1892—Chicago Elevated Railroad/Rapid Transit

Transportation

The Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad Company was incorporated on January 4, 1888 and secured a franchise from the City of Chicago on March 26 of that year to construct an elevated railroad between Van Buren Street and 39th Street. The franchise required the company to build along a right of way immediately adjacent and parallel to one of the alleys from Van Buren Street to 37th Street, rapidly earning the line the nickname of the “alley L.” The line opened on June 6, 1892.

Chicago and South Side Rapid Transit Railroad

Chicago Tribune, June 7, 1892

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Chicago’s elevated railroad is in operation. At 7 o’clock yesterday morning the first north-bound train left Thirty-ninth street and in the four coaches were twenty-seven men and three women. Fourteen minutes later the train was at Congress street, and giving two minutes for changing engines it started on the return trip at 7:16. Thus was Chicago’s new elevated road thrown open to the public. There was no brass band, no oratory, no enthusiasm, but the opening was a decided success just the same.

During the day the trains were crowded, partly by persons who desired to make their first run over the new road. Those who made observation trips early in the day were well repaid for the trouble, for the people living on either side of the track had seemingly forgotten the warning about the start, and the passengers saw bits of domestic life, usually hidden from the gaze of passing crowds. Late risers were confronted with the alternative of lying in bed till darkness came again or watching until there would be no train in front, giving them the opportunity of pulling down the all-concealing blind. Servant girls, cooks, and chambermaids left their work to watch from back porches the fast-flying trains as they went by, and late breakfasts were probably explained on that score.

How many people rode on the “L” road during the day was past estimating by the officers. The tickets furnish little in the shape of a clew to work on, for, though numbered consecutively, they were scattered at the stations along the line, and until the ticket sellers make a report the number sold cannot be learned, and even then the number dropped in the boxes must be counted before the actual number can be ascertained. But, however many there were, nearly every train during the daylight hours was filled, and the familiar sight of people hanging to straps was witnessed between the hours of 5:30 and 6:30 o’clock, when the stores and offices closed and employees started home.

The down trains in the morning up to 9 o’clock, and even after, were well patronized, and every passenger wore a pleased and satisfied expression. To many it was the first experience in really rapid transit; to others, who have long been familiar with elevated trains in New York, comparisons were made, which were at least complimentary to the local road. No little interest was displayed in the rate of speed, and open watches were studied with as much care observing the time consumed between stations as though the Derby was being run instead of the initial trips on the “L” road. The new sensation of being whisked down-town from Thirty-ninth street in fourteen minutes, including all stops, so impressed many of those occupying seats that it served to loosen their tongues, and apparently sane gentlemen, entire strangers to one another, freely discussed the novel, but none the less satisfactory journey without the usual formality of introductions.
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There was not a hitch during the entire day. The little engine would come puffing up to the stations, stop at the spot where the sign is placed without a perceptible tremor in the cars behind, start up again as easily as it had stopped, and go running away from the cable trains on State street or Wabash avenue. The running was smooth, and the elevated structure bore the strain with little tremor. Inside the cars there was less noise than in a cable car, and there were no trains or heavy wagons to get in the way and cause a vexatious delay. It was nice and pleasant, with a good breeze and an occasional view of the blue waters of Lake Michigan through the east and west streets.

And then the coaches. New York has never seen such gay ones as those put in service yesterday. They have an outside color of pale olive green, and inside they are finished in oak and cherry in natural colors. The seats are roomy and comfortable, with cushions, the ones at either end, running lengthways of the car, being divided by arm rests in cherry. Eight double seats are in the center of the car, the same as in an ordinary railroad coach. These have high backs, and between each there is a small mirror set in the side of the car between the windows. The windows are wide, and at present have the added novelty of opening easily. The doors are novelties in their way. They are of the double sliding pattern and when one is pushed back both open. The platforms are roomy and are provided with gates which are opened by the gateman when the cars come to a stop and closed and locked before the strain starts again. The ceilings of the coaches are decorated in a variety of ways. Some are of hardwoods, while others are covered with a coarse canvas fastened with large brass-headed tacks and colored dark blue, brown, and red. There are straps of the same pattern furnished by Mr. Yerkes.

