Stark County, Illinois - Chapter 10: Internal Improvements, 1916

Chapter 10: Internal Improvements

ACT OF 1836 - L.UJGE APPROPRIATIONS FOR RIVER IMPROVEMENTS AND RAILROADS THE RAILROAD ERA WESTERN AIR LINE AMERICAN CENTRAL CHICAGO, ROCK KLAND & PACIFIC CHICAGO, BURLINGTON & QUINCY CHICAGO & NORTHWESTERN VALUE OF RAILROAD PROPERTY IN THE COUNTY.

In this year 1916 of the Christian era, when a citizen of Stark County has occasion to visit the county seat, or make a short journey into some of the adjacent counties, it is a comparatively easy matter to step into his automohile and glide along over a public highway to his destination. Should it be necessary for him to take a longer journej', he can take his seat in a reclining chair car or a Pullman coacli on one of the great railway systems of the country and be transported across the land at the rate of fifty or sixty miles an hour. But does he ever pause to consider hoA\- all these conveniences were brought about for his comfort and acconmiodatif)n. I^et him for a moment draw upon his imagination for the conditions that existed in what is now Stark County when Isaac B. Essex and his earlj- neighboi's came to the Spoon River Valley in 1829.

Then all this region was "fresh from the hands of Nature." Along the stream still known as Indian Creek the Pottawatomi villages were to be seen, the men hunting where now are cultivated fields and the squaws raising some corn and a few other vegetables in a desultory sort of way. Through the groves and across the prairies prowded the wolf, and the oidy white men were the hunters, trappers or agents of the great fur companies who came at intervals to catch the fur-bearing animals or trade with the Indians. No roads had yet been opened for the white man's travel and the pioneers eanic with the ox teams and "prairie schooners," i>nidin^' their way l)y the sun and "f()Uowin<>- tlie line of least resistance."' Streams were unhridgcd, and it was no unusual thing for a jjarty of immigrants to reach the bank of an ordinarily insignificant creek to find it swollen by recent rains and wait for the waters to subside before they could continue their journey. Through the forests or over the jjrairies wound an occasional Indian trail. These trails were the only thoroughfares and they were only narrow paths, the Indians always traveling in single file. A man on horseback might follow one, but they were practically useless to the man with a team and vehicle. However, the red man's trail ])ossessed some advantages. They led as directly from one point to another as the nature of the ground permitted, and they struck the streams at the best possible fording places.

\\'hen the first wliite men came to Stark County the nearest land offices were at Q>iincy and (ialcna, and tliither they must go to enter tlieir lands. 3Irs. Siui]lenl)erger descril)es these journeys to the land offices as being made "with no roads, no bridges, no places of shelter, notliing to direct their course save the sun and wind (which latter would sometimes sadly deceive tliem by an unnoticed change), and sometimes an Indian trail; these were reliable guides wherever they existed, and were followed witii perfect confidence by the true backwoodsmaUi"

In the early part of the nineteentli century a few adventiu-ous individuals liad clustered around the lead mines at Galena and there was a small settlement where the City of Peoria now stands. The fii-st road to pass through what is now Stark County was that known as "Kellogg's Trail," which ran by a "devious way" from Peoria to the lead mines. It was opened in 182.), but after a lapse of foin- score and ten years it is impossible to descril)e the i-oute it followed, as there Mas neither bridge, ferry nor white man's habitation along the entire distance.

A\^iiere the Indian trails could be widened for the passage of vehicles they were used by the first settlers until better highways could be constructed. The first roads made by civilized man were crude aflf'airs - generally a route marked out at will, the trees blazed through the woodlands, Mith liere and there some of the timber removed to permit the ])assage of wagons. They nearly always passed from one grove to another, the groves being marked places and serving as landmarks or guides to the strange traveler. Low places were filled \\ith small logs, thrown crosswise of the driveway, thus forming the famous

Public Highways

Prol)ably the first thoroughfare in Stark County, to be established by official authority, was the state road running from Knoxville to Galena. From Knoxville it followed a generally northeastern direction until it struck the western boundary of what is now Stark County not far from the southwest corner of Goshen Township. Thence it followed a more easterly direction, passing through the grove south of the jjresent City of Toulon, near the dwelling of Elijah ]SIcClenahan. Si-., and from there to the grove near James Holgate's. From Holgate's it ran to Boyd's Grove, then to Dixon, where it turned northward toward Galena.

