Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-10-26
ROCK ISLAND To
BUY C.P.&ST.L.?
Purchase Would Give Through
Line to Missouri City From
This Point.

Present indications are that the
Rock Island road Will acquire a
through line from the tri-cities to St
Louis by way Of Peoria, according to
news received from the Ddstillery city.
It 10 said that the Rock Island road
plans to purchase the c. P. & st. L.
railway, running from Chicago to ST.
Louis, via Peoria.
This road taps some OF the most
productive coal fields In the central
portion Of the state and would give
the Rock Island road a direct line
from Chicago to st. Louis, through
Peoria. 1t would provide the system
with line north and south between
st. Paul and st. Louis by way OF
Cedar Rapids and the tri-cities, and
would rival the line OF the Burling-
ton road running between those ter
minals.
Here Is the story the Peoria Jour
nal prints concerning the prospects Of
the purchase:
Negotiations which II Is said have
been pending for two weeks, which II
successful will almost completely
revolutionize the railroad conditions
80 far as the Rock Island is concern
ed are detailed in a message received
this afternoon from the Journals
Springfield correspondent The pend
ing deal provides for the out-and-out
purchase of the Chicago, Peoria & St.
Louis railway by the great Rock Is
land system. The coal road, running
from here 10 st. Louis, is to be sold
by auction November IS in Springfield.
under order OF the federal court, and
according 20 the advices received here
the Rock Island is the leading bidder
at this time for the property.
Desire for entrance into the ex.
tended coal fields OF southern and cen
trail Illinois is assigned as a reason
for their interest in the matter. They
have watched the progress of the
Northwestern In the construction OF
q line straight from here TO Virden
for the sole purpose Of getting a
right-of-way into the coal fields and II
is stated by prominent railroad men
In Springfield that the Rock Island
aim is to get a track into the same
territory, or to the west Of IT, The
c. p. & St L. system would meet this
demand admirably.
Local representatives Of the Rock
Island road could not be found prior
20 press time this afternoon, but II ID
certain that the taking over OF the
c. p. & St. L. by the Rock Island
road would make changes here. i
would give the Rock Island road {
shoot from it's western lines straigh
through Peoria 10 st. Louis via Spring
field on a line that is very direct.
Is possible. too. that the presen
Bureau.Peoria branch would be so re
organized as TO extend the division
20 Springfield or st. Louis
1T Is said that the present regime
In control OF the c. p. & ST. L. will
seek 70 retain control OF their de
sires. II the statement is true, ma!
lead to spirited bidding. The c.
& st. L. went into bankruptcy severa
years ago. following the passage o
the two-cent fare law In this state
Suit was then instituted to restore tn
threecent fare on that road on tn
ground that the two-cent fare was cor
fiscatory. The special referee name,
by Judge Humphrey OF Springfield re
ported finding for the railroad an
only recently the courts sustained tn
referees finding. The road does a.
immense coal hauling business int
Springfield and Peoria and also has
good passenger business"