Everything about the line denotes solidity, and at the same time an attempt to make the equipment and the stations as handsome and convenient as possible. All the station houses so far completed are built underneath the track, though this will be impossible where the road runs in streets as it will south of Thirty-ninth street. They are of brick and terra cotta with all the woodwork in oak. One ticket seller and one collector will transact the ticket business for both north and south bound trains. The passengers coming in, pass the windows of the ticket office, then the ticket box where the tickets are dropped, and then go through a passage way to the stairs. At the head of the first landing the stairs divide, the one for the down town trains being on the east and the one for the south bound trains on the west side. The stations have a wainscoting of enameled brick to a height of six feet and are plastered above. The stairways have a graceful iron covering which extends above both platforms. A platform-man is stationed on each platform to keep the crowds moving aright and there is a janitor in service at each station. Toilet-rooms have been provided for men and women at each of the stations, except the one at Congress street, which is located in a building facing Congress and Wabash avenue.

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There is one particularly pleasing feature about the new “L” which strikes passengers who have been accustomed to ride on the Manhattan Elevated. The guards, possibly through ignorance of the code of ethics which is recognized by all “L” guards, pronounce the name of the street where the next stop will be made in a plain and distinct tone of voice. The beief is entertained by some of yesterday’s passengers that this strangeness will wear away in the course of a week or two.

For even the short distance now carried by the Elevated the shortening of time is marked. The run from Congress to Thirty-ninth street is made in fourteen minutes, about half the time required by the State street cable line. The stops are further apart than those made by the cable trains and no more time is lost in stopping than by the street cars. As the line is extended south the saving in time will become more apparent.

While much less noisy than the steam cars on the surface railways, the moving trains make themselves apparent to those who occupy buildings adjoining the tracks. Said a teacher in the Haven Public School at Wabash avenue and Fifteenth street:

The noise and confusion in our schoolrooms are simply dreadful and distracting in the extreme. For a long time we have had the clanging bells and the steady rumble of the cable cars in front of the building; on both sides of us in the rear, facing State street, an extensive junk shop, where the principal business seems to be the purchase and crashing deposit of old iron; no boiler factory has yet been established in the neighborhood, but now we have the elevated road which adds its share of noise to the distraction of teachers and scholars alike.

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The equipment consists of twenty engines and sixty coaches. Eighteen trains are run during the busy hours, the two remaining engines being used as relays at each end of the line. The trains are run with three or four coaches each. A train running into the station at either end of the line is uncoupled from the engine and the relay engine is coupled on the other end. In this way each engine is given from three to ten minutes at each end of the run for oiling or renewing fires. The water tank and coal bunkers are located south of Thirty-ninth street.

Something should be done by the managers of the South Side Rapid Transit company to relieve the congestion at the Congress street station. As matters now stand not only is no provision made for the handling of a crowd of passengers of any dimensions whatsoever, but the arrangement of the passages leading to the platform of the station is such as to preclude the possibility of accomodating a rush. The first stairway leading from the street is broad enough, but after the second story of the building is reached quite a difficulty is encountered. Passenges fall into line and then force themselves into a narrow passage leading to the ticket window, after which they take a tack to the right and ascend the stairs leading to the platform where the train is to be taken.

In case of a crush at this narrow passageway—and there is always a crush when forty or fifty people come into the station at once in a hurry to take a train—the movement is so slow that a jam inevitably results, the consequence being that many persons must necessarily miss a train they could otherwise have taken. It is admitted by the elevated railroad people that the arrangement is a bad one, but promise that everything will be remedied before the World’s Fair crowds come upon them. This, however, is hardly enough. A change just now would be welcome and result in increased passenger traffic. Many people yesterday, not caring to brave the crush at the ticket-seller’s window, became disgusted and went away to take the cable cars, which, however crowded, admit to the possibility of being boarded.

