Clark County IL Archives History - Books .....Chapter VI Internal Improvements 1883 ************************************************ Copyright. All rights reserved. http://www.usgwarchives.net/copyright.htm http://www.usgwarchives.net/il/ilfiles.htm ************************************************ File contributed for use in USGenWeb Archives by: Joy Fisher sdgenweb@yahoo.com April 20, 2006, 9:24 pm Book Title: HISTORY OF CRAWFORD AND CLARK COUNTIES, ILLINOIS CHAPTER VI. INTERNAL IMPROVEMENTS-THE OLD NATIONAL ROAD-HOW IT WAS BUILT-RAILROADS-THEIR APPEARANCE P7 CLARK-BUILDING OF THE VANDALLA ROAD -WABASH AND OTHER RAILROAD PROJECTS-CONCLUSION, ETC., ETC. "When the iron steed shall know why man restrains His fiery course, or drives him o'er the plain," etc. THE old National Road and its construction created as much interest in its day, not only in this county, but in all the country through which it passed, as any internal improvement ever inaugurated in the State of Illinois, perhaps. It was originally called the Cumberland Road, after the old stage road from Washington, D. C, to Cumberland, Md., a great highway in its time, and forming the eastern division and terminus. This road was a national work. It had been provided for in the reservation of five per cent of the sale of public lands in Illinois and other States, and biennial appropriations were its dependence for a continuance to completion. When Congress made any appropriation for this road, it required that "said sums of money shall be replaced out of any funds reserved for laying out and making roads, under the direction of Congress, by the several acts passed for the admission of the States of Ohio, Indiana, Illinois and Missouri into the Union, on an equal footing with the original States." The work was commenced on the road in this county in 1827-'28, by the cutting out of the timber on the line, and was pushed to practical completion as far west as nearly to the east line of Fayette County. Then with scattering work at the streams as far west as Vandalia, such as a levee across the Okaw bottom, and several bridges at that place, had exhausted the appropriations of Congress, and the people of Illinois, becoming crazed over the foolish State policy, were divided in sentiment to the extent (some wanted it to go to St. Louis and others to Alton) that no further appropriations were procured, and the great work was stopped. To this portion of the country it was a most important public work. It gave the people access to the outside world, where, before, they had been pent up by almost impossible obstacles. People could go to Terre Haute, and even to St. Louis, and thus reach markets and sell the little portable stuff they had, and buy such things as their necessities demanded and haul them home. But the growth of county improvements was slow indeed. The county, like the people generally, was poor, and while they made commendable efforts, yet often the money was wasted through being expended by inexperienced or ignorant men. In after years, it may be of interest to some, to know which of the public highways passing through Clark County, was once known as the old National Road, and just where it was located. It is the road passing east and west through Marshall, on the north side of the public square, and known as Cumberland or Main street within the corporate limits, taking its name from the original title of the road. It was a great thoroughfare before the era of railroads, and was intended to cross the continent, even as railroads now cross it. But railroads were invented a little too soon for its entire completion, and its importance in this age of steam, is no greater than any ordinary county or State road. A branch diverged from the main line at Zanesville, Ohio, and crossed the Ohio River at Maysville, Ky., passing through Lexington, thence to Nashville, Tenn., and on to New Orleans. Thus the country was to be spanned from east to west and to the extreme south. Railroads.-As we have stated in a preceding chapter, all of Clark's early railroad projects resulted in failure, and she was doomed to sit idly by and see many of her sister counties, younger in years than herself, prospering through means of railroad communication, of which she, herself, was wholly deprived. This was the case until a comparative late day in railroad building and railroad enterprise. Hon. W. S. Wait, an old and prominent citizen of Bond County, in a letter to B. Gratz Brown, June, 1863, makes the best introduction to the history of the rise and progress of the St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroad-the first road built through Clark County. Mr. Wait says: "The railroad projected so early as 1835, to run from St. Louis to Terre Haute, was intended as a direct line of railway to the Atlantic cities, and its first survey was taken over the exact line of the great Cumberland road. We applied to the Illinois Legislature for a charter in 1846, but were opposed by rival interests, that finally succeeded in establishing two lines of raiload connecting St. Louis with the Wabash-one by a line running north, and the other by a line running south of our survey, thus demonstrating by the unfailing test of physical geography that our line is the central and true one; the two lines alluded to are the Terre Haute & Alton and Ohio & Mississippi. We organized our company with the name of the Mississippi & Atlantic Company in 1850, by virtue of a general railroad law passed the year previous, and immediately accomplished a survey. An adverse decision of our