USA > Illinois > Kane County > History of Kane County, Ill. Volume I > Part 14
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From Geneva westwardly, near the south end of Charter's Grove, to cross the south branch of Kishwaukee, near Wilson's Ford, passing William A. Miller's and Levi Lee's, thence to the county line at the termination of Haight's road ; Harman Miller, Matthew McCormick and Levi Lee, viewers.
From Squaw Grove northerly by Frederick Love's, N. C. Moore's, Samuel Jenks' and Stephen Morey's claims, thence down the west side of the Sycamore river, crossing said stream near Harmon Miller's, thence to Squaw Prairie : Samnel Jenks, Harmon Miller and N. C. Moore, viewers.
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From Paw Paw Grove northerly to Shabbona's Grove, thence along at or near Amos Mckellen's, thence down the east side of the timber by John B. Collins', T. Love's, Eli Barnes' and John Smith's claims, crossing the south branch of the Sycamore, terminating at or near McCollum's; Amos Mckellen, John B. Collins and Mark Daniels, viewers.
From this time onward until the board of county commissioners gave place, under the new constitution, to the board of supervisors, the greater pro- portion of the business before it was in relation to the roads of the county, and the pages of the musty old records are filled with petitions and appoint- ments of viewers and road supervisors, the number of road districts in the county amounting up to considerably more than one hundred previous to 1849. The roads were not constructed after what would at this day be con- sidered the most approved plan. Each able-bodied man in the county between the ages of twenty-one and fifty years was required to work a certain number of days upon the public roads, and the road supervisors, as they were called, were expected to see that the work in their respective districts was done in proper form. The time was "put in," and the dirt was piled up in the style common for many years. Poll tax was a later device by which a payment was taken in lieu of work.
Finally some wise head evolved the plan of building plank roads; a law was passed by the legislature authorizing the formation of companies for their construction and the idea became so popular that little was heard of but new companies, who expected to get rich out of the tolls to be realized upon the completion of divers and sundry plank roads. The year 1848 witnessed probably the greatest excitement over the new idea, not unlike that relating to trolley lines the past ten years. Among the companies organized and the roads projected were the following :
In August, 1848, a plank road from Doty's to Chicago was in "traveling order." twelve miles being then completed eastward from the first named point, which was in Cook county. The toll was twenty-five cents and the travel over it was so great that at the date named the daily receipts were about fifty dollars.
About October 1. 1848, permission was granted to organize the Aurora & Naperville Plank Road Company, with a capital stock of $20,000, in shares of $50 each, the estimated cost of the road being $2,200 per mile; distance from Aurora to Naperville nine miles. Books were opened for subscriptions to the stock October 7 and the company was to be organized as soon as suffi- cient stock was taken. The effort did not prove successful, and the Aurora & DuPage Plank Road Company was organized, to construct the road from the west end of Cook county to Aurora, a distance of twenty-one miles. The capital stock was $40.000 and the six miles of road west of Doty's were included. This scheme also fell through. February 23. 1850. a company was organized. under the general plank road law, to build a plank road from Aurora to Little Rock. Kendall county. Shepherd Johnson, Thomas Judd. Colonel S. S. Ingham, L. D. Brady and B. F. Hall were appointed commis- sioners to open books and solicit stock, but the road was not constructed. These were but a few of the roads which existed only in imagination.
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In February, 1850, the subscription books of the St. Charles & Sycamore Plank Road Company were opened and by the close of the month $30,000 had been subscribed by the citizens of the two places. The work was put under contract in April following. By the middle of May nearly four miles of the road ( then called the Sycamore and Chicago plank road) had been graded and plank was then being laid. Three hundred thousand plank had at that time been distributed along the road, cut at the St. Charles and Batavia saw-mills. These mills were then busy and a large quantity of lumber was purchased, beside what was furnished by them, from the yards of Norton & Butler, in Chicago. This plank road was in operation a number of years and the old toll house in West St. Charles was, after the company ceased to exist ( about 1860), converted into a dwelling. The old planks were brought to St. Charles and used for fuel at Butler's west side paper mill and the St. Charles Hotel.
