Logan County, Illinois - Chapter 13: Railroads, 1886

Chapter 13: Railroads

Powerful Agencz in Developing a New Country. - Histories of THE Roads Crossing THIS County. - ^Chioago & Alton. - Peoria, Decatur & Evansville. - Champaign & Hatana. - Illinois Midland. - Illinois Central.

Rapid development of a new country is only possible through a system of railroads, affording speedy, regular, safe and economical transportation. To fully open up a district like Illinois, Indiana or Kentucky, a whole generation was required. Now, by the aid of railroads, the vast Territory of Dakota has within five years received a half million inhabitants, and is read}' to be converted into two new States, Dakota and Pembina - stars Nos. 39 and 40 in our Federal constellation. By the same agency Asia, Australia, South America and Africa are being rapidly civilized and developed. In short, the known world is being wonderfully enlarged. But for the iron horse, Africa must remain the " dark continent " for countless generations. In view of present developments, it is to be the land of promise for emigrants in the twentieth century.

Chicago & Alton

This was the first road through Logan County, and contributed largely to its rapid development. The original name of this company was the "Alton & Sangamon Railroad Company," and the original charter was dated the 27th of February, 1847. In 1852 the name was changed to the " Chicago & Mississippi Railroad Company." Three years later it became the " Chicago, Alton & St. Louis," and in 1862 the present name was adopted. The main line was built in 1853 and 1854. It crossed Logan County northeast and southwest, and passed through Atlanta, Eminence, East Lincoln, "West Lincoln, Broadwell, Elkhart and Hurlbut townships. The stations in this county are Atlanta, Lawndale, Lincoln, Broadwell and Elkhart. The Chicago & Alton is one of the best managed roads in the State, and perhaps offers the best accommodation to passengers.

ThePekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railroad Company was organized in 1867, and a preliminary survey at once made. The original charter of the company provided that the three counties of Tazewell, Logan and Macon might vote aid to the amount of $600,000 - that is, take that amount ofstock - and Logan County was asked to take as its share $300,000. The proposition was voted upon by the people the same year, and voted down by a substantial majority. Very soon after, at another county election, the scheme was given a similar answer. It was provided in the charter that the $300,000 might be called for at any time after the subscription was made, and might be used in the discretion of the directors in procuring the right of way, grading and bridging the road, etc., and such other purposes as they saw proper. It was deemed that this sum of money was too large to be invested in laying the foundation of an enterprise tlie completion and success of which was so uncertain.

To meet these objections, the charter was subsequently amended by the Legislature, so that no part of the stock that might be voted should be assessed until ten miles of the road should be actually completed and ready for the rolling stock - that is, tied, ironed and bridged, ready for the locomotives and cars; that one-third of the amount voted should then be due and payable in county bonds; and upon the similar completion of an additional fifteen miles, another one-third should be similarly payable; and upon the- similar completion of the remainder of the road through this county, the whole distance being estimated at thirty-five miles, the remaining third should be piyable in bouds in like manner.

These conditions proved more satisfactory; and at a special election held April 27, 1869, the $300,000 aid was voted by a majority of 246, in a total vote of 4,019. The townships voting against the scheme and the votes cast in each were:

^tna, 37 votes for and 89 against, majority of 52; Atlanta, 519 votes against and none in favor; Broadwell, 24 for and 117 against, majority of 93; Cor win, 11 for and 185 against, majority of 174; Elkhart, 49 for and 169 against, majority of 120; Eminence, 1 for and 232 against, majority of 231; Hurlbut, 4 for and 94 against, majority of 90; Oran, 1 for and 131 against, majority of 130; Orvil; 56 for and 62 against, majority of 6; Sheridan, 1 for and 122 against, majority, of 121.

673 for and 51 against, majority of 619; Laenna, 78 for and 21 against, majority of 57; Lake Fork, U for and 30 against, majority of 14; Mt. Pulaski, 157 for and 21 against, majority of 436; Prairie Creek, 81 for and 24 against, majority of 57; West Lincoln, 446 for and 7 against, majority of 439.

Thus it is seen that each township voted according to what it deemed its special interest, regardless of the value of the investment to the county as a whole; and nearly every township was ranged on either one side or the other of the question by strong inclination. Few towns were at all evenly divided, and Atlanta, out of over 500 votes, did not cast a single one in favor of the project. The reason in this particular case was that the Peoria, Atlanta & Decatur Road was then projecting, and the township of Atlanta voted $50,000 in aid of that line.

