, 1873-02-25

The New Rival Route to the Will
1nington Coal.Fie1ds.
The Hamilton, Lacon s. Eastern Railroad
"-.History Of the Enterprise.

"a Rival Route to the Wilmington Co,
Fields " Was the heading Of an article in cur is.
eoe OF Lee. II, noting the commencement Of
"ork upon the Hamilton, Lacon Eastern Rail-
road. We arc now enabled to give more def
n1te report OF the condition, progress, and pros-
pects OF this enterprise. which adds another to
the LIST OF great railroad arteries reaching ont
from this city to tie Vest and Southwest. gnt1
10 note that the engineer corps is now in the
held aud pushing forward the final location of
the line, having fixed the point Of crossing the
hankakee River inthe centre Of the great Will
| mington coal fields, and thence by easy grades
! to Chicago. The country trarersed by this road
| Is the very best, most populous, and productive
portion OF the State, and the line also crosses
the very best coal fields in uliuois-the most
important OF which, the Wilmington, is reached
at distance OF only 81 miles from this city,
With maximum grade OF only 10 feet, and to
Which point the contractors expect to have tho
cars running BY the 1st day Of July. Such To-
cation must insure a permanent and reliable sue
cess N its operation, aud will prove i'm
mensely valuable to the manufacturing
interests OF our city, as well as &C.
curing cheap coal to all consumers,
1g.,E ny g,s.ng healthy competition to the coal
point which will furnish d fair and legitimate
profit upon the business done. Every one
familiar with the subject knows that the
demand Tor coal in this market will equal the
supply Of these vast coal fields, even with trana-
portation furnished by two double-track rail-
foads, with carrying rates placed fairly for all
interests concerned. With this view We cordial
~ wish this new enterprise an unlimited success
o and irom :? the character OF the country through
which IT passes. it's charter, the gentlemon com
posing the Company, the contractors, and the
entire amount Of it's frst mortgage % bonds 'b by
manifested BY the people throughout the coun- COZ a.
try, We are satisfied that the Contractors win
hare no difficulty in completing the entire road
within two years from this time The location |
through this county is not yet fully determined,
suburban lands which viii be greatly !
tioa md the proper pla:ng sosh of depots 1ofs-
and running Of numerous trains at cheap com
mntlng rates Tor encouragement Of immediate /
settlement Of desirable locations and we are
pleased to see that some OF our most prominent
and wealthy owners OF such lands come forward
With prompt and generous appreciation OF i'd
xantages thus conferred to their lnnded interests.
From the Wilmington coal-delds tbs route is in
|esterly direction, through the Vermillion |
coal-teldst crossing the Illinois Central Road at
Or near Tonica, thence crossing the Illinois
RlyeI R At the City Of Lacon. thence through
county md Yates City to Nauyoo and
OkR~@-s~ - !
s.sslppi River, giving to this road the best oc-
:upled route IN this State, and ono which is not
s1celled by any existing line. From point in
he :1e Wilmington W coal-helds connections will be
'outhern limits Of the State, and one to he
!outheast; at Lacon, with the projected Inns
rom Keithsburg, through Galesburg, to that
,olnt, and At keokuk with the Kansas City,
3rookield L Chicago Road which is being built
oterests OF these two lines Of road, in
living q through and certainly direct
cute to the Kansas Pacific Road at Kansas City,
;!th ;t az SAVING OF over forty miles between that
10y ~. ana th1cago, thus opening up compara-
rs superior facilities for direct transportation
Q the immense cattle trade of Kanaas and
'exas. Another desirable connection at Keokuk
~ be made with the Midland Pacific Road,
eachlng the Union Pacific at Grand Island, and
realty shortening the distance between this city
nd California, and which, with the Des Moines
alley Road, will furnish valuable connections |
Heokuk for this road.
We have never known new road better 1ocat-. !
]. nor started under more favorable auspicies
'r speedy completion, new entorp1ises rarely l.
adin8 IN established businese and dense popu-.l
Eon a"a1tlng their construction to, furnish
em paying traffic. --- T
The construction work will be begun at once :
point lnteraecting entry into this city, aud
pushed vigorously to the coal fields, and
ence through the entire line, the contractors
tley1ng t they can complete the entire road by
fhe main office Of the company is at Lacon,
hon. g. L. Fort, President. The Office Of f.
cfsrd r Morgan i Co., the contractors, is at
!. 1ol washington street, in this city, and to
enterpraslng tirn IL largely due the SUCCESS F.
status OF this great enterprise. We wish :
m the most complete SUCCESS, aad hope soon.
chronicle the laying OF the first rriI, and the
ming Of the first train.