The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1910-01-26
THE WABASH RAILROAD IN ILL
NOfS.

through its general passenger depart
ment. of which Mr.. ]. D. Mcnamara,
formerly of Keokuk, is head, has is.
sued leaflet entitled "10S Years in
the Service in which is given a
brief but interesting history of the
Wabash railroad in Illinois during the
30's. The story that gives title to the
leaf1et is the life history of Mr.. and
Mrs. t. Rice Smith in connection with
the Wabash at Jacksonville, III. Mr.
Smith entered the service of the
Sangamon & Morgan Railroad Com
pany, now the Wabash, April /, 1850.
as operator and ticket seller. Mrs.
Smith entered the employ of the same
company as bill clerk, operator and
ticket seller in 1860 Both have been
| in continuous service with the con-.
pany since first taking employment.
It is said to their credit that during
their long period of service they have
never been suspended or disciplined
on any account. Many of this couples
! former colleagues are now presidents
4 and general managers of railroads,
but these old people have been con-
tented to remain in the position
where they started. On November 8
last they retired from duty in the Wa
bash ticket Office at Jacksonville and
Mr.. Rice was appointed city ticket
agent at that place. Their combined
periods of service foot up 10S years.
AS early as February, 1887, the I1li-
nois legislature provided for the con-
struction of a railroad which was to
start at Quincy. cross the Illinois
river at Meredosia and thence run
east through Jacksonville, Springfield,
Decatur and Danyille to the Indiana
state line. The portion of the road
constructed first was that between
Meredosia and Jacksonville. The con-
tract price was sS.43o per mile. Mud
sills were first put down; on thee
cross ties were laid: then longitudinal
stringers on which fat iron rails were
spiked These iron rails were 21ax
IS inches in size and weighed thir-
teen pounds to the yard. On May s,
1898 the first rail was laid. and on
November s, 1888, the first railroad
engine in the state of Illinois was
placed on the track at Meredosia. II
was of the Rogers make and was
called the Rogers" It was
not much of locomotive. II
had single pair of drivers, two feet
in diameter, no cab, no pilot, nc
, whistle, no bell, no spark arrester
but it made a great hit.
The road was completed from Mere
dosia to Jacksonville January /, 1870
and TO Springfield by My Is, 1912
Regular service was established, the
cars making the trip from Springfield
; to Jacksonville, thirty-three and one
half miles, in two hours and eight
minutes. The road was known frs
as the Northern Cross. 1t was con
$ stfucted by the state and operated
for several years under lease at {
e loss TO the state 1t was sold to the
0 highest bidder on April &c, fS47, ant
i then became known as the Sangamor
l. & Morgan. During the time the stat.
d had operated 1t, but two engines hat
Q been obtained, and when the new
owners took possession, they founc
them SO dilapidated and worn as t,
d be unfit for use, and for nine months
4 they were compelled to run trains, con
q sisting of two cars, with oxen an,
!. mules. In 1884 the road passed int
the hands of receivers and after re
: organization was called the Wabash
+, The portion from Springfield +
:. Naples, distance of ffty-fve miles
: has been in operation seventeen
= years 1t was the first railroad place
in operation in Illinois and is tn
y pioneer road of this western countr,
? The leaflet also gives an account {
q the trials and difficulties of buildin
n railroads in those early days. Ope
e alton of trains appears TO have bee
II something of hit-or-miss affair. Tw
y trips a day We're made bets cen Mer,
e dosia and Morgan city, the distanc
1t of twelve miles being covered in tw
hours. The train would stop an.