The regular schedule put into effect yesterday gives a splended service. There is no last car to be “chased,” as the train service is kept up during the twenty-four hours. Beginning at 12 o’clock, midnight, trains are run every twenty minutes until 5 o’clock, every fourteen minutes between 5 a.m. and 7 a.m., every six minutes between 7 a.m. and 8:30 a.m. every three minutes from 8:30 a.m. until 9:30 a.m., every six minutes from 9:30 a.m. to 4 p.m., every three minutes from 4 p.m. to 6:30 p.m., every six minutes from 6:30 p.m. to 10 p.m., and every fourteen minutes from 10 p.m. till midnight.

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Locomotive No. 2

Lake Street Elevated Railroad

Inter Ocean, November 6, 1893

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The people who live on the West Side within a reasonable distance of Lake street will be able to ride down town to business Monday morning in comfortable cars in from fifteen minutes to twenty-five minutes. Rapid transit, long talked of for the West Side, is now an accomplished fact, and the traveling public will have the opportunity of testing it for themselves on the new road tomorrow—this, notwithstanding the recent efforts of a rival corporation to delay the opening of the line indefinitely.

The formal opening of the Lake Street Elevated railroad took place yesterday afternoon, when the officers and directors of the road, accompanied by 1,500 invited guests, made a tour of inspection over the whole line, from Madison street to California avenue. It was a simple opening ceremony, no set speech0-making being indulged in. Shortly after 3 o’clock the first train, consisting of an engine and four cars, was signaled by Colonel Alberger, general manager of the road, and pulled out with nearly 200 people aboard. The other four trains followed at intervals of about five minutes.

The Madison street platform was thronged with people at 3 o’clock, the hour set for the starting of the first train. The trip, which was a very pleasant one, was sufficient to demonstrate how well the wants of the West Siders have been catered to by the company.
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Only one of the tracks across Lake street bridge was complete yesterday, but workmen were busily engaged on the other track all day, and it will be ready to meet all the demands of a busy traffic to-morrow. The entire road west of the bridge is completed with the exception of some slight finishing touches to be given it west of California avenue. The run yesterday was from Madison street to California avenue without a stop. Then another engine was hitched on, and each train stopped at every station on the return journey, The run was made smoothly and quickly, the structure being as firm and free free from vibration as any surface railroad. Only at one point in the journey did the engines seem at all taxed to pull the heavily loaded cars, and that was turning the curve from Market street to the bridge.

At this point there is a steep incline, and the second train, being very heavy, tested the engine draw it around the curve and up the incline. The bridge was crossed without a quiver being felt, and then the trains switched on to the west-bound track and made the journey to California avenue in about fifteen minutes.

There was joy among the residents of the West Side at the event. Men and women, from doors and windows, waved handkerchiefs to the passing trains, thus showing their appreciation of the efforts made by the company to provide better traveling facilities.
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On the return journey a stop was made at Canal street, where behind a screen of canvas, an excellent lunch awaited the visitors on the platform. The health of the directors was pledged by the visitors, success drunk to the road, and a variety of good things sampled, all in the short space of ten minutes, which was the limit allowed for this part of the program.

President Roche said:

The actual opening of the road will begin Monday morning, when trains will be run every three minutes during the busy hours of the morning and every five minutes between the morning and evening rushes. There will be trains every three to five minutes up to midnight and from 1 a.m. to 4:30 a.m. every fifteen or thirty minutes, just according to demand. We have twenty five engines and seventy cars on the railroad and will have thirty more cars on within the next thirty days., which will give us facilities for handling 70,000 passengers per day.