In September, 1831, while Stark was a part of Putnam County, the authorities of that county ordered a road to be surveyed and marked from Hennepin to Smith's Ford on the Spoon River. Three years later the commissioners of Putnam County established road districts. The Spoon Kiver settlement was in District Xo. 17, of which Sylvanus JNIoore was appointed supervisor, but that was all that was done, as no roads were ever built by Putnam County for the settlement, and Mr. ]Moore really had nothing to "supervise."

Stark County was organized under the provisions of the act of March 2, 1839, and on the .5th of April following the first board of county commissioners divided the county into nine road districts as follows :

District Xo. 2 was described as "beginning at the northeast corner !of township 13, range 7 ; thence west to the northwest corner of section 3, township 13, range 6: thence south to the southwest corner of section 34: thence east to the southeast corner of township 13, range 7; thence north to the place of beginning." James Holgate was appointed supervisor of this district, ^^hich included all the present Township of Penn and the eastern half of Toulon.

District X^'o. 3 was bounded as follows: "Beginning at the northeast corner of township 12, range 7; thence west to the northwest corner of section 2, township 12, range 6; thence south to the southwest corner of section 3.5, township 12, range 6: thence east to the southeast corner of township 12, range 7, and thence north to the place of beginning." This district embraced all of Valley Township and a strip two miles wide across the eastern ])art of Essex. \N'hitney Smith was appointed supervisor.

District No. 4 began "at the southeast corner of section 10, township 12, range 6; thence west to the southeast corner of section 10, township 12, range .5; thence south to the southeast corner of section 34.; thence east to the southeast corner of section 34, townshi}) 12, range (5; thence north to the place of beginning." This district included sixteen sections in the southwestern part of Essex Township and eight sections in the southeastern part of West Jersey. JeflFerson Trickle, su]iervisor.

District Xo. .3 connnenced "at the southeast corner of section 10, townshii^ 12, range 5; thence west to the southwest corner of section 7; thence south to the southwest corner of the township; thence east to the southeast corner of section .'34, township 12, range 5; thence north to the place of begiiming." This was one of the smallest of the nine districts, embracing a tract four miles square in the southwestern part of West Jersey Townshi]). \\'illiam W. Webster was appointed supervisor.

District Xo. 0 began "at the southwest corner of section 7, township 12, range ->; thence east to the southeast corner of section 10; thence north to the northwest corner of section 26, township 13, range .5; thence west to the range line between ranges 4 and ."5; thence north to the place of beginning." This district was also four miles square, including eight sections in the northwestern part of West Jersey Townsliip and the same in the southwest i)art of Goshen. Joseph Palmer was appointed supervisor of tiiis disti'iet.

District Xo. 7 was described as "beginning at the northwest corner of townshi]) 13, range o: thence east to the northeast corner of section 3: thence south four miles; thence west to the range line, and thence noith to the place of beginning." These boundaries include a tract four miles s(]uare in the northwestern part of (roshen Townsliip. Peter F. Miner was aijjjointed supervisor.

District X"o. 8 commenced "at the northwest corner of section 20. townshi]) 13. range .5; thence south to the southwest corner of section 11. townshi]) 12, range .3; thence east to the southeast corner of section 10, township 12, range G; thence north to the southwest corner of section So. township 13, range (J; thence west to the southeast corner of section 33, townsiii]) 13, range (5; thence north to the northeast corner of section 28; thence west to the place of beginning." Xo. 8 included a tract of eight sections in the northwest ])art of Essex Town- ship; four sections in the northeast corner of West Jersey, four sections in the southeast corner of Goshen, and six in tlie southwest corner of Toulon. S. G. Worley was appointed supervisor.

