REPORT OF JOHN F.WALLACE CHAIRMAN CHICAGO RAILWAY TERMINAL COMMISSION MARCH 1921 ^\1«^^^ ^N^ Qf\a«^^^ v\w^^"^ 4 \a^ °AK ST. HDSF CENTRAL CIRCULATION AND BOOKSTACKS The person borrowing this material is re- sponsible for its renewal or return before the Latest Date stamped below. You may be charged a minimum fee of $75.00 for each non-returned or lost item. Theft, mutilation, or defacement of library malerialt can b* causes for student disciplinary action. All materials owned by the University of Illinois Library are the property of the State of Illinois and are protected by Article 16B of Illinois Criminal Law and Procedure. TO RENEW, CALL (217) 333-8400. University of Illinois Library at Urfaana-Champaisn BA^ z t tuiift When renewing by phone, write new due date below previous due date. L162 Chicago Railw^ay Terminal Commission JOMN F-.WAUl-ACC CM* I RMAN WALTER U.FISHER BION -T. ARNOLD EDWARD M. BENNETT ^uFuDER AUTHOR ITV OP CHICAGO CITVCOUNCIl-l I40 North Dearborn Street CHIC/kGO Telephone State 6352 E«-0»-FiCtO CHARLES R FRANCIS COMMISSIONER oe- PuBt.lC WORKS SAMUELA ETTEL30N COKPOOAT.QN COUNBEL WILLIAM F. LIPPS CHAIRMAN Cnv COUNCIL COMMITTEE ON RAILWAV TERMINALS EDWARD O. NOONAN CHICAGOj Chicago, March 16, 1921. The Honorable William Hale Thompson, Mayor, and Members of the City Council, Chicago. Gentlemen : I am transmitting herewith a report as Chairman of the Chicago Railway Terminal Commission. Since the passage of the Illinois Central-Lake Front Ordinance it has been apparent that the next logical step in the solution of the Railway Terminal Problem would be the revamping of the railway facilities — both freight and passenger — in the territory south of Van Buren Street between State Street and the Chicago River. The great advantage that would accrue both to the public and the railroads in the straightening of the Chicago River along the tentative lines laid down in the Union Sta- tion and other ordinances, makes this one of the most important subjects for consideration in connection with the treatment of railroad property adjacent thereto. The Railway Terminal Commission, has, since its creation, endeavored to take ad- vantage of every opportunity to further the consideration of this river straightening project. During the past year the engineering staff of the Commission has made a careful study of the construction problems involved in river straightening and has also prepared a carefully considered plan and estimate for the revamping of the railroad facilities in con- nection with river straightening and the intensive use of railroad property. The accompanying report is divided into three sections. The first section is devoted to the presentation of the question of the reconstruction of railroad facilities in connection with river straightening. The second section "marked Exhibit I." is a statement of the various matters that have received consideration by the Commission, and besides being a record of the activities of the Commission, contains information of a character believed worthy of preservation in this form. The third section "marked Exhibit II." contains maps and drawings all of which were especially prepared in the office of the Chairman of the Commission. The endeavor has been made to add to the value of the plates by textual comment preceding each plate. In this form it is believed that this section will be extremely useful in presenting the desir- al)ility of the improvements outlined. Acknowledgment is due to the Members of the Commission for their valued assist- ance and cordial co-operation in carrying on the work of the Commission, and to Mr. Edward J. Noonan who in the capacity of chief engineer, has directed the study and pre- paration of the plans contained herein. Acknowledgment is also due the courtesy at all times extended by His Honor the Mayor and Members of the City Council, especially Chairman William F. Lipps and the Members of the Railway Terminal Committee Respectfully submitted, JOHN F. WALLACE, Chairman. y^rtntedin thehoitsc of ^EVERIXCHALS e£ '»**/■*' OiO^'i *VC CJtlCAGO.IL REPORT ( •OF John F. Wallace CHAIRMAN Chicago Railway Terminal Commission SUBMITTED TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MARCH 1921 BIRD'S-EYE VIEW OF CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT 1 — Chicago & North Western Station. 2 — Union Station. 3 — Illinois Central-Lake Front Station. 4 — Grand Central Station. 5 — La Salle Street Station. 6 — Dearborn Station. 7 — East Line of Proposed Straightened River. 8— Proposed Eighteenth Street Connection to Illi- nois Central-Lake Front Station. Note how the bend in the river restricts the approach to the Central Business District from the south. With the river straightened to the line shown by the figure 7 it will be possible to open three additional streets into the Central Business District from the south. Note also the penetration into the Central Busi- ness District by the La Salle Street Station — figure 5 — and the opportunity for the expansion of the Central Business District southward if this station and the Dearborn Station — figure 6 — were eliminated. The railroads using these stations can be accommodated in the new Illi- nois Central-Lake Front Station — figure 3. TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Number Introduction 5 Necessity for Joint Development 6 West Side De\elopment 6 Territory South of Loop Distrist 7 Roosevelt Road-Lake Front Passenger Station 8 Passenger Terminal Problem 8 Suburban Passenger Traffic 10 Freight Facilities South of Loop District 10 River Straightening 11 Tentative Plans for Freight Developments 14 Estimate of Cost 15 Land Area Affected by River Straightening 16 \'alue of Air Rights and Released Property 18 Recommendation 20 EXHIBIT I.— Activities of Commission EXHIBIT II.