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.

38 SPRINGFIELD) ILLINOIS, AND
STREET RAILWAYS.
THE CAPITAL RAILWAY COMPANY $50,000, with authority to increase it inWas organized under the general laws definitely.
of the State of Illinois, August 10, 1865, This road, running as it does, by the
and permission was at once given by the Post Office, and extending into the westCity Council of Springfield, to locate the ern part of the city, where the residences
road on all the streets the company de- are numerous and increasing, is a great
sired to occupy. They commenced oper- convenience. The Skating Rink is in
ations with a capital of $18,000, which that part of the city and is a place of
was afterwards increased to 28,000. The great resort during the winter season.
first board of directors were: J. K. The Capital Railway Company his a
Dubois, John Williams, D. L. Phillips, fine park or naturalgrove of eight or ten
Alexander Starne and J. S. Bradford. acres, at the western end of the road It
is a fine place for picnics in the spring
The officers chosen were: D. L. Philand summer season. No stranger visiting
lips, President; John Williams, Treas- the city, should leave it until he has
urer; A. W. French, Secretary; Alex- taken a ride to the west end of this line.
ander Starne, Superintendent. John
Williams afterwards resigned as Treasurer, and Jesse K. Dubois was chosen to Was chartered Feb. 16, 1861, by a
fill the vacancy. special act of the Legislature of Illinois,
entitled "An act to promote the construcThe road was built in the autumn of
tion of Horse Railways in the city of
1865, commencing at the old depot of Springfield." Jacob Bunn, John T.
the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railway, Stuart, Stephen T. Logan B enjamin S.
on the corner of Tenth and Monroe
on the corner of Tenth and Monroe dwards, Christopher C. Brown, Thomas
streets, and running west on Monroe' s *'
streets, and running west on Monroe S Mather, and George Carpenter, were
street to Lincoln Avenue, one-third of a n. a
mi' w o. I named as the first board of directors.
mile west of the city limits. It was
opened for business January 1, 1866; the They were authorized to organize a
total cost to that time, being about $27,- company under the name that heads this
000. article, with a capital stock of $50,000,
and permission to increase it indefinitely.
The track was afterwards extended The company was invested with authorabout one-third of a mile further west, ity to build and orate street railroads,.' rty to build and overate street railroads,
and more recently about the same dison any street in the present or future
tance wais taken up at the east end of
limits of the city, and to extend them to
the road-from Tenth to Seventh streets.
any point in the county of Sangamon.
By an act of the General Assembly of They were to go on any public highway,
Illinois, approved Feb. 25, 1867, the but were forbidden to put any obstrucformer transactions of the Capital Rail- tion in the way of travel.
way Company of Springfield, were legal- This very liberal charter was not an
ized and its future rights and privileges exclusive one, but left the question so
defined. Its capital stock was fixed at that other companies might avail them