District No. 9 began "at the southwest corner of section 23. to\\nship 13, range .); thence north to the nortliwest corner of section 2; thence east to the northwest corner of section 3, township 13, range 6; thence south to the northwest corner of section 27, and tlience west to the place of beginning." This district included twelve scjuare miles in the northwestern jiart of Toulon Township and eight square miles in the northeastern part of Goshen. John ^liller was appointed supervisor.

The same day that these districts were established it Mas ordered by the board of commissioners "that each and e\ery able bodied man sul)ject to work on the higinvay shall be required to perform three days' labor on the pul)lic roads." But as no roads had as yet been established, it is probable that the "able bodied" men had an easy time in the year 1839, so far as work on the public highways was concerned.

The first mention of a public road in the records of Stark County was on September 2, 1839. when Virgil Pike and tliirty-two others ])resented a petition for the opening of a road "commencing at the east line of the said County of Stark in the direction of Boyd's Grove from Seely's Point ; thence at or near the above mentioned point the nearest and best route through the neighborhood of Cooper's Defeat in the direction of L. S. Dorrance's mill, terminating at the state road on the line between L. S. Dorrance and Henry Breese."

John Hester, Joseph D. Lane and Adam Perry were appointed to "view, mark and locate said road," which was the first highway established by the county authorities. They re])orted in favor of the road on Deceml)er 3. 1839, and the next season the "able bodied" men in that part of the county had something to do in the way of working on the highway.

On Septeml)er 3, 1839. John Hester and about thirty other citizens petitioned for a change in the Knoxville and Galena state road "from the east end of Jackson Street in the Town of Lafayette, through township 13, range o," etc. ISIyrtle G. Brace, James Buswell and John Lyle were appointed to view the route proposed by the jietitioners and report. The change was subsequentlv ordered.

On the same day John Finley and others came forward with a petition asking for a change in the same road between ^Villiam Henderson's and ^Nfassillon. The viewers appointed for this proposed change were William Bow-en, Charles H. jNIiner and Israel Stoddard.

but their report could not be found by the writer. Other petitions were jjresented at ahiiost every one of the early sessions of the county commissioners, the people of every neighborhood seemingly being anxious to secure a highway for their accommodation, whether the other parts of the county received sucli encouragement or not. I kittle work was done on these early roads. exce])t such as the settlers themselves performed under the road law which required them to perform so many days' work each year under the direction of the district supervisor.

The first roads did not follow the section lines, but took the shortest and most available route between the points it was meant to connect. Rut as the lands were entered and settled, it became necessary to alter a number of the roads, in order to make them conform to the lines of the official survey. On March 9, 1842, the board of commissioners redistricted the county, making eleven road districts, and levied a tax of 10 cents on each $100 worth of property in the county for the purpose of improving the roads. This is the first record of a road tax in Stark County. In 1914. the road and bridge fund amounted to $44..703.80.

Within recen.t years quite a number of the states have adopted the plan of supervising the construction and improvement of highways. A state highway commission was created in Illinois by an act of the Legislature, approved June 27, 1913. The highway commissioners in 191.5 were: A. D. Gash, of Chicago: S. E. Rradt. of De Kalb; and James P. Wilson, of Polo. Under the new system the state is divided into seven districts, each of which is in charge of a highway engineer, to whom all plans for the improvement of roads must be submitted, and there is a chief engineer who has charge of the entire state. Road building in Illinois has not kept pace with that of some of her sister states - chiefly for lack of suitable material for the construction of improved highways - but it is hoped that the new system will result in giving to the people a better class of roads.

State Internal Impkuve.Ments

Although Stark Comity had not been created when the state inaugurated its gigantic scheme for internal improvements, it came into existence in time to assist in paying for the folly. One of the first great Avorks undertaken was the construction of the Illinois & iNIichigan Canal. It is uncertain who first suggested such a canal - to connect the waters of Lake ^Michigan with the ^Mississippi River - but during the War of 1812 it was made manifest tliat some method of transportation between tlie Great Lakes and the ^Mississippi Valley was sorely needed.

