same, ready for merchandise and passengers, on or before the 4th day of Jul}', which will be in the year of our Lord 1854.

And said railroad shall be. in all respects, as well and thoroughlj' built as the railroad running from Boston to Albany, with such improvements thereon as experience has shown to be desirable and expedient, and shall be equipped in a manner suitable to the business to be accommodated thereby.

And the said company, from and after the completion of said road, will pay to the State of Illinois, annually, - per cent of the gross earnings of said ruad. without deduction or charge of expenses, or for an}- other nmtter or cause: Provided, That the State of Illinois will grant to the subscribers a eh.arter of incorporation, with terms mutually advantageous, with powers and limitations as they, in their wisdom, may think fit, as shall be accepted by said company, and as will sufficiently remunerate the subscribers for their care, labor and expenditure in that behalf incurred, and will enable them to avail themselves of lands donated by said act, to raise the funds, or portion of the funds, necessary for the construction and equipment of said road.

Mr. Eantoul, one of the memorialists, was the accredited agent of the others, with full power to act. He attended personally at Springfield during the sitting of the Legislature, and the above projiosition, coming from gentlemen of such high financial standing, was very favorably received from his hands, particularly as it offered a completion of the road and its branches in a much shorter space of time than was by any one anticipated. He was willing to adjust the conditions of the contract BO as to render the completion of the road certain, and without a possibility of the misapplication of the lands, or the bestowal of a monopoly upon the company, which was ready to give any guarantee that might reasonably be asked to guard the State against loss from defalcation, both as respected the prosecution of the work and the application of the proceeds of the sales of the lands.

This hill, wise and just as it was, lingered in the Legislature. Many amendments were offered and rejected, such as requiring payment for the right of way to pre-emptionisis or settlers upon the Government land, the same as to actual owners, though their benefits and the enhanced value of the land would be many hundred per cent. The point of divergence for the Chicago Branch was strenuously attempted to be fixed, but was finally left with the company anywhere " north of the parallel of 39^ 30' of north latitude. Much disciission was had upon the location of the main line, what towns it should touch between the termini designated in the Congressional grant, hut all intermediate points failed of being lixed in the act except a single one - the northeast corner of Township 21 west. Range 2 east. Third Principal Meridian, from which the road, in its course, should not vary more than five miles, v^hich was effected by Gen. Gridley, of the Senate, and by which the towns of Decatiu-, Clinton and Bloomington were assured the road. It will be remembered that the memorialists, in their proposition to the Legislature to obtain the charter, offered, among other things, to pay the State of Illinois annually a certain per centum of the gross earnings of the road, without deduction for expense or other cause. The amount was left blank, to fix which, however, became subsequently a matter of no little trouble and scheming. In the first gush of desire to obtain the splendid grant of land from the State, it is said the corporators would have readily consented to till this blank at 10 per centum of the gross earnings. But unfortunately for the people and the treasury, the railroad, it is said, emj)loyed W. H. Bissell, then a member of Congress, as their attorney, and that he left his place in Washington and attended at Springfield in the capacity of a lobbyist for the company, and the result was the State conceded a reduction of 3 per cent from that figure, the amount being fixed at 7 per centum, and that in lieu of all taxes. State or local, this 7 per cent tax yields the State about half a million dollars annually. From time to time, efforts have been made by the road to get rid of paying into the State Treasury this 7 per cent tax, and against which the people clamored so much that the last State Constitixtional Convention fixed the matter irrevocably in the organic law of the State, ^vhich places the suliject beyond the control or meddling of the Legislature.

In the Legislature, after procrastinating action until the heel of the session, Mr. J. L. D. Morrison, of the Senate, brought in a substitute for the pending bill, which, after being amended in several particulars, was finally passed with but two dissenting votes, and at once the House took up the Senate bill and passed it without amendment, also by two dissenting votes, and it became a law February 10, 1851.

In the following spring, surveys were commenced, and the good people of Chicago were at once alarmed, fearing that the branch road would be carried to the Indiana line to form a junction with the Michigan Central, and thus practically become an extension of the latter road to Cairo, leaving Chicago northward of this thoroughfare about twenty or thirty miles.

Mr. Douglas was appealed to; he replied at length, denying the power of the company to do so, citing the language of the charter that the Chicago Branch should diverge " from the main trunk at a point north of the parallel 39' 30' and running by the most eligible route into the city of Chicago." That one object of the grant of land by Congress was to render salable the public lands in Illinois, which had been twenty or thirty jears in the market, etc.

There was some delay in the commencement of the work, occasioned by the Commissioner of the General Land office at Washington, Justin Butterfield. The company had negotiated a loan of $400,000, but before it could be consummated it was necessary that there should be a conveyance of land from the Government. The Commissioner, who was from Chicago, construed the grant as entitling the company to lands for the branch on a straight line to Chicago, which would avoid the junction with the Michigan Central. But this decision was reversed by the President and Secretary of the Interior.

In March, 1852, the necessary documents of conveyance were finally secured, contracts were let and the work commenced and carried forward with little or no interruption to completion.

