A Strangers’ and Tourists’ Guide to the City of Chicago, Relig. Philo, Pub. Association, (J. S. Thompson,) Printers, 1866 1
THE RAILROADS.
The first railroad opened out of Chicago, was the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, now the Galena Division of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. In 1848, the first portion of the road was completed, and on the 15th of December of that year, trains commenced running from Chicago to Desplaines River, a distance of ten miles. In April, 1849, the purchase of the locomotive Pioneer was formally announced to the directors, it having been received some time during the previous fall. It was the first locomotive ever brought west of Lake Michigan. The road was completed to Elgin, 41 miles, June 22, 1850. It was opened to Freeport, 121 miles from Chicago, September 1 , 1853. The total length of the road, including all its branches, is 490 miles. Depot, corner of North Wells and Kinzie streets.④
The Illinois Central Railroad running from Chicago to Cairo, and from Cairo to Galena and Dunleith, was commenced in June, 1851. The main line from Dunleith to Cairo was completed June 11, 1855. On September 27, 1856, the Chicago branch was completed, being the completion of the whole line, which is 704 miles in length. No railroad was ever pushed with greater vigor. The period intervening between the letting of the first contract and the laying of the last rail, was four years and three months. Depot, Central Depot, foot of Lake street. ⑤
The Chicago and Alton Railroad forms an air line route from Chicago through Joliet, Bloomington, Springfield, and Alton, to St. Louis. This road was completed from Alton to Joliet, a distance of 220 miles in July, 1854. From that time until 1857, the track of the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad was used from Joliet to Chicago. In 1857, the Joliet and Chicago Railroad was constructed. Upon the completion of this road, an arrangement was made between it and the Alton road for the passage of trains into Chicago. This arrangement continued in force until January 1, 1864, when a perpetual lease of the Chicago and Joliet Railroad was effected. The length of the road from Chicago to St. Louis is 281 miles. Depot, corner of Madison and Canal streets, in the West Division. ②
The Chicago and Milwaukee Railroad was built by two separate corporations, one chartered by the Legislature of Illinois, and the other by the Legislature of Wisconsin. The line of this road was first opened for the transaction of business between Chicago and Milwaukee, a distance of eighty-five miles, in June 1855. Depot, corner of Canal and West Kinzie streets.④
The Chicago and Rock Island Railroad, forming the most direct and reliable connection between Chicago and the Mississippi River, was completed to Rock Island, & distance of 182 miles, February 22, 1854. Depot, corner of Van Buren and Sherman streets. ①
The Pittsburg, Fort Wayne and Chicago Railroad was formed by consolidations of several different railroads in Uhio and Indiana. “I’hat portion irom Littsburg o Crestline, a distance of 187 miles, was completec April 11, 1853; that from Crestline to Fort Wayne, & distance of 131 miles, November 1, 1865; and that between Fort Wayne and Chicago, & distance of 143 miles, in December, 1858. Previous to this time, how-ever, trains had passed from Fort Wayne to Chicago, via the Chicago, Pennsylvania and Cincinnati, and Michigan Southern Railroads. The whole distance of the consolidated road from Chicago to Pittsburg, is 468 miles. Depot, corner of Madison and Canal streets. ②
The Chicago, Burlington and Quincy Railroad leads westward from Chicago to Galesburg, Illinois, whence the extension of the road leads to two termini on the Mississippi river-one opposite the city of Burlington, Iowa, and the other at Quincy, the leading city in Illinois upon the Mississippi river. The road was completed from Chicago to Burlington, a distance of 204 miles, in May, 1856. The road from Galesburg to Quincy, 100 miles, was completed January 1, 1856. The total length of the road, including its branches, is 400 miles. Depot, Central Depot, foot of Lake street. ⑤
The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad is not only one of the most important railroads centering in Chicago, but is also one of the most important in the United States. It now embraces not only all the original railroad known by that name, but also the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad and its numerous branches. This immense network of iron stretches out from Chicago, interlacing and spreading over the fruitful regions of Northern Illinois, Wisconsin, Iowa and parts of Minnesota and Northern Michigan, bringing to the door of Chicago, not only the vast wealth of the agricultural and mineral production of the regions through which it passes, but by its connections, the vast resources of the whole Northwest. In September, 1856, the road was opened to Janesville, 92 miles. In November, 1859, cars commenced running from Chicago to Oshkosh, a distance of 194 miles. Three years afterward, in November, 1862, an unbroken connection wascompleted between Chicago and Green Bay, a distance of 242 miles. The Chicago and Northwestern Railroad now have 606 miles of track in actual operation; Chicago to Green Bay, 242; Kenosha to Rockford, 75; Chicago to Freeport, 121; Chicago to Fulton, 138; Belvidere to Beloit, 20; Harlem to South Branch, 10. When the projected extensions of the road shall have been completed, the Chicago and Northwestern Railway will have nearly 1,000 miles of track, as follows: Chicago to Green Bay, 242; Janesville to Winona, 190; Green Bay to Escanaba, 130; Neenah to Stevens’ Point, 70; Kenosha to Rockford, 75; Chicago to Freeport, 121; Chicago to Fulton, 138; Belvidere to Beloit, 30; Harlem to South Branch, 10; total 996 miles. And this summary does not include the Iowa extension now rapidly pushing forward to the Missouri river. Depot, corner of Canal and Kinzie streets. ③
The Michigan Central Railroad, connecting Chicago and Detroit, was opened to Kalamazoo, 143 miles from Detroit, February 1, 1846. The road was open to Michigan City, October 30, 1850, and to Chicago May 21, 1852. The total length of the road is 284 miles. Depot, Central Depot, foot of Lake street. ⑤
The Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Railroad, running from Chicago to Toledo and Detroit, was completed from Monroe to Hillsdale, 106 miles, in December, 1846, cars run through to Chicago in May, 1852. In April, 1855, the several roads of which this is composed, were consolidated. The total length of the road and all its branches is 535 miles. Depot, corner of Van Buren and Sherman streets. ①
The Chicago and Great Eastern Railroad runs from Chicago to Indianapolis, Hamilton, and Cincinnati, connecting at Indianapolis and Hamilton with lines for Louisville, Columbus, and other principal points. The total length of the Chicago and Great Eastern Railroad is 294 miles. Depot, corner of Canal and Kinzie streets. ③
The entire length of railways centering in Chicago is 4,722 miles. One hundred and four passenger trains arrive at or depart from the city every twenty-four hours!
NOTES:
1Change of Risk—We are informed that Mr. J. S. Thompson, the well-known and highly efficient Job printer, has severed his connection with the Religio-Philosophical Publishing Association, and is about to recommence business on his own account, at No. 63 Washington street. On the occasion or his leaving, the printers in the establishment presented Mr. Thompson with a gold tobacco box, very richly chased.—Chicago Tribune, October 15, 1866.
Leave a Reply