— Plates - REPORT OF 01 © 3^ John F. Wallace CHAIRMAN Chicago Railway Terminal Commission SUBMITTED TO THE MAYOR AND CITY COUNCIL MARCH 1921 Introduction. Railroads a C i t y- Wide Problem. Railroad Occupation Surrounding B u s i- ness District. The railway terminal problem in Chicago is very complex and the solu- tion of this problem in its entirety depends largely on the application of certain fundamental principles which were very thoroughly discussed in the Preliminary Report, submitted by the Railway Terminal Commission, and in subsequent reports on special subjects, which have been submitted from time to time to the Committees of the City Council. The present net-work of railroad tracks and facilities within the Chicago terminal district has been created by each railroad acting on its own initi- ative, and for its own interest, and usuall}- with little consideration of the interests of other railroads, or of the City. There are no topographical conditions in Chicago or in the surrounding country that would serve to concentrate the lines of railroads approaching Chicago within narrow confines and as a result the lines of railroad approach the City from all directions except the side occupied by Lake Michigan. The result has been that there are railroad problems in all sections of the City and these problems increase in intensity as one approaches the center of the City where all of these lines converge and have their terminal facilities. It is this condition of the concentration of railroad occupation within a short distance from the congested business district of the City, and the con- sequent large real estate holdings of the railroads almost completely sur- rounding the business center of the City, that has brought to the attention of the City and the public at large the necessity of applying a solution to the railroad terminal problem of Chicago, that would result in permitting a freer flow of traffic through these railroad territories and avoid the necessitv of future additions to this railroad territory. 5 ^ 495325 Concentration of Rail- A circle with a radius of ten miles, with its center at State and Madison road Lines as Husi- Streets would intersect Lake Michigan on the north, a little north of the „ ^ J northern city limits ; pass within the city limits at the northwestern corner Reached. . > i - . and fall four or five miles within the city hmits on the south. This circle would intersect twentj'-three diiTerent and distinct lines of railroad and these intersections would be almost evenly distributed along the entire length of the circle. If a circle with a radius of five miles be drawn with the same center, it will intersect fourteen dififerent and distinct lines of railroad. In other words, between the ten mile circle and the five mile circle, railroads have grouped themselves together so that while there are twenty- three lines intersecting the ten mile circle only fourteen lines intersect the five mile circle, although these fourteen lines include all of the twent}'-three lines intersected by the ten mile circle. If a circle with a radius of two miles be drawn from this same center it will intersect but seven lines of railroad, showing that through the process of consolidation the lines of railroads have been naturally drawn together, to the extent that the number of routes has been again divided by two. More Than One Rail- This illustrates very clearly how the lines of railroad have been con- road Involved in solidated as they approach the central business district and how any problem ac ro em. arising on one of these routes, particularly as you approach the business center, must be solved by more than one railroad, and in effect solved by all of the railroads collected in this route. This consolidation in entrance routes has resulted in the grouping of railroads in the territory immediately surrounding the business district on the north, west, and south sides of the rectangle which includes the central business district. Necessity for Joint Since all of the railroad facilities in each of these several districts Development. referred to are contiguous one to the other it is impossible to apply any specific treatment or development to one railroad property without affecting the railroad property contiguous thereto, and therefore, it becomes a practical necessity for the railroads having their facilities in each of these several groups to work cooperatively on any plans for railroad development. This is particularly true where a rearrangement of grades is necessary and it is a fact that no large improvement in the railroad property adjacent to the central business district can be made without changes in grade. West Side Union Sta- The City has had a practical example in the West Side Union Station tion Project an development of what can be accomplished in tlie working out of railroad Example of Joint De- , , i n r .1 i i • 1 < It I . problems when all of the railroads in one group work together. Here all of the railroads entering the Union Station from the south had freight and team tracks located in the territory between the Chicago River and Canal Street, and extending from Roosevelt Road to Madison .Street. 6 In order to develop a Union Station site of sufiicient capacity, it was necessary to occupy with the station site, territory already occupied by the freight facilities of the railroads using this station. Working together because of a community of interests, these railroads were able to evolve a plan which gives them modern, adequate freight facili- ties and at the same time not only opens up every east and west street into the Loop District, but also provides additional driveway spaces, independent of the City streets for the accommodation of the vehicular traffic in con- nection with freight facilities. Present Railroad Oc- cupation South of Loop District a Bar- rier Against Expan- sion. On the south side of the rectangle enclosing the "Loop District" are grouped the terminal facilities of fourteen railroads and the existence of the large area of railroad property in this district in its present state of develop- ment is a serious obstacle to the free flow of traffic to and from the central business district and is retarding the natural expansion of the business district to the south. Plans for the proper development of this territory should be worked out by the railroads in consultation and cooperation with each other and with the City, but the railroads will not seriously undertake the working out of such plans until a community of interest is created at least for the roads strong financially. Necessity for Co-op- eration. The Railway Terminal Commission has pointed out repeatedly to the representatives of railroads having their facilities in this southern district the necessity for cooperative effort in the solution of their problems and has pointed out the requirements of the city and emphasized the advantages that would accrue to the railroads in a rearrangement and more intensive use of railroad property. Passenger Stations — Possibility of Elim- ination of Certain Stations. Within this southern district in addition to frciglit facilities are located three passenger terminals, the Dearborn Station, the LaSalle Street Station and the Grand Central Station. In the Preliminary Report of the Commission as well as in the reports furnished to the Railway Terminal Committee by Mr. Wallace and by Mr. Arnold, it was shown that there was available in the property owned by the Illinois Central on the Lake Front, a station site of sufficient size to accom- modate not only the traffic of the present Illinois Central Station but also the traff.c at present using the Dearborn, LaSalle Street, and Grand Central Stations. It was shown that this location would make possible a large station development without in any way imposing a barrier to the flow of street traffic from the soutli or interfering with the dexeiopmcnt of the central business district in a southerly direction. 