USA > Illinois > Winnebago County > Historical encyclopedia of Illinois and history of Winnebago County, Volume II > Part 44
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The company made some money during the first six years. The enterprise, however, failed to pay when the lines were extended to the sparsely settled portions of the city. In 1SS9 H. W. Price, who had become a director, and one of the greatest of our city builders, nego- tiated a sale whereby the property of the old company passed into the hands of a syndicate at sixty cents on the dollar. "Judge" R. N. Bay- lies became president, and the name of the cor- poration was changed to the Rockford City Railway Company. Electricity supplanted the slow but faithful horse, and a metropolitan street railway system was rapidly developed.
WEST END STREET RAILWAY.
During the winter of 1890 a number of gen- tlemen became actively interested in the expan- sion of the city in what is now known as the "West End." It was proposed to construct a street railway, in the belief that it would in- crease the demand for lots and eventually build up a prosperous suburb. The leader in this movement was the late James S. Ticknor, who became president and secretary of the company. His son, Frank A., was secretary and superin- tendent.
The West End Street Railway Company was organized in 1890, with a capital of $50,000, which sum was subsequently increased. A fran- chise was obtained without serious opposition, although there was an animated controversy over the kind of rail to be used, which finally resulted in the choice of the girder type, which the company had advocated. The first line was the West End loop, which started from the in- tersection of Elm and South Main streets, west on Elm to Cleveland avenue, north on Cleveland avenue to School street, west on School to John- son avenue, south on Johnson avenue to Ander- son street, east on Anderson and Preston streets to South Avon, and north on South Avon to Elm. The South Rockford line began on Elm street, running west to Church, south on Church to Cedar, west on Cedar to Winnebago, south on Winnebago to Montague. The third line was begun at the intersection of Chestnut and Wy- man streets, running north on Wyman to Mulberry, west on Mulberry to Horsman, northi on Horsman to Locust, west on Locust to Kil- burn avenue, north on Kilburn avenue to School street. Later the line was extended on Mul- berry to Avon, north on Avon to School, and east on School to connect with the first line terminus.
In 1892 the east side line was built. It began at the intersection of Church and Chestnut streets, east on Chestnut and Walnut streets to Third, north on Third to Market, east on Mar- ket to North Fourth, north on North Fourth to Benton, east on Benton to Longwood, north on Longwood to Rural street. The East Side line was subsequently extended on Market to the in- tersection of Charles and East State, and east on Charles to Eleventh street. When all its lines were completed the West End company had a greater mileage than the City Railway,
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY,
but many of them were not on the main thor- oughfares. The road was supplied with electric power throughout. The West End loop and South side lines paid well. The enterprise, how- ever, was not successful, and lost a fortune for its president and his family. The financial stringency of 1893 was especially severe in Rockford, and the West End company could not stem the adverse tide. In 1895 the property of the company passed into the hands of a receiver. The mortgage was foreclosed, and the property was bid in by John Farson, who represented the bondholders.
CONSOLIDATED SYSTEMS.
The Rockford City Railway Company was or- ganized in 1890. Upon the foreclosure of the West End Street Railway Company in 1895 the line was owned and operated by the Rockford Traction Company. The Rockford Railway, Light and Power Company was organized in 1898 by the consolidation of the Rockford City Railway Company and the Rockford Traction Company. The Rockford & Belvidere Electric Railway Company was organized in 1900, and the line was completed in November, 1901. The Rockford & Interurban Railway Company was incorporated in the autumn of 1902, as a con- solidation of the Rockford & Belvidere Electric Railway Company and the Rockford Railway, Light and Power Company. It was capitalized at $1,000,000, with the following officers: R. N. Baylies, president ; John Farson, vice-president ; G. G. Olmstead, secretary; W. F. Woodruff, treasurer ; T. M. Ellis, general manager. An interurban line was completed to Freeport in 1904, which was operated by a separate organi- zation called the Rockford & Freeport Electric Railway Company. The Rockford, Beloit & Janesville railroad was a third interurban line operating between Rockford and Janesville. All these lines were subsequently consolidated into one system.
June 10, 1909, the entire system, including the city and the three interurban lines, was sold to the Commonwealth Power Railway and Light Company, an eastern syndicate. Mr. Ellis re- tired as general manager, and was succeeded by Chester P. Wilson, who served from November, 1909, to November, 1910. He was succeeded by W. C. Sparks, the present manager. April 1, 1911, the Rockford City Traction Company was
organized to operate the city lines. There are nearly four hundred men in the employ of the Rockford and interurban railway system. The Traction Company operates thirty miles of track, and there are ninety miles in the several interurban lines. W. H. Lemons is secretary of the interurban and traction companies.