It will be remembered that the memorialists offered to complete the road within three years from the time of commencement. They kept their word, not only in this, but in every respect.

In the latter part of 1852, John F. Bernard, who had a contract extending from near Mattoon to Centralia, a distance of seventyfive miles, commenced the work, and, as early as 1854, a construction train roused up the long sleeping silence of the wilderness with its echoes, as it carried men and materials from point to point, where the workmen were engaged in large numbers. Barnard and his immediate emjsloyoa made their temporary home at Ewington, and their advent and presence there was a marked change in ;he face of affairs. His large force of workmen were of course in tents, huts and cabins alonar the line of the road. He opened a supply store at Ewington, and here great crowds of laborers assembled on pay day, and niunerous extravagant frolics were sometimes indulged in by the men. The police force and regulations of the county were so meager that, in the face of these sometimes boisterous gatherings, they could offer little or no obstacle to any exti'avagancies the crowd saw proper to engage in. But considering the large force of Barnard's men - men who felt they were only transient inhabitants, who realized that there was little or nothing to restrain any outbreak they might make, there was in fact little or no serious lawlessness among them. For nearly three years the force of men in this county was from three to six hundred; these were scattered in squads through the entire county, the heaviest force being at what was called the "Patch," at the Little Wabash Crossing, in the southern part of the county. When Effingham had grown to be sufficiently large to furnish a doggery occasionally, a squad from the " Patch " would come up and a few miscellaneous street rows was the result, but just here the early education of the young pioneers was of signal use and value as it made short and rough work of the gentlemen from the " Patch," and this probably had the happy effect of putting a check upon these visitations, and those men would only afterward appear as mere sti-agglers, who, when dnmk enough, would, without complaint, go to the lock-up and sleep oflf tlieir debauch, and then pay their fine and costs and quietly go home. A goodly number boarded here, and they were as peaceable, quiet and industrious citizens as we had.

A man by the name of McNutt was a subcontractor from Green Creek, north, nearly opposite this city. But a little south for a distance of two miles, J. F. Schwerman was the sub-contractor. And the remarkable fact of a man and his family literally building that length of road almost alone and unaided, was an instance of toil and labor, never excelled in the county, if anywhere. It is said that they literally worked day and night, and that the wife would go home, cook the food and return with it, and the husband did much oi his sleeping by sticking his spade in the ground and sitting, leaning against it, slept. South of Schwerman's contract, a man named Whipple was the contractor. Freeman and AVilliam Williamson, assisted by E. C. Van Horn, had charge of the carpenter work pretty much along Barnard's entire line. ' In the latter part of 1855 the road was finished and freierht trains commenced running. ' The first regular passenger train, on schedule time, passed over the road from Chicago to Cairo. January 1, 185(3.

After the great work had been crowned with a successful completion of the road, and all could begin to realize its importance and vahie to the whole country, different parties came forward eager to claim the paternity of the original idea that had borne such a rich fruition. Of all these there are none worthy of notice here except Douglas and Breese. The real facts are that, like the engine, the spinning-jenny and nearly all the the great aud benign inventions that have been given to the world, it was an idea or discoverv that had grown from gradual accretions received from many different busy minds. In the inception, too much credit cannot be awarded to Judge Breese and his co-laborers, and yet the master work of putting it in its present living shape is due almost exclusively to Judge Douglas. As already intimated in this chapter, it was in some respects a misfortune that any jealousies should have arisen between those two eminent sons of Illinois. In their young political lives, they had to some extent crossed each other's paths, and this no doubt helped to pave the way to some of the spirit of gentle carping that marked the newspaper squibs that passed between them on this subject, and we known of no more fitting conclusion to this subject than the following subjoined synopsis of what passed between these two men upon the question of the road's paternity.

Judge Breese had been a Senator in Congress to March i, 1849, when he was succeeded by James Shields. In 1850, he was a member of the Illinois Legislature. Under date December 23, 1850, among other things iu reply to the Illinois State Register, regarding his favoring the " Holbrook Charters," he says:

" The Central Railroad has been a controlling object with me for more than fifteen years, and I would sacrifice all my personal advantages to see it made. These fellows who are making such an ado about it now have been whipped into its support. They are not for it now, and do not desire to have it made because I get the credit of it. This is inevitable. I must have the credit of it, for I originated it in 1835, and, when in the Senate, passed three different bills through that body to aid in its construction. My successor had an easy task, as I had opened the way for him. It was the argument contained in my reports that silenced all oppo-

This came to the notice of Senator Douglas, at Washington, who took occasion to reply on January 5, 1851, at length, giving a detailed history of all the efforts made in Congress to procure pre-emption rights for the benefit of a private company (the Holbrook) and " I was the advocate of alternate sections to the State." This letter is long and very interesting and may be found in the Illinois State Register of that date.

Judge Breese rejoined under date of January 25, 1851, through the columns of the same paper, at great length, claiming that besides seeking to obtain pre-emption aid, he also was first to introduce " a bill for an absolute grant of the alternate sections for the Central and Northern Cross Railroads," but finding no favorable time to call it up, it failed. " It was known from my first entrance into Congress that I would accomplish the measure, in some shape, if possible," but the Illinois members of the House, he asserts, took no interest in the passage of any law for the benefit of the Central road, either by grant or pre-emjjtion. He claims no share in the passage of the law of 1850.

