Fulton County, Illinois - Chapter 19: Railroads Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. - Rushville Branch, 1879

Chapter 19: Railroads Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. - Rushville Branch

The Jacksonville & Savanna Railroad was chartered by the Legislature in 1855. It was intended to run from Jacksonville to Savanna, Carroll county, passing through Liverpool, Canton Farmington and Yates City. A great deal of work Mas done on this line between Canton and Liverpool. That part of the branch of the C, B. & Q. road 2| miles south of Canton to Farmington was graded, tied and bridged as the Jacksonville & Savanna Railroad. That portion of this road from near Canton to Rushville was chartered and surveyed as the Peoria ct Hannibal Railroad. We find in the first number of the Lewistown Democrat a call for a meeting to be held at Lewistown Thursday, June 19, 1855, for the purpose of interesting the people in behalf of this road. Meetings were also held at Farmington and Canton. Canton was not a point named in the charter of the Peoria & Hannibal road, but it was talked of running the road two or three miles south of Canton. The Peoria & Hannibal road was graded from Hollis, Peoria Co., to the southern line of that county, and some work was done at F^tica, in this county. The labor was done on the Jacksonville & Savanna road by local subscription, but when the panic of 1857 came upon the country all M-ork on both lines ceased.

In i861 Mr. James H. Stip]), President and General Agent of the Jacksonville t^' Savanna RaihH)ad, and Judge Henry L. Bryant, President and General Agent of the Peoria ct Hannibal Road, entered into contract with James F. Joy and Capt. E. B. Ward, of Detroit, selling to them, or rather giving them a ])erpetual lease of that part of both roads upon which work had been done. These gentlemen represented the ('., B. t\: Q. R. R. Co., and therefore at that time the road was virtually sold to or placed in the hands of the C, B. & Q. Co. The contract that Messrs. Stipp and Bryant entered into with these men was that they were to complete the road and put it in running order. It became evident to Messrs. Stipp and Bryant and the Directors of the two companies that they could not build it, and being very desirous of a road, such a contract was made. The C, B. c^- Q! Co. did the work according to contract, and in June, 1862, the road was completed to Lewistown

Fulton county issued bonds for the construction of the Jacksonville & Savanna Railroad to the amount of $100,000, and for the Peoria c*c Hannibal road 8200,000. All these bonds were sold, and of the §.'500,000 issued all are redeemed except $75,000. A portion of the bonds issued to the J. & S. were used to buy iron, and the rails of the C, B. & Q. Railroad from Farmington to Lewistown were purchased by Fulton county bonds. The entire grading, tying, bridging and ironing was given to the C, B. & Q. Railroad on condition that they would build it.

Frank Farwell, of Liverpool, now of Kansas, and Col. A. C. Babcock of Canton, under the firm name of Farwell & Babcock, were contractors to bridge, grade and tie the J. & S. road from Liverpool to Yates City. To these parties, for the work done, the C., B. & Q. paid $10,000, and a few hundred dollars to other parties, which was all this Road ever paid for the vast amount of work done upon this route. There were collected on local subscriptions in this countv for the original roads $200,000, as folloM's : Farmington, $40,1)00; Canton, $100,000; Lewistown, $60,000, and Liverpool, S20,000.

The railroad track first reached Canton on Friday, May 2, 1862. This was a gala day for Canton. On that date the first goods that ever entered Canton by rail were received; they were consigned to Holmes tt Peck, merchants. The Directors of the J. & S. Road were Thompson Maj)le, Israel S. Piper, Jason M. Bass, A. C. Babcock, and W. A. Dickerman, all of Canton, and A. M. Field, of Farmington; James H. Stipp, President; W. A. Dickerman, Vice-President, and I. S. Piper, Secretary.

In 1868 ground was broken at Lewistown for the extension of the C, B. & Q. road to Rushville. The work was pushed rapidly forward during the summer of 1869, and brought to comj)lcti(>n. This gave a new impetus to the towns of Vermont and Ipava, the two principal points on this road southwest of Lewistown. The depot buildings erected by the com])any at the various towns along this route are all good, substantial buildings, creditable alike to the people of the towns and to the liailroad Companv.