The growth of population and increase of business in the great west at length demanded that something should take the place of stage lines. which should afford facilities for more rapid transit and furnish better transporta- tion for the products of the soil than ox teams and "prairie schooners" afforded. The railroads offered the only solution of the problem and it hap- pened that the first line of railway constructed in northern Illinois had a portion of its pathway across the county of Kane. This was the Chicago & Galena Union Railroad, which was begun in 1848. An article in the Aurora Beacon, October 19, 1848, has the following to say of that road at the time: "Four miles of this road are already completed and the track is being laid at the rate of 1,500 feet per day. A locomotive ( the Pioneer) for the road has arrived at Chicago and will immediately be put upon the track. The track will be laid as far as Brush Hill this fall and to Fox River early in the spring."
There was some delay in building the road, for it was open to Elgin, but the first railroad train from Chicago reached that place early in February, 1850. It was not until two years later that the line was extended beyond Elgin.
An article appearing in Railway and Locomotive Engineer for July, 1908. speaks of the old "Pioneer." a photo of which is given below, as follows :
THE PIONEER.
"Through the courtesy of Mr. W. B. Kniskern, passenger traffic man- ager of the Chicago & North-Western Railway, we have been favored with an excellent photograph of an interesting old-time engine called the 'Pioneer,' from which our illustration has been made. Speaking of this engine Mr. Kniskern says in a letter to us :
"'"The Pioneer" was the first locomotive used by any line out of Chi- cago. It reached Chicago on a sailing brig in 1848 and was drawn across the city by horses and placed upon the tracks of what is now the Galena division of the C. & N .- W .. then known as the Galena & Chicago Union Railway. It made its first trip in November. 1848, with a party of prominent people (to
THE PIONEER.
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Elgin) and on the return trip a farmer with a wagonload of wheat hailed the train, and "The Pioneer" on its return trip brought to the city this, the first rail shipment of grain, to the Chicago market. Similarly, a few days later, a drove of hogs was transferred to the railway a few miles outside of town, and thus became the forerunner of the livestock shipments for which the city is today noted. "The Pioneer" today occupies a place of honor in the Field Columbian Museum in this city.'
"The credit of having saved this historic engine from being scrapped must be given to Mr. Marvin Hughitt, president of the Chicago & North- Western. By his sensible act in saving 'The Pioneer' Mr. Hughitt introduced a new fashion, which is still popular and has saved many interesting articles from the melting pot.
"In describing this engine in his well-known work, 'The Development of the Locomotive Engine.' Mr. Angus Sinclair says: 'The first locomotive to raise noise echoes in Chicago was "The Pioneer," whose antique appear- ance is familiar to people who visit the Field Museum in Chicago. The engine is well worthy of careful examination by people who appreciate the great benefits conferred upon humanity by the locomotive engine.
"'After tedious research I have succeeded in tracing the history of this old locomotive, which is an object of keen interest to many people, especially those about Chicago. "The Pioneer" was the thirty-seventh locomotive built by M. W. Baldwin and was turned out in 1836 for the Utica & Schenectady Railroad. After a few years of service in the Mohawk Valley the engine was sold to the Michigan Central Railroad, where it was known as "The Alert," While in Michigan a few changes were made on the engine. As originally built it had a single fixed eccentric for each cylinder with two arms extending backward having hooks to engage with a pin on a rocker arm which actuated the valve rod. That motion was removed and double eccentrics with V-hook put in its place, the motion now found on the engine.
"'When the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad Company were ready to begin track laying in 1848 they bought "The Alert" from its owners and called it "The Pioneer," a proper name for the first locomotive to perform service west of the lakes. "The Pioneer" is the same type as Baldwin's second engine, "The Miller," long a favorite pattern with Mr. Baldwin, but is larger and has two inches longer stroke, but the other details are the same except the improved valve motion.'