" Your (Douglas) claim shall not, with my consent, be disparaged, nor those of your associates. I will myself weave your chaplet and place it, with no envious hands, upon your brow. At the same time you shall do me justice. I claim to have first projected this great road, in my letter of 1835, and in the judgment of impartial and disinterested men, my claim will be avowed. I have said and v?ritten more in favor of it than any other. It has been the highest object to accomplish it, and when my last resting-place shall be marked with the cold marble which gratitude or affection may erect, I desire for it no other

In the same communication he cited his letter of October 16, 1835, to John Y. Sawyer, in which the plan of the Central Railraod was first ever shadowed, which letter opens as follows: "Having some leisure from the labor of my circuit, I am induced to devote portion of it in giving to the public a plan, the outline of which was suggested to me by an intelligent friend in Bond County, a few days since." It is supposed that this was Hon. W. S. Wait.

To this Douglas, under date of Washington, February 22, 1851, surrejoins at considerable length, and in reference to this opening sentence in the Sawyer letter, he exclaims: "How is this! The father of the Central Railroad, with a Christian meekness worthy of all praise, kindly consents to be the reputed parent of a hopeful son begotten for him by an intelligent friend in a neighboring county. I forbear pushing this inquiry further. It involves a question of morals too nice, of domestic relations too delicate for me to expose to the public gaze. Inasmuch, however, as you have furnished me with becoming gravity, the epitaph you desire engrossed upon your tomb, when called upon to pay the last debt of nature, you will allow me to suggest that as such an inscription is a solemn and a sacred thing, and truth its essential ingredient, would it not be well to make a slight modification, so as to correspond with the facts as stated in your letter to Sawyer, which would make it read thus, in your letter to me:

" ' It has been the highest object of my ambition to accomplish the Central Railroad, and when my last resting-place shall be marked by the cold marble which gratitude or affection may erect, I desire for it no other inscription than this: " He who sleeps beneath this stone voluntarily consented to become the putative father of a lovely child, called the Central Railroad, and begotten for him by an intelligent friend in the county of Bond.""

The Vandalia Line. - One of Bond County's oldest and most respected citizens, Hon. W. S. Wait, in a letter to B. Gratz Brown, June, 1863, makes the best introduction to the history of the rise and progress of the St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroad. He says: " The railroad projected so early as 1835, to run from St. Louis to Terre Haute, was intended as a direct line of railway to the Atlantic cities, and its first siu'vey was taken over the exact line of the great Cumberland road. We applied to Illinois Legislature for a charter in 1846, but were opposed by rival interests, that finally succeeded in establishing two lines of railroad con- , necting St. Louis with the Wabash - one by a line running north, and the other by a line running south of our survey, thus demonutrating by the unfailing test of physical geography that oar line is the central and true one. The two rival lines alluded to, viz., Terre Haute & Alton and Ohio & Mississippi. We organized our company with the name of the Mississippi & Atlantic Company, in 1850, by virtue of a general railroad law passed the year previous, and immediately accomplished a survey. An adverse decision of our Supreme Court led us to accept the offer of Eastern capitalists to help us through, who immediately took nine-tenths of our stock, and gave us John Brough for President. Our right to contract was finally confirmed, in February, 1851, the road put tinder contract and the work commenced. The shock given to all railroad enterprises by the " Schuyler fraud " 8usj)ended operations, and before confidence was restored, the controlling power, which was enthroned in Wall street, had arrived at the conclusion, as afterward discovered, to proceed no farther in the construction of the Mississippi & Atlantic Railroad. For purposes best understood by themselves, the Eastern manager amused us for several years with the hope that they were still determined to prosectite the work. When we were finally convinced of the intentional deception, we abandoned the old charter and instituted a new company, under the name of the Highland & St. Louis Railroad Company, with power to build and complete by sections the entire road from St. Louis to Terre Haute. The charter was obtained in February, 1859, with the determination on the part of the Highland corporators to make no delay in constructing the section connecting them with St. Louis, but were prevented at the outset by diificulties since overcome, and afterward by the existing rebellion."

This public letter portrays some of the chief difficulties with which the fi-iends of this road had to contend. " State policy," the stupidest folly rational men ever engaged in, was openly urged by many of the leading men north and south of the " Brough road," as it was generally called. Hon. Sidney Breese, a long resident of Carlisle, on the line of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, publicly declared for that doctrine " that it was to the interest of the State to encourage that policy that would build the most roads through the State; that the north and south roads (alluded to in Wait's letter) should fii-st be allowed to get into successful operation, when the Central line should then be chartered, as the merits of that line would insure the building of the road, on that line at once, giving to Middle Illinois three roads instead of one, as the chartering of the Cen- tral Hue first would be a death blow to the other two, at least for many long years to come." IVIr. Wait replied immediately, saying it was the first instance he had ever known where the merits of a railroad line had been urged as a reason why it should not meet with merited encouragement, and after more than $100,000 had been expended on the " Brough road." Further work was therefore suspended.

