The Chickasha daily express. (Chickasha, Indian Territory [Okla.]) 1899-current, 1910-07-02

xS'lk 2 - to Mackinaw, and
the first locomo-
tive in the state was purchased for
the Bloomington-Mack line This
engine was named the Rogers" aft
er the New Jersey maker
When the engine reached Meredosia
on the Illinois river. having been
shipped by water to New Orleans and
thence up the Mississippi to st. Louis
and from there on up the Illinois river,
1t developed that the line from this
city to Mackinaw had been abandoned
because of lack OF means The en-
gine was then turned over to Muir
/ ray Mcconnell of Jacksonville. who
had charge Of the construction Of the
Northern Cross road. Mcconnell had
also ordered an engine from the Rog-
ers company. but in some way the or
der was not received.
The Northern Cross road was orig
inally planned to extend from Quincy
on the Mississippi, east to Meredocia,
thence to Springfield and the Indiana
state line. Rails were purchased in
England for the entire line and un-
loaded on the river banks from the
( steamers that brought them. The sec
tion Of the road from Meredosia to
Springfield was built first.
The method of construction may be
Of interest. Heavy sawed timbers or
suitable logs, known as mudsills, were
laid in longitudinal trenches, o. when
crossing ground where it was thought
unwise to make fill, on piles On
these piles were laid cross ties upon
which we're bolted heavy stringers of
scantling at the, proper distance apart
to suit the gauge OF the track. Upon
these stringers were laid fiat bars of
iron, half-inch or more in thickness
and as wide as the face of car wheels,
perforated at proper distances for the
spikes, by which they were made fast
to the stringers, the holes being coun-
tersunk to receive the heads of the
spikes.
The road was operated until 1S43,
when 1t became, so unsafe and the
lone locomotive became SO badly run
down, due to lack of facilities to make
repairs and lack OF mechanics to keep
the machine in reliable working order.
that 1t was necessary to substitute
mule power The cattle guards and
bridges were hoored over so that the
mules could travel safely, and for sew
eral years the trains were operated
by the four-footed power
The decrepit engine was turned
over to Senator James Semple to ex.
pertinent with in carrying out dream
he entertained of constructing huge
prairie steam wagon with long drums
faced with planks for driving wheels,
with which he intended to carry pas
sengers over the great prairies Of Iii
nois. The locomotive was presented
to Semple at the east end of the line
Semple found it a veritable white ele-
phant After many experiences, some
of them amusing, many of them pa
thetic, he was compelled to abandon
the machine Gradually It went to
pieces, due to the action of the ele-
ments and the activity of neighboring
farmers, who found use for the va
rious attachments. Thus ended the
first locomotive to arouse the echoes
of the Illinois prairies.
There has been considerable spec.
ulation why Illinois first railroad
should be run through such sparsely
settled section as Scott, Morgan, San.
,ro ,,,c,. o.,d N4oyo~ ,o,,.,4t<e 49,. 49,
southern and northern sections con.
tained a greater number of people.
The explanation lies in clever coup
pulled off by Senator Vance of Ver.
million county. After a years agita
tiop bill was finally prepared in 1857
to construct eight lines Of railway at
cost to the state of $4,000. 900, a
fabulous sum in those days Senator
Vance led the opposition to the bin
and had followers enough to defeat It.
It looked bad for the measure until
Vance Unexpectedly announced that
he would see that the bill passed pro-
viding that the Northern Cross road
was built first This was agreed to
and the bin passed.
A few years after the construction
the state sold the road for small
fraction Of what It cost. It was re-
built renamed and extended by its
new owners, and after going through
various changes Of name and owner
ship. is now part Of the Wabash
system.