The weekly Minnesotian. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1852-1858, 1854-12-16
NUMBER 10.
From the Chicago TribuDe, Dec. %.
frosress Of the Illinois Central R,;,r,,

|
As this majestic and important work draws
near 10 lts completion. we have thought brief
, resume OF its progress would be intrrnct;,,r tn
the public The information which we nrn,,os,
" give Is iuii reliable and entirely correct.
by !ie ON section Of the act of Incornor.-
toh' thc Illinois Central Railroad Companv
were granted four years from the date of the
deed OF trust conveying the lands. in which to
nnish we man hhe' and SIN years from the
same date in which to finish the branches -.
This deed was executed March 18th, 1851.
Col. Mason, the Superintendent of the Road.
arrived IN this city May Nth. 1851 and the pro.
gress Of the road, under his direction, has since
then been as follows:
The Main Line of the road is sos miles lono
extending from Carlo TO La Sale and Passen
ger Trains commenced running on it as fol.
| lows:
FROM LaSalle to Bloomington, GO miles. Nav
10th, 1853.
From bloomington to Clinton, e3 miles.
March lIth lcjl.
From Clinton to Decatur 90 miles, October
18th lSj4
From Carlo to Saudoval lis miles. Novcm.
Der 18th 1854. In all 223 miles.
The track is now laid South.
rom Decatur to Nandalia. G3 miles. From
SahdoVal, North. milcs-71 miles. And on
January lSt ls55, the road will be orcned.
from Aandalia TO Sandovai, % miles.
ms VIII finish the Main Line of the Road,
which is several month previous to the eypra'
ton OF The time required by the charter
That portion of the road comDriscd hetycen
the 50th aud l50th mile Of the Main Line
counting up from Carlo has been. on account
OF local causes. the most difficult to build of anv
portion OF the line. it is now VIC are happy to
state, nearly completed. and what remains to
be accomplished on other portions of the road
viii be readily perfected.
The GaIena Branch cytnpIs from, T ,c,1I, =.
Dunlelth. III miles. and has been opened. and
passenger trains commenced running as fol-
lows:
From Mendoza to LaSalle, l6 miles Nov. 18th
1853.
From Freeport to Warren, 25 miles, Jan. 9th
1854.
From Warren to Scales Mound, II miles,
Sept llth lS54
From Scales Mound to Galcna, II miles. Oct.
Goth 1854.
The track was laid from Mendoza to Ambov.
10 miles, Nov. 9th 1854 and is now laid from
Mendoza to miles north Of Amboy, "a miles
FROM ffceport south, II
Sc
There yet remains to he laid
Between Freeport and Amboy, As miles.
Between Galena and Dunleith, II
65
Amhoy, IL miles. opened on Yesterday
Dec. 1t. 1854. The other portions will be
opened As follows:
From .Amboy to Freeport, As miles-Feb. Ist
1853.
From Calena TO Dunleith, Il miles-April Is,
1850
We have good reason to predict the connie.
.ioii OF the Haieia Branch H. arly two years be-
lore the expiration Of the time granted by the
Charter of Incorporation.
Tue Chicago Branch extends from CHICAGO tn
the Crntrala Junction, 2j2 miles. and trains
commenced running upon it as follows:
1882 -
From Calumet to Bourbonnais, ~ miles. JULY
IL. 1888.
From Bonrbonnais to Spring Creek, 81 miles
Dec.2, 1853.
From Spring Creek to Pera, 90 miles, Nav
2S. 1871.
From Pera to Crbana. 20 miles J,lv "a
1854.
Total 129 miles
On the Chicago Branch the track is laid 2I
miles south ofCrbana. and the grading ties and
iron, are ready for the construction Of the track
- miles further down, or to Wabash Point At
the l'3d mile south of Chicago, and A miles
below Crbana. the Terre Haute and Alton Rail
road crosses the Chicago Branch, and party
OF track-layers will he put on in season TO fur
nlsh the Tcrre lIaute and Alton Road with iron
to enable them to lay cast, to meet their track
approaching from Paris
We consider this connection with the south
east to be one of great value to the Central
Road and to our city, as it carries the road into
one OF the best farming portions of tie State,
and affords the most direct route from Chicago
to Tcrre Haute, tit being IL miles nearer than
any other route) indianapolis, Louisville, and
Cincinnati, and gives us the dircctest inter-
course with the Pennsylvania and Ohio Central,
the Pennsylvania Central, and the Baltimore
and Ohio Railroads. and opens Chicago to the
business centres Of Ohio, Indiana and Ken
lucky. This point can easily be illustrated by
reference to any recent map of the country.
| The time Of making this connection, which
will probably be the lst Of March next, will de-
pend on the progress of the construction of the
Terre Hautc and Alton r. r.
The Illinois Central Railroad Company pro-
pose to complete the balance of the Chicago
Branch during the summer Of 1855, and have
nearly year and half of surplus time on this
portion of the line.