May 24 following the election the directors met at Lincoln and elected Colonel R. B. Latham, President; Teis Smith, Yice-President; Dr. A. M. Miller, Secretary; and William M. Dustin, Treasurer. An executive committee was appointed who were empowered to ]>rocure parties or companies willing to undertake the building of the road, and Colonel Latham at once devoted his time and energy to making the necessary arrangements preliminary to beginning work. He succeeded in letting the contract for the road from Pekin to Decatur to a company of Pekin contractors, who at once organized the Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Rvxilway Construction Company, witli the following officers: C. R. Cummings, President; G. R. Cobleigh, Secretary and Superintendent; and Peter Weyrich, Treasurer.

1869. The contracts for building the bridges along the line were let to Messrs. I. E". Mason and George W. Broughton. Work was suspended for the winter, and resumed leisurely in the spring of

Early in the summer of 1871 the road was completed to Lincoln, and the company called upon the Board of Supervisors for the first installment of the bonds. TCiese were not delivered, however. Among the objections made were: Location of the road at an inconvenient distance from Lincoln, tardiness in building the road, and irregularity in the voting when the stock was voted to be taken. A number of law firms were asked for opinions as to the liability of the county, and though they were nearly unanimous in deciding that there was no escape from payment, the board decided to litigate, and appropriated §1,000 for that purpose. After all, where the shoe really pinched was in that the bonds were asked to bear 10 per cent, interest, according to the terms of the contract, while the supervisors deemed this rate of interest exorbitant. They could have compromised at this point, by issuing the bonds at 7 per cent., as it was afterward learned that the company would accept this interest; but no attempt at compromise was attempted at this point.

Shortly after this, a mysterious coincidence occurred which aroused much indignation. The Board of Supervisors was to meet September 12, 1871, and it was expected that tlie proper officers of the Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Company would at this meeting ask for the second and third installment of bonds, the road being now completed through the county. The portent of the incidents related in the following resolutions adopted by the board is seen when it is understood that the four supervisors mentioned had at the July meeting voted against the interest of the railroad company:

"Whereas, On the 9th day of September, 1871, four of the members of the Board of Supervisors of Logan County, viz., C. C. Burton, Sinnett Kankin, John Strong and A. C. Shields, were subpoenaed to attend the Circuit Court of Tazewell County, on Monday, September 11, 1871, as witnesses; and, whereas, said supervisors did not attend said court on Monday the 11th inst., in consequence of the fact that the Board of Supervisors of Logan County was to convene on Tuesday, the 12th inst., for the transaction of business, and they deeming the interests of Logan County of paramount importance to the cases in which they were subpoenaed, and having legal advice that there was no law to compel a supervisor in the time of the sitting of a Supervisors' Court to attend another county as a witness in a civil case; and, whereas said supervisors, in consequence of their non-attendance upon said court, were taken with an attachment from said court, and taken to Pekin, and by the Circuit Court aforesaid fined - the amount of said fine, cost and expense attending the same being for each supervisor as follows: C. C. Burton $19.85, S. Rankin $18.85, John Strong $19.30, and A. G. Shields $19.30, which amounts were severally paid by said supervisors; and, whereas, also, believing that the said supervisors, being held and kept in continued and unusually perplexing arrest by the sheriff', were greatly outraged, this court, as well as their constituents insulted - particularly so when they were never examined as witnesses, although present in the courtroom when said cases were under consideration; and, whereas, we, in common with the community at large, believe that the object of such arrests was to prevent their attendance upon the Supervisors' Court aforesaid, for some sinister motive connected with the issue of certain bonds of Logan County to the Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Eailroad Company; therefore, be it

Tiiat a committee of three, consisting of Thomas "Wendell, Richard Ayers and A. E.. Crihtield, be and are hereby appointed to investigate the facts connected with the subpoenaed and arrest of said supervisors, and to report the names of any and all persons whom they may ascertain to have been directly or indirectly connected therewith, or in any way aidinsc or abetting in the same, and, also, what legal measures are available or advisable to bring said persons to justice, and to vindicate the rights and immunities of the Board of Supervisors of this county; and that said committee report at the next session of this board, and that the sum of $100 is hereby appropriated to defray the expenses of said committee, which may arise by reason of their duties as such committee, and that the clerk is hereby autliorized to draw an order upon the treasurer for said amount when called upon by said committee."

The committee made a trip to Pekin and investigated the case sufficiently to confirm the suspicion that the supervisors had been subpoenaed in the interest of the railroad company, but the responsibility was not centered upon any one party, and no further steps were taken.