In February, 1865, the rebellion nearing its close, the people along the " Central Line," or " Brough " survey, again renewed their petition to the Illinois Legislature for negotiation of their right to build their railroad on their own long- cherished route.

Mr. William Plant, who has been Secretary of the road from its inception, and is still in this position, furnishes the following facts of the history of the road:

On the 10th' of February, 1865, a liberal charter was granted for building the present St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroad. The line v.-as designated in the charter as " commencing on the left bank of the Mississippi, opposite St. Louis, running thence eastward through Greenville, the county seat of Bond County, and through Vandalia by the most eligible route, to a point on the Kiver Wabash." The persons named as incorporators were Henry Wing, S. W. Little, John H. Dewey, Andrew Mills, Solomon Kepfli, Garrett Crownover, Curtis Blakeman, William S. Smith, Charles Hoile, William S. Wait, John B. Hunter, Williamson Plant, Andrew G. Henry, Jedediah F. Alexander, Nathaniel M. McCurdy, August H. Deickman. Ebenezer Capps, Frederick Remann, Matthias Fehren, Michael Lynch, Thomas L. Vest. J. F. Waschefort, Samuel W. Quinn, Chauucey Rose and Joseph H. Morgan.

along the line to aid in pushing forward the work. Douglas Township (City of Effingham) subscribed $50,000; Teutopolis, $15,- 000; Moccasin, $5,000; Summit, 110,000, with 10 per cent interest annually. This indebtedness has been promptly met as it matured.

The first meeting of the Board of Corporators met at Vandalia, 111., on the 14th day of November, 1865, for the pm-pose of organizing and electing a board of nine directors, with the following result: John Schofield and Charles Duncan, Clark County; Samuel Quinn, Cumberland County; J. P. M. Howard and S. W. Little, Effingham; C. Floyd, Jones and F. Reemaer, Fayette; William S. Smith and Williamson Plant, Bond County.

At the first meeting of the Board of Directors, held at Effingham on the 22d day of November, 1865, for the purpose of electing the first officers of the company, J. P. M. Howard was elected President, and Williamson Plant, Secretaiy.

Through the influence of E. C. Rice, who was Chief Engineer of the "Brough" survey, and had made estimates for the work under the same, Gen. E. F. Winslow, a gentleman of great energy and considerable railroad experience, after various propositions being made to build part of the line, or parts of the road, contracted, August 22, 1866, to build the entire line from the " west bank of the Wabash to the east end of the dyke at Illinois town." The contract was finally ratified at a meeting of the Board of Directors, held at Vandalia November 14, 1866. An additional agreement was entered into November 28, 1866, and made part of the original contract.

The first shock received by the railroad company in the outset, was the lamented death of its earnest leader and judicious friend, Hon, W. S. Wait, July 17, 1865, thereby depriving it of his mature judgment and wise counsel in carrying out and making the conti-act about to be entered into for the building of the road under the charter so recently obtained from the Legislature.

In 1867, lirst mortgage bonds were put on the " property, rights, franchises, leases and estate, etc., of the company to the amount of $1,900,000." AVhen the property was leased, in February, 186S, a second mortgage was put on the same to the amount of S2,600,- 000, each mortgage bearing 7 per cent interest, payable semi-annually. For the purpose of further equipment of the road, preferred stock has been issued to the amount of $1,- 544,700, bearing 7 per cent interest.

The issue of §2,000,000 has been authorized. This stock will take precedence over the common stock of the company in receiving dividends, and as the interest on the preferred stock may accumulate before any payment thereof, the prospect for dividends on common stock is remote.

By mutual understanding between the contractors and the company, E. C. Rice was engaged as Chief Engineer of the company, January 18, 1867, and he commenced the first survey on the west end of the line in March, and the grading was begun as soon as the line was fixed at the west end, in April following. At the same meeting, a code of by-laws was adopted, and Greenville was designated as the general office of the company.

At the annual election, held in January, ^ 1867, J. P. M. Howai'd was re-elected President, Williamson Plant, Secretary, and W. S. Smith, Treasurer. April 3, 1867, Mr. Howard gave up the position, by request, and J. F. Alexander was chosen President of the company in his place.

By the charter, the company was authorized to issue first mortgage bonds, not to exceed $12,000 per mile. The capital stock was made §3,000,000 which could be increased at an annual meeting by a majority of stockholders in interest, as they should direct.

By consent of the railroad company, Gen. Winslow, as contractor, was paid $120,000 for labor expended on the line, to the lOtb day of February, 1868, and at his request was released from his contracts. The same was ratified and accepted by the company at their meeting March 13, 1868.