WATER WORKS SYSTEM.
Rockford has always controlled its own water supply. The earliest agitation, however, con- templated confering this privilege upon a cor- poration of local citizens. This was the usnal method in those days, and still prevails in sev- eral neighboring cities; but Rockford set an example in the ownership of this public utility that . has been vindicated by the supreme test, that of practical experience.
In 1868 Goodyear A. Sanford went to Auburn, N. Y., to investigate the Holly system of water works which had been installed in that city. Mr. Sanford was favorably impressed with the sys- tem, and upon his return reported liis observa- tions to the city council. That was the day of special legislation in Illinois, Every charter granted in the state was the direct act of the legislature itself. On March 29, 1869, an act was passed by the General Assembly to incorporate the Rockford Water Works Company. The ob- ject of the corporation "is and shall be the sup- ply of the city of Rockford and the inhabitants thereof with water." The incorporators were: Goodyear A. Sanford, Ralph Emerson, Robert P'. Lane, Thomas D. Robertson, William A. Knowl- ton, Norman C. Thompson, Moses Bartlett, John P. Manny, Isaac Utter, David S. Penfield, A. C. Spafford, Levi Rhoades, Gilbert Woodruff, John Lake and Selden M. Church. The capital stock was to be $50,000, but it might be increased to any sun not exceeding $500,000. The charter reserved to the city the right to purchase the property right and franchise of the corporation at any time within ten years after the corpora- tion had laid one mile of pipe. The charter re- quired that the entire sum of $50,000 must be actually subscribed before the organization of the company could be effected. Although there was continued agitation of the subject, very little progress was made for several years. A meeting of the incorporators was held July 4, 1870, when $30,000 stock was taken, and by the middle of the month the stock was nearly all subscribed.
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
On January 13, 1873, the council refused to ratify a contract with the water works company, by a vote of four to three, and on April 21 the special waterworks committee of the council was discharged, after all negotiations had failed. The city and the corporation were unable to de- cide upon a plan of action. Thus ended in failure the attempt to confer the water supply franchise upon a private corporation. It practically had an existence only on paper.
There was a lull in the discussion for several months. At a meeting of the city council held September 1, 1873, a petition of citizens, calling for an election on tlie adoption of the Holly sys- tem, was presented, and on July 20, 1874, an- other petition was presented, signed by nearly 200 citizens, praying for an election to decide the question. By this time, however, the council had discovered public sentiment was so unanimous that an election would be a waste of time and money. Therefore, at a meeting held August 4, 1874, the council adopted a resolution, declar- ing that immediate steps should be taken to es- tablish a waterworks system. Aldermen Craw- ford, Perry and Upton were appointed a special waterworks committee. Thus, August 4, 1874, is the date on which the waterworks enterprise assumed definite form that gave assurance of success.
At a meeting of the council August 26, 1874, the waterworks committee reported that it had found the Holly system to be best adapted to the needs of Rockford. Four lots were purchased for the proposed waterworks from the heirs of the old Rockford Hydraulic and Manufacturing Company, which completed the first dam across Rock River at Rockford in 1845. The considera- tion was $600. The council at this same session, accepted the bids of the Holly Manufacturing Company of Lockport, N. Y., to build and set up the machinery for $35,000 and to furnish 125 hydrants at $40 each. On September 30 ground was broken for the foundation for the water- works building. George Bradley was the archi- tect. Excavation for the pumping pit was also begun about this time. The building was com- pleted December 15, and the machinery was in- stalled the following March. It was proposed to get the water supply from springs known to exist on the lots purchased. The work of exca- vation had not gone very far when a large vein was struck, from whose living springs flowed an abundant supply of pure, cold water. When the
well was completed the supply of water was suf- ficient for all ordinary purposes, and water was seldom pumped from the river. The well was 27 feet deep, with an interior diameter of 5 feet, and walls 16 inches thick. This well was in the center of the old reservoir. Water from the springs was conducted through pipes into the reservoir. The pumping pit was 48 feet long, S feet wide, and 22 feet deep, interior measure- ment. The first stream was thrown from a hydrant on one of the mains near the pumping works March 13, 1875. This stream reached a height of 225 feet. On the same day two streams from a hydrant, 114 and 134 inches in diameter were thrown over the Holland house. These streams were thrown perpendicularly to a height of 175 fcet. Water rates were established April 7, 1875. S. T. Holly was appointed chief engi- neer at thie pumping works at a salary of $1,400 per year.