Supreme Court led us to accept the offer of eastern capitalists to help us through, who immediately took nine-tenths of our stock, and gave us John Brough for president. Our right to contract was finally confirmed, in February, 185i, the road put under contract and the work commenced. The shock given to all railroad enterprises by the 'Schuyler fraud' suspended operations, and before confidence was restored, the controlling power, which was enthroned in Wall street, had arrived at the conclusion, as afterward discovered, to proceed no further in the construction of the Mississippi & Atlantic Railroad. For purposes best understood by themselves, the eastern manager amused us for several years with the hope that they were still determined to prosecute the work. When we were finally convinced of the intentional deception, we abandoned the old charter and instituted a new company, under the name of the Highland & St. Louis Railroad Company, with power to build and complete by sections the entire road from St. Louis to Terre Haute. The charter was obtained in February, 1859, with the determination on the part of the Highland corporators to make no delay in constructing the section connecting them with St. Louis, but were prevented at the outset by difficulties since overcome, and afterward by the existing rebellion." This public letter portrays some of the chief difficulties with which the friends of this road had to contend. "State policy," the stupidest folly rational men ever engaged in, was openly urged by many of the leading men north and south of the "Brough road," as it was generally called. Hon. Sidney Breese, a long resident of Carlisle, on the line of the Ohio & Mississippi Railroad, publicly declared for that doctrine, "that it was to the interest of the State to encourage that policy that would build the most roads through the State; that the north and south roads (alluded to in Wait's letter) should first be allowed to get into successful operation, when the Central line should then be chartered, as the merits of that line would insure the building of the road on that line at once, giving to middle Illinois three roads instead of one, as the chartering of the Central line first would be a death-blow to the other two, at least for many years to come." Mr. Wait replied immediately, saying it was the first instance he had ever known where the merits of a railroad had been urged as a reason why it should not meet with merited encouragement, and after more than $100,000 had been expended on the "Brough road." Further work was therefore suspended. Clark had taken an active interest in the road. At the November election, 1854, a proposition for the county to subscribe $75,000 to the capital stock of the company, was submitted to the people and carried by five hundred majority. In February, 1865, the rebellion nearing its close, the people along the "Central Line," or "Brough" survey, again renewed their petition to the Illinois Legislature for negotiation of their right to build their railroad on their own long-cherished route. Mr. Williamson Plant, of Greenville, who has been secretary of the road from its inception, and is still in this position, furnishes the following facts of the history of the road: On the 10th of February, 1865, a liberal charter was granted for building the present St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroad. The line was designated in the charter as "commencing on the left bank of the Mississippi, opposite St. Louis, running thence eastward through Greenville, the county seat of Bond County, and through Vandalia by the most eligible route, to a point on the River Wabash." The persons named as incorporators were Henry Wing, S. W. Little, John S. Dewey, Andrew Mills, Solomon Kepfli, Garrett Crownover, Curtis Blakeman, Wm. S. Smith, Charles Hoile, Wm. S. Wait, John B. Hunter, Williamson Plant, Andrew G. Henry, J. F. Alexander, Nathaniel M. McCurdy, August H. Deickman, Ebeneze Capps, Frederick Remann, Mathias Fehren, Michael Lynch, Thos. L. Vest, J. F. Waschefort, Sam'l W. Quinn, Chauncey Rose and J. H. Morgan. The counties along the line took an active interest, generally, in the road, and Clark was not behind her sister counties in aid to the enterprise, but came forward with liberal subscriptions. The first meeting of the board of incorporators met at Vandalia on the 14th day of November, 1865, for the purpose of organizing and electing a board of nine directors, with the following result: John Schofield and Charles Duncan, Clark County; Samuel Quinn, Cumberland County; J. P. M. Howard and S. W. Little, Effingham; C. Floyd Jones and F. Reemaer, Fayette; Wm. S. Smith and Williamson Plant, Bond County. At the first meeting of the Board of Directors, held at Effingham on the 22d day of November, 1865, for the purpose of electing the first officers of the company, J. P. M. Howard was elected president, and Williamson Plant secretary. Through the influence of E. C. Rice, who was Chief Engineer of the "Brough" survey, and had made estimates for the work under the same, Gen. E. F. Winslow, a gentleman of great energy and considerable .railroad experience, after various propositions being made to build part of the line, or parts of the road, contracted, August 22, 1866, to build the entire line from the "west bank of the Wabash to the east end of the dyke at Illinois town." The contract was finally ratified at a meeting of the board of directors, held at Vandalia November 14, 1866. An additional agreement was entered into November 28, 1866, and made part of