Wauwatosa news. [volume] (Wauwatosa, Wis.) 1900-1948, 1910-07-01

&EEbusxsztsxx&Issw 10 MacKlnaW, and
the first locomo-
tive in the state was purchased for
the Observation-Disclosures 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-
CINE 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 Meredosia,
thence to Springfield and the Indiana
state line. Rails were purchased in
England for the entire line and I'M
loaded on the river banks from the
steamers that brought them. The Sec
ton 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, or when
crossing ground where it was thought
unwise to make fill, on piles. On
these piles were laid cross ties upon
which were 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, a 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 u receive the heads of the
spikes.
The road was operated until 1913,
when it 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 it was necessary to substitute
mule power. The cattle guards and
bridges We're floored 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 a dream
he entertained of constructing a 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 Hi
nois. The locomotive was presented
to Semple at the east end of the line
Semple found it a veritable white ele-
plant. 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 a sparsely
settled section as Scott, Morgan, San
canon and Macon counties when the
southern and northern sections con.
rained a greater number of people.
The explanation lies in a clever coup
pulled off by Senator Vance of Yer
million county After a years agita-
tion a bill was finally prepared in 1897
to construct eight lines of railway at
a cost to the state of $4,000 600 a
fabulous sum in those days. Senator
Vance led the opposition to the bill
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 bill passed.
4 few years after the construction
the state sold the road for a small
fraction of what it cost. 1t was re-
built, renamed and extended by it's
new owners, and, after going through
various changes Of name and owner
ship. is now a part of the Wabash
system.