The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1900-01-03
POLICE CHASE A TRAIN.
Finally Resort to Barricading
the Track and Capture
the Whole Thing.

Chicago, jan 3.-After an exciting
and grotesque struggle, stretching over
miles of elevated railway track the po-
lice took entire possession of the whole
line of the New Northwestern elevated
railway in this city The police acted
under orders of the commissioner Of
public works, former Congressman
Lawrence E. Mccain. On the outcome
of the remarkable contest between the
city authorities and the railway com
pany is involved the possible forfeiture
of the company's franchise, as we'll as
the sum of 100000 posted by the rail-
way company to guarantee the compile
ton of the road by January l.
Besides stopping the work in progress
at various points of the structure, the
police have erected a barrier of ties and
rails at the juncture of the Northwest
ern tracks with those of the Fifth ave-
nue. and Lake street and the regular
crew of the companyS No. 1 train is
under arrest. The arrests are the result
of the refusal of the railway officials to
comply with an order from the commits
siOner of public works to cease train
running, Mr. Mccain claiming that
the company's structure was unsafe in
it's present alleged incomplete state and
that it did not come within the require
ments of the ordinance that it be COM
pleted 9or operation by January 1. The
arrest of the train crew, Which took
place at the suburban terminal at VIII
son avenue, did not, however, for a con-
siderable time prevent the running of
the So-called ghost train and temper
arily resulted in extraordinary discom-
future of the police. AS the crew was
being led to the patrol wagon in wait
ing at the Wilson street station another
crew and some of the officials of the
road hurriedly boarded the trail and
before the police realized the situation,
the train was speeding on its way to
the center of the city, distance OF
five and a half miles. The fact was
Immediately telephOned to the heart of
the city, and when the train pulled over
the Wells street bridge across the Chi
cago river on to the Union loop tracks
at Lake street in the business district
of the city fully twenty five officers
We're waiting to halt the locomotive and
cars. But the motorman, inspite of
frantic waving of clubs and commands
to stop, only turned the lever farther
and the officers made a wild Scram BILE
for safety, as the train swung across
the switch to the loop track. Then the
bridge across the river was swung open
by the police and a Gordon of officers
was stretched across the return track
on Fifth avenue. But here again the
train did not stop. A switch had been
turned by some emiSSary of the rail-
way and the train, instead of plunginS
into the river, swung around to the
tracks of the Lake street elevated rail-
way company and sped westward over
that structure. The bafled police now
gave up the chase of the train and turn
ed their attention to erecting a barrier
across the Northwestern tracks where
they enter the loop. A guard was sta
toned to prevent the removal
of the barrier thus effectively
blocking train operations so far
as Northwestern connections with the
loop were concerned. At number of
other points workmen engaged in rivet-
ing uncompleted portions of the struc-
ture were ordered to stop work and
guards were stationed to see that the
order was enforced.
The railroad committee of the COM
mon council will meet and hear the re-
ports of Corporation Counsel Walker
and City Engineer Erickson, on the
construction of the road and the or
dinance.
Both reports are expected to be I'M
favorable to the road.
The ordinance required the structure
to be complete and trains for the ac
con1modation of passengers running by
January 1 on a penalty of 800, 900. Part
of the franchise of the Northwestern
Elevated includes the tracks on Fifth
avenue, used as one side of the down
town loop by the Union Loop company,
which recently repudiated its compens-
alton agreement with the city and it is
said that Corporation Counsel Walker
will advise the council it has authority
to vacate the Northwestern elevated
franchise, including the Fifth avenue
tra( 5 thus tieing up the Union Loop
company also.