Sad Accidoif. - From the day the first locomotive engineer stepped into the cabin of his engine, opened the throttle and whirled over the prairies and woodland, until the jiresent day, heroic acts of selfsacrifice have been ]>crr()rm('d by this faithful and trusted class. The engineer is always the first one uimn the train who sees the danger ahead, and in almost every instance might escape, with but slight injuries at most; yet how' few are there who desert their post until they have done all in their power to avert the crash and save the lives of those-who have entrusted themselves in their care! Then, as it often proves, it is too late to save their own lives. When we hear of a sad railroad accident, the collision of trains, the wreck of

Locomotive engineers as a class have ever proven their fidelity to the precious charges entrusted to them, often by giving their lives ; but never in the history of railroad accidents did an engineer prove his heroism, his devotion to his trust and ingenuity more than did Engineer Chislon of the C, B. & (^. It was during the autumn (of 1870, we believe) when the Fulton County Fair was in progress at Canton, that brave Chislon laid down his life that others might live. Hundreds of passengers from Lewistown, Ipava and Vermont, had taken advantage of the cheap rates and visited the fair. This was one of the most successful seasons during the prosperous period of that Association, and thousands were in attendance from all points of the countv and Central Illinois. Evening; arrived and the coaches on the southern bound train of the C, B. & Q. were packed with human freight. All was ready, the bell rang, and Engineer Chislon, fully appreciating the great responsibility, pulled the long train slowly from the depot, lest some of his passengers would be injured. On, past the fair grounds the train moved, steadily gaining in motion. Soon the careful engineer had the train under great headway. Every one was joyt)us and the laugh and jest arose upon the pleasant autumn air, even above the clatter of the train. Upon rounding a curve what should meet the eyes of the faithful engineer, who had looked steadily ahead with his hand on the throttle, upon this, his ride into eternitv? On came a heavv frcio-ht train at e:reat speed. Both trains were within a few hundred feet of each other before the danger was discovred. A collision could not be avoided, for it took but a moment for the engines to come together, yet the work of saving hundreds of lives was performed in a twinkling. The brave and thoughtful Chilson adopted the only jiossible plan to save his cargo of human beings and executed it instanter. He ordered his fireman to detach the engine from the coaches and then jump for his life. Both duties were performed with great celerity. Then Chislon, fearless of death, opened the throttle wide and with his engine dashed ahead to meet the oncoming train, that it might be checked and thus prevent it from wrecking his coaches. The crash of the engines as they shattered each other was the first intimation the ]iassengers had of the imminent danger they were in.

^^'hen the steam and smoke of the wrecked engines cleared away the remains of engineer Chislon were found, and with grateful hands tenderly carried away and cared for. He had saved the passengers of his train, but it cost him his life. It is supposed that ere he had performed every service that he could toward saving his train the engines collided and he was ushered into eternity.

The engineer and fireman of the freight train escaped by jumping from their engine. Mr. Chislon left a widow and a small family of children to mourn his loss, besides thousands of grateful friends. May the memory of this illustrious hero never be forgot- ten, for no man ever did more to save the lives of hundreds of the citizens of this county than he, and none ever performed a greater service more heroically and at a greater cost.

The main line of the C, B. & Q. which runs from Galcsburg to Quiucy, enters tiiis county at section 5, Union townshij), and makes its exit at section 30 near the town of Avon, which is on this road. This branch of the road was built as the Northern Cross Railroad. The enterprise was agitated as early as 1851, and by 1856 the road was built. Connections wore made with the Central Military Tract Railroad for Chicago. Shortly afterward these two roads, with the Peoria & Oquawka, fell into the hands of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company. This is one of the chief railroad lines in the United States.

This road was built in 1870 as the Rockford, Rock-Island & St. Louis Railroa<l. It is well known that contests by different towns for railroads have often been protracted and severe ; especially was this so in earlier days, but there never was perhaps a greater contest between rival towns for a line of railroad than there was for the R., R-I. & St. L. R. R. Many years prior to the construction of this road the company obtained a charter and much work was done on the line from Beardstown, passing through Rushville to Macomb. For years the work was abandoned, and unid 1860 tiio enterj)rise was not revived. At that time the citizens of Rushville and Macomb became greatly interested in tiie road and desired it completed. Great interest was manifested all along that route, which subsequently was known as the Macomb and Rushville route. During the summer and autumn of 1869 tiie citizens of Astoria, Vermont and Table Grove became desirous of a railroad; and as much parleying was done by the leading men on the Macomb and Rushville route, a proposition was made by some of the leading and enterprising citizens of the eastern route, principally of Astoria, to the officials of the R., R-I. & St. L. R. R. for the construction of this road from Beardstown through Browning, Frederick, Astoria, Vermont and Table Grove to Bushnell. The citizens through this county and at Bushnell took great interest in the enterj)rise and ])ushed their claim with the greatest energy. The contest between Rushville, Industry and ^lacoml) and Astoria, Vermont, Table Grove and Bushnell, ])roved a fierce one in the extreme ; but the men of Fulton county along the latter route proved to be the sharper, shrewder business men and out-gencraled the leadinglights of Macomb and Rushville. It was decided bv the companv as the countv. Work was conimenccfl on the line in December, and by June 1, hSTU, ears passed over the road. The proposition was received from the officials of this road in November, 1869, that if they would raise §300,000 from Frederick to Bushnell, the road would be built through Fulton county instead of through Mc- Donough and Schuyler counties. This amount was readily voted. Astoria township led the van with SoO,000. The town of Astoria, which at that time was not so large by 500 population as it is to-day, gave S'10,000; Woodland township, which the road does not touch, gave §15,000; Vermont §24,000; Eldorado township, McDonough countv, SG,000; and Farmers' township §35,000. Of the very large subscription made by Astoria township, it not only has paid its interest promptly but has reduced the principal $15,000. The enterprising town of Astoria has liquidated one-half the amount subscribed, and the interest on all of it has ever been paid with promptness.