On INIarch 30, 1822, Congress, in response to a petition from the Illinois Legislatm-e, granted to the state a strip of ground ninety feet wide on each side of the bed of tlie canal. The grant was accepted l)y the next session of the Legislature, which appointed a board of canal commissioners, who reported that the cost of the canal would be about tliree-quarters of a million dollars. Subsequent events showed that their estimate was far too low, and they have been charged with purposely making it so, in order to get the state involved in its construction.

After several futile efforts to get Congress to grant more land, the Legislature passed the act of January 17. 182.3. incorporating the "Illinois & ]Michigan Canal Association," with a capital stock of $1,000,000. None of the stock was ever sold or subscribed and on JNIarch 3, 1827, Congress passed a bill granting to the State of Illinois alternate sections of land in a strip five miles wide on each side of the proposed canal. A new canal board was appointed on January 12, 1829, and the new conmiissioners announced that the canal would cost $4,000,000. The new estimate caused doubts in the minds of many of the people as to the advisability of the state's undertaking the cost of the construction of the canal, and some opposition to the scheme developed. But the friends of artificial waterways argued that such improvements had been made in some of the eastern states, notablj'^ the Erie Canal in New York, and that the tolls had not only paid the cost of construction l)ut also yielded a permanent income to the state. These advocates of internal improvements insisted that the people of Illinois must bestir themselves, if they expected to see Illinois occu^iy a place in the front rank of states.

After about five years of discussion pro and con, the Legislature in 183(5 authorized the governor to borrow $.)00.000 with wliicli to commence the construction of the canal, giving tlie canal lands and tolls as security. Other loans followed and by January 1, 1839, nearly two millions of dollars had been expended. Then the Legislature authorized a loan of $4,000,000 all at once. Some of this money was borrowed from tlie state school fund. Delay after delay followed, but finally, on April 10. 1848. the canal boat "General Fry" passed through the canal from Lockpoi-t to Chicago, and on the 23d of the same month the "General Thornton" completed the trip the full length of the canal from Chicago to I^a Salle. The canal was finislied. The tolls collected covered the operating- expenses until 1879, when the railroads took nuich of the freighting husiness away from the canal. Notwithstanding tliis, the canal wielded a great inthience in the development of the Upper Illinois Valley and acting as a restraint upon any imdue advance in railroad freight rates.

The Illinois & ^lichigan Canal was not really a part of the great system of internal improvements, which had its inception in the wave of jjuhlic sentiment in favor of huilding canals and turnpike roads, which swept over the counti'y in the early '30s. Before anything definite along these lines had heen done hy Illinois, the railroad hegan to make its influence felt and pul)lic sentiment shifted to the construction of railroads rather than the huilding' of turnpikes. By 183.5 several lines of railway had been constructed in the East and were being operated with success. The advocates of an internal improvement system for Illinois did not pause to consider the difference in the density of population and the greater demand for common carriers in the East, but, in season and out of season, urged the state to make large appropriations for the improvement of the natural waterways and the encouragement of railroad building. As a result of all this agitation, the Legislature of 183(5 inaugurated the state scheme of internal improvements by making the following ajjpropriations:

111 addition to the above there were appropriations of >f'--50,0U0 for the improveiiient of the Great Western ^lail Route and $200,000 to the eounties that received no direct benefit from the proposed pubhc improvenients, making a grand total of $10/2.50,000. Several of the enterprises contemplated by the bill were commenced, but none was ever completed and the money sunk in the state system of internal improvements was lost bej'ond recovery. The railroad from Cairo to the Illinois & JMichigan Canal, at La Salle, was afterward finished by a company and now forms a part of the Illinois Central, and the Quiiicy & Indiana State Line road was built over another route, afterward becoming a part of the Toledo, ^Vabash & Western.

Charles ]M. Thompson, in an article in one of tlie Illinois Historical Collections, says: "Within three years the craze had run its course, leaving the people, as a reminder of their folly, a debt that hung over them for decades. The impossibility of the scheme was not revealed until the time came when the bonds were unsalable."