For the present trains will stop at the following stations:
Madison and Market streets—the down-town terminus—Randolph, Canal, Halsted, Ann, Sheldon, Ashland avenue, Wood, Robey, Campbell avenue, California avenue, Kedzie avenue, and Homan avenue.

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Lake Street, looking west from Wabash Avenue.
1896

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Lake Street Elevated Railroad
1894

Metropolitan West Side Elevated

Chicago Tribune, May 7, 1895

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That part of the Metropolitan West Side Elevated which runs from Canal street to the intersection of Robey street and Milwaukee avenue was opened for passenger traffic yesterday. The first train left Robey street at 6 o’clock. It was made up of a combination electric motor and smoking car and two passenger coaches. Thomas Hanson, No. 868 North Oakley avenue, had the distinction of paying the first nickel to the company. The train left the station on schedule time and completed the trip without hitch or accident.

Trains were run thereafter at intervals of every six minutes until 6:30 p.m. and after that time every twenty minutes until morning, which will be regular daily time schedule. Nine trains were required to keep up the service, the running time of each being twenty-two minutes, with minutes for relays at the terminal. Supt. Jones said last evening he was well pleased with the first day’s operation of the road. All the trains made the schedule time without any trouble. The running was smooth and rapid, the rate being 16 miles an hour.

Considering the fact that at present the part of the line in operation practically starts and ends nowhere, the patronage was heavier than the officials looked for. At 3 o’clock in the afternoon the register at Robey street showed that 1,250 passengers had passed the gate and the register at Canal street marked nearly the same number. Mr. Jones thought the total traffic from 6 o’clock in the morning until 7 in the evening would amount to 10,000 fares. There are eleven stations on the line as operated at present—namely:
Canal street, Halsted street, Center avenue, Laflin street, Marshfield avenue, Madison street, Lake street, Grand avenue, Chicago avenue, Division street, and Robey avenue.

The rolling stock of the road is of the first grade. Every motor is also a smoking car, and in this respect the service is better than that furnished by the Lake Street “L,” which runs “smokers” part of the time and part of the time runs none. Next week the Metropolitan passengers to and from the West Side ball park. A new idea of Supt. Jones is a portable ticket office which can be moved to any station where an extraordinary rush of business is expected. The contrivance was first put to use last evening at the Canal street station. General Supt. Baker said yesterday cars would probably be running to West Forty-eighth street within a week or ten days into the Franklin street terminus in two weeks.

The power is obtained from the large brick powerhouse situated between Van Buren and Congress streets. A bank of thirty self-stoking boilers generate the steam. The nominal rating of the boilers gives a steam capacity of 3,000 horse-power, but the improved draft and efficient engines make the boilers sufficient for double the rated capacity.

The engines are compound condensing engines with Corliss valves. The dynamos are multipolar street railroad generators and directly connected to the engines. The dynamos are wound for 5450 volts. A maximum capacity of 9,000 mechanical norse-power can be obtained from the plant where everything is running.

Scientific American, April 27, 1895

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Union Elevated Railroad Company

The story on the The Union Elevated Railroad Company addressed the drawback of early “L” service which was that none of the lines entered the central business district. Instead trains dropped passengers at stub terminals on the periphery due to a state law at the time requiring approval by neighboring property owners for tracks built over public streets, something not easily obtained downtown.

Street Railway Review, October 15, 1900
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NEW ELEVATED CARS IN CHICAGO.

The accompanying engraving shows one of the new cars built for the South Side Elevated Ry., of Chicago, by the Jewett Car Co., of Newark, O. An order for 30 of these cars was placed in February. 1900, through Hanna & Gray, of Chicago, who represent the Jewett company.

The cars are 46 ft. 5-3/4″ over the platforms and 39 ft. 4 in over the sills, and weigh approximately 50,000 lb.; the truck centers are 32 ft. 10 in. apart. The seats are arranged as in the other cars of the company, cross seats at the center and side seats at the ends. The interior finish is in mahogany except the headlinings which are of three-ply oak; the doors, sash, seat frames, etc.. are mahogany.

