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Empire Township
Railroads
McLean County, Illinois

(Transcribed by: Teri Moncelle Colglazier)

On May 1, 1870 after years of legal tangling with the state and other difficulties, the Danville, Urbana and Bloomington and Peoria R.R. sent its first train through LeRoy. J.M. Myers was the engineer who ran the first engine that ever came into this city over the Big Four route. LeRoy citizens were very proud and happy for they had invested $75,000 toward its construction. However, they were not quite satisfied for they felt the freight rates were too high, considering the amount they had subscribed toward its construction. So they immediately started a movement for a narrow gauge railroad between LeRoy and Rantoul. Mrs. J.V. Smith in her article on Pioneer Transportation states; "The building of the section of road from LeRoy to Fisher is, I believe, wholly a LeRoy enterprise, and no history of our little city is complete without its mention." In March, 1876 a company was formed to build this narrow gauge road to Fisher with James Bishop, president; C.A. Barley, sec. and Joseph Keenan. treasurer. Practically all the right-of-way was donated and in 10 months the road was mostly built and in running order. It is commonly called the "Pumpkin Vine." [Heritage of the prairie : a history of LeRoy and of Empire and West townships, McLean County, Illinois (1976) LeRoy Historical Society; LeRoy Bi-Centennial Commission]

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