The company entered into a contract, February 10, 1868, with Thomas L. Jewett and B. F. Smith, of Ohio; George B. Boberts, of Philadelphia, and W. R. McKeen, of Terre Haute, in the firm name of McKeen, Smith & Co., to complete the road at an early day. At the same time and place, an agreement was entered into, leasing the St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroad to the Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad Company. In the report of the President of the " Van " Company, made to the stockholders at their annual meeting, held at Greenville, 111., January 6, 1872, he says:

" "When on the 10th day of February, 1868, the contract was made iusiu-ing the completion of your road, another contract was also made, providing for its forming a part of a continuous railroad line from St. Louis (vialndianapolis)to Pittsbm-gh, and for perfecting this object yom- line was leased for a period of 999 years to the Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad Company, for the joint interests of the company and the several railroad companies forming the said line. Under this lease, the lessees were to work vour road at their cost and expense, and to pay to your company 35 pev cpnt of the gross earnings, first paying therefrom all the interest due on the bonds of the company, and all taxes assessed against the property of the company, advancing any deficit in the amount needed to meet these liabilities and paying the surplus (if any remained) of the 35 per cent to your companj^ Yoiu- board, in view of the light traffic usually done upon a new line reduced the proportion due your company of the gross earnings to 30 per cent, provided, that after payment by the lessees of the road out of the 70 per cent received for that purpose, if any siu'plus remained, it should go to your company."

From small earnings from the time the road was opened, fu-st to Highland and Greenville, in 1868, and finally through to Terre Haute, July 1, 1870, it has developed a marvelous increase of business, not only to the road, but to the farming and all other industries along the line. The whole cost of the road, and equipment of the same to July 1, 1868, when the contractors turned the road over to the lessees, was §7,171,355.89, which was increased steadily as the line was more fully developed by " rolling stock " and "betterments," etc., on the road, until the last report of Treasurer W. H. Barnes made the total costs of road and equipment to October 1, 1880, §8,330.410.75. The amount of business done over the line for the year 1881, aggregates 11,565,515.04, and the rental due to the company from the lessee for the year ending October 31, 1881, was $469,354.50, and for the same time $424,827.04 was earned in carrying passengers; $43,490.57 for express, and $90,835.98 for mail services.

The first train ran into Effingham April 26, 1870, and the fii'st regular passenger train over the whole line, on schedule time, was on the 12th day of June, 1870, and, as mentioned before, the contractors turned over

The St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroad is 158 miles from East St. Louis to the eastern line of the State, and seven miles from State line to Wabash River at Terre Haute, and twenty-five miles and a half in Effingham County.

The Wabash Railroad.- -On the 10th of March, 1869, the General Assembly incorporated the Bloomington & Ohio River Railroad Company, the incorporators being T. D. Craddock, J. D. Bruce, C. K. Bull, Charles Voris, J. B. Titus, Jonathan Patterson, Sr., H. Y. Kellar, William Piatt and Michael Swan.

The charter specifies a road " commencintr at or near Effingham, in Effingham County; thence on the most practicable route (to be determined by said directors or their successors in office) from said point to the T. , H. & A. and St. Louis Raih-oad, at or near Windsor, in Shelby County, 111.; thence from said point, on the most practicable route, to be determined as aforesaid, to Sullivan, in the county of Moultrie, and thence from said town of Sullivan to the Great Western Railroad, at or near the town of Bement, in the county of Piatt; thence from said point,'"on the most practicable route, to the town of Monticello, in the county of Piatt, and thence, on the most practicable route, to the city of Bloomington in the county of McLean.

The above-named incorporators, by the charter, constituted the first Boai'd of Directors. The charter was very liberal in allowing the people, counties, towns and municipalities along the route to make donations and issue bonds bearing 10 per cent interest therefor.

the 19th day of May, 1869, for the purpose of orgauizing and electing officers. There was a fall attendance of the members in their own proper person, except T. D. Craddock, who was represented by his proxy, H. C. Bradsby. We mention this fact for the very important reason that to it is due the circumstance that the road was ever built at all. The charter had been drafted by J. B. Titus, of Sullivan, and some of his friends in Windsor, and when they came to that part giving the names of the nine directors, desiring to scatter them along the contemplated line, it 80 happened that the only man they knew in Effingham was T. D. Craddock, and without his knowledge they inserted his name. Charles Voris was in the State Senate and the bill was placed in his hands, and, like all other similar bills at that time, was passed without comment or amendment. When the incorporators met, they spent the early part of the day in making each other's acquaintance, as well as informally talked over who they would elect for officers. The common sentiment amonof them was that it was Voris' charter, and, as a matter of course, he should have the first place. Craddock's prox-y at this point did what no one could well do for himself, that is, to put his principal up for President and urge and advocate his claims until even Voris withdrew in his favor, and T. D. Craddock was unanimously elected President; J. B. Titus, Treasurer, and C. H. Bull, Secretary.. No man was probably ever more surprised than was Mr. Craddock, when notified of his election.

On the 14th of the following month, the board assembled at Windsor, and the organization was completed by the adoption of a constitution and by-laws, and H. C. Bradsby was appointed the general financial agent of the company. Meetings were at. once called all along the line, addresses made, a general interest in the enterprise awakened, elections held at various places, and the sum of $520,- 000 was voted as a donation, from the north line of Piatt County to the city of Effingham, Douglas Township voting $50,000. Surveyors were set to work immediately, Mr. Craddock advancing the money therefor, and a survey of the whole line made. The towns along the line, through their Councils or Trustees, voted various sums and reimbursed Craddock for the money advanced to do the surveying.