the original contract. The first shock received by the railroad company in the outset, was the lamented death of its earnest leader and judicious friend, Hon. W. S. Wait, July 17, 1865, thereby depriving it of his mature judgment and wise counsel in carrying out and making the contract about to be entered into for building of the road under the charter so recently obtained from the Legislature. In 1867, first mortgage bonds were put on the "property, rights, franchises, leases and estate, etc., of the company to the amount of $1,900,000." When the property was leased in February, 1868, a second mortgage was put on the same to the amount of $2,6' 09000, each mortgage bearing 7 per cent interest, payable semi-annually. For the purpose of further equipment of the road, preferred stock has been issued to the amount of $1,544,700, bearing 7 per cent interest. The issue of $2,000,000 has been authorized. This stock will take precedence over the common stock of the company in receiving dividends, and as the interest on the preferred stock may accumulate before any payment thereof, the prospect for dividends on common stock is remote. By mutual understanding between the contractors and the company, E. C. Rice was engaged as Chief Engineer, January 18, 1867, and he commenced the first survey on the west end of the line in March, and the grading was begun as soon as the line was fixed at the west end in April following. At the same meeting a code of by-laws was adopted, and Greenville was designated as the general office of the company. At the annual election held in January, 1867, J. P. M. Howard was re-elected president, Williamson Plant, secretary, and W. S. Smith, treasurer. April 3, 1867, Mr. Howard gave up the position by request, and J. F. Alexander was chosen president of the company in his place. By the charter the company was authorized to issue first mortgage bonds, not to exceed $12,000 per mile. The capital stock was made $3,000,000, which could be increased at an annual meeting by a majority of stockholders in interest, as they should direct. The road was completed to Highland, July 1, 1868. The first regular passenger train did not run to that point until August 20th following. By consent of the railroad company, Gen. Winslow, as contractor, was paid $120,000 for labor expended on the line, to the 10th day of Feb., 1868, and at his request was released from his contract. The same was ratified and accepted by the company at their meeting, March 13, 1868. The company entered into a contract, February 10, 1868, with Thomas L. Jewett and B. F. Smith, of Ohio; Geo. B. Roberts, of Philadelphia, and W. R. McKeen, of Terre Haute, in the firm name of McKeen, Smith & Co., to complete the road at an early day. At the same time and place, an agreement was entered into, leasing the St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroad to the Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad Company. In the report of the president of the Vandalia Company, made to the stockholders at the annual meeting, held at Greenville, January 6,1872, he says: "When on the 10th day of February, 1868, the contract was made insuring the completion of your road, another contract was also made, providing for its forming a part of a continuous railroad line from St. Louis (via Indianapolis) to Pittsburgh; and for perfecting this object your line was leased for a period of 999 years to the Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad Company, for the joint interests of the company and the several railroad companies forming the said line. Under this lease the lessees were to work your road at their cost and expense, and to pay to your company 35 per cent of the gross earnings, first paying therefrom all interest due on the bonds of the company, and all taxes assessed against the property of the company, advancing any deficit in the amount needed to meet these liabilities, and paying the surplus (if any remained) of the 35 per cent to your company. Your board, in view of the light traffic usually done upon a new line, reduced the proportion due your company of the gross earnings to 30 per cent, provided that after payment by the lessees of the road, out of the 70 per cent received for that purpose, if any surplus remained, it should go to your company." From small earnings from the time the road was opened, first to Highland and Greenville, in 1868, and finally through to Terre Haute, July 1, 1870, it has developed a marvelous increase of business, not only to the road, but to the farming and all other industries along the line. The whole cost of the road, and equipment of the same to July 1, 1870, when the contractors turned the road over to the lessees, was $7,171,355.89, which was increased steadily as the line was more fully developed by "rolling stock" and "betterments," etc., on the road, until the last report of the treasurer, W. H. Barnes, made the total costs of the road and equipment to October 1, 1880, $8,330,410.75. The amount of business done over the line for the year 1881, aggregates $1,565,515.04, and the rental due to the company from the lessee for the year ending October 31, 1881, was $469,354.50, and for the same time $424,-827.04 was earned in carrying passengers; $43,490.57 for express, and $90,835.98 for mail services. The first regular passenger train over the whole line, on schedule time, was on the 12th day of June, 1870, and as mentioned before, the contractors turned over the road, as per contract, to the Terre Haute & Indianapolis Railroad Company, July 1, 1870. The