^^^len Governor Ford was inaugurated in 184.2, the state debt was nearly fifteen and a half millions of dollars. Stark County was then about three years old. The only benefit this county received from the internal improvement scheme was under the provision of section 5 of the act of INIarch 2, 1839, that the treasurer of Putnam County should pay to the treasurer of Stark County the sum of $1.64.5, with interest at 12 per cent, etc. Putnam was one of the counties that received a portion of the appropriation of $200,000 that went to the counties not directly affected by the public improvements, her share amounting to $9,870. When Stark was cut off she was given onesixth of this sum, with accrued interest. Upon demanding the money from Putnam County-, it was learned that Amnion ]Moon, the treasurer of that county, had loaned the funds without taking adequate security, though Stark finally received her share of the spoils. It is ])robal)le. however, that the people paid back more tlian that amount in taxes in li(iuidatiiig the enormous debt incurred through the intei'iial imiJrovement scheme.

The Railroad Era

The first railroad in the United States to be operated successfully was a line about nine miles in length, running from the City of ^Nlaiich Chunk, Pa., to some coal mines. Within a few years men of sagacity and foresight realized that the railroad was destined to become an inijiortant factor in the development of the country, and the people of the AVest began to offer every encouragement to their introduc- tion. The proposition was not favored unanimously, however, but met with consideralile opposition, some of wliieh merely insisted that flnaneial aid be withliehl until the eountry was in better eondilion, while other opposition was unquestionably based upon prejudice. About 1880 some young men of Lancaster, Ohio, formed themselves into a debatin<>' society and reijuested the school board to permit them to use the schoolhouse to discuss the railroad question. To this request tiie board made the followiny; reply:

"We are \villini>' to allow you the use of the schoolhouse to debate all jiroper questions in, but such subjects as railroads are rank infidelity and not tit to be discussed in a building erected for the purpose of educating our children. If the ^Vlmighty had intended tor His creatures to travel across the face of the country at the frightful speed of fifteen miles an hour, he would clearly have foretold it through His holy projjhets. It is a device of Satan to lead immoi-tal souls down to hell."

Despite the objections of the Lancaster School Board, and otiiers of that class, railroad building went on. Each year found more people interested and willing to vote aid to secure a railroad through theiirespective comnuuiities. And the railroad that today could not run its trains at a greater rate of speed than the "frightful fifteen miles an liour" so feared by the Ohio school board, would neither receive nor deserve a large amount of patronage.

Western Aik Line

The first railroad project to interest the people of Stark County was the Western Air Line Railroad, which was first mentioned in 18.50. After about three years of ]ireliminary work, the County Court, on June 0, 18.>.'}, took the following action:

"Whereas, it has been represented to this court that it would be for the welfare and advantage of Stark County, and that the citizens thereof are desirous that said county sliould subscribe to the capital stock of the 'Western Air Line Railroad Company' to aid in the construction of said road ; it is therefore

"Ordered by the court tliat an election be held in the several townships in said county on the 13th day of August next, at the usual places of holding elections or town meetings in said towns, for the purpose of voting for or against the subscri])ti()n by the said County of Stark to the capital stock of the said 'Western Air Line Railroad Company' of the amount of $.J0.000. Bonds to be issued for said sum

(in case a majority of the legal voters, as required l)y law, shall vote for said subscription) running twenty years and bearing (J per cent interest, by the proper authorities under the laws of. the state.

"And it is further ordered that the clerk give notice as required by law. The bonds to be issued on condition that said road shall run througii the central part of the county, as near as practicable."

The result of the election was o'.H votes in favor of the stock subsciiption and 141 against it. About a month after the election the old county court was superseded by the board of supervisors and nothing further was done concerning the railroad stock until July 31, 18,55. The minutes of the supervisors' meeting for that date show that it was

"Ordered that the chairman of the board of supervisors he, and he is hereby, authorized to subscribe $.50,000 to the cajjital stock of the Western Air Line Railroad, and that the clerk be authorized to issue to said company $.50,000 of the bonds of Stark County, payable in twenty years from the date hereof, bearing interest at the rate of 0 per cent per annum, payable at such place as said company maj^ designate. Said bonds may be in such sums as may he designated by said company, not less than $1,000 each, and shall have coupons attached, which said bonds and coupons shall be signed by the chairman of this board and attested by the clerk, with the seal of the county attached thereto."

