Illinois Central Railroad Company Archives

About 8300 letters in 11 letterpress copybooks from Chicago to New York officials, assistants, and others including many to legislators concerning Southern lines, Iowa roads, contracts, passes, legislation and sundry matters, with telegrams and many copies of statements. Some signed by John Dunn and W.J. Mauriac, and a few after Sept. 1883 by J.C. Clarke. Written by Mr. Ackerman as vice-president to Oct. 1877, as president to Sept. 1883 and after that as vice-president; a few by him as trustee of Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans RR mortgage.

Eleven letters to W.P. Burrall, W.H. Osborn, and other New York officials, including arrival and examination of land accounts in Chicago, Apr. 28,1855.

One letterpress copy book of about 1000 telegrams, mostly to W.K. Ackerman, with some to B.F. Ayer, J.C. Clarke, and W.H. Osborn from other officials.

About 6900 letters in 28 bound volumes from other officials, assistants, legislators and governors (including many from W.B. Allison and S.M. Cullom) and others, with detailed report-letters about CStL&NO from J.C. Clarke. Enclosures of letters to other officials, advertisements, statements, circulars, etc. included. Some overlapping of dates in volumes. No letters for July-Dec. 1877, July-Oct. 1878, Jan.-Apr. 1879, Feb.-Apr. 1880 and Oct. 1882.

About 150 letters in one bound volume, mostly to W.H. Osborn with a few to R.S. Charles and L.V.F. Randolph, with many estimates of earnings, etc. A few letters are by B.F. Ayer.

About 1700 letters in 4 letterpress copy books from Chicago to New York officials, division superintendents, and others concerning local matters, legal cases, claims, coal, mails, etc. Some signed by Silas Bent. Some overlapping of dates in volumes.

About 10,000 letters in 12 letterpress copy books from Chicago to New York officials and others concerning many routine matters, with some considerations of Southern lines; a few in earlier volumes signed as president of Chicago, St. Louis & New Orleans RR. Some signed by John Dunn, L.T. Brien and T.E. King; after Apr. 1887 mostly signed by John Dunn with a few by Stuyvesant Fish and W.G. Bruen. Volumes overlap: v.1, Nov. 1874-Dec. 1875; v.2, Jan. 1876-Sept. 1882; v.3, Feb.-Dec. 1878; v.4, Dec. 1881-Dec. 1883.

12 letters in 4 folders to W.H. Osborn about routine matters, state fair, Galena and Chicago Union, competition, etc.

About 150 letters in 1 volume sent to Amboy concerning local matters, coal, freight, etc., from officials, local citizens and shippers.

About 3500 letters in 10 volumes from officials, assistants, and other roads including many from Southern lines. Many pamphlets, statements and advertisements included as well as enclosures of letters to other officials. After Apr. 1887 to Stuyvesant Fish.

About 4700 letters in 9 letterpress copy books from Chicago to officials, especially New York Executive Committee, and others including legislators. Letters from 1860-64 mostly legal, especially about lands; many during 1864-66 concern military claims. Some signed by John Dunn. After July 1876 letters are from W.K. Ackerman. No letters from Feb. 1871-Nov. 1873.

About 500 telegrams in 1 letterpress copy book, mostly to J.C. Clarke and J.M. Douglas, from J.F. Tucker, W.H. Osborn, S.J. Hayes, and other officials.

About 400 letters in 2 bound volumes from officials, attorneys, and local citizens about lands, legal and local matters, personnel, passes, Southern lines, etc.

About 200 letters in 1 bound volume from New York and London.

About 80,000 letters in 80 letterpress copy books (i.e., in 40 boxes) from New York to officials, brokers, bankers, and other roads. No letters for Mar.-May 1888, Dec. 1890-Oct. 1891 and Sept. 1906. Volumes 3, 8, 78 and 83 are missing.

About 4000 letters in 4 volumes from New York, labelled "Carbons of New York Letters." These carbons duplicate previous subseries of president's letters, May 1887-Nov. 1906. (IC 1 F2.1)

About 65,000 letters in 435 volumes (numbered 1-426), mostly to New York but some to Chicago after May 1887; to Mr. Fish as vice-president before May 1887; earlier volumes mostly from Chicago and New Orleans, consisting of report-letters and many financial matters. Many enclosures of letters, pamphlets, blueprints, clippings, maps, reports, government documents, legal cases, etc., including World's Fair, 1891-93. A few volumes are about special subjects: v. 156, St. Louis, Belleville & Southern; v.246, Memphis depot; v.251, New Orleans matters; v.410 and 410A-F (7 volumes total), Tennessee Central; v.411 and 411A-F (7 volumes total), Indianapolis Southern Railway; v.412, The Chicago, Lake Shore and South Bend; v.413, Birmingham line. No letters for Mar.1888. Volumes 46, 126, and 155 missing.