This road seemed to prosper for a time, but on account of the vast amount of money expended in its construction and the mismanagement of the road afterwards, it proved to be a very unprofitable investment to the stockholders. The rolling stock, which at first was all new, without repair or attention soon got into bad condition ; the road-bed was neglected, and the entire line came into disrepute. In 1876, however, the C., B. & Q. R. R. Co. purchased it and gave it the name of the St. Louis Division of the C, B. & Q. R. R. The road-bed was immediately put in repair, new rolling stock provided, and to-day it is one of the best roads in the State of Illinois.

Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Railway

This railway crosses the county in a line almost directly east and west, and is the principal railroad of Fulton county. It seems more especially identified with the interests of this county than any other road, and the people along the route take a commendable local pride in its welfare. The T., P. tt W. is one of the principal arteries by which the produce of the Northwest is transported to the seaboard. It is the most direct route for the people of Fulton countv to reach the thriving and growing city of Peoria. Not only is it the best route to that city, but it is the cheajiest and quickest route to Chicago. It connects with the famous old Illinois Central at Gilraan, and the T. P. & W. coaches are whirled on into the Garden City without change or delay. This is also by far the best route to Burlington and Keokuk and the West. A branch leaves La Harpe from the Warsaw line for these cities, and one goes through in much less time and at cheaper rates than by any other available road. At one time, like most newly builded roads, it fell into disrepute ; but under its present management it has taken rank wiih the largest roads of the country. Its road-bed is level, well ironed and smooth, and its rolling stock, both freight cars and

The T., P. & W. Ry. Co. is a consolidation of the Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Railway Company and the Mississippi & Wabasli Railroad Company, the former of which was incorporated Feb. 14, 1863, and the latter Feb. 1(3, 1863. These two companies were consolidated Dec. 1, 1865, and the entire road between the State line and Warsaw was put in operation Oct. 14, 1868, The Burlington branch, from La Harpe to Burlington, was opened in November, 1871.

The first work on the T., P. & W. through this county was done by the M. & W. R. R. This road passed through Canton and Cuba, its western terminus at Carthago. Some work was done between Cuba and Spoon river; from Bushnell west to Carthage much work was done under the management of this company. From Carthage to Warsaw the road was completed and put in operation. After the charter was obtained, a special act of the Legislature was passed dividing the road in this State into the Eastern, Western and Central Divisions, for its construction and management. Peoria was not a point on tliis road at that time; it crossed the Illinois river at Pekin. From Pekin east it was known as the Eastern Division, from Pekin to Bushnell as the Central, and from Bushnell to Warsaw as the Western. Each division was a sort of independent organization. Thompson Maple, of Canton, and a Mr. Buell, had a contract for the construction of the Central Division of the road, or that part between Pekin and Bushnell, and Mr. Sample, of Keokuk, built the Western Division.

Connections: - At State Line with P., C. & St. L. Railway, at Watseka C. & E. I. Railway; at (Jilman with L C. and G., C. & S. Railways; Chenoa, with C. ct A. Railway; at El Paso with I. C. Railway (main line) ; at Peoria with P. & R. I., P., P. & J., C, R. I. & P., and C, B. & Q. Railways; at Bushnell with St. Louis Division and main line of the C, B. & Q. Railways; at Burlington with C, B. & Q., B. & C. R. and M. & B. and B. & S. \V. Railways; at Keokuk with DesMoines Valley Railway.