Chicago Area Shortline Railroads

Owners Terminal RR

Reporting Marks: none

History

Proposed

On September 11, 1903, the Owners` Terminal Railway Co was incorporated,
the company was reincorporated at the Owners` Terminal Railroad Co. on December 12, 1903.
The officers of the company were: Wyllys E. Baird, Emerson H. Brush, Paul O. Stensland, Oliver B. Green, and George Goldman, all of Chicago, Ill. The railroad is capitalized at $10,000.
On February 29, 1904, the city council of the City of Chicago granted a franchise to the company. Here is excerpt for he ordinance: That permission and authority are hereby granted to the Owners Terminal Railroad Company, its lessees, successors and assigns, to erect a telegraph line, to be used only for the business of the railroad herein authorized, and construct, maintain and forever operate with steam power main tracks not exceeding four (4) in number, with the necessary and convenient side tracks (not exceeding four at any street crossing), turn-outs, switches, cross-overs and other appurtenances, on and along the route hereinafter described, and on adjoining land, and track connections with any railroad now or hereafter constructed in Cook County, Illinois and with any manufacturing or other establishment, including lumber, stone, coal and brick yards, on or near said routes, which is described as follows:
Beginning at a point in the City of Chicago between Addison avenue on the north, the North Branch of the Chicago River on the east, Diversey avenue on the south and Elston avenue on the west, thence in a northerly and northwesterly direction between the North Branch of the Chicago River and Elston avenue and parallel as nearly as practicable with the said North Branch of the Chicago River to the City Limits of the City of Chicago; also beginning at a point on said line of railroad last described north of Lawrence avenue; thence westerly and southwesterly to the City Limits of the City of Chicago; and for said purposes to cross all intervening streets and alleys upon and along said route and adjoining lands. The proposed railroad was a result of the Sanitary district building the canal from approximately Foster avenue to Wilmette, IL From an article in the Chicago Tribune, 10/11/1903; the article states that the river from Belmont to the City limits is to narrow and not deep enough to be productive. The river will be straightened, deepen and widen from Belmont avenue to Lawrence avenue. The land owners along the route will donate land for this project. The Northwestern Land Improvement association (which controls 700 acres in the area) is active in securing donations from land owners. Other land owners are: Paul O. Stensland, George Goldman, B.F. Weber and Oliver B. Green. There are two bricks yards between Belmont avenue and Lawrence avenue that will be served by the railroad. One of the land owners is B.F. Weber, who owns bricks yards in the area and already had constructed a railroad called the Chicago & West Ridge RR (Oakton Avenue to Lincoln & Peterson avenue in Chicago)

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