7 The Roosevelt Road In July, 1919, the City Council passed the so-called Illinois Central-Lake Lake Front Passen- pront Ordinance and this ordinance has been accepted by the Illinois Central ger Station— Its Ad- j^.ji]road and other railroads party to it, and by the South Park Corn- vantages as a Station for Tenant Com- missioners. panies. The ordinance provides for the construction of a passenger station front- ing on Roosevelt Road, east of Michigan Avenue. The ordinance contains ample provisions for the protection of railroads that might become tenants to this station and it would undoubtedly be to the best interests of the City if all of the railroads now having their passenger terminals in the territory between State Street and the Chicago River would make the station provided in this ordinance the terminal for their through passenger trains. It is also believed that the best interests of the railroads would also be served by removing to this station. In this location there is ample space for the development of a passenger terminal sufificient to take care of the im- mediate and future requirements of the through passenger traffic of the railroads now using the present passenger terminals between State Street and the Chicago River. In no location adjacent to the central business district can there be provided coach yards, engine terminals, and other necessary facilities as con- venient to the passenger terminal, and in no other location can these facilities be provided, with as small a capital expenditure. Through the widened Canal Street; the Roosevelt Road improvement; the new Michigan Avenue extension ; and the new driveway to be constructed in connection with the Lake Front Improvement; the location provided in this ordinance is readily accessible for vehicular traffic from all sections of the city without encountering the congestion in the central business district. Provision is made in the ordinance for the extension of the Roosevelt Road street car line to the station site, and for pedestrian passageways con- necting with future rapid transit lines. Adequate railroad entrance routes are provided convenient for all of the railroads now using the Dearborn, LaSalle Street and Grand Central Stations to reach the station location provided in the ordinance, and there is an opportunity for the consolidation of entrance routes that would make possible a reduction of passenger train mileage and operating expenses. It should tlierefore be the policy of the city to encourage the removal of the passenger terminals of the railroads now occupying the Dearborn, LaSalle Street, and Grand Central Stations to the Roosevelt Road Lake Front Station. The Passenger Ter- It is generally admitted that the Dearborn, LaSalle Street and Grand minal Problem in the Central Stations are at present inadequate or have objectionable features. Territory South of ^^^^ ^^^^^ ^j^^ ^-^^^ j^ rapidly approaching when the railroads using these stations will have to give serious consideration to the providing of more ample and modern passenger terminal facilities. It mav be that some of the railroads using these stations, particularly the stronger roads, will be adverse to becoming tenants in the Roosevelt Road 8 the "Loop District." Lake Front Station and will want to develop a passenger terminal in the territory between State Street and the Chicago River. It is generally admitted that the character of railroad development immediately south of the central business section of the City is retarding the natural growth of this district southward. It is also generally conceded that the real estate value, at least of certain of these railroad holdings, is too great to justify the continued use of this property for exclusively railroad purposes. It is also true that there is not sufficient number of streets leading into the Loop District from the south. Physical Require- ments which a Sta- tion in This Territory Must Meet. Any future railroad development in this territory, therefore, should provide for: First — The withdrawal, at least in part, of railroad penetration into the central business district. Second — A character of development that would permit joint railroad and commercial use of property. Third — The opening of additional street arteries between the Loop District and the south side. A study of the map of the territory immediately south of the central business district indicates that it will be extremely difficult to design a large passenger terminal in this district that would fulfill the three requirements given above. Coach yards and engine terminals adjacent to such a station would require the use of land extremely more valuable for other purposes and if these coach yards and engine terminals are not located convenient to a new station it will require the continuation of the present practice of having the coach vards and engine terminals located from five to seven miles distant from the station, with the consequent excessive dead mileage of motive power and passenger equipment and on account of noise, smoke and cinders, it is desirable to remove all unnecessary train movement. Electrification. Furthermore, judging from past expressions of the City Council and the sentiment of the public at large it is evident that no comprehensive railroad development in the territory immediately south of the central business district will be countenanced unless such improvement carries with it operation of trains by motive power that will eliminate smoke, and in the present stage of the art this means electrical operation. To provide for electrical operation of passenger trains into a terminal immediately south of the Loop District would require the electrification of the lines of railroad leading to this station and this would mean a capital expenditure, which added to the cost of exclusive use of expensive real estate would show that the proposition was unsound from an economic standpoint, especially when the opportunity is available for utilization of another site where these large capital expenditures would not be required. 