The Great Western Railroad Runs from Lafayette, Indiana, via Danville, Vermillion county, as far as Naples, on the Illinois river; it touches the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad between Urbana and Tolono; crosses the main line of the last-mentioned railroad near Decatur, and the Alton and Chicago Railroad near Springfield. Its length, from Naples to the Indiana State-line, is 174 miles. That portion of this railroad which connects Springfield with Naples, was the first railway constructed within the State of Illinois (in the year 1837), but it soon fell into dilapidation, and continued so up to the year 1847, when it was purchased from the State by several capitalists, under whose direction it was reestablished, and the construction of it gradually continued, until it was ready as far as the Indiana State-line. The Jacksonville and Alton Railroad Will form a connection between Jacksonville and Alton. The subscriptions for it were started in October, 1856. The Illinois Central Railroad Being 704 miles long, is the longest railroad in the State- one of the longest in the Union. To its construction and use, the State of Illionois is unquestionably indebted for the great progress that has been made during the last few years. This railroad may be subdivided into three sections, viz.: 1. The Main Line, from Cairo to La Salle - 308 miles. 2. The Galena Branch, from La Salle to Dunleith - 146 miles. 3. The Chicago Branch, from Chicago to Centralia - 250 miles. The Main Line will be crossed at Carbondale by the Belleville and Murphysboro Railroad. It crosses the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad at Sandoval. At Vandalia it will be crossed by the Atlantic and Mississippi, and by the Massac and Sangamon railroads. At Panola it will be crossed by the Terrehaute and Alton Railroad; at Decatur, by the Great Western Railroad, also touching, at the latter place, the Indiana and Illinois Central Railroad. At Bloomington it crosses the Alton and Chicago Railroad, and it will also be crossed, at the same place, by the railroad which it is in contemplation to construct from Peoria to Danville. South of Panola it will be crossed by the Logansport and Pacific Railroad; and, north of Wenona, by the Fort Wayne, Lacon, and Platte Valley Railroad; while at La Salle it is crossed by the Rock Island and Chicago Railroad. The Galena Branch crosses the Burlington and Quincy Railroad at Mendota; at Dixon, the Chicago, Fulton, and Iowa Central Railroad; and it will be crossed, south of Foreston, by the Chicago, St. Charles, and Mississippi Railroad, while it joins the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad at Freeport, and thence runs as far as Dunleith. The Chicago Branch crosses the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Railroad east of Junction; and north of Richton, the Joliet and Northern Indiana Railroad. South of Manteno, it will be crossed by the Wabash Valley Railroad; south of Bourbonnais, by the Fort Wayne, Lacon, and Platte Valley Railroad; north of Onarga, by the Logansport and Pacific Railroad. At Tolono, it crosses the Great Western Railroad, and south of Pesotum, it will be crossed by the Indiana and Illinois Central Railroad. At Mattoon, it crosses the Terrehaute and Alton Railroad; at Effingham, it will be crossed by the Atlantic and Mississippi Railroad, and at Tonti, by the Massac and Sangamon Railroad; at Odin, it crosses the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad, and then terminates in the main line at Centralia. By means of its great number of junctions and crossings, the Illinois Central Railroad has the advantage of being in the closest connection with all parts of the State, and while it traverses the same from Chicago to Cairo, and from Cairo to Dunleith, it connects the South with the Northeast and Northwest. The construction of this railroad was rendered possible by a grant of two and a half millions of acres of land. It was commenced on Christmas, in the year 1851, and on the 27th of September, 1856, the last rail was laid; so that, through excellent management, this great work was accomplished in the comparatively short space of four years and nine months. While we look upon the marvellous manner in which this road has been constructed as something unique and unsurpassed in the history of railroad building, and consider of what inestimable value it is to the State of Illinois, we must likewise, looking upon it as a mere individual speculation, undoubtedly, give it the highest rank among similar enterprises. The receipts of the Company from passengers and for the transportation of goods increase from month to month; its stocks always command a high price; and there is no doubt but that the sales of the land belonging to the Company will soon enable it to liquidate its entire debt, after which there will still be enough land left to enable the Company to make a dividend of fifty per cent. on the capital stock. Hence, in every respect, the Illinois Central Railroad maintains a position which makes it worthy to be ranked among the greatest enterprises of the present century. Connects Caseyville with Brooklyn. It is, as indicated by its name, only a coal road, but it also does a passenger and freight business. The Illinois River Railroad Is expected to run from Naples to Pekin, or to some other spot on the eastern shore of the Illinois river, opposite Peoria. The counties which this road will traverse, have already made large subscriptions