History of Springfield, Illinois, its attractions as a home and advantages for business, manufacturing, etc. Pub. under the auspices of the Springfield board of trade, by J. C. Power.

ITS ADVANTAGES FOR MANUFAOTURING. 35
tainment was given in Springfield by the munication between Alton and St. Louis
railroad company, to a party of excur- was by steamers, on the Mississippi river
sionists from St. Louis and Alton. The Feb. 19, 1859, the name was changed
steamboat Cornelia left St. Louis with from St. Louis, Alton and Chicago to
the excursionists at six o'clock on the Alton, Chicago and St. Louis. Feb. 18,
morning of Thursday, Oct. 6th, and ar- 1861, changed to Chicago and Alton.
rived at Springfield at two o'clock, P. x., After this, the Chicago and Alton and
where a sumptuous dinner awaited them, Alton and St. Louis roads were consoliin a building erected for a machine shop. dated, forming the Chicago and St. Louis
The road was built chiefly through the Railroad Company. Hon. Virgil Hickox,
exertions of the late Benjamin Godfrey, of this city, is the General Agent of the
of Alton, who was introduced by the company.
Hon. Virgil Hickox, now the General From 1854 Springfield has had direct
Agent of the road at this place. After a communication, by railroad, east, west,
brief address from Mr. Godfrey, and north and south, and by connections with
speeches from some others of the party, other roads has had communication with
and the dinner had been partaken of by all parts of the country. Nothing more
all, the train moved away with its four was done for the city in the way of railhundred passengers on the return trip, roads until after the close of the great
and by nine o'clock that evening the ex- rebellion.
cursionists were in their homes. This SPRINGFIELD AND ILLINOIS SOUTHEASTERN
was an important event in the history of RAILWAY COMPANY.
Springfield, as it opened direct commu- A charter was granted for the Springnication with St. Louis and the South. field and Pana Railroad Company, Feb.
By an act of the Legislature, Feb. 11, 16, 1857. The road was never built un1853, the capital, stock of the company der that charter, but exactly eight years
was increased; and the charter amended after, Feb. 16, 1865, another charter was
Feb. 28, 1854. granted, to cover the same ground and
On the 18th of October, 1853, the road extend farther, under the title'of the
was completed to Normal, forming a Pana, Springfield and Northwestern Railjunction with the Illinois Central, by road Company. Forty miles of this road
which passengers could go to LaSalle, -from Springfield to Pana —was compleand from there to Chicago by the Chica- ted and open for business in March, 1870.
go and Rock Island road. This opened During the summer of 1870 it was put
up the first communication by. railroad under contract to Beardstown, with the
from New York city to the Mississippi intention of extending it to Keokuk,
river. On the 4th of August, 1854, the Iowa. The work on this part of the road
present Chicago and Alton road was is completed, and the cars running to
completed to Joliet.. Virginia, in Cass county- thirty two
Feb. 14, 1855, by an act of the General miles northwest of Springfield.
Assembly, the name of the company was By an act of the General Assembly,
changed to Chicago, Alton and St. Louis, approved March 5, 1867, a charter was
and by the 21st of Jan., 1857, the com- granted for the Illinois and Southeastern
pany concluded to run the other way, Railway Company. This extends southand another act of the Legislature east from Pana to Edgewood, and inchanged the name to St. Louis, Alton eludes the road already in running order
and Chicago Railroad Company. from Edgewood to Shawneetown. The
Feb. 4, 1859, a charter was granted for short link between Pana and Edgewood
the Alton and St. Louis Railroad Com- will be completed during the present
pany. Previous to that time the com- season; then the line of road in running