The issue between the county, as represented by the Board of Supervisors, and the railroad company was made upun the regularity of the election at which the $300,000 was voted, and the legality of the votes cast thereat. The board found evidence of fraudulent votes for the bonds, and the company took some testimony showing illegal votes against the bonds. The board then offered the company to compromise by paying $150,000 in bonds at 10 per cent., each side to pay its own expenses to date. This proposition was not accepted, but in March, 1873, a compromise was effected on the basis of the county paying $160,000 and costs. The costs amounted to about $20,000. Thejdebt incurred by the county at this time has been steadily reduced since, and will soon be entirely extinguished.

As soon as completed, the line was leased to the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railroad Company, which operated it for some live years. August 1, 1876, the road was taken oiit of the hands of the Toledo, Wabash & Westera Eailway Company on account of default in payment of interest, and the corporation name changed to Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railway Company. The road from Pekin to Decatur is 67.9 miles in length, but it was now practically lengthened 9.2 miles by a traffic arrangement with the receiver of the Peoria & Springfield Railroad for hauling trains between Peoria and Pekin. March 1, 1878, the company leased the Peoria & Springfield Railroad and equipment. This lease was terminated September 1, 1879, and arrangements were made to run into Peoria over the Peoria, Pekin & Jacksonville track.

November 17,1879, the company was consolidated with the Decatur, Mattoon & Southern Railroad Company, owning a line from Decatur to Mattoon, 43.7 miles. This made a line 119.8 miles in length. February 15, 1880, they leased the Grayville & Mattoon Railroad; and July 2, 1880, they purchased the same, and assumed their present name of Peoria, Decatur & Evansville Railway Company. The line now extends from Peoria to Evansville, Indiana. The general offices are at Pekin.

The road crosses Logan County northwest and southeast, passing through Prairie Creek, Orvil, West Lincoln, East Lincoln, Chester, Mt. Pulaski and Laenna townships. The stations in this count}' are Emden, Hartsburg, Lincoln, Mt. Pulaski and Latham.

Champaign & Havana Line

As early as 1869 a railroad was projected to begin at Havana and pass eastward through Mason City and Lincoln to Champaign. The following year a company was organized by the name of the Havana, Lincoln & Eastern, to build this line. Logan County was not asked to subscribe to its stock, but the townships of Lincoln and East Lincoln, which it was proposed to cross, did vote in the aggregate $110,000, and other townships contributed proportionally. When it came to the point of laying out the route, trouble was experienced in satisfying the people of Lincoln and the interests of the projectors at the same time. The Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Road had just been located northeast of the city, and it was feared that if a third road was run north of the city the inevitable result would be a tendency to build up a new business center, to the detriment of the old one, and this virtual removal of the city, while benefiting Colonel Latham and others owning property to the north, would entail a needless expense upon the city and many individuais. The current of public opinion became so strong on this topic that a largely attended mass-meeting was held at the court-house June 26, 1871. The sentiment of the meeting was almost unanimous for the location of the proposed railroad and depot on the south side of the city, and resolutions were adopted expressing this sentiment most earnestly. Colonel Ed. Lynch was chosen as Chairman, and E. D. Blinn, Secretary. James L. Hoblit, J. A. Niles and James Congdon were appointed to draw up resolutions, which they did as follows :

" 1st, That it is the desire by an overwhelming majority of the citizens of the city of Lincoln to have the Havana, Mason City, Lincoln & Eastern Railroad located and built near the half section line running through the southern portion of the city.

" 2d, That the two members of the Supervisors' Court of Logan County from the city be requested to use all honorable means to prevent the issuing of any bonds of Logan County to the Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railroad Company until such time as the president thereof shall furnish irreversible guarantees that he, the said president, will, to the extent of his infinence and power, procure, and cause to be procured, the permanent location of the said Havana, Mason City, Lincoln & Eastern Railroad on the side of our city.

" 3d, That if the officers of the said Havana, Mason City, Lincoln & Eastern Railroad Company shall locate the said road on the north side of the city against the will and wishes of the citizens thereof, that we will use all means in our power to prevent the issuing or payment of any bonds to said railroad company.

"4th, That, believing as we do that railroads ought to be in part at least built for the benefit and accommodation of the people, and that when our citizens of East and "West Lincoln propose to contribute $110,000 toward building the said railroad, then in our judgment the interests of the business men and tax-payers of this city should be consulted in locating said road, and that any scheme for locating said road to subserve private interests in derogation of the public good meets with our unqualified condemnation."

by a vote of seventy-two to seventy-one. Frank Froer, James L. Hoblit and James Congdon were appointed as a committee to execute the will of the meeting. In this they were successful. The road was built south of the city, being completed in 1872. It was at once leased to tlie Indiana, Bloomington & "Western Railroad Company.