St. Louis, Vandalia & Terre Haute Railroad is 158 miles from East St. Louis to the eastern line of the State, and seven miles from State line to the Wabash river at Terre Haute, and about 25 miles in Clark County. The Wabash Valley Railroad was the next project in which Clark County became interested. This project came up while the "Brough" road was on hand, and before work wholly ceased upon it. The Wabash Valley road ran north and south, the survey conforming substantially to the present Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific. It was one of the railroad projects growing out of the old internal improvement fever. On the 5th of May, 1855, by a vote of the people, $50,000 were subscribed by the county, to aid in the construction of the road. A line was surveyed from Chicago to Vincennes and work commenced. The work was vigorously prosecuted until the grading was fully half done, when for lack of funds and from other causes, work was eventually discontinued and the project, for the time being abandoned. Some years after the close of the late war, it was revived under the title of "Chicago, Danville & Vincennes Railroad," and as such it was completed to Danville. A new company-"The Paris & Danville"-was then formed, and under that title the road was built through this county in the winter of 1874-5, and during the next summer it was completed to the Ohio and Mississippi road at Lawrenceville. A more complete history, however, will be found in Part I. of this volume, and hence a repetition is unnecessary here. The only railroad that Clark ever enjoyed until the completion of the Vandalia line, was a horse railroad with wooden rails, running to the quarries on the Wabash, and was used for transporting stone to the Wabash valley. It was known as the "Williams Railroad," and was considered quite an institution, by those who had never seen a railroad. The Terre Haute & Southwestern Railroad was an enterprise in which Clark County took an active interest, particularly the southeast part of the county. At one time, it seemed almost certain that the road would be built, but from a lack of either funds or stamina, or a little of both, it failed, and probably will never be revived. The Danville, Olney & Ohio River Railroad, passing through the western portion of the county, has been recently constructed. When properly completed and equipped, it will prove a valuable and good paying road. Conclusion.-Written history, as a rule, is generally too formal, dignified and scholastic, to interest the mass. Of broadest scope, it requires too much nicety and precision as to circumstances and dates, and too much multiplicity of detail. It requires, in order to be perfect, so much minuteness, and so many unimportant facts, as to often -render it wearisome. Hence, the reader is requested not to consider the foregoing pages an elaborate history, or finished production, but more properly as a sketch of the county in which we live, and one, too, that is not written up to the level of critical perfection; and the critic who expects or demands elegance of diction, grandeur and purity of expression, nicety of language or precision of words, will be disappointed. Though a sketch, and of course admitting of anecdote, excursive digressions, and a flexible texture of narrative, yet, for the most part, it is essentially historic. The writer has humbly endeavored to narrate within its pages some of the physical and moral features of our county, its formation, settlement, local divisions and progress; the habits and customs of the early pioneers, interspersed with individual incident. He has striven to execute his task with candor and fidelity, though profoundly aware that many inaccuracies and imperfections exist. Stating facts from the records, and on what appeared to be good authority, and avoiding as much as possible all false coloring: and exaggeration. How far he has succeeded is submitted to the judgment of his fellow citizens of the county. Much of the early history of the county has been lost through the unusual mortality among our aged citizens, who have passed away in the fullness of years and honors, after living long, useful and eventful lives; after their early dangers and privations were but stirring memories of the forever past, they laid down their burdens, and "slumber in the sanctuary of the tomb, beneath the quiet of the stars." But much yet remains, and we have endeavored to record as we could, some of the events and ordeals of those early days; some of the habits, customs and incidents in the lives of those heroic men and women who, forsaking the comforts of civilization, and braving death and danger in countless forms, plunged into the wilderness and transformed it into peaceful and happy homes for their descendants. We have recorded them as the customs and manners of our day and time, which will remain long after we have passed to the silent dust. In conclusion, while it would be rather invidious to name the kind friends from whom the writer has received substantial aid and encouragement in the preparation of this sketch, yet it would be indeed rude if he did not return to them his humble and grateful acknowledgments. Additional Comments: Extracted From: HISTORY OF CRAWFORD AND CLARK COUNTIES, ILLINOIS. EDITED BY WILLIAM HENRY PERRIN. ILLUSTRATED CHICAGO: O. L. BASKIN & CO., HISTORICAL PUBLISHERS, LAKESIDE BUILDING. 1883. File at: http://files.usgwarchives.net/il/clark/history/1883/historyo/chapterv22nms.txt This file has been created by a form at http://www.genrecords.net/ilfiles/ File size: 22.2 Kb