Chicago Area Shortline Railroads

Chicago Belt Transfer RR

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History

Proposed
Incorp: 4/20/1881
The Chicago Belt Transfer company has been organized to take the place of the Chicago Park & Transfer railroad company to adapt the charter to the greatly enlarged scope to which the enterprise has developed, since it was undertaken somewhat more than a year ago. Statistics and arguments in favor of such a scheme have been given in the press and by circular so fully that it is not now regarded as use necessary to reproduce any of them. Here is an outline of the plan and means of execution.
The plan includes the following departments:
1. The construction of a belt road for the transfer of freight, passengers and express with proper depots and transfer yards.
2. The operation of a freight clearing house in connection with the transfers.
3. To afford the rapid transit facilities now demanded by the extraordinary increase of Chicago manufacturing interests, and to extend these facilities to the great extent of unoccupied land which will be opened by the construction of this road
As indicated by the accompanying map, the belt will intersect every road leaving Chicago, and at each junction will be a depot, transfer-yard and warehouse. And at some convenient point will be the clearing house, general offices, repair shops, and a large yard where any excess of cars can be stored or classified. The length of the road will be about thirty-four miles, with from two to four main tracks and the necessary sidings; and this company will provide its own equipment. In this way twenty engines can do the work which now requires the use of four times that number. A belt road is in successful operation in Indianapolis; companies have been incorporated for such projects in Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Kansas City and Denver; the New York Central has constructed a circular track around Rochester; and the Peoria & Pekin Union railway company was organized to handle the terminal business of the two cities named in its title. It is scarcely necessary to assert that the demand for such facilities in Chicago vastly exceed that of all the other places above named.
The movement of all freight would be under the direction of the proper official at the clearing house and its arrival would be telegraphed to him, and a complete record of the same kept, the company delivering the freight being credited with the amount of their accumulated charges, which sum, with the charges of the belt road company, would be debited to the company receiving the property. The balances being ascertained, the collections and payments will be made in a way similar to that of the clearing house for the banks. It is believed that the application of this system to the roads would finally become as indispensable to them, as it now is to the banks. Such an institution has been established in Boston for the New England roads, which is pronounced a success. The Boston Journal, in referring to its uses, says: The New York Central claimed that the Boston & Albany had upward of 2.100 of their cars east of Albany. while the Boston & Albany claimed that the number was but a comparatively small portion of 2.100; the clearing house was able to establish the fact that the total number of cars in all New England at that time which belonged to the New York Central did not exceed 700 in number; while upon the other hand 800 of the cars of the Boston & Albany were upon the tracks of the Central road. Mr. Hill has recently established a clearing house in Albany.
By the construction of this road a great deal of the outside land will be brought into close communication with the city and will be made the most valuable manufacturing land in Cook county, for only on this road can the manufacturer obtain a direct connection with every other road, thus giving the option of competing lines and rates. Here he can have more ground room than in the city, and at less expense; here he can have his coal delivered in his yard from the car, thus saving the cost of teaming; here he can load his shipments at his door, and thus avoid the delays at the crowded city warehouses. Attention is here called to the fact that the most valuable outside property is in Hyde Park and Lake; that in these townships the manufacturing is greater than in all others bordering on Chicago, also that these two townships are traversed by eleven of the seventeen roads entering Chicago. The following is a list of the manufacturing establishments located in Hyde Park, as shown by Mr. Hobart, president of the board of trustees, in his annual report. Pullman’s Palace Car Co.. Pullman; railway cars.
Alien Paper Car Wheel Co., Pullman; paper car wheels.
North Chicago Rolling Mills, South Chicago; pig iron and railway iron.
Robert Atchison, Perforated Metal Co.. South Chicago; wheat dressing screens, grates and mantels.
J. H. Brown iron and Steel Co., Brown‘s Mills. Irondale; nails and merchants‘ iron.
Chicago Car Axle Co., South Chicago; locomotive and car axles and heavy forging.
Patlack‘s Case Factory, Grand Crossing; sewing machine cases.
Western Watch Co., Grand Crossing; watch movements.
Sherman & Marsh, Grand Crossing; barbed wire fence.
Chicago Tack Factory, Grand Crossing; tacks.
Chapman. Green & Co., Grand Crossing; manufacturing chemists.
Wilson Sewing Machine Co., Grand Crossing; sewing machines.
Chicago Linseed Oil Co. Grand Crossing; oils.
Duffy Tool Works. South Chicago; tools, etc.
Non-perishable Egg Co., South Chicago: compressed eggs.
Horse Shoe Works, Park Side, Seventy-first street; horse shoes.
Mason & Davis, Grand Crossing; foundry.
It will be the endeavor of this company to so build up the adjoining land, and to so thoroughly provide cheap and rapid transportation that Chicago may finally rank in manufacturing as it. does in grain, lumber and live stock.
George L. Dunlap, President.
C. L. Bonney, Secretary

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