9 River. ON THE EAST SIDE. *Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal 1,100 feet Chicago Rock Island & Pacific 1.490 feet C. R. I. & P. aiid N. Y. Central, jointly 2,170 feet The railroads marked * have accepted ordinances providing for cooperation in river straightening. These railroads own a frontage of 4,790 feet or fifty per cent of the total. It will thus be seen that agreements have been secured for the cooper- ation in river straightening from railroads representing fifty per cent of the river frontage. The New York Central and the Rock Island, which represent togethei thirty-eight per cent of the river frontage, would be directly benefited by river straightening. Transfer of Property After the river is straightened along the lines provided for, the Pennsyl- nest to East bide or y^nia Railroad Company will have no property on the east side of the river: the amount of property that would be transferred from the west to the east side of the river belonging to the Burlington is very small, so that these two railroads are not materially aflfected by the river straightening program. A large portion of the holdings of the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad would be transferred from the west to the east side of the River. The same is true regarding the holdings of the Chicago & North- western Railroad. It is evident that railroad property transferred from the west side to the east side of the river, would be directly benefited by river straightening. It can be shown that this benefit is more than sufticient to oiYset the expenditure necessary to actually construct the new channel, fill in the old channel, and make the necessary changes in bridges. Readjustment of Land One of the difficulties in the way of the accomplishment of this improve- '''"**• ment is the fact that after river straightening, the property- transferred from the west side to the east side of the river — as well as the old bed of the river — would have to be resubdivided or an adjustment made in property lines before the full benefit of the improvement could be realized. The effort has therefore been made to secure a cooperative action between the interested railroad companies that would make possible either this adjustment or a cooperative development of terminal facilities in the areas alTected b\' river straightening. To make such a thing possible it would be necessary for the interested railroads to work out a plan of development that would be satisfactory to all and while the railroads have shown a willingness to give consideration to the subject, no plans have so far been submitted to the Commission by the railroads. 12 Railroads Agreed to Study. Shortly before our countr\- entered into the war the Railway Terminal Commission secured from officials of the Baltimore & Ohio Railroad Com- pany, the Chicago Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company, and of the New York Central Lines, a promise of the appointment of a board of engineers to make a study and report on the joint use of this property after river straight- ening, or for a cooperative construction program. At the same time officials of the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Com- pany stated in a meeting of the Railway Terminal Commission that their Company would not oppose river straightening if the plan adopted provided for the Chicago & Northwestern Railroad Company receiving proper con- sideration for its rights and equities. During the period of Government control of the railroads, it was impos- sible to advance the consideration of the river straightening project among railroad officials. During the period that has elapsed since Government control has ter- minated, railroad officials have been so occupied with immediate railroad problems that it has not been possible to secure a serious consideration of the river straightening project. All past consideration given to the river straightening project by the Railway Terminal Commission has been based on the theory that it should be possible to bring about a cooperative action on the part of the railroads affected by river straightening which would result in the working out of plans for the readjustment of propert}' lines and a construction program based thereon, or a cooperative development that could be used jointly by these railroads. The Straightening of the River and a Proper Railroad De- velopment South of the Loop District the Next Step in the Solution of the Ter- minal Problem. In the passage of tlie Illinois Central Lake Front Ordinance, the second great step in the solution of the railroad terminal problem as aflfecting the central business district was accomplished. There now remains one more step and that is the working out of a proper railroad development in the territory between State Street and the Chicago River south of the Loop District. It is believed that the time is now at hand when the city should take every action possible to bring about the straightening of the river and the working out of plans for the revamping of the railroad property adjacent thereto. Legal Questions In- volved. With this in mind the Chairman of the Commission at a recent meeting of the City Council Committee on Railway Terminals suggested that the Committee secure from the Corporation Counsel advice on the following legal questions involved in river straightening: In whom would the title to the bed of the old channel rest? Can the city through its Board of Local Improvements open streets through the territory affected by river straightening and force the straightening of the river in order to avoid a number of stream crossings? 13 Necessity for City Initiating Improve- ment. Plans by Commision Made Only for De- veloping Informa- tion. New Street Opening and Railroad Prop- erty Released — Com- mercial Development. What necessary lecfal steps must the city take in order to initiate a program of river straightening? What State Legislation — if any — is necessary to empower the city to proceed with this improvement? What will be the relationship of the Sanitary District to river straightening? The best interest of both the City and of the railroads will be served if the railroads in cooperation with the City will work out a plan for the im- provement and rearrangement of the railway terminals in connection with river straightening that will give the Cit}- the additional streets required and give the railroads the improvements and additional facilities which they require. It may be, however, that in order to bring this about it will be necessary for the City to be in position to serve notice on the railroads that it is pro- ceeding to an active consideration of the river straightening project and its intention, either with or without the cooperation of the railroads, to bring about this necessary improvement. The Railway Terminal Commission has given extended consideration to the engineering features involved in the river straightening project and is prepared to