The contract test of the completed water- works system was made August 19, 1875, and was officially declared satisfactory. On Septen- ber 2 the final report of the committee on fire and water was approved by the council without a dissenting vote. This committee was composed of S. P. Crawford, Seely Perry and Charles O. Upton. By their personal supervision of the construction of the waterworks, they had saved the taxpayers thousands of dollars. It was the fortune of Robert H. Tinker to be mayor of Rockford when the waterworks were completed. This triumph aroused fears that the city would become extravagant in extending the system. On July 9, 1875, Alderman Haines' celebrated resolu- tion to restrain the ambition of the waterworks committee, and limit the further laying of pipes, was passed, after Alderman Crawford's amend- ment to "complete the original plan." The amended resolution was adopted by a vote of six to one. On July 21 the city attorney notified the council that Elisha A. Kirk had applied for an injunction against the city incurring further indebtedness on account of the waterworks. Judge Brown granted Mr. Kirk's application for a temporary injunction to restrain the city from incurring further indebtedness for the extension of water pipes. This protest had no practical effect. On November 15, 1875, Chairman Craw- ford presented a report covering expenditures to August 27. The total expense was $243,070.48.
In July, 1880, during the administration of Mayor Wilkins, the fire and water committee
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
recommended greater filtering capacity or a new well. The council acquiesced and instructed the committee to excavate for a 50-foot shaft, inter- nal diameter. This well was carried to a deptlı of 35 feet. An abundant flow of water was se- cured about March, 1881, and it was hailed as a solution of the "water problem." The well was used about three years. Mr. Crawford was chairman of the fire and water committee, and the well has always borne his name. The cost of the well was $19,127.43.
The splendid system of artesian wells is a noble monument to the sagacity of the late Hon. Alfred Taggart, mayor of Rockford from 1883 to 1887. In his annual message to the city council in 1885, Mayor Taggart referred to the fact that the water in the waterworks or "Crawford Well" had been declared unfit for household purposes. This action followed a test made the previous season by Prof. Haines, of Rush Medical College, Chicago. At the same time the water in the river was analyzed by Dr. Belford. The analysis showed the water to be comparatively free from organic contamination and far superior to the well water. The "Crawford Well" was therefore closed and the water supply was drawn wholly from the river. Mayor Taggart, in this message, also briefly suggested the possibility that the city could obtain a supply of pure water from artesian wells. He referred to an interview with Prof. T. C. Chamberlain, former chief geologist of Wisconsin, and then in the employ of the United States Government, who believed Rock- ford was situated in an artesian well belt. This conclusion was drawn from the fact that the water supply of Madison was furnished from ar- tesian wells, and that the source of supply was from the Potsdam sandstone, which crops out near the surface at Madison, but which under- lies Rockford at a depth from 800 to 1,000 feet.
The suggestions of the mayor were endorsed by the city council, and work was begun at once. A contract was made with J. F. Gray of Jefferson, Cook County, Ill. The contractor began drilling a 6-inch well the latter part of June. The ex- periment proved a success, and the well was sub- sequently reamed to an internal diameter of 8 inches. The wisdom of this course was at once apparent, and the flow of water increased from 600 gallons to 800 gallons per minute, When the well was completed in December it was ascer- tained it would supply 1,300,000 gallons of water every twenty-four hours. An analysis of the
water from this well was made by Prof. Smith, of Beloit College, and it proved to be a very superior quality. The water from artesian well No. 1 was turned into the pumping pit by Mayor Taggart December 17, 1885. From that time to the close of the fiscal year, April 30, 1886, the river water was turned in but twice, and these were in cases of factory fires.
