Chgo Rock Island RR s/Jervis 185x Start Price USD 48.88 Current Price USD 48.88 Time Left - Bid Count 0 Buy It Now Price - Reserve Price - Start Time Tuesday, November 04, 2008 End Time Thursday, December 04, 2008 Location New York, NY See more about 'Chgo Rock Island RR s/Jervis 185x' Description Chgo Rock Island RR s/Jervis 185x Shipping Info (Click to Enlarge)   Very early stock certificate (pre civil war) on blue paper of the Chicago Rock Island Rail Road Company, partially issued, signed by JOHN B. JERVIS (1795-1885)as president and by A.D. Elwood as secretary, printed date of 18xx but since JERVIS was president for 3 years from 1851-1854 this certificate is from the early 1850's. Nice small vignette at top of very early locomotive pulling a coal tender and two passenger cars. Port Jervis, New York is named for him with his home and personal library the Jervis library located in Rome, New York. In 1927 the Delaware and Hudson RR named their finest locomotive (No. 1401) the "John B. Jervis" in his honor. In 1825 JERVIS went to wrok as principal assistant on the Delaware & Hudson canal and railway system, leaving in 1830 to become chief engineer of the Mohawk and Hudson Railway. In 1833 he became chief engineer of the Chenango (New York) Canal and left in 1846 to investigate a new water supply system for Boston Mass. and then went in 1847 to work for the Hudson River Railroad again as chief engineer. And then the Chicago Rock Island Railway while consulting on the building of the Michigan Southern and Northern Indiana Railway. The idea of a railroad that in time was to become the beginning of what become the Rock Island System, first came under discussion in June, 1845, at a meeting of civic leaders at Rock Island, Illinois. The historic island, from which the Illinois town took its name had been the site of Fort Armstrong, an army installation built in 1816. The military had abandoned the site in 1836 and one of the prominent settlers on the island was Colonel George Davenport. In 1845, it was at the home of the Colonel that the leaders discussed the link from Rock Island to LaSalle, Illinois which was visulaized as speeding up the traffic from Mississippi River to the Illinois River so that the rapidly growing city of Chicago could ship its goods to boats in LaSalle for a river ride to St. Louis and other points south. Less than one month after the initial meeting Colonel Davenport was assasinated in his home but his associates were determined to follow through with their plans for the new railroad. The ROCK ISLAND AND LASALLE RAIL ROAD COMPANY, was incorporated on Feb 27, 1847 with an initial capital of $300,000. But raising this money was difficult as few people had faith in a railroad that merely connected two waterways. Judge James Grant, a member of the Iowa Legislature was the first president but could not get his associates to agree on construction as stockholders had been clamouring to see something more. At the moment of crisis, Judge Grant heard of a railroad builder from New Haven, Connecticut, who at the time was in Chicago to consider construction of another line. The builder was Henry Farnum, who was active in projecting his Michigan Southern Railroad toward Chicago from the East. Grant and his colleagues called on Farnum and succeeded in getting him to make a horseback survey of the line. Farnum completed his survey and meeting with the Rock Island and LaSalle officers, recommended a change in the charter to permit the building of a railroad from Chicago to Rock Island. He was so impressed with the possibilities that he interested Joseph E, Sheffield (Sheffiled, Illinois is named after him), eastern financier, in the project. The amended charter was approved by a special act of the Illinois Legislature on February 7, 1851 and the name of the railroad was changed to the CHICAGO AND ROCK ISLAND RAIL ROAD. On October 1, 1851 the first spade turned the earth at 22nd street, the south limits of Chicago as the contracting firm of Sheffield and Farnum began building the line through Joliet, Ottawa, LaSalle to the Mississippi at Rock Island. John B. Jervis of New York, became the second president in 1851 to succeed Judge Grant who, because of legislative duties, asked to be relieved. On October 10, 1852, a gaily painted little American type locomotive (4-4-0) built by Rodgers and called the Rocket, coupled onto 6 yellow coaches and headed out for the 40 mile run from Chicago to Joliet which took 2 hours. The return trip took a bit longer as the train just backed up all the way to Chicago. A dramatic incident in Rock Island history occurred in June 1872 when, at a point just west of Adair, Iowa, on the main line between Des Moines and Council Bluffs, an armed band halted a passenger train, robbed the mail and express and rode off into the hills. It was JESSE JAMES and his 'boys' and its was reportedly his first recorded holdup of a train. Excellent condition, signatures cut cancelled. US buyers pay $2 for shipping. Overseas shipping $4. Please check out the other auctions we currently have running on eBay.   Shipping InfoBuyer to pay shipping and handling of $3.95.   Place a Bid!