Historical souvenir of Greenville, Illinois : being a ... - University Library

Historical Souvenir of Greenville, Illinois.
Frank P. Jov,
Head of the tirni of F. P. Joy & Co. Mayor of
Greenville from 1901 to 1903'. Member of the Library
Board.
agent at Greenville.
The name "Pennsylvania Line" is
now used instead of "The Vandalia
Line," the change having been made
recently.
"jfacksonvillc it St. Louis R. R.
President W. S. Hook in Septem-
ber, 1880, wrote to Wm. S. Smith to
confer with the people of Greenville
about a road known as the
Jacksonville and St. Louis, then
built as far as Litchfield. On October
1, of that year, Mr. Hook came
to Greenville and twenty-five business
men met him at the First National
Bank. He wanted a bonus of
$25,000 and the right of way in
consideration of coming to Greenville.
After several months parleying
Greenville, in 1S.S2. offered
$15,000, the complete right of way
and ample depot grounds, but the
offer was rejected and the road went
to Smithboro.
Chicago, Greenville & Soutbcm.
After the J. & St. L. had passed
Greenville by and had been in operation
for several years, President
Hook, on November 23, 1891, offered
to build a "spur" from Durley to
Greenville, a distance of four miles,
for $25,000 and the right of way.
The solemn promise was made that
the road would be extended south
ir. a few years to Carlyle. The offer
was accepted and the road was
named the Chicago, Greenville and
Southern, but as years passed and it
went no farther south, the name
was facetiously changed to the
"Chicago. Greenville, and Stop."
The first train over this road was
run in August, 1892. In honor of
the completion of the road and because
of their liberal subscriptions,
the people of Greenville were given
a free ride to Springfield in October,
1892, and 425 people took advantage
of the opportunity to visit
the capital. The road continued in
operation until January 3. 1903,
when it suspended business after
having been sold in pursuance of a
decree of the Federal Court. The
four mile stretch of track was torn
up by the purchaser in April, 1903,
and now nothing remains to show
for the $25,000 invested in it by
Greenville's citizens.
Numerous other railroad projects
have been agitated in Greenville,
among them the St. Louis, Shelbyville
and Detroit, and the "Black
Diamond Line" as well as some
other north and south railroads.
Greenville can feel proud of the
part it played in the origination and
construction of the Vandalia Line.
From the start this line became one
of the greatest railroads in the
country, having been leased and
operated by the great Pennsylvania
System until 1900, when it became
by purchase a part of the great parent
trunk line. It is the connecting
link between Indianapolis and
St. Louis and as such carries the
traffic of the great Pennsylvania
System. This traffic now supports
ten passenger trains each way per
day. an aggregate passenger service
not equalled by any other line
in the west. There is no nook or
corner in the country where this
popular railroad is not known and
it enjoys a reputation of possessing
the best roadbed, the best passenger
service and the finest as well as the
fastest trains in the country.
Reside.nck of F. p. Jov, East College .\vctui'.'.