When the bonds were demanded, some objected to payment, claiming irregularity in the elections. This could not be proven, however, and the bonds of the townships of East and West Lincoln were delivered in exchange for the stock. West Lincoln at once sold its stock to the county at 30 cents on the dollar. On its $50,000 of stock it then lost $30,000, or gave that amount outright for the railroad.

The Indiana, Bloomington & Western Railroad Company operated this line until 1879, when, being financially involved, in the hands of a receiver, and in litigation for over four years, it was forced to sell its interest in the road under a decree of the court. The line was then operated for the purchasers until September 1, 1879, when it was conveyed to the Champaign, Havana & Western Railway Company. They operated it until July 31, 1880, when it was consolidated with the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific system. This wonderful cobweb burst in 1884^'5, under the management of Jay Gould, and a number of its leased lines were detached and allowed to shift for themselves. Among these was the road forming the subject of this article, which in 1885 became known as the Champaign & Havana line.

It passes through Logan County nearly east and west, crossing Sheridan, West Lincoln, East Lincoln and Oran townships. The stations in the county are New Holland, Burton View, Lincoln, Skelton and Season.

Sheridan Township never issued any bonds, although $20,000 was voted. Oran issued $25,000; East Lincoln, $60,000, and West Lincoln, $50,000, as already stated. No payments were made on these bonds, not even for interest, as the collection of taxes for that purpose in the three townships was enjoined in 1870. Then for eleven years there was almost constant litigation and negotiation between the bondholders and the townships. The cases were finally compromised by an election held in the three townships, October 25, 1881. On the East Lincoln bonds there was at that time due $124,512; by the compromise there was saved $33,392 and $620 annually thereafter. On West Lincoln bonds there was

Illinois Midland

This line belongs to a company formed by the consolidation of the Paris & Decatur Eailroad Company, incorporated by charter approved February 18, 1861; the Paris & Terre Haute Railroad Company incorporated under provision of law of March 1, 1872, and the Peoria, Atlanta & Decatur Railroad Company, incorporated by charter approved March 1, 1869. The road built by the last named is the one crossing a portion of this county, and heuce entitled to mention in this chapter.

The Peoria, Atlanta & Decatur line was surveyed in 1869, and found to be 60.8 miles, by a not remarkably direct route. At that time any community was willing to tax itself indefinitely to obtain a new railroad, and when Eminence and Atlanta townships were asked to subscribe to the capital stock, they complied readily. The election to decide whether or not Atlanta Township should subscribe $50,000 to the capital stock of the road was held June 16, 1869, when 265 votes were cast for the subscription, and 29 against it. Messrs. Dills & Dunham were made directors of the road. Work began in 1870, at which time John A. Hoblit was supervisor of the township. The bonds were to be issued as the work in the township progressed, but Mr. Hoblit and the officers of the road differed as to the value of the work actually done, and there were serious disagreements about issuing the bonds. Mr. Hoblit issued at one time $5,000; at another, $8,000; and at another, $7,000. In 1871 James Tuttle was elected supervisor, and delivered to the company $15,000 at one time, and $2,000 at another, making $37,000. Tn the winter of 1873-'4 the collection of taxes levied in Atlanta to pay interest on these bonds was enjoined; but the courts decided in favor of the railroad company.

The line was pushed to completion in the spring and summer of 1874. September 19, 1874, the company purchased the Paris & Decatur and the Paris & Terre Haute railroads, and November 4, 1874, changed its name to the Illinois Midland Railway Company. The Paris & Decatur line, 73.1 miles, was opened in December, 1872; the Paris & Terre Haute line, 13.9 miles, in May, 1874; and the Peoria, Atlanta & Decatur line, 60.8 miles, in November, 1874. The company leases from the Terre Haute & Indianapolis road 7.8 miles from Terre Haute, Ind., to Farrington, 111.; from the Illinois Central 15.25 miles, from a point 1.5 miles south of Decatur to Maroa; from the Toledo, Peoria & "Warsaw 5.1 miles, from Farmdale to Peoria. The Illinois Midland has not been a financially prosperous organization, and has been in the courts a great deal for ten years past.

Illinois Central

This company purchased in 1876 the road from Oilman to Springfield, 111.47 miles, which had been built in 1871 as the Gilman, Clinton & Springfield Eailroad. Before it became a part of the Central system it was not in good financial condition, and was involved in much litigation. It does better /now, but still it passes through some new country, which is yet to be developed into a profitable district before the expectations of the builders are realized. It crosses the southeastern part of Logan County, passing through JStna, Laenna, Mt. Pulaski and Elkhart townships. The stations in this county are Chestnut, Mt. Pulaski and Cornland.