for the construction of it. The Indiana and Illinois Central Railroad Will be constructed from Indianapolis, Indiana, to Decatur. It will cross the Wabash Valley Railroad north of Bloomfield, and the main line of the Illinois Central Railroad between Pesotum and Okaw, and then join the Great Western Railroad at Decatur. Length, 149 miles. Runs from Joliet, in a northerly direction, to Athens. The Joliet and Northern Indiana Railroad Runs from Joliet to Lake, where it meets the Michigan Central Railroad. It crosses the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad north of Richton. Length, 45 miles. The Logansport and Pacific Railroad — Running in a straight line from Logansport, Indiana, towards the West, will cross the Wabash Valley Railroad at Middleport, the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad north of Onarga, the Alton and Chicago Railroad at Peoria Junction, and the main line of the Illinois Central Railroad south of Panola; then, pursuing a southwestern direction, terminate on the Illinois river, opposite Peoria. Is intended to run from Lockport, in a northwestern direction, to Junction, via Naperville, after previously crossing the Chicago and Oswego Railroad, and at Junction joining the several roads which terminate there. The Massac and Sangamon Railroad Is intended to run from Massac, on the Ohio river, via Marion, Frankfort, and Mt. Vernon, crossing the Ohio and Mississippi Railroad at Salem, the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad at Tonti, the main line of the latter at Vandalia, and the Terrehaute and Alton Railroad at Hillsboro, to Springfield. The Michigan Central Railroad. Runs from Calumet, on the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad, in a southwestern direction, through the northern part of the State of Indiana, and into the State of Michigan, to Detroit. The whole length of this road is 282 miles, of which, however, only a few miles are within the State of Illinois. The Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Railroad – Runs from Chicago to Monroe, Michigan. It commences at Junction, on the Rock Island and Chicago Railroad, crosses the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad, and turns to the southeast, traversing Northern Indiana, and penetrating into Michigan. Its whole length is 245 miles, of which but a few miles are within the State of Illinois. The Naples Hannibal Railroad Is intended to form a continuation of the Great Western Railroad, and to traverse the region between the Illinois and Mississippi rivers, so as to connect Naples and Hannibal. The Northern Cross Railroad-. Runs from Galesburg to Quincy. Length, 100 miles. The Northern Cross Branch Railroad Will run from Morgan City, on the Great Western Railroad, to Camp Point, on the Northern Cross Railroad, and traverse, near Mount Sterling, the Peoria and Hannibal Railroad. The Ohio and Mississippi Railroad — Runs from Vincennes, Indiana, to Illinoistown, thus traversing the southern part of the State in its entire bread h. It will be crossed, near Salem, by the Massac and Sangamon Railroad. At Odin, it crosses the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad, and at Sandoval, the main line of said road. Length, 145 miles. The Peoria and Hannibal Railroad (Also called the Bureau Valley Extension Railroad) will be opened at Peoria, and run in a southwestern direction, crossing the Northern Cross Branch Railroad near Mt. Sterling, and terminate at Hannibal. Its length will be about 120 miles. Runs, in a northwestern direction, from Peoria to Galesburg, where it joins the Chicago and Burlington Railroad. Also the eastern branch of this road is already under construction; at Bloomington it will cross the Alton and Chicago Railroad, and the main line of the Illinois Central Railroad; at Urbana, the Chicago branch of the latter road, and join the Indiana roads at Danville. The Peoria and Rock Island Railroad Will bring Peoria and Rock Island into immediate connection. It will cross the Chicago and Burlington, and the Fort Wayne, Lacon, and Platte Valley railroads. Length, 82 miles. The Rockford Central Railroad Will run from Rockford, in a southern direction, crossing the Chicago, St. Charles, and Mississippi Railroad, and the Chicago, Fulton, and Iowa Central Railroad, and join the Illinois Central Railroad at Mendota. The Terrehaute, Alton, and St. Louis Railroad Soon after passing the Indiana frontier, will be crossed, near Paris, by the Lake Erie, Wabash, and St. Louis Railroad. It crosses the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad at Mattoon, the main line of said road at Pana, and then runs, in a southwestern direction, to Alton. At Hillsboro, it will be crossed by the Massac and Sangamon Railroad. Length, 173 miles. The Vincennes and Paducah Railroad Will run, almost in a southern direction, from Vincennes, to Brooklyn, The Wabash Valley Railroad Will run from Joliet, in a southern direction, to Vincennes; it will cross, south of Manteno, the Chicago branch of the Illinois Central Railroad, then the Fort Wayne, Lacon, and Platte Valley Railroad; then the Logansport and Pacific Railroad at Middleport; the Great Western Railroad at Danville; then the Indiana and Illinois Central Railroad; the Terrehaute and Alton Railroad at Paris; and, finally, the Atlantic and Mississippi Railroad. The Warsaw and Rockford Railroad Will run from Warsaw, Hancock county, to Port Byron, Rock Island county, and have a length of 62 miles. |