" 'The Pioneer.' when being repaired in the shop in 1855, was equipped with a feed water heater. Mr. R. W. Bushnell, who was for many years master mechanic of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern, in a letter containing many interesting reminiscences of 'The Pioneer,' writes thus of the feed water appliance: 'The heater consisted of vertical pipes placed around the inner side of the inside pipe of the smokestack and connected at top and bottom by return bends, the pump forcing the water through these pipes to the boiler. The stack was of ordinary pattern for wood burners in those days, but to get ample surface for the water heater the inside pipe was made very large to get as many pipes in as possible. To cap this and to retain heat in the stack the cone was made unusually large.'"
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The Dixon Air Line Road, under the management of the Chicago & Galena Union, was completed to Geneva in 1853 and pushed westward until finally it became the main line of the Chicago & North-Western Railway, as the great system has for many years been called.
The railway did not at first tap the Fox river country at Elgin, however. The people of St. Charles seeing the road about to go around them and leave them several miles away, bestirred themselves and built what was known as the St. Charles Branch Railroad, connecting with the Chicago & Galena Union about four miles east of St. Charles. The first train over it reached the place December 13, 1849, the cost of the branch having been about $23,000. March 11, 1850, the following directors were elected: Ira Minard, Darwin Millington, G. C. Stevens, F. H. Bowman, Elisha Freeman. Mr. Freeman was chosen president, Mr. Stevens secretary, and Mr. Minard acting director and treasurer. An engine arrived for the branch in July, 1850. This road, as were all the early ones, was laid with strap rail.
Early in 1850 the subject was agitated of connecting St. Charles and Geneva by rail. Stock was taken and proposals for doing the work were invited in March. Matters progressed favorably and finally a branch on the east side of the river, one and seven-eights miles in length, was built between the two places and cars commenced running over it to Geneva, September 12, 1850. Both this and the St. Charles branch were abandoned after about ten years and the latter place was without railway facilities until January 16, 1871, when a branch two and seven-tenths miles long was opened between the two towns on the west side of the river, which later became the property of the Chicago & North-Western Company and is still operated.
The North-Western continued its line from Geneva to Batavia, on the west side of the river, in the summer of 1873. and in 1883 extended it to Aurora, opening business over it in the fall of that year. Depot grounds, yards and general right of way had some time previously been secured, at large cost to the company.
The Fox River Railroad, northward from Elgin to McHenry, was com- menced in 1853 and completed in 1855. The south end of the Wisconsin Central Road, from Lake Geneva, Wisconsin, south, passed into the hands of the Chicago & Galena Union Company in May, 1859. The latter company repaired the track and began running regular trains over the whole from Elgin to Lake Geneva on May 16, 1859. This line has since remained under the same management, now known as the Chicago & North-Western.
Early in January, 1849, a project was set on foot for building a branch railroad from Aurora to connect with the Chicago & Galena Union at or near Warrenville, about twelve miles distant, in DuPage county. An enthusiastic meeting was held on the 27th of the month, when it was unanimously Resolved, "That this meeting use its best exertions for the construction of a branch railroad from West Aurora, by the most feasible route, to the main line of the Chicago & Galena Union Railroad." A bill to charter the Aurora Branch Railroad was passed by the legislature in 1849 (house, February 6. and senate, February 9) and a board of directors was elected, consisting of Stephen F. Gale, Chicago; Benjamin Hackney. Charles Hoyt and William V.
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Plum, Aurora, and Rodney McDole, Sugar Grove. The books were opened February 21, 1849, and in less than twenty-four hours $25,000 in stock was taken, or one-fourth the amount required. Mr. Gale was chosen president and P. A. Hull, of Aurora, secretary of the board. By the 19th of April $40,000 had been subscribed. Two or three routes were surveyed, but the one finally adopted, October 22, 1849, started from East Aurora and led by way of Batavia to Turner Junction; length, twelve and three-fourths miles.