These cars are the handsomest ever seen in Chicago and embody several new features. The windows have double drop sash, so that in summer the cars may be made practically open ones, a design which will be greatly appreciated by the traveling public. The gates extend from the platform to within 6 in. of the hood and are covered with wire netting of ½-in. mesh; this arrangement will effectually prevent attempts of passengers to climb over the gates, which is sometimes done with the lower gates. The motorman’s cab is entirely within the car instead of on the platform, and is a model of compactness and convenience.

The equipment includes Van Dorn automatic couplers, Christensen air compressor, Westinghouse brake cylinder and valve. Peckham i4-A-X-L special trucks and electric heaters.

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New cars built for the South Side Elevated Ry., of Chicago, by the Jewett Car Co., of Newark, Ohio.

1909 ELEVATED RAILWAYS.

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METR0P0LITAN WEST SIDE ELEVATED RAILWAY

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S LOGAN SQUARE BRANCH.
Signals—Red on right, White on left.
Leave Union Loop at regular Intervals the full twenty-four hours. Dally except Sunday, arrive at Fifth Avenue Station every six minutes during the a. m. rush hours, between 6:43 and 8:24 a. m. Leave Fifth Avenue Station daily except Saturday and Sunday In the p m. rush hours between 5.01 and 6.30 p. m.
Route—From Franklin street northwest to Logan square. Stations at Franklin street. Canal street, Halsted street, Centre avenue, Lafiin street, Marshfield avenue, Madison street, Lake street, Grand avenue, Chicago avenue. Division street, Robey street, Western ave nue, California avenue, Logan sqnare. Midnight-service, every thirty minutes, arriving at Loop from 12:30 a. in. to 5:00 a. m.

H HUMBOLDT PARK AND NORTH AVENUE BRANCH.
Signals—Red on right, Green on left.
Leave Union Loop at regular intervals the full twenty-four hours, Dally, except Sunday, arrive at Fifth Avenue Station every six minutes during the a. m. rush hours, between 6:44 and 8:22 a. m. Leave Fifth Avenue Station dally, except Saturday and Sunday, in the p. m. rush hours between 4.53 and 6. 30 p. m.
Route—From Franklin street northwest to Robey street, and west from Robey street to Lawndale avenue. Stations same as above to Robey street, thence Western avenue, California avenue, Humboldt boulevard, Kedzie avenue. Ballon street, Lawndale avenue.
Midnight service every thirty minutes, arriving at Loop from 12.45 a. m. to 5.15 a. m.

D DOUGLAS PARK BRANCH.
Signals—Red on left, White on right.
Leave Union Loop at regular intervals the full twenty-four hours. Dally, except Sunday, arrive at Fifth Avenue Station every six minutes during the a. m. rush hours, between 7 01 and S.21 a. m. Leave Fifth Avenue Station dally, except Saturday and Sunday in the p. m. rush hours between 5.06 and 6.30 p. m.
Route—From Franklin street west to Marshfield avenue, and south from Marshfield avenue to West Twenty-first, west to Forty-eighth avenue. Stations at Franklin street, Canal street, Halsted street, Centre avenue, Lafiin street, Marshfield avenue. Polk street, Twelfth street. Fourteenth piace, Eighteenth street. Wood street, Hoyne avenue. Western avenue. California avenue, Douglas Park, Kedzie avenue, Homan avenue, Clifton Park avenue, Lawndale avenue, Fortieth avenue. Forty-sixth avenue, and Forty-eighth avenue.
Midnight service every thirty minutes, arriving at Loop from 12:30 a. m. to 5:08 a. m.