The county of Moultrie voted $100,000 to the road, and, as that county was without any railroad, its people were deeply interested in the enterprise. At one of the railroad meetings in Sullivan, Jonathan Patterson, 01-, as he is widely known, " Uncle Donty," who owned a mill there and had to haul his fiour through the deep, black mud to Mattoon for shipment, was called out at the meeting, and when he came to describe the woes of the deep, waxy mud, how it hemmed them about like a wall and a deep, deep ditch, he absolutely grew eloquent, so much so indeed, that calls for him were made in every direction to speak at railroad meetings.

The survey was made, the half-million dollar donations voted, all the paper, work and wind department of a grand railroad speedily arranged, and here matters stopped, complacently awaiting the coming of some trillionaire contractor to built it. The board would call meetings and adjoiu-n and meet again, and then another efi"ort would be made to secure a $20,000 donation from Summit Township in this county. Stock books were opened at every point along the line, but a half-dozen public- spirited citizens of Effingham were the only ones that subcribed any stock, except a single share here and there, enough to be eligible to an office in the company. The enthusiasm of the peo- pie soon began to cool, when they perceived the wheels really stopped, and soon it had reached the point that Craddock was the only man left that would risk a dollar on the future prospects of the road; he never apparently fagged, or hesitated, and his eiforts necessitated constant trips to the different cities in the hunt of parties to come forward and build the road. Two or three contractors were agreed upon, but when it came to the point the parties had no money and feared to attempt to work on a credit until the donations would pay the road's way to completion and the contracts were abandoned. In the meantime, H. C. Bradsbv had been elected a director in the place of C. H. Bull, and he was also elected Secretary and a member of the Executive Committee. The number of the board had been increased, and W. H. Barlow, S. W. Little and D. B. Alexander, of Effingham, were made members.

In proportion as the prospects of building the road were prolonged, the enthusiasm of friends cooled, and the board finally said to Craddock and Bradsby, take the concern and build it if you can. To better help carry this idea out, an executive committee of three (of which thoy were members), with all the powers of the corporation full and complete - a majority to control- - was created, and they were thus made the full representatives, with all powers of the organization. They continued the hunt, and opened up negotiations with any and all probable builders who would stop and listen to their scheme. At this time there was a warm rivalry existing between T. B. Blackstone, of the Chicago & Alton Railroad, and Boody, of the Wabash, for the control of the Decatur & State Line Railroad from Decatur to Chicago. The Wabash had just completed a road from Decatur to St. Louis and to make a terrible rival for the Chicago & Alton, it only had to secure the road from Decatur to Chicago. Hence, negotiations were opened with Blackstone, who lent a favorable ear. He agreed to take a perpetual lease of the Bloomington & Ohio road and indorse its bonds to the amount of $17,500 a mile and furnish the rolling stock, operate the same and pay the interest, provided, that he could make a similar arrangement with the Decatur & State Line road, and thus form a junction of the two railroads at a jioint a short distance northeast of Decatur. This would not only destroy the rivalry of the Wabash line, but it would give the Chicago & Alton a strong lever upon the Illinois Central. Th^re were over $600,000 donations on the State Line road, and, as above said, over $500,000 on the Bloomington&Ohio. The $17,500 was enough money secured to build the road and have at least $1,000 a mile on each line of the road. The engineer estimated that on every mile of the Bloomington & Ohio road, there was a certain profit under this arrangement of $2,500 besides the donations. Probably no two men ever left Chicago with brighter hopes in reference to a business transaction than did the representatives of the Bloomington & Ohio, when they left Mr. Blackstone's office to go to Decatur to confer with E. O. Smith, the President of the State Line road, and inform him of the fortune they brought for him, and in return only asked his concurrence for his road in the scheme. But, to their amazement. Smith hesitated - the sum of money named stunned him, and, in short, Boody got hold of him, and convinced him that he had better cast his fortunes with the Wabash, and, while he would only make a small amount of money, yet it would be certain, and thus won him over. Boody and the Wabash soon failed, and this scheme, as well as the bright hopes of the Bloomington & Ohio, were as the fabric of a vision, or anything

In the early part of 1871, a contract to construct the road from EfBngham to a junction of the Fairbui-y, Pontiac & Northwestern at some point east of Bloomington, was entered into with the firm of Ralph Plumb & Co., the members of the firm being Ralph Plumb, F. E. Hinckley and P. B. Shumway. There was a secret arrangement agreed upon with Craddock. The heaviest donations on the road were from Bement to Windsor, through Moultrie County, there being $50,- 000 at Bement, $100,000 in Moultrie and $75,000 in Windsor - plenty to pay every dollar of the cost of the road between these two points. Work was, therefore, commenced at Bement and carried from there south and soon completed to Windsor. A train was put upon this much of the road, and was a financial success from the day it commenced to run.