promptly analyze any plan for railroad development in connection with river straightening that is submitted by railroad companies. The Commission has always held the position that any plans for the improvement of railroad facilities in this territory should originate with the railroads and not with the Commission. During the past year, however, in order to form some ideas as to the probable cost of such an improvement, the land area that would be necessarv, the streets that it would be possible to open, and other matters, the Commis- sion prepared tentative plans for the development of the railroad property in connection with river straightening, based on the assumption that the passenger stations could be eliminated. These plans indicate that the best results would be obtained if the rail- road occupation was confined to the territory bounded on the east bv Clark .Street, south of Taylor Street ; and by Wells Street between Harrison and Ta_\ lor Street. Under this plan the railroad tracks would be depressed to an elevation of about plus five which would enable viaducts to be put through the territory at an elevation of about plus twenty-six. Plate No. 17 shows such a contemplated development on which the rail- road property that would be released for commercial purposes is colored yellow and the new streets that would be opened are shown colored in red. This plate shows the relationshij) of this development to the central business district. Plate No. 17 shows the same development on a larger scale in order to bring out the relationship of this development to e.xisting railroad facilities in lliis territory. 14 It will be noticed that this plan pro\ides for three additional streets between Clark Street and the River and also provides for the opening up as a continuous thoroughfare of Dearborn Street^from Polk Street south. It is possible in a plan such as outlined to give the railroads freight facilities of a car standing capacit>- of double the existing facilities in this territory and to work this out in a way that would enable the railroads to utilize the air space above their freight facilities for commercial purposes. Such a development is shown outlined on Plates Nos. 19, 20 and 21, Plate No. 19 showing the development at the track level and Plate No. 21 showing the development at the viaduct le\el. The tvpical cross section on Plate No. 20 shows how the air rights above the railroad facilities could be developed for commercial jjurposes in a manner that would not interfere with the railroad occupation. This tentative plan (Plate No. 19) shows the suburban tracks occupying the under level of Clark Street south of Taylor Street, thence extending through railroad property to a possible suburban station located at Van Buren Street at the present site of the LaSalle Street Station. Estimated Cost. The estimated costs of the improvements such as shown on this plan, based on 1920 prices, are as follows : Straightening of the Chicago River including building ] of permanent dock walls ; the moving of the Roosevelt Road , and the St. Charles Air Line bridges ; temporary construc- tion : track alterations, etc $ 3,000,000.00 Viaducts and ramps for new streets opened through the district including adjustment with the Roosevelt Road viaduct $17,000,000.00 Railroad facilities including removal of old structures ; excavation ; track work ; changes to St. Charles Air Line and connections ; building freight houses ; thoroughfare sub- urban tracks and station $23,000,000.00 To construct a ten story commercial development oxer the railroad freight houses shown on Plate No. 20 would provide about twenty million s(|uare feet of rental space and would cost about . .' $95,000,000.00 15 Land Areas Affected The following figures sliow the areas affected by the river straightening by River Straighten- .^^^j ^j^^ revamping of railroad facilities in connection therewith: inij The straightening of the Chicago River channel along tlie line pro- vided in the Union Station and other ordinances will extend from Polk Street to Sixteenth Street. Between I'olk Street and Taylor Street there would he Init a small change. Between Taylor and Sixteenth Street after river straightening there wtjuld he an area between the east line of the straightened river channel, and the west line of Clark Street of 3,562,300 Sq. Ft. The present area between Taylor Street and Six- teenth Street and between the east bank of the present river channel, and the wes't line of Clark Street is 1,638,500 Sq. Ft. .Ml of the property abutting on that portion of the river proposed to be straightened is owned by railroads. Therefore, by the river straightening there would be added to railroad property on the east side of the river the difference between the two figures given above, or 1.923.800 Sq. Ft. This gain is made up hum the following sources: B. & O. C. T. property transferred from west to east side of river 611,800 Sq. Ft. C. & N. W. ditto 428,500 Sq. Ft. Armour Slip 22,500 Sq. Ft. C. B. & Q 72,000 Sq. Ft. C. B. & Q. and C. & X. W. (Air Line R. of W.) 1,800 Sq. Ft. Old river channel 787,200 Sq. Ft. 1.923,800 Sq. Ft. The straightened river channel between Polk Street and Sixteenth Street would occupy an area of 842,300 Sq. Ft. This area would be obtained from the following sources: LAND AREA. Penna. Co 83,000 Sq. Ft. B. & O. C. T 397.800 Sq. Ft. C. & N. W 70,500 Sq. Ft. C. B. & Q 38,200 .Sq. Ft. C. B. & Q. and C. & X. \V. (Air Fine R. of W.) 7,200 Sq. Ft. 616,700 Sq. Ft. WATER AREA. Armour Slip 9,700 Sq. Ft. Union Slip 22.200 Sq. Ft. Old river channel 193,700 Sq. Ft. 225,600 Sq. Ft. 842,300 Sq. Ft. 16 NET GAIN IN LAND AREA. Present area river channel— Pulk to Sixteentli St 981,000 Sq. Ft. Present area Armour Slip .^2,000 Sq. Ft. Present area Union Slip 22,200 Sq. Ft. 1.035,400 Sq. Ft. Area of proposed channel 842,300 Sq. Ft. GAIN IN LAND AREA 193,100 Sq. Ft. PRESENT AREA EAST OF THE RIVER OCCUPIED BY RAILROAD: BY FREIGHT FACILITIES. West of Clark Street 2,030,300 Sq. Ft. East of Clark Street l,r)09.500 Sq. Ft. 3,639,800 Sq. Ft. BY PASSENGER FACILITIES. West of Clark : East of Wells 575,700 Sq. Ft. West of W^ells 265,200 Sq. Ft. 840,900 Sq. Ft. East of Clark 524,700 Sq. Ft. 1,365,600 Sq. Ft. TOTAL 5,005,400 Sq. Ft. By straightening the river, eliminating passenger stations, and confining the freight development to the territory bounded on the north by Harrison Street, west of Wells Street, and by Taylor Street east of Wells Street, and on the east by Clark Street, there would be released from railroad occupation the follow- ing areas, to wit : AREA OCCUPIED BY FREIGHT FACILITIES: East of Clark Street 1 ,609,500 Sq. Ft. West of Clark and North of Ta\ lor. . . 