Transfer at Marshfield avenue to and from Garfield park, Douglas park and Logan square branches. Transfer at Rohey street to or from Logan square and Humboldt park branches.
Change from Northwestern or Oak Park Elevated to Metropolitan at Randolph and Wabash (Loop).
Change from Metropolitan to Northwestern, South Side,Oak Park Elevated at Dearborn Street (Loop) Station.
Change from Oak Park Elevated for points on South Side, West Side, and Northwest Side at Madison street and Wabash avenue (Loop). Connect with Aurora. Eigin & Chicago R. R. at Fifty.second avenue (GarfieldParkhranch)forWheaton,Eigin,Aurora,Yorkville,ete. Connect with Suburban Railroad at Forty.eighth avenue, Garfield Park branch, and Forty.eighth avenue, Douglas Park branch, for Riverside, Brookfield, Hollywood, Congress Park, La Grange and western suburbs.
Daily, except Sunday, during the rush hours in the a.m. and dally except Saturday and Sunday during the rush hours in the p. m. aside from Loop trains, an additional set of trains is run on al branches to and from the Fifth Avenue Station, located between Jackson boulevard and Van Buren street.
Loop trains and Fifth Avenue trains are designated by signs on the sides of the cars reading “Loop” or “Fifth Avenue.”
During the day and evening, trains on all branches are five and six minutes apart, and during the rush hours, a. m. and p. m., trains are two and three minutes apart.

Q GARFIELD PARK BRANCH
Signals— Red on right, Red on left.
Leave Union Loop at regular intervals the full twenty-four hours. Dally, except Sunday, arrive at Fifth Avenue Station every six minutes during the a. m. rush hours, between 7:11 and 9:35 a. m. Leave Fifth Avenue Station dally, except Saturday and Sunday, in the p. m. rush hours between 4:58 and 6.30 p. m.
Route—From Franklin street west to South Desplaines avenue. Stations at Franklin street, Canal street, Halsted street, Centre avenue, Lafiin street, Marshfield avenue, Ogden avenue, Hoyne avenue, West ern avenue, California avenue. Saeramento avenue. Kedzle avenue, St. Louis avenue, Garfield Park, Fortleth avenue, Forty-second court, Forty-fifth avenue. Forty-eighth avenue, Fifty-second avenue. Cen tral avenue, Austin avenue. Lombard avenue, Gunderson avenue,
Oak Park, Home avenue, Harlem avenue, Hannah street, Despiaines avenue.
Midnight service every twenty-five minutes, arriving at Loop from 12.23 a.m. to 5.23 a. m.

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SOUTH SIDE ELEVATED RAILR0AD.

ALLEY ” L.”
Leave Union Loop.
Route— From Congress street south to Jackson park. Stations at Twelfth street, Eighteenth street. Twenty-second street, Twenty-sixth street, Twenty-ninth street. Thirty-first street. Thirty-third street, Thirty-fifth street, Thirty-ninth street, Fortleth street and Indiana avenue. Forty-third street, Forty-seventh street, Fifty-first street, Fifty-fifth street, Fifty-eighth street. Sixty-first street. South Park avenue, Cottage Grove avenue, Lexington avenue, Madison avenue, Jackson Park avenue.
Night cars every fifteen minutes from 12:30 to 2:20 a. m.; and from 2:20 to 5:30 a. m., every twenty minutes.
Transfer from South Side for points on West Side at Madison street and Wabash avenue.

B KENWOOD LINE.
Route—Leaves Main Line at Fortieth street and Prairie avenue east on Fortieth and Forty-first streets. Stations—Grand Boulevard, Vincennes avenue. Cottage Grove avenue, Drexel Boulevard, Lake avenue, and Oakenwald avenue .

C STOCK YARDS LINE.
Route—Leave Main Line at Fortieth street, west on Fortieth street and Exchange avenue.
Stations—Wallace street, Halsted and Root streets. Exchange ave nue, Morris, Swift, Hammond, and Armour (Packers).