The depth of the well is 1,520 feet; of which 1,035 feet is through Potsdam sandstone. The contract price for the well was $5,401,73, The success of well No. 1 justified the sinking of ad- ditional wells. There was, however, no money available for this purpose until after the pas- sage of the annual appropriation ordinance sev- eral months later. Public-spirited citizens came to the rescue and offered to advance the neces- sary funds. The proposition was accepted by the city council, and contractors began drilling wells Nos. 2 and 3. Water from well No. 2 was turned into the pumping pit May 12, 1886. This well is 1,250 feet deep. It was drilled near the foot of Peach street, and is known as the "Rich- ings well." Prof, Erastus G. Smith, of the de- partment of chemistry at Beloit College, made an analysis of the water from well No. 2, and it was found to be practically identical with that of the first well. Before well No. 3 was com- pleted the city again became short of money. On November 1, 1886, a communication was ad- dressed to the city council signed by twelve Rockford citizens who offered to advance money to complete well No. 3, and drill another. These citizens were: G. A. Sanford, George E. King, H. W. Price, B. F. Lee, W. O. Wormwood, Irvin French, William Lathrop, John Barnes, W. A. Talcott, John Beattie, Harris Barnum, and David Keyt. This offer was accepted by the council, well No. 3 was soon completed, and its water was tested December 4. This is the deepest well in Rockford being 1,996 feet. It is known as the "Knowlton well." The fourth artesian well had been completed March 23, 1887. It was sunk in Park avenue, and is 1,300 feet deep. Well No. 5 was completed in 1888 during the administration of Mayor Scovill. It was called the "Horsman well," and is 1,379 feet deep.
The five deep Potsdam wells supplied Rock- ford with water several years. During the ad- ministration of Mayor Starr the city council ordered the sinking of four "St. Peter's wells." The first was completed about March 1, 1892. No. 2 was finished a few weeks later; No. 3, dur
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
ing the summer and No. 4 was completed early in 1893. These four "St. Peter's wells" have an average depth of 385 feet. Their cost was as follows: No. 1, $946.18; No. 2, $591.99; No. 3, $532.77, and No. 4, $1,137.11. The drilling of these St. Peter's wells followed an elaborate re- port of forty printed pages, prepared by a spe- cial commission.
On January 18, 1897, a contract was made be- tween the city of Rockford and D .. W. Mead, which had for its purpose the increase of the water supply, Mr. Mead was to construct a shaft and tunnel system with the general plan in view of increasing the yield of the artesian wells that had already been constructed by tapping them at a lower level and permitting the water to flow to a central shaft and pumping it by low lift into the pumping pit. In August the city made a separate contract with Mr. Mead, whereby for $3,721, and the city supplying the steam for the work, the tunnel was to be extended to artesian well No. 2 and that well also connected with the system. Being unable to reach well No. 2, ar- rangements were made to drill well No. 6, at the end of the tunnel already extended toward No. 2. In December, 1897, a third contract was made with Mr. Mead to drill a deep well, to be known as No. 6. It is located in the alley in the rear of the reservoir, and is 1,200 feet deep. This well was completed early in 1S9S. Mr. Mead also drilled one St. Peter's well in the Mead system shaft, which is 387 feet deep.
Potsdam well No. 7 was completed in 1913. It is located on Eleventh street, between Seven- teenth and Eighteenth avenues. The well is 1,50312 feet deep. It was drilled by the W. H. Cater Contracting Company, and the total cost, including real estate, was $18,487.3S. On June 29, 1914, a contract was awarded to S. B. Geiger of Chicago, for drilling Potsdam well No. S, in Mulin park. This well is the largest in the city, and has been sunk to a depth of 1,500 feet. The city will not able to pump water from this well before July 1, 1916.
Rockford has, to date, drilled thirteen arte- sian wells. No water is taken from Nos. 3 and 5. The present supply is taken from ten wells. The water supply is stored in two reservoirs. The old reservoir had been an object of criti- cism ever since the typhoid epidemic of 1912, and the following year it was practically recon- structed at a cost of $10,871.05. Reservoir No. 2 was completed in 1912. It has an approxi-
mate capacity of 1,000,000 gallons, and cost. nearly $20,000. The valuation of the entire property of the water department December 30, 1914, was $901,651.79.
From 1875 to 1883 the waterworks plant was under the immediate charge of the fire and water committee of the city council. In the latter year the office of superintendent of wa- terworks was created, and a superintendent appointed. The first superintendent was Ed- ward N. Hill, and the second was John T. Lakin, who served as fire marshal and super- intendent of waterworks until 1891, when the position of fire marshal was made a separate office and Edward B. Heffran appointed. Charles W. Calkins was superintendent from 1891 to 1894, and was succeeded by Melvin B. Little, and from 1895 to 1901 the office was filled by C. C. Stowell and Willis M. Kimball, respectively. Willis Calkins served two years during Mayor Hutchins' second administra- tion. Frank Phinney was superintendent from 1903 to 1907 under Mayor Jackson. David Crowley served during the two terms of Mayor Jardine, from 1907 to 1911. Carter H. Page, Jr., was appointed by Mayor Bennett. He was succeeded by Guy C. Crane, and he in turn by Ross P. Beckstrom, who was appointed in Jan- uary, 1914.