338,200 Sq. Ft. 1,947,700 Sq. Ft. AREA OCCUPIED BY PASSENGER FACILITIES; East of Clark Street 524,700 Sq. Ft. West of Clark and East of Wells 575.700 Sq. Ft. 1,090,400 Sq. Ft. TOTAL 3,038,100 Sq. Ft. NOTE: Area released from freight occupation, \ iz. ... 1,947,700 Sq. Ft. Substantially equals area transferred from west side to east side of river, viz 1,938,800 Sq. Ft. 17 Release of Property Will Not Decrease Available Area. Not Feasible to Build Two Level Develop- ment Adjacent to State Street. As luited on the previous pa^e. even with the release of the property indicated tlicre would still be available for freight development an area equal to the area now occupied by freight facilities. Studies made in this office indicate that under a two level development double the capacity can be obtained over what is possible under the single level development. The present freight facilities of the railroads can only be increased in capacity by resorting to a double level development. A double level develop- ment of the property at present occupied by the railroads between Clark Street and State Street would be found to be expensive because such a de- velopment would involve the raising of the level of State Street with the consequent property damage along the east side of State Street and along each of the streets intersecting State Street from the east in which ramps would have to be constructed to connect with the raised level of State Street. This same condition would be met with on the north where, if the entire railroad area between Clark Street and State Street were developed on a two level plan, the ramps connecting with the upper level would have to be constructed across property not owned b\- the railroads, and on much of which there are expensive improvements. These extra items of expense it is believed would be considerably more than the actual expense of straightening the river. On the other hand, if the river is straightened and the two-level develop- ment is made between Clark Street and the river, and does not extend farther north than Taylor Street between Clark Street and Wells Street, all of the connecting ramps would occur opposite property now owned by the rail- roads, and there would be available for the development the same area as is now used by the railroads for freight facilities. Value of Released Property and Air Rights. It has been previously shown that by straightening the river, eliminating passenger stations, and confining the freight development to the territory bounded on the north by Harrison Street west of Wells Street and by Taylor Street east of Wells Street, and on the east by Clark Street, there would be released from railroad occupation an area of about 3,000,000 scpiare feet. If this property has an average value of $20 per square foot — and this would seem to be a conservative estimate — this would represent a total of ?60,000,000. In addition to this it is possible to design the freight facilities west of Clark Street so that the area over the freight houses would be available for commercial occupation, and have access to the public streets constructed through the territory independent of the streets used for access to the rail- road freight houses. Such a development would make possible the railroads selling air rights for commercial development on an area of about 2,500,000 square feet. If these air rights have a value of $10.00 per square foot this would represent $25,000,000. 18 It is therefore seen that by straightening the river channel, by proper planning of railroad (le\ elopnient, and the elimination of passenger stations, it would be possible for the railroads to provi le them- selves with double the present capacity of their freight facilities, occupy substantially the same amount of land as they now occupy, and have in addition an investment of $85,000,000 from which revenue can be obtained. The return for these air rights or the interest derived therefrom should be sufficient to offset or finance the $23,000,000 which would be required to provide the railroad facilities as shown by the estimate on page fifteen, and this estimate includes the cost of foundations sufficient to carry a ten story structure over the freight houses of the railroads. It has been shown that the cost to complete ten story buildings over all of the area would be aljout $95,000,000. These buildings, however, would only be constructed as the demands for this kind of space developed, and it can be readily shown that the income that could be derived from this space would be more than sufficient to justify the expenditure. This portion of the improvement could therefore be expected to finance itself. The necessary expenditure for the initial development would there- fore be : For River Straightening $ 3,000,000 For Viaducts and Approaches 17,000,000 For Railroad Facilities 23,000,000 TOT.\L $43,000,000 It has been >ho\\ n that the lull development of the air rights would _\ield an income return sufficient to offset the cost of the freight facilities, so that this entire improvement could be brought about by the net expen- diture of $20,000,000. Offsetting this net expenditure would be the value of the lands released from railroad occupation which has been conservatively placed at $60,000,000, so that even if the entire cost of river straightening and the constructing of viaducts were borne by the railroads, the full de- velopment would still show a credit of $40,000,000. The foregoing is based on the participation of all railroads occupxing this territory in the scheme and the co-operati\e use of these facilities. While it has been necessary to suggest tentative plans for this territory' in order to arrive at estimates of the cost, any plan for the intensive de- velopment along the fundamental lines indicated therein will cost the approxi- mate amount given in this report. In view, therefore, of the benefits that Wduld accrue to both the city and the railroads from this improvement and the possibilit}' of assisting the financing through the income available from the development of air rights, it would seem that this improvement is justified and that every effort should Ije made to bring about its accomplishment 19 It is leconinieiuled lluit llie lej^al questions heretofore referred be de- cided as ]irom]3tly as possible and proper leg^islatioii, if any, be secured to empower the city with the rif;hts to straighten the river, extend streets to the south side and take such other actiiMi as may be necessary to bring about this iniproxement. ,, ^ ,, ... Kespectfully submitted, JOHN F. WALL.VCE. March lO, 1921. Chairman. 