Pursuant to this order, fifty bonds of $1,000 each were issued and turned over to the railroad company by William W. Webster, chairman of the board of supervisors, and JNliles A. Fuller, clerk, who received for the county $50,000 in stock of the company. The general offices of the company were established at Lacon. the county seat of ^larshall County. At the amuial meeting of the stockholders in 1850, Mr. \Vebster cast the vote of Stark County. The next year Isaac Thomas cast the county's vote. The meeting of 1858 was lield on the 'id of IMarch. The day before the meeting the board of supervisors appointed Isaac Thomas to cast the vote for the county, and instructed him to vote for Dr. Thomas Hall for director.

Like many of the early railroad enter])rises in the West, the Western Air Line never became a reality. The bonds issued by Stark County produced more litigation than miles of railroad. In .July, 1858, the board of supervisors appointed T. F. Hurd to obtain legal a(l\ice as to whether the county was legally bound to pay the bonds, and in September following the board adopted a resolution declaring "that the board deems it advisable to decline paying the interest now d>ie." \y. \y. ^Vinslow was authorized to tender the certificates of stock lulcl l)y the county to the railroad company and demand in return the bonds issued by the county. The offer was declined and on September 1.5, 18.58, Olai" Johnson tiled suit against the county for the amount of interest due. In the Circuit Court the suit was dismissed, whereupon Johnson carried it to the Suprenje Court, wliere a decision was rendered in April, 18(il, ordering Stark County to pay both principal and interest of the bonds.

Ameuican Cextkal Kaiekoau

Some work was done on the proposed line by the Western Air Line Company. Says Mrs. Shallenberoer: "In Sei>tember, 18.).>, the 'breakin<^- gromid' was celebrated at Toulon by a public dinner on the square and appropriate speeches. Great enthusiasm prevailed and a good portion of the vast assemblage afterward adjourned to the prairie east of town to see the first shovelful of earth thrown up on the much desired road."

In the suit of Johnson vs. Stark County, it was shown that about eighty miles of the road bed had been graded and made ready for the ties and rails. Some of tlie ])eople of Stark County were not willing to see all this work go to waste, hence a new company, known as the American Central Railroad Company, was organized to succeed the Western Air Line. \Villiam Lownian, of Toulon, was chosen treasurer, and ^^'illiam F. Thomas, of Wyoming, was one of the directors. The new company was no more successful than its predecessor and after a short time the interest in the effort to build a railroad waned and the project was abandoned.

On March 7, 18()7. a charter was granted to the Peoria l\; Rock Island l{ailroad Com])any to build a railroad between the points named. The new comi)any acquired the right of way of the old ^^''estern Air I^ine for $-27,(H)() and began making active ])reparations for construction. Xew encouragement was thus given to the jieople of Stark County and on ^Vugust 2(\, 18(;7, a railroad meeting was held in Toulon. Charles JNIyers presided and Oliver ^VIlite acted as secretary. Resolutions indorsing the proposed railroad were adopted and Patrick JSI. Blair, Benjamin Turner, Martin Shallenberger, Davis Lowman and Oliver Whitaker were appointed a committee to formulate and present a i)lan by which the county could aid in building the road.

^At a second meeting, Novemhei- 9, 18(57, resolutions pledging Toulon Township to subscribe -^.50,000 to the capital stock of the company were adopted and JNIiles A. Fuller, JNIartin Shallenberger and Davis Lowman were appointed a committee to solicit subscriptions to the stock fund. Three days later the first board of directors was elected. ^Villiam R. Hamilton was chosen president; Patrick M. Blair, vice president; C. P. James, secretary; and H. ]M. ^Vheeler, treasurer.

