CHAPTER III

RAILROADS IN THE PRAIRIE LANDS OF NORTHERN ILLINOIS AND IN THE MILITARY TRACT, 1850-1860

The building of railroads out from Chicago brought about a new era in the development of that city, and of the tributary country. Previous to 1850 settlements were made chiefly along the rivers, which were then the lines of through traffic. Yet before 1860 the railroads had been built, and as a result the prairie had been settled, new farms had been enclosed, and the hitherto unclaimed land had become the home of an industrious laboring people.

Agitation for the building of railroads began early, but nothing advantageous was accomplished until the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad was built. The purpose of this road was to make Galena and Chicago the terminals, thereby connecting the upper Mississippi and the lake traffic (1). Chicago desired to handle Galena's lead, and to supply the laborers in the lead mines of that place with the necessaries of life. Moreover, the carrying trade of the Rock and Fox River settlements would also be secured by the building of such a road. This road was started in 1846, and by September 1, 1850, the main line to Freeport was carrying freight (2). Previous to this date the St. Charles (3), the Aurora (4), and the Beloit (5) branches had been completed, and on December 16, 1855, the line from Dixon to Fulton City was opened. Thus, by the close of the year 1855, the main line. to Freeport of 1221⁄2 miles, the Beloit branch, 21 miles, and the Chicago-Fulton road, 1051⁄2 miles, were all completed, making a total of 249 miles (6). This system of roads connected the Mississippi and the Lakes, gave two separate lines of communication across the prairie, joined the settlements lying along three separate river systems, and touched twelve different counties in northern Illinois.

At this time, too, other roads were built through this prairie lying north and west of the Illinois River (7). The main line of the Illinois Central was constructed through the division of territory now under consideration. This road crossed both branches of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad, touching the Fulton line at Dixon, and the terminal of the other branch at Freeport; and joined the latter named place with Galena and Dunlieth on the Mississippi. The Chicago, Burlington & Quincy system of the present time formed by the consolidation of the Central Military Tract Railroad, the Aurora branch, and the Peoria and Oquawka was constructed during this era of railroad building. This system ran through the center of the Military Tract (8). It passed between the sources of streams which run to the great river systems on either side, opened up a prairie hitherto undeveloped, and reached the Mississippi at Quincy, a distance of 210 miles from Chicago (9). The branch of the road, formerly the Peoria and Oquawka, left the main line at Galesburg, 173 miles from Chicago, and running westward 100 miles, touched the Mississippi at Burlington. The Rock Island, which, running from Chicago, paralleled the Illinois and Michigan Canal and the Illinois River as far as Peru, turned westward at this point, ran across the northern part of the Military Tract, crossed the Illinois Central at La Salle, and the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy at Mendota, and reached the Mississippi at Rock Island. The entire length of this road, 181 miles, was opened for use in 1854 (10).

Thus throughout this prairie land lying to the north of the Illinois River four systems of railroads were constructed. These improvements, carried to a completion between 1850 and 1856, crossed almost every prairie county (11), and by means of them prices nearly equal to those given at the Chicago market were offered at stations easily within reach of all. The old difficulty of marketing surplus produce could no longer seriously retard the development of this rich prairie land.

As the through transportation lines were completed their terminals and depots became the storehouses of the surrounding country. For farmers, instead of hauling their grain to Chicago, as they formerly had done, were now delivering

it at these depots (12). When the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad was completed to the Des Plaines River, over thirty loads of wheat were there deposited awaiting transportation (13). St. Charles, with only the advantages offered by a branch road, built up a good business and became the grain center for a large area. The Kane County Democrat said of the town: "Life and animation courses every avenue. She has built a branch railroad, procured cars and a good engine by the voluntary subscription of her own citizens during the last year, and is now reaping the fruits of her labors by a rich trade from the surrounding country" (14). During the first year (1850) this branch road, but five miles in length and doing the transportation work of St. Charles alone, did almost three thousand dollars ($2,994.94) worth of business, which was increased the following year to $4,468.36 (15). In the year ending April 30, 1856, this amount was still further increased to $12,559.64. Thus the advantages offered to this town by the railroad stimulated its business and general development.

Upon the completion of the railroad through Marengo, that town also advanced rapidly in wealth and prosperity, and became an important trading point. Her export business was greatly increased. Four warehouses, each with a capacity of 60,000 bushels, were built; grain could not be shipped as fast as it was bought by local dealers (16). Morrison, in Whiteside County, experienced a similar growth. This town was laid out in 1855, and although the first station was but a board shanty, yet the historian of Whiteside County reports that during the same year a large business was done in shipping to and from that point. As a result, the rich farming lands on all sides were soon improved by an enterprising class of farmers, and trade increased still more rapidly (17). A writer in the Sentinel of June 1, 1860, said: "Four years ago Morrison came into existence. At that time there was but one house within a mile, and each settler was obliged to haul his building material from the Mississippi, or Sterling, or Dixon" (18). Yet in 1859 there were shipped from this station 131,414 bushels of wheat, 49,996 bushels of corn, and various other commodities. Though the town was small, it received much lumber, coal and general merchandise, and a new impulse was given to every activity.

When it was known beyond question that the railroad would be built through Carroll County, "there was a rapid influx of aspiring business men" (19). Lanark sprang into existence and then into importance. "Where but a few months before there was nothing but an undisturbed prairie, with no really productive and remunerative farms in sight, all became hurry and bustle. Stores and trading places were opened just as fast as accommodations could be secured" (20). The town of Fulton, in Whiteside County, experienced a similar growth. When ground was first broken for the railroad at that place, there were probably not over four hundred inhabitants within the limits of the corporation; but within a few years thereafter there were at least six times this number (21). Kendall County, too, became prosperous, owing "mostly to the general incoming of railroads, by which prices of both produce and real estate were quickened" (22). In Lee County the building of the Illinois Central caused "not only the rapid growth of Dixon, but the founding of the Amboy Car Works, which gave rise to the growth of that young city" (23). Elgin had a population of 540 in 1850, but in six years it had increased its population to as many times that number (24). Amboy's growth was not less remarkable. Its population had grown from 16 to more than 1,300. The railroad stimulated trade and had an influence upon the development of the prairie lying north of the Illinois River.

At

By 1856 and 1857, less than five years after the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad was completed, every station upon it was doing an important freight business. Danby, Winfield and Wheaton, mere villages, built up respectively an annual freight traffic of 4,135,850; 4,526,730; and 7,294,430 pounds (25). The freight of the more important places, Clinton, Elgin, Belvidere, and Rockford, was respectively 11,986,900; 35,860,810; 44,574,980; and 85,405,880 pounds per annum. any one of these larger depots the cash value of the freight was annually more than $20,000, while in some places it was twice and three times this amount. Even the smallest trading stations, with two or three exceptions, were annually shipping freight valued at more than $3,000. What such a growth means cannot be adequately represented by giving this data. For it must be remembered that this commerce was built up