20 EXHIBIT 1 ACTIVITIES OF COMMISSION EXHIBIT I ACTIVITIES OF COMMISSION TABLE OF CONTENTS Page Number General Statement 1 Smoke Abatement and Electrification 4 Dearborn Station — Temporary Facilities 11 Switch Yard Between 94th Street and 110th Street 15 Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad — Coach Yard and Engine Terminal 17 Proposed Santa Fe Fruit Terminal 20 Illinois Central-Lake Front Ordinance 25 ACTIVITIES OF THE COMMISSION. The Commission has, since its creation, given continuous considera- tion to the railway terminal situation in Chicago. A staff has been maintained by the Commission, which has collected data pertaining to the railroads, and which — through the direction of the Commission — has made many alternative designs and studies of matters directly referred to the Commission and has also made many original studies of possible solutions of various portions of the problem affecting the rail- road terminal situation. The office of the Commission is always available as a source of infor- mation for those who may be interested in any phase of the railroad situation. Through the office of the Commission, the different committees of the City Council and the administrative departments of the city are able to obtain information and advice on problems arising from time to time af- fecting the relations between the city and the railroads. In this manner, many minor matters are disposed of which do not show in the official pro- ceedings of the Commission. In addition to the consideration given in meetings of the Commission, the Commission has had representation at meetings of the City Council Committees during which matters referred to the Commission were under discussion, and in this way has acted in an advisory capacity to the City Council Committees. Many of the matters referred to the Commission were of such a nature as to require the consideration of the Commission in meetings extending over an interval of several months, and the definite action taken thereon as embodied in the special reports made on these subjects is not always in- dicative of the amount of labor and thought expended on the matter. Particularly is this true where the subject contemplated legislative action by the Council involving conflicting interests. In such cases it has been the endeavor of the Commission to bring these conflicting interests as nearly as may be into harmony and, failing so to do, fully advise the Council Committees interested so that these committees could be able to render such decision as would safeguard the city without placing undue hardship on other interests. Proceedings of the In the following statement is given a list of various matters referred Commission. ^^^ ^]^g Commission, and on which reports and recommendations were made to the City Council : Electrification and Smoke Abatement .\ number of communications, orders, resolutions and ordinances, which had been introduced in the City Council prior to the forma- tion of the Commission. Polk and Taylor Street Viaduct Question of widening the west approaches to the Polk Street and Taylor Street viaducts. 1 Western Indiana Railroad a — Increasing the facilities at the Dearborn Station; b — Pertaining to the construction of a railroad switching vard be- tween 94th Street and 110th Street. Chicago Municipal Market Commission Report of the Chicago Municipal Market Commission was referred to this Commission with the request that a report be made on the subject. Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad Construction of additional tracks and facilities in connection with a coach yard between Wood Street and Lincoln Street. Central Terminal Railway Company Ordinance for the construction of a switch track across South Jeffer- son Street and West 14th Place. Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Ordinance \acating streets and providing for the construction of a fruit terminal. Report of Smoke Abatement Committee Committee of the Association of Commerce on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railway Terminals report referred to this Commission for an opinion thereon. West Water Street Switch Track Ordinance Revision of switch track ordinances on West Water Street in con- nection with Union Station improvements. Relocation of Illinois Central Depot Resolution directing Commission to take up question of relocation of Illinois Central Depot. Opening of 14th Street Question of opening uf 14th Street from Clark to Canal Street. Quit Claim Deed to Certain Vacated Streets Question of City issuing quit claim deed to certain streets vacated under Union Station Ordinance — which involved questions as to whether Union Station Company had complied with provision of ordinance of March 23, 1914. Construction Work on Polk or Taylor Streets Question as to whether it is practical or feasible for Union Station Company to start construction on either Polk Street or Taylor Street viaducts. B. & O. C. T. Building South of 12th Street Question as to the location of buildings under construction b\- B. & 0. C. T. interfering with the projection of streets in connection with river straightening. C. B. & Q. Buildings on W. 14th Street Matter of buildings under construction by C. B. & Q. R. R. encroach- ing on West 14th Street. Twelfth Street Improvement Question of river straightening as affecting construction of 12th Street improvement. Resolution of Alderman Schwartz Resolution relative to securing cooperation of railroads using Grand Central, LaSalle and Dearborn Stations in working out a unified terminal, based upon complete electrification. 2 Illinois Central Ordinance — Public Policy Question Request to report on questions of public policy involved in the Illinois Central ordinance. Carroll Avenue Switch Tracks The question of the advisability of permitting the construction of certain switch tracks in Carroll Avenue was referred to the Com- mission. This matter was studied b>- the Commission and a report made out- lining the limits of permissible occupation of Carroll Avenue by switch tracks and the manner of construction which should be pro- vided. Union Station Ordinance Amendments — Changes in Street Grades In preparing plans for the improvements provided for in the Union Station Ordinance it developed that certain changes in street grades might be desirable. This question was referred to the Commission and a number of meetings were held, studies made and an ordinance prepared and submitted to the Railway Terminal Committee. Federal Control of Railroads The Director General of Railroads made a request on the Commis- sion for suggestions. A statement was prepared reciting the position of the Commission on Railway Terminal matters and a suggestion made that a local manager be appointed to operate all of the terminal facilities within the Chicago Terminal