On November 22, 1867, a large number of the citizens of Toulon, Penn, Essex and Valley townshi])s - through which it was supposed the road would pass - assembled at ^Vyoming to consider the question of granting financial assistance to the company. H. A. Hoist presided and Dr. J. C. Copestake was elected secretary. A motion to appoint a committee on resolutions, consisting of two from each township, was carried and the following were appointed: Toulon, John Wrigley and Isaac Thomas; Essex, A. G. Hammond and C. H. Butler; Penn, Charles Holgate and George Nicholas; Valley, Thomas Crone and Elisha Dixon. The committee offered a resolution pledging each of the townships to subscribe $.50,000, which was adopted.

About this time the survey of the road was completed through the county and it was discovered that it did not touch Penn Township. Instead it passed through Goshen and on January 27, 1868, an election was held in the townships of ^^alley, Essex, Toulon and Goshon on the question of subscribing the stock recommended bv the Wyoming meeting the preceding November. The proposition carried, though Valley Township voted only $30,000. The lesson of the old Western Air Line bonds was not lost on the people of Stark County, and in the case of the Peoria & Rock Island the l)onds issued by the townships were safeguarded by such conditions that default on the part of the company w-as impossible.

Work on the road was commenced in the spring of 1869 and early in June, 1871, the fii'st train arrived at Toulon. Although it was only a construction train, the occasion was one of rejoicing on the part of the denizens of the town, and the incident was celebrated by a big dinner served in Judge Ogle"s grove, at whicli the officials and em])loyes of the railroad company were invited guests. The first regular passenger train passed over the road on July 8, 1871. Previous to that time the Peoria & Rock Island Railroad Company had formed a consolidation with the Rock Island tV Pacific. The road is now known as the Peoria & Rock Island division of the great Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific svsteni.

Tlie branch of this great system whicli runs tln-ough Stark County had its inception in 18.3.5, in the Peoria & Hannibal Raih-oad, of which James H. Stipp was the principal projector. Some tive or six years later Mr. Stipp, on behalf of his company, gave a perpetual lease to James F. Joy and E. R. Ward, agents of the Chicago. Hurlington & Quincy, with the stipulation that the line would be completed and operated by that company. Early in 1869 the road was finished and trains were running between Canton and Rushville. The Ime was then called the Peoria, Dixon & Hannibal Railroad. About that time the townships of Osceola, Penn, Yalley and Essex, in Stark County, took up the question of granting some financial aid to the company, in order to hasten the completion of the road.

In this work Ur. Alfred Castle, of Wyoming, was one of the leading spirits. Through the influence of him and his associates, lil)eral subsidies were granted and the work was pushed with such viaor that before the close of the year the line had crossed the boundary of Stark County being the first railroad in the county. In 1870 it was finished to Ruda. where it connects with the main line of the Chicago. Rurlington i<c Quincy system. It is now known as the Ruda 6c Rushville branch. It passes through Essex, Toulon, Penn and Osceola townships, the Stark County stations on the road being Duncan, Wyoming, Castleton, Bradford and Lombardville.

Chicago & Northwestern

About the close of the nineteenth century the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company decided to build a branch from some point on the main line to Peoria. After surveying several routes the one decided upon was from Nelson, six miles west of Dixon on the main line, southward through Lee, Bureau, Marshall and Stark counties. No subsidies were asked by the railroad company, the right of way was ])urchased. construction commenced and in 1902 the road Avas com]jlete and in running order. From Ruda to the Stark Comity line it runs almost parallel to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad. Upon reaching the northern boundary of Stark County it veers slightly eastward, crossing the northeast corner of Osceola Townshi]) and entering ^Marshall County. Just south of Camp Grove it again turns tf)ward the west and re-enters Stark County in section 12, Yalley Township. It crosses the southern boundary of the county about three-fourths of a mile west of the southeast corner. Two stations have heen established in Stark County by the Chicago k Northwestern Railroad Company - Morse, in the northeast corner of Osceola Township, and Speer, in the southeastern part of Valley Township.

Two townships of Stark Comity - Elmira and ^Vest Jersey - are without raili'oads. In the other six the valuation of railroad property is as follows: Essex, $116,382; Goshen, $63,428; Osceola, $107.02'9; Penn, $78,3.54; Toulon, $82,644; Valley, $77,881. This total of $.52.5,718 is the value as fixed for tax purposes, but it is far below the real value of the property.