November 22, 1849, 5 per cent installments on the capital stock were called for and proposals were invited for grading the road from the Junction to the Batavia depot. Work was begun about the middle of March, 1850, ground being first broken at the Junction. It was determined to extend the line down the river as soon as practicable. Two fine passenger cars for this branch arrived in July, 1850. and until the completion of the branch were used on the main line between Chicago and Elgin. Trains began running as far as Batavia on Monday, September 2, 1850. A grand celebration was held there August 29 in honor of the completion of the road to the place. The cars reached Aurora early in October, and trains commenced running regularly on the 21st of that month. J. Frink & Co. established a daily line of stages from Aurora with the cars.
The extension south and southwest from Aurora was begun in 1851-52, and in 1855 was under control of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Company, with trains running through to Burlington, Iowa, without change of cars. Some years later a direct line was constructed from Aurora to Chicago and the old spur to the Junction became a comparatively little used branch.
The Ottawa, Oswego & Fox River Valley Railroad was graded in 1870 from Streator to Geneva, the towns along the route having issued bonds to aid in its construction. The unfinished line was turned over to the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy in October. 1870, and the latter company finished it and has since operated it.
The Chicago & Iowa Railroad, extending westward from Aurora, and for a time known as the "Hinckley Road," was also mainly built in 1870. The track between Aurora and Rochelle was completed at 10 o'clock on the night of December 31, 1870, and there was great rejoicing along the line. This road is practically at present a part of the great Chicago, Burlington & Quincy system, although operated under its original name. The trains of the Chicago, Burlington & Northern, a new line opened in 1886, pass over its tracks. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Road, like the Chicago & North- Western, has grown from a very small beginning to be one of the great railways of the country, including in its various lines several thousand miles of track.
The Chicago & Pacific Railroad, leading from Chicago through Elgin and the northern portion of Kane county, was built in 1873-75. Track laying west of Elgin was commenced on Thanksgiving Day, 1874, and the road was finished as far as Genoa, DeKalb county, January 9, 1875. This road finally passed, a few years later, into the hands of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Company, since when it has become one of the leading lines of the county.
The Chicago, St. Charles & Mississippi Air Line Railway was graded from Chicago to St. Charles in 1852-53, piers and abutments built for a
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bridge across Fox river. and a small amount of work done west of that stream. But the investment in this road proved a disastrous one for the people of St. Charles and it was never completed, although about eight miles of track were laid at the east end. The right of way reverted to the original owners and the heavy stone piers stood in the river, lone monuments for years of the efforts of former times. But they were destined to become useful. for a new company, called the Minnesota & Northwestern, desiring an entrance to Chicago and recognizing the advantages offered by the direct and already graded "Air Line," purchased the right of way. built a splendid line of road, and commenced running regular trains over it in the midsummer of 1887. This road extends westward and northwestward to St. Paul and Minneapolis and was known as the Chicago, St. Paul & Kansas City Railroad. Later it became the Chicago & Great Western, by which name it is now known.
Mr. Lewis M. Gross in his history of DeKalb County gives the following account of the affair :
"Although people generally took their produce to St. Charles they found even that distance difficult to travel in years like 1851 and it became evident that something must be done to secure better means of communication with the outside world and transportation of the products of the country to market. Heretofore all the goods sold in stores were hauled from Chicago or from St. Charles, causing great inconvenience and a large expenditure of money for the merchants. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy was now in process of construction and promised relief to the southern portions of the county. The Galena division of the North-Western road was also being built. a branch of which was extended to St. Charles, which was then a very flourishing little city and the principal market for all the northern part of the county. When the matter came before our people to have the road extended through Kane and DeKalb counties the people were too poor to aid in the project. A plank road was established from Sycamore to St. Charles. these roads at this time being very popular throughout the eastern states and covered most of the distance between cities, but in a year or two the plank warped and the road became almost impassable and the planks were finally confiscated by the people living along the road and the project was given up. This was to be a toll road and people generally supposed it would be a source of great profit.
