Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1906-07-14
Is A BIG SYSTEM
Mckinley Syndicate's Interurbans
Form Network i'm
Illinois.
UNITE ALL CENTRAL CITIES
IT Built Here from Peoria as Planned
Great Benefit Will En-
sue.

Rock Island has a particular interest
in the growth of the Mckinley syndi
Gates system of interurban lines in
tits state because an intention has
been expressed of building to this city
from Peoria, and a company with the
Mckinley interests back of il was in
cOrpOrated couple of years ago. As
suraEce has been given that the line
will be built when work now going on
at Peoria is finished so as TO provide a
suitable terminus and connections.
TLro'Igi the system when it reaches
Rock Island. this community will be
bTCugli; in touch with all the principal
cities in the central part of the state,
ST. Louis and eventually, it Is said,
Chicago
The Illinois Traction system, pOpu-
laTly known as the Mckinley system
last week began operating the new eX-
tension between Clinton and Blooming
ton. The division between Decatur
and Bloomington is completed. giving
the system a long connected line.
Cars are now being operated be
tween Granite City and Springfield. be
tween Springfield and Decatur, be.
tween Decatur and Bloomington and
between Champaign and Danville. The
line is now connected up from Granite
City to Carlinville. Springfield. Deca-
tur and Bloomington
The read will finish its construction
in East St Louis within 60 or 30 days.
Tree Is laid from Collinsyille avenue
over Fifth street. Illinois avenue.
TeDth street and College avenue.
To ~. Louis by Boat.
Cars will be transported to ST Louis
from Venice on transfer boats before
October A trestIc is being construct
ed at Venice. near the Mississippi river
and when it is completed the transfer
boats may be run Then the Illinois
Traction system will bring its passen
ger and freight cars into ST Louis. The
boats which will be used for transfer
ring the cars between St Louis and
Venice Will be built with two tracks
on each side, so as to enable the trans
fer of four cars across the Mississippi
river at a time.
Road construction is going on at
present between Decatur and Cham
paign and between Bloomington and
u
by the end of the year. When il is !
done the road will be connected from
St Louis to Springfield. Decatur.
Champaign and Danyille, and from
Decatur TO Bloomington and Peoria.
About 159 miles of new road will have
been constructed this year. BY Jan
uary 1 the system will be operating |
cars on $50 miles of track in II coun-
ties Of Illinois.
The Illinois Valley Traction com
pany had "a miles of road in operation /
between Ottawa. LaSalle and Ladd. 1t |
is extending from LaSalle. distance
of 90 miles.
st. Louis to Chicago in Year.
At least another year will elapse
before the system Will be able to con
meet it's line and form what might he
called a St. Louis and Chicago eleC-l
trio traction system. But there will :
be n direct line from St Louis to Dan
vile. near the Indiana state line, in .
Central-Eastern Illinois. via Spring
field and Decatur. and from St. Louis |
to Bloomington and Springfield. via |
Springfield and Decatur, early in 1907. |
The company proposes to operate
] mted passenger trains and merchan-
disc freight trains from ST Louis to
Springfield. Decatur, Danville and /
Bloomington. This service will be |
inaugurated. over as great distance
as possible. as soon as the trestle at
Granite City is finished and the trans
fer boats are put in commission.
Merchandise freight is now hauled |
by wagon, from St. Louis To Granite
City. where il is loaded on the freight
cars. The traffic already averages
about six carloads per day.
Limited passenger service IS fur
nished now between Granite City and
Springfield. Two cars, in addition to