K ENGLEWOOD LINE.
Route—Leaves Main Line at Fifty-ninth street and Prairle avenue.
Stations— State and Fifty-ninth streets, Wentworth avenue, Princeton avenue and Sixty-first street, Harvard avenue and Sixty-third street, Parnell avenue and Sixty-third street, Halsted and Sixty-third streets. Center avenue and Sixty-third strcet, and Loomis and Sixty-third streets.

M NORMAL PARK LINE.
Route—Same as Englewood Line to Sixty-third street and Stewart avenue, thence south.
Stations—Stewart avenue and Sixty-fifth street, Stewart avenue and Sixty seventh street, and Normal Park and Sixty-ninth street

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N NORTHWESTERN ELEVATED RAILROAD CO

Leave Union Loop.
Route—Main Line—From Fifth avenue and Lake street northwest to Wilson avenue and Evanston. Stations at Kinzie street. Chicago avenue, Oak street, Division street, Schlller street, Sedgwick street and North avenue, Larrabee street and North avenue, Halsted street and North avenue, Willow Street, Center street, Webster avenue, Fullerton avenue, Wrightwood and Lincoln avenues, Diversey boulevard. Wellington street. Belmont avenue, North Clark and Roscoe streets. Addison street, Grace street, Sheridan road and Graceland avenue, Buena Park, Wilson avenue and Evanston avenue.
Night cars every twenty-four minutes.

O RAVENSWOOD BRANCH.
(Stations beyond Belmont avenue.) Southport avenue, Paulina street, Lincoin and Addison, Irving Park boulevard, Montrose boulevard. Ravenswood, Roby street, Western avenue, Rockwell street, Francisco street, Kedzie avenue, Kimball and Lawrence avenues.

P EVANSTON EXTENSION.
(Stations beyond Wlison avenue.)
In Chicago, Argyle, Edgewater, North Edgewater, Hayes, Rogers Park, Birchwood, Howard avenue, (Clty limlts). In Evanston, Calvary, Main, Dempster, Davis, Foster, Noyes, Central. Branch—Clark and North Water streets. Transfer from Northwestern for points on Lake street and South Side lines at Madison street and Wabash avenue; for points on West Side at Quincy street and Fifth avenue. Stations at which express trains stop. Morning hours, between 6:15 and 10:20 o’clock from Wilson avenue. Evening hours, between 5:29 and 6:31 o’clock on the loop

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CHICAGO & OAK PARK ELEVATED RAILROAD CO

Leave Union Loop.
Route—From Fifth avenue and Randolph street to Lake street, thence west on Lake street and South boulevard to Wisconsin avenue. Stations at Clinton street, Halsted street, Morgan street, Ann street, Sheldon street, Ashland avenue, Wood street, Robey street, Oakley avenue, Campbell avenue. California avenue, Saeramento avenue, Kedzle avenue, Garfleld Park (Homan ave), Hamlin avenue. Fortieth avenue, Forty-fourth avenue, Forty-eighth avenue, Fifty-second avenue, Central avenue. Prairle avenue, Austin avenue, Lombard avenue, Sixty-fourth avenue, Oak Park avenue, and Wisconsin avenue. Branch Line on Market street to Randolph and Madison street stations.

UNION LOOP ELEVATED RAILROAD CO

Union Elevated Railroad, Union Loop, Wells, Van Buren, Lake Streets & Wabash Avenue,

Chicago Tribune, January 31, 1924

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BY O. A. MATHER.
The merger of Chicago’s four elevated lines became an accomplished fact yesterday, and hereafter the new system will be known as the Chicago Rapid Transit company. The sale of the Chicago and Oak Park Elevated to the new company was confirmed and approved by the United States District court. This road had been in receivership for several years. The other three lines, the Northwestern, Metropolitan, and South Side, previously had arranged to consolidate.

“Through the consolidation and recapitalization, the preferred and common stocks of the old companies, aggregating nearly $45,000,000, are wiped out. Holders of securities of the old companies will receive new securities in amounts fixed in the recently published plan of reorganization.

Chicago Tribune, December 14, 1924

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