Chicago
Chicago & Interurban
Traction
The Engelwood & Chicago
Street Railway was incorporated in February 1893 and built several small
south and southwest side lines in Chicago (from the Engelwood Elevated
at 63rd Street)(and leased them initially to the Calumet Electric Street
Railway to operate). The system was extended south to Blue Island
using battery streetcars, but because of financial problems, the company
was in receivership in 1896. The Chicago Electric Traction Company
(CET) took over in October 1897. The battery cars were extended to
Harvey in July 1899, but battery cars beame too undependable and overhead
was installed, leading to financial problems and receivership in July 1901.
The Chicago & Southern Traction Company (C&ST) was incorporated
in November 1904 with plans to build an interurban line from Chicago south
to Kankakee, Illinois, and further southeast to Lafayette, Indiana.
In 1905, the C&ST purchased the C&ET. Service was gradually
extended to Kankakee by November 1907. However the C&ST was greatly
overextended and receivership came in October 1910. The Chicago &
Interurban Traction Company was incorporated in Febuary 1912, taking over
all trackage outside Chicago in March 1912 (all trackage in the City of
Chicago went to the Chicago City Railway Company). C&IT Iinterurban
service continued from the south side Engelwood Elevated Station at 63rd
and Halsted (trackage in Chicago was leased along with the shops at 88th
and Vincennes) to Kankakee. Receivership came in October 1922
(the fourth since 1893) because of automobiles/concrete highways
and the sparce population served between Crete and Kankakee. In order
to bail out the line and recoup an unpaid utility bill, Samuel Insull took
over and an attempt was made to generate additional freight revenue, which
was successful for 1-2 years (even several sections of track were rebuilt)
before truck competition and more concrete highways took over. However,
with the Illinois Central Railroad announcing in the mid 1920s that it
was elevating its parallel main line trackage (eliminating all street grade
crossing) under the terms of the Chicago "Lake Front" Ordinance and electrifying
its "high speed" suburban service that operated almost at a straight line
into downtown Chicago, the C&IT determined its system was doomed (its
passenger service would not be able to compete) and raising money for further
improvements would be impossible. Thus, all service was abandoned
on April 23, 1927.
Chicago & Interurban
Traction 1915 built Kuhlman (the newest and only steel car) interurban
#35 on a charter run (note the white flag) carrying a banner labeled ENGLEWOOD
ECONOMIST SPECIAL at an unknown location in the early 1920s
Caption data from Stephen
Scalzo
Bill Volkmer collection
