1 legislative authority, the right to use any or all the powers conferred upon the Illinois River Railroad Company, by charter and amendment, but no merging of the company took place by a consolidation of these respective interests, except as here stated. 117,816 84,345 Number of miles run by passenger trains, for the year ending June 30, 1875..... Number of miles by freight... Number of miles by construction.. Total..... Total number of passengers. Total tons of freight... 42,043 244,204 ...80,370 .129,997 The extraordinary care exercised in the management of this road has made it almost free from accidents. During the year above named, three passengers were injured, none killed;、 of employees, there were two injured, and one killed. This is attributable to the very sensible plan of Mr. John Allen, President and Superintendent of the road; which is, that when he has a good, careful employee, to hold him. In a somewhat extended railroad travel, we have yet to meet more efficient and gentlemanly conductors than are in the service of this road. Among them we are pleased to name Mr. J. D. Cork, Mr. N. McSherry, Mr. George Elwell, Mr. S. Reiley and Mr. W. H. Haynes. To Mr. Cook and Mr. Kelsey we have referred at length in another place. This road has been peculiarly fortunate in acquiring and holding the good will of the people along its entire line; is doing a prosperous business, and is in excellent condition. THE INDIANAPOLIS, BLOOMINGTON AND WESTERN EXTENSION. This line runs from Champaign to Havana, a distance of one hundred miles, and traverses Mason county in nearly an east and west direction, and began operations in October, 1873. The guage of this road is four feet eight and three-quarter inches. The further details at our command, in regard to this road, not being of general interest, we omit them, and have only to say that the road is carefully and judiciously managed, is in excellent order, and supplied with efficient and gentlemanly employees. Among them it is with much pleasure that we can here name Mr. L. C. Thrall and Mr. J. Caldwell, the gentlemanly and efficient conductors. This line gives us a long wished for and much needed direct eastern connection for mails and travel. SPRINGFIELD AND NORTHWESTERN. In 1853 a railroad from Springfield to Petersburg and Havana was discussed, and in that year Mason county voted $25,000 of stock in that enterprise, but for the time it was delayed. On Dec. 13, 1855, the city of Springfield voted $50,000 of stock to the Sangamon and Northwestern Railroad, and Menard county voted $100,000 to the same project. An organization was effected by the election of V. Hickox, J. T. Stuart, John Bennett, W. G. Green and John S. Wilbourn, directors, but here again it ended for a time. The date of the charter of the present company was March 24, 1869. The road was built in 1871-'72–273. The entire length from Springfield to Havana is forty-seven miles. The weight of rail per yard is fifty pounds; guage of road, four feet eight and a half inches. This line is in good order, and is carefully and judiciously managed by the present officials and employees. They receive from the government $45 per mile per annum for carrying mails, and $40 per month from the U. S. Express Company for carrying express. John Williams is President and principal owner of the road, and Geo. N. Black is Receiver. The important points connected by this line gives it a liberal share of through travel, and the rich farming region through which it passes, combined with the accomodating and popular conductors, Messrs. W. M. Bacon and M. Myers, give it a fine local passenger travel. The S. & N. W. connects south with the T., W. & W., the C. & A., the O. & M., the G. & C., giving access to all points of the compass, from Springfield at all hours. At Petersburg it makes connection with the Jacksonville branch of the C. & A. north and south, and at Havana with the P., P. & J., and the I. B. & W. ex tension for the north and east, and thus to Peoria, where numerous roads diverge to all points of the compass. The large stock and coal interests on the line of this road, with the increasing development of the country must eventually make it one of the most paying lines in the State. The line is in excellent condition, is operated with care, and accidents are unknown on it. THE CHICAGO AND ALTON RAILROAD.-JACKSONVILLE BRANCH. For many years this line terminated at Petersburg, but in 1867 it was extended to Bloomington. It was opened up for service to Mason City in June, and to Bloomington on the 23d of September, in that year. It was incorporated as the Tonica and Petersburg Railroad Company, January 15, 1857. Richard Yates was the first president. In 1862 it was consolidated with the Jacksonville, Alton and St. Louis Railroad Company, the whole taking the name of the St. Louis, J. & C. R. R. Co. William G. Green, of Menard county, was the first president of the new company, succeeded by George Straut, of Peoria. This road was leased to the C. & A. road April 30th, 1868. A letter from George Straut, of Peoria, Illinois, dated June 5th, 1876, says: J. COCHRANE, ESQ.: Dear Sir: A brief history of the road running through your county, I presume would assist you to prepare your work. The project was first started as the Tonica and Petersburg Railroad, and the line was located through your county in 1857. The Hon. Richard Yates was at that time president of the company, and during the year 1858 a portion of the grading was done on that part of the line. The hard times of 1858, which continued for several years, made it impossible to negotiate railroad securities, consequently work was suspended for several years. Mr. Yates being a candidate for governor, in 1860, he resigned the presidency of the company, and Wm. G. Green was elected president; and during his administration arrangements were perfected, for consolidating the interests of the Tonica and Petersburg and the Jacksonville, Alton and St. Louis Railroad companies. This consolidation was ratified by the companies in December, 1862, and the new com. pany was styled the St. Louis, Jacksonville and Chicago Railroad Company. At the first meeting of the directors I was elected president, aud have so continued up to this time. In 1863 arrangements were made for completing the road, and in 1864 it was completed from Jacksonville' south to the C. & A. road at Godfrey, which gave our road an outlet to St. Louis, and in 1867 the line was completed from Jacksonville to Bloomington, giving us an outlet north to Chicago, over the C. & A. road. In the spring of 1868 the line was leased to the C. & A. road, and has been operated by that company since that time. Yours, truly, GEORGE STRAUT. HAVANA, RANTOUL AND EASTERN RAILROAD COMPANY. Length, 128 miles; western terminus, Havana, Mason county; eastern terminus, the C., D. & V. Railroad, in Ross township, Vermilion county. Length of line only graded, 361⁄2 miles. This road has been in progress for some time, with prospects of a rapid completion. ..... Amount of stock subscribed... ... . $1,000,000 Iron and rolling stock have been purchased for the first division of the road. Width of gauge, three feet. The splendid region of country through which this line is to pass, and the very low cost of operating that class of roads, ensures it a good, safe investment, and completion at an early date. EDUCATIONAL. THE EDUCATIONAL INTERESTS OF MASON COUNTY. Unpolished marble does not show Its beauties to the sight, The youthful mind inclines to rest In Nature's finest mould, Until, by education dressed, Its powers doth unfold. Let us imagine that a young immortal is placed before us, whose duty it is to give him an education. This word signifies that we are to take him into our hands, find out what faculties he possesses, and then make the most of every one of them, preserving, however, a just balance among all his varied powers. Not one of those powers were given him to lie dormant. He can never be a real man until all are developed. It is not our business to give him a certain amount of knowledge, to practice him in certain arts, or to teach him a profession. He comes to us to be educated, not to be crammed with other people's ideas, nor to learn a trade. The ideas he can get afterwards by reading. The trade he can acquire when he is prepared for it. What shall we do for this young being, whose future we are to form for him? As quick as possible let us make a man of him. Let us, in the first place, take him up as a physical being, and young and feeble as he is, see what we can do for him. Let the persons who have the charge of him in this particular know everything about his body. Let them map out that knowledge to the best of their abilities, with a deep con. |