"In 1849 a road was commenced between Chicago and St. Charles, and on the 12th of December of that year the first train entered that city and the screams of the locomotive was heard for the first time in the Fox river valley. In August the Chicago & Galena division of the North-Western had completed their track to Elgin and had changed their route from St. Charles to that place. The citizens of that city, seeing that the salvation of their town depended upon the thoroughfare which had been opened. took the matter in their own hands and ran two trains daily from Elgin to the junction. Ira Minard, of St. Charles. controlled the line until October. 1856. when it passed into other hands. The depot stood on the east side of the city of St. Charles on land now occupied by the Free Methodist church. In 1853 Minard. with others, obtained a charter for the St. Charles & Galena Air Line road. into which the charter previously granted for the branch track was merged.
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Minard became president of the company and a large amount of stock was taken by settlers along the line. The Chicago & Galena road commenced with the ostensible purpose of extending to Galena never approached nearer that town than Freeport, but from there depended upon the Illinois Central track. In an evil hour one E. C. Litchfield. from Cazenovia, New York, appeared in St. Charles, representing that he and his friends possessed suffi- cient means to build a railroad through, if he was allowed to hold a controlling interest in the stock. He was permitted to subscribe for it, the thorough- fare was commended and graded from Chicago to St. Charles, the culverts were built. also the piers and abutments for the bridge across Fox river ( now used by the Great Western) and the track was laid for nine miles from Chi- cago. Minard had staked his whole fortune of eighty thousand dollars upon the enterprise, while hundreds of poor men had taken stock for all they could afford. It must be understood that Litchfield promised that the road would be finished and that it should not previously pass out of his hands into the Galena or any other competing line. Never was a villainous scheme more successfully executed. When the controller of the stock had crippled the only man who had any power to oppose him and was assured that any opposition to his own designs would result in that man's ruin, he coolly informed Minard he had concluded to sell his stock in the Chicago & St. Charless Air Line to the Chicago & Galena Company, and promised to make reparation for any personal inconvenience which such a course might occasion him if he would raise no objection. Minard was then permitted to take his choice, and there was no choice to take. The refusal and loss of his property could not help his friends, who were already ruined nor save his town, which was then doomed, and he accordingly took the course which any other sane man would have taken. The road ended at the Des Plaines river, and the grading upon the west bank of the Fox river, since it was not necessary for the interest of the Chicago & North-Western Company to continue it. Seven hundred thou- sand dollars paid by hard working farmers and industrious mechanics across the country was lost, and many farmers were reduced from wealth to poverty, and the useless piers stood along the banks of the Fox river as a monument to the perfidy of Litchfield until they were in later years occupied by the Chicago & Great Western. The real estate of the St. Charles & Chicago Air Line had acquired a large amount of value, especially that part of the property which was to be used for depot and grounds in Chicago and, therefore, the railroad property of this proposed line had appreciated enormously in value. There was more than enough to pay for all the work that had been done upon the road. It has been reported that Litchfield and Minard, by thus selling out their friends, made a profit of over four hundred thousand dollars. It must be said. in passing, that the friends of Minard think he has been unjustly blamed for his course in the disaster, but it is sufficiently apparent that he was far beneath the mark of innocence. The loss of this railroad to those who had invested was the severest blow that had ever visited St. Charles and almost annihilated the village. Had that line been built through to what is now Sycamore and Dixon to the river it is possible that the towns of DeKalb. Cortland and Malta would never have been built, and St. Charles
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and Sycamore might have become two of the largest cities of northern Illinois."
The Illinois Central, also desiring an outlet northwestwardly from Chi- cago, has purchased the right of way, and in 1887 engaged in the heaviest job of railroad construction which has ever been undertaken in Kane county, and one of the heaviest in northern Illinois. This road crosses the Fox river in the northern portion of St. Charles township, at Coleman, just above the great bend, and passes out of the county from the township of Burlington. The new line is known as the Chicago, Madison & Northern.
The Joliet. Aurora & Northern Railroad was opened in 1886 between Aurora and Joliet. In 1887 the management was shifted, the name was changed to Elgin, Joliet & Eastern, and an extension was made in 1888 from a point a few miles southeast of Aurora, which taps the Chicago & North- western at Turner Junction, and reaches to Elgin. This serves as a belt line for the transfer of freight from the different roads leading to Chicago from the west, without the necessity of passing through that city.
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