The Bloomington & Ohio Kiver Railroad was then consolidated with the Fairbury, Pontiac & Northwestern, and the new road was called the Chicago & Padueah Railroad, and according to the terms of the contract, the entire franchise and corporation passed into the hands of the contractors. The work south stopped at Windsor, and the north end of the road was finished until it met its northern companion, and was completed and stocked and operated as one line from Windsor, through Pontiac to Streator. After a delay of three years, the work on the road from Windsor south was commenced. The two townships in Shelby County had given $40,000 donations, and in a short time it was built to Shumway, in this county. Here it made another pause. It wanted to reach the Springfield Branch of the Ohio & Mississippi, and, in 1872, it had made all arrangements for an extension from Effingham to Louisville, in Clay County. Surveys had been made, and the people had subscribed $60,000 in private subscriptions, payable only when the road was completed to Louisville. Ralph Plumb & Co. had contracted with H. C. Bradsby to secure the right of way from Effingham to Louisville and get the donations. They had also contracted with him for the ties along the entire line. The company apparently having failed to make expected money arrangements, abandoned all this part of the road and organized under the general law a company to construct a railroad from Shumway to Altamont. This was an easy line built and it would save a rough crossing at the Wabash to get to Effingham. A force of workmen were put upon the line from Shumway to Altamont. The news of what was being done soon came to the city of Effingham, and a petition for an injunction, preventing the building of the road to Altamont, was presented to Judge Allen of the Circuit Coirrt, and promptly granted. This carried dismay to the contractors, and they came to the people of Effingham and sued for terms, asking to be permitted to complete the work to Altamont, and offering pledges that they would then build to Effingham, the pledge being the donations Effingham had voted the road. The attorneys of Effingham and others, probably a majority of the people, were in favor of accepting their offer. Others oj)posed it; they said it could do no harm to let the injunction stand - this would insure the road being built at once to Effingham, and when this was done they could build to Altamont or where they pleased. The first-named carried their point - the contractors keeping faith with some to whom they made promises, and unceremoniously breaking them with others. The injunction was removed and the road completed to Altamont. In 1874, the next move was to apply to the township of Douglas for the $50,U00 of bonds voted by it, and that had been signed in blank by Casper Nolte, Supervisor, in 1872. Suits were commenced to restrain the tilling and completing these bonds and their delivery to the company, and praying the com't to not only prevent their delivery, but to order them burned by the Sheiiif of the county. But these siaits were not popular. Indeed, so anxious were the people that the bonds should be passed over to the road nunc 2^''o tiDic, that stacks of affidavits, including nearly all the business and leading men of the city, may yet be found in the Clerk's office in favor of passing over the bonds " in order that the work of completing the road to Effingham " might go on. The bills for injunction to restrain the issue and delivery of these bonds are on file in the Circuit Clerk's office, and there is no question that they show an extraordinary state of facts. Nor is there a doubt but that Judge Allen was anxious to stop the delivery of the bonds and save the people $50,000 thereby. A. B. Jansen. the then Supervisor of Douglas Township, had been warned not to issue the bonds or deliver them. The bonds had been placed in Judge Thornton's hands, the attorney of the railroad in that, as well as in other cases, and the Douglas Township Supei-visor finally went to Shelbyville and from thence to Springfield, and when he retiu'ned the cotopany had the bonds, not only tilled up, but registered in the State Auditor's office. When the road was completed to Effingham there occurred a curious coincidence, the people pretty much en masse became violently opposed to the issue of the bonds, and a suit was commenced to annul them and an injunction asked and obtained restraining the tax collector from collecting the tax for the purpose of paying the interest

In all these unfortunate complications, the writer hereof knows probably every man who was " seen," as the slang phrase goes, as well as those whose hopes from great promises, turned to Dead Sea apples upon their lips, and nearly broke, doubtless, their honest hearts, but for our common humanity he deems it best to take these little secrets with him to the grave. The situation of our people in reference to these bonds was simply, when they could they wouldn't, and when they would they couldn't, and that's an end on't.

It is due Mr. Benson Wood, who was the local attorney of the people in all this litigation, to say that in the first suits to protect the people and enjoin the bonds, that he complained bitterly that he had a good case, but no proper client; he probably now will as freely acknowledge that in the final siiits he had an excellent rich fool for a client, but no case.

The first train to run the entire length of the road, from Streator to Altamont, on schedule time, was on the 29th day of June, 1874. It was two years after this, February, 1876, before trains were run into Effingham.

On the 5th day of April, 1880, the Chicago & taducah Railroad passed into the hands of the present owners and became the Wabash Railroad. This new company at once set about completing a railroad from a place known as Strawn to Chicago, and thus was made a direct and valuable road from Effingham and from Altamont to Chicago. This also gives this great corporation a direct and valuable line a direct road from St. Louis to Chicago.

here to Bement, where it connects with the Chicago & Toledo trains, and returns here in the evening. A freight is daily dispatched from Altamont, giving the road two daily trains each way from Shumway north. Since the building of the road, there has been but two different station agents here, namely, C. A. Van Allen, the first one, and H. G. Habing, the present one. Mr. Frank Green, the present conductor between this point and Bement, was the second conductor ever put upon the road. He succeeded Andy Ricketts, the first conductor for a few months, when the road was first opened from Bement to Windsor.