District as a unit. It was pointed out by the Commission that such a procedure would make large efficiencies and economies immediately possible. Later the Director General appointed a Terminal Manager for the Chicago Terminal District and the staflf of the Commission was in frequent consultation with this official during tlie period of Federal Control. State Street and Roosevelt Road The question of the desirability of constructing ramps in State Street connecting with the Roosevelt Road viaduct. A number of meetings were held on this matter and a report made to the Board of Local Improvements. In all of these matters were involved questions affecting the ultimate solution of the railway terminal situation and in eacli case the effort was made to get the matter in such shape as would render action thereon in harmony with this ultimate solution or at least not in conflict therewith. In the following pages is given a more complete statement with reference to some of the important matters which received the consideration of the Commission. SMOKE ABATEMENT AND ELECTRIFICATION OF RAILWAY TERMINALS. Immediately after the creation of tlie Railway Terminal Commission the question of smoke abatement and electrification of railway terminals was referred to it and the Commission has at various times since then made statements and reports concerning this subject. In the following pages there is given a chronological statement of the several actions and reports on this matter. June 26, 1914. At a meeting held June 26, 1914, the Commission received a communica- tion dated June 8, 1914, transmitting to the Commission the following ordi- nances, resolutions, and communications pertaining to smoke abatement and electrification of railways and requesting the Commission to report its recom- mendations thereon : " "b" — An ordinance — referred to the railway terminals committee October 6, 1913 — requiring railroad companies to operate their trains within the limits of the City of Chicago by other power than steam, or in a manner that will not produce smoke or any noxious gases that in- juriously afifect the public health, comfort or convenience. "c" — Comnumication and statement from the Chicago Association of Commerce — referred to the Committee June 16, 1913 — relative to smoke abatement and electrification. "d" — Resolution adopted by the men of Holy Angels' Parish — re- ferred to the Committee June 16, 1913 — favoring the passage of an anti- smoke ordinance. "e" — Communication from representatives of certain railroads enter- ing Chicago — referred to the committee May 12, 1913 — re electrification of railroads. "f" — Ordinance — referred to the committee April 28, 1913 — provid- ing for the electrification of railroads within a radius of eight iniles of the City Hall. "g" — Ordinance referred to the committee April 28, 1913 — requiring the operation of railroad cars or trains within a radius of seven miles of the Court House by power other than steam. "h" — Order — referred to the committee April 28, 1913 — requesting the Mayor to appoint a Commission of six members to investigate and report on the practicability of eliminating the smoke nuisance in con- nection with the operation of locomotives within the city. "i" — Order — referred to the committee April 28, 1913 — for an ordi- nance requiring the electrification of railroads. "j" — Report prc])ared by Paul P. Bird — referred to the committee April 28, 1913 — on the electrification of steam railway terminals. "k" — Communication — referred to the committee .\pril 28, 1913 — from railroad employees of South Chicago on the subject of electrifica- tion of steam railroads. |}ept«mber 23, 1914. !foTember 30, 1914. "1" — Communication anil i)etition— referred to tlie committee April 28. 1913 — from the Chicago Anti-Smoke League in re noise and smoke caused by the operation of trains on the Illinois Central Railroad. "m" — Communication — referred to the committee April 28, 1913 — from the property owners in Groveland Park, in re smoke and noise caused by the operation of the Illinois Central trains. "n" — Communication — referred to the committee April 28, 1913 — from railroad employees to Ma3'or Fred A. Busse, in re operation of railroad cars or trains by power other than steam. "o" — Communication — referred to the committee April 28, 1913 — from former Mayor Fred A. Busse, in re substitution of electric motive power for steam power in the operation of railroad terminals. "p" — Communication — referred to the committee April 28, 1913— from the Neighborhood Improvement League, in favor of the electrifica- tion of railroads. "q" — Order — referred to the committee November 26, 1913 — direct- ing the committee in its consideration of the passenger terminal ordi- nance of the Union Station Company, to give the fullest consideration to the question of requiring the companies using the passenger terminal to electrify their passenger service tracks within the city. "r" — Communication from Harry A. Allen, consulting engineer in the employ of the City of Chicago, on the subject of the Doyle Air Method of Combustion and the steam-gas locomotive." At this meeting there was also received a communication dated Tune 23. 1914, transmitting the following ordinance: " "a" — An ordinance amending Section 2358 of the Chicago Code of 1911, to prohibit the emission of dense smoke within the city from the smokestack of any locomotive, steamboat, steam tug, steam roller, steam derrick, steam pile-driver, tar kettle or any other similar machine or contrivance, or from the smokestack or chimney of any building or premises." NOTE : On account of the absence of the Commission on a tour of inspection of terminal facilities in American and European cities, no meetings of the Commission were held between July 3, 1914, and Sep- tember 23, 1914. .\t a meeting held September 23, 1914, the conmuuiicalions referred to above were considered by the Commission and the Chairman was instructed to communicate with the Association of Commerce of the City of Chicago, asking to be informed as to the probable date when the report of their Com- mittee on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railway Terminals would be available. The Chairman was instructed to transmit to the City Council Committee on Railway Terminals the following report relati\e to these ordinances, resolutions and communications : "With reference to all of the foregoing ordinances and communica- tions the Commission desires to report that they are advised by the President of the Association of Commerce that the .Association Com- mittee on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railwav Terminals March 23, 1915. December 21, 1916. expect to have