Some of these volumes have been disbound and are foldered and in boxes. The box is labeled with the original volume number. Some items were separated from these volumes; namely, correspondence from important and famous people, and oversize items. Loose letters are stored in box 87a (after the Index to the In-Letters), and oversize items are stored in box 87j (in the oversize aisles)

Indexes the series IC 1 F2.2 incoming letters alphabetically by writers and subjects. Some subjects include Italians (Hiring of), Lynchings, Poetry, Quarantine (see Yellow Fever), Racetrack, and Strikes. Lacking the following alphabetic runs: Bo-Bz, G, He-Hz, Ni-Ny, O, Sa-St, and Ta-To.

About 10,000 letters in 32 volumes, many to John Dunn, and earlier dates to E.H. Harriman.

About 400 letters in 1 letterpress copy book, from Chicago, mostly to New York officials, reporting on local activities.

About 400 letters in 19 folders to presidents and various New York officials reporting on conditions in Chicago, including land matters, crops, the quality of produce, the Illinois State Fair, prices, coal, locomotives, weather, accidents, reportings of cholera, currency, immigration, and local politics. In one particular letter he reports that "Lincoln, a distinguished lawyer of Springfield, is looked upon as likely to succeed Gen'l. Shields in the U.S. Senate." (Nov. 16, 1854)

About 5000 letters in 10 letterpress copy books from Chicago to New York officials, division superintendents, and others concerning construction and engineering problems, tracks, bridges, rolling stock, etc. Some signed by W.F. Biddle, George Power, and G.W. Phillips. There is some overlapping of volumes: v. 4 and v. 10 are evidently car-letters, written on line, containing reports to W.H. Osborn primarily.

About 85 letters in 8 folders, mostly from Chicago, reporting on earnings and expenses and local matters to W.H. Osborn and J.N. Perkins, Aug. 1857 and Jan.-Apr. 1858, including a long letter to the Board of Directors regarding the steamboat line from New Orleans to St. Louis (Feb. 9, 1858). The bulk of the letters are from the 1850s and concern river steamers, Peoria and Oquawka bonds, CB&Q affairs, currency, state taxes, the New York and Erie ticket dispute, the MC, Kankakee affairs, and buildings at Galena. The letters from the 1870s include a few personal letters to William Tracy, one concerning the "Cairo matter" (Dec. 22, 1871). The letters to W.H. Osborn, Mar. 1876 are also personal letters, discussing family matters and vacation plans.

About 4500 letters in 9 letterpress copy books, from Amboy to 1862 and from Chicago, 1869-73; no letters from Nov. 1862-Jan. 1869. Letters to officials, other roads, local citizens, etc. about bridges, construction, new lines, passes, etc. Some signed by Lucien Tilton. Volume 6, Mar. 1871-Dec. 1872, overlaps dates of Volumes 5 and 7, and comprises car-letters written en route.

About 500 letters in 1 letterpress copy book to other trustees and TP&War officials concerning receipts, expenses, relations with other roads, etc. Letters written by J.C. Clarke and W.H. Cruger after Sept. 1874.

About 1300 letters in 9 bound volumes concerning other roads, lands, Southern lines, Iowa roads, passes, and sundry matters from IC officials and others. Many enclosures of letters, pamphlets, circulars, advertisements, etc. are included. Letters for Dec. 1870 are to J.M. Douglas, and a few Jan. 1873-Jan. 1875 letters are to J.C. Clarke (mostly from IC officials in New York). Some overlapping of dates in volumes.

About 3000 letters in 6 letterpress copy books from Chicago to New York officials (mostly to T.E. Walker, 1860-65), legislators, brokers including Robert Benson & Co., London, shareholders including Richard Cobden, and others. A few are reports to Mr. Osborn in New York from Chicago officials: Ebenezer Lane, Jan.-July 1856; W.M. Phillips, Mar. 1859; N.P. Banks, Mar.-May 1861; and J.F. Tucker, Jun.-Jul. 1861. Letters from Mr. Osborn as president, 1855-65, including his acceptance of presidency, Dec. 10, 1855. and as chairman of Executive Committee, 1868-71; after Apr. 1871 from William Tracy as chairman. No letters for Oct. 1856-Nov. 1858; May 1859-Aug. 1860; Aug. 1862-Jan. 1863; Apr. 1865-Nov. 1868.