Mr. Little has the unique distinction of hav- ing drilled every one of Rockford's first eleven artesian wells. He first came to Rockford with J. F. Gray, who had the contract for the first well. He remained in the city and supervised the construction of the later wells. Mr. Little was appointed a member of the police force by Mayor Scovill in 1887. S. T. Holly was the first chief engineer and served from 1875 to 1881. John A. Ferguson held the office from 1SS1 to 1SS4. C. W. Calkins breaks the record, serving continuously from 1SS4 to 1901. His successors have been Kemper D. Harbaugh, Luke Degnan and Fred H. Gregory. Mr. Calkins again as- sumed his old position upon the death of Mr. Gregory in June, 1911. Mr. Calkins' continuous affiliation with the service covers a period of twenty years. He began in 1SS1 as assistant engineer under John A. Ferguson. He suc- ceeded Mr. Ferguson as chief engineer in 1SS4 and served seventeen years. Three of these. from 1891 to 1894, he also filled the office of superintendent of waterworks. Mr. Calkins was
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HISTORY OF WINNEBAGO COUNTY
succeeded June 1, 1912, by Clarence Bailey, the present incumbent.
In the summer of 1910 a commission was ap- pointed to investigate the question of an addi- tional water supply. This commission consisted of Daniel W. Mead, John W. Alvord and Dabney H. Maury. They met August 10, and appointed Charles C. Stowell secretary. The commission presented an elaborate report, covering more than one hundred printed pages. It recom- mended a general reconstruction of the water- works system and estimated the cost of the improvements which should be installed prior to 1915 at $591,115.
ROCKFORD GAS LIGHT AND COKE COMPANY.
The Rockford Gas Light and Coke Company was incorporated by private act of the legis- lature February 1, 1855. The incorporators were Jolin Platt, S. M. Preston, William Lyman, Henry Fisher and Jesse Blinn. On March 1, 1856, books were opened by the incorporators for the purpose of receiving popular subscrip- tion to the stock. In April, 1856, the lots at the corner of Mulberry and Wyman streets, where the public library now stands, were purchased of W. A. Dickerman, G. A. Sanford and T. D. Robertson, and the erection of the gas works was begun the following month.
On December 25, 1856, the proprietors of the gas company gave a grand festival to cele- brate the introduction of gas lights in the city. At Warner's Hall a sumptuous table was spread for invited guests and after toasts had been responded to by Mayor Loop, John Platt, Dr. Lyman, C. H. Herrick, E. W. Blaisdell, Jr., and E. F. W. Ellis, the guests adjourned to Metro- politan Hall to "dance by gas light." Both halls were brilliantly lighted by the first gas made by the new works. On February 3, 1857, stores were lighted by gas for the first time. The price of gas was $4.00 per thousand cubic feet. Misfortune seemed to overtake the company, for in March, 185S, the works and mains were sold at public auction to satisfy the creditors.
On January 18, 1861, the new owners, Thomas Butterworth, Samuel Ashcraft, Robert P. Lane, G. A. Sanford and W. A. Dickerman, gave no- tice that they would operate the gas plant and on February 22, 1861, obtained a new franchise from the legislature. Thomas Butterworth was appointed manager, and in time became the sole owner of the company until his death in
1885. The works were purchased from the But- terworth estate March 1, 1890, by the American Gas Company of Philadelphia, which has oper- ated them since that time. The consideration was $250,000. The American company operates nineteen plants, located in American cities. The local manager of the company is Henry S. Whip- ple, who came here at the time the works were bought by the present owners.
In 1899 land was purchased on Avon street, near Cedar street, and a modern plant erected capable of making 500,000 cubic feet per day. In 1906 additions were made to the plant which brought the daily capacity to 1,400,000 cubic feet. In 1913 more land was purchased and additions are now nearly completed that will bring the manufacturing capacity of the works to over 3,000,000 cubic feet per day. Street mains have been laid to all parts of the city until at the present time there are 145 miles of mains. The original works cost about $75,- 000. The present plant and mains represent an outlay of over $1,500,000.
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