It is in contemplation by the Wabash to build a road from this point through Jasper and Crawford Counties, in a southeast direction to Cincinnati, and as an evidence of the earnestness of this intention, a mortgage bond on this line was recently filed for record in oiir Clerk's office. The piu'pose of this is to reach Cincinnati and the rich block coal fields of Indiana.

The Narrow Gauge. - The Springfield, Effingham & South-Eastern Railroad was chartered in 1867, with J. P. M. Howard, S. W Little, W. B. Cooper, L. E. McMurry, John F. Barnard, Anderson Webster and Thomas Martin, incorporators. J. P. M. Howard was elected first President, and Van Valkenbm-g, Secretary. A partial survey of the line was made in 1868. At the June meeting in 1878, Howard resigned and quit the organization, and L. R McMurry, President, and H. C. Bradsby, Secretary, T. D. Craddock, Treasurer; and another survey of the line was made. There were $163,000 in donations voted from Effingham to the Wabash River. Effingham voted 150,000 of this.

Joseph Cooper, Isaac H Walker, William C Jones, Daniel Rinehart, William B. Cooper, E. A. Howard, Craig White, J C. Helmack and D. D. Shumway were incorporators. This provided for the building of a railroad " commencing at a point at or near the O. & M. R. R., west of Vincennes, as the company may select, east of Lawrenceville, thence to Robinson, thence to Newton, thence to Effingham, thence to Pana."

By consolidating these two lines and making the present S. E. & S. E. R. R., a line was authorized as it is at present located, and built from here to the Wabash River. The consolidation was formally made and entered into. The financial panic of 1873 apparently had forever killed the enterprise that had promised so fair from its inception to that time. In the latter part of 1878, parties came, and the project was revived, with John Funkhouser as President, and George C. Mitchell, his son-in-law, for Secretary. In 1876, a contract was made with Adams, Soliday & Company to build the road. This company was soon deeply in debt to workmen, tiemen, boarding-houses, and all other employes, and the company of Buell, Lyon & Co. succeeded them. Lyon seemed to have plenty of money, and all the people along the line were soon revived in hope, and the work started up with great activity again. After a little while, Lyon retired from the firm, and it became Buell, Smith & Co., and another spirited revival of the work took place. This last company organized the Cincinnati, Effingham & Quincy Construction Company, and all was again serene for a short time. Some misunderstanding arising in this construction company, in March, 1879, a Receiver was appointed - John Charles Black - for the construction company. In September, 1879, J. P. M. Howard was appointed Receiver for the railroad company. At this time, about ten miles of the road had been graded, and half a mile of the track was laid at Robinson. In January, 1881, the road was completed, and the trains cotumenced regularly running from the city of EflSngham to the Wabash River. The affairs of both the construction and railroad company were settled, and the books closed and road turned over to Sturgis, Lyon &Co., in July, 1882.

O. & M. Railroad. - In 1867, the Springfield & South-Eastern Railroad was chartered, and the work commenced to build a line from Shawneetown to Springfield. This was Tom Ridgeway's and Charley Beecher's road. These two men came to the City of EiBngham and caused innch excitement among our people by telling them their line of constructed road from the south on its way to Springfield was raj)idly approaching our south county line; that they wanted to build to our city on the route, but they wanted first to know exactly how much we would give as an inducement; that if this inducement was not liberal enough, they would build the road west of us, through Altamont or St. Elmo, etc., etc. In the winter of 1879, the people of EfiSngham had heard so much about railroads coming - singly, in squads and in platoons - that they were dazed with their own prospective greatness. Railroad meetings were frequent, and it was railroads for breakfast, dinner and supper. The people had appointed a Railroad Committee, a kind of public safety committee, and, in despair in understanding all the talk that was going on about railroads, they turned the whole matter over to this committee. But the committee was less able, it seems, to either agi-ee or understand what it all meant than were the people. The final result was that Effingham hesitated, and the little, active, wide-awake townships of West, Mason and Liberty, and the village of Edgewood, secured the road. Edgewood gave $10,000, West Township $10,000, Mason Township $10,000, and Liberty $5,000, and the Springfield & South-Eastern Railroad was built upon the line it now runs upon, thi-ough Edgewood and Altamont, twelve miles «ast ' of Effingham, on to Springfield. The road, in 1875, passed into other hands, and became the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad.

In the county are 104J miles of operated railroad, as follows: Illinois Central, twentyfive miles; Wabash, nineteen and threefoui'tha miles; Vandalia line, twenty-five and a half miles; S. E. & S. E., eleven miles; O. & M., twenty-two and a half miles.

There is a comj)any organized to construct a narrow-gauge railroad from Effingham to Camden, on the O. & M. road, and the probabilities are that this and the road leading southeast will both be completed at an early day, and this will add twenty-five miles to the road-bed now in the county.