About 400 letters in 23 folders from Chicago to treasurers M.B. Edgar, J.N. Perkins, and Thomas Walker, and Executive Committee (Burrall, Sturges, Griswold, Sanford, Ketchum, Ackerman) about local activities, progress of road, mail, iron, securities, lands, etc. Only a few letters from 1861-62 and 1864. Some earlier letters are from Boston, and a few from Pittsburgh, New York, Washington and Liverpool (1857) and London (1858). Correspondence of note is his letter of acceptance to the presidency dated Dec. 1, 1855; a letter about the IC line to Hyde Park (Jun. 22, 1856); and a copy of a letter to the U.S. Secretary of War Jefferson Davis, (Sept. 10, 1856) Enclosed in a Nov. 25, 1856 letter is a list of downstate Illinois rail stations and whether they have access to water or not.

About 25,000 letters in 26 letterpress copy books, primarily concerning financial matters, securities, etc., including Yazoo & Mississippi Valley RR (Y&MV). No letters for June 1902, Apr.-Sept. 1903, Mar.-Apr. 1904, Mar. and Nov. 1905 and Feb.-Mar. 1906.

Indexes letters C-F, H, N-W only (12 folders). Note that there are no letters in the Newberry Library's collection between Sept. 1893 and Dec. 1901.

About 2000 telegrams in 2 letterpress copy books, mostly to officials.

About 30,000 letters in 55 boxes, Jan. 1889-Apr.1898, arranged alphabetically by correspondent. Mostly from officials to Chicago about financial matters, including Southern lines. Other types of correspondence include requests for employment and letters of reference, United States Census information requests, matters pertaining to the traffic at the World's Columbian Exposition in Chicago, 1893, requests for train passes from employees for their spouses or for VIPs, insurance matters, and personnel issues. For World's Columbian Exposition letters, check under the following names in the alphabetic run: Ackerman, Burnham, Edmonds, Higinbotham, Jaycox, Meredith, and "R" (For "Railway Day", Sept. 16, 1893; letter sent Sept. 9).

Many files are missing; and there is some overlapping of dates and names. The letters from Aug. 1898-June 1910 are chronological and are filed after the index to the 1889-1898 grouping. Some files from officials for varying dates are kept separately, including Isaac Anderson (IC Auditor of Disbursements), C.A. Beck (assistant 2nd Vice President), R.S. Charles (Treasurer of several Southern Lines), J.M. Edwards (3rd Vice President), Franklin Fairman (Auditor of Freight Receipts), James Fentress (general solicitor), Stuyvesant Fish (President), E.T.H. Gibson (Treasurer), A.G. Hackstaff (Secretary), J.T. Harahan (2nd Vice President), T.J. Hudson (Traffic Manager), A.D. Joslin (bookeeper and auditor), L.P. Morehouse (Custodian of Deeds) and E.P. Skene (Land Commission), W.S. Pinney (Chief Travelling Auditor), W. Renshaw (Superintendent of Machinery), M.D. Royer (Chief Travelling Auditor), Henry Schlacks (Superintendent of Machinery), A.W. Sullivan (General superintendent), Thompson & Slater (Railroad Agents, Washington, D.C.) , and J.F. Titus (clerk, treasurer, incorporator of subsidiary lines). There are also separate files for letters and acceptances of the Guarantee Company of North America, signed by J.T. Pruyn, mostly concerning bonding of employees, July 1893-Apr. 1898 [see also "P" alphabetic run, as well as IC 3.94], for Insurance, mostly of proofs of fire losses, Dec. 1890-Feb. 1894 (also included in letters of A.W. Sullivan), and for Superintendents and Engineers (filed by year but not strictly chronological). Letters from some of these officials are also scattered through alphabetical file; for example, letters from Isaac Anderson before July 1895 are filed with A's.

Note: Some of E.P. Skene's letters filed with L.P. Morehouse, July 1893-Oct. 1896 and Jan.-Apr. 1898; W. Renshaw with Henry Schlacks, Jan. 1889-June 1893, and with A.W. Sullivan, Jan. 1891- Feb. 1898; C.A. Beck with A.W. Sullivan, Jan. 1891-Feb. 1898; and M.D. Royer with J.F. Titus, Jan. 1894-Apr. 1898.

Indexes letters E-F, H-L and Sp-Sz only.

About 1000 telegrams in 11 folders to Chicago, mostly about financial matters, from New York, New Orleans and other stations on Southern lines, Iowa, etc.

18 folders, mostly consisting of lists of equipment for Illinois Central and its subsidiary lines, with letters accompanying them.

About 156 letters in 10 folders between officials about drafting and disseminating shop regulations, Sunday work, pensions, etc. Also included are posters from 1878, 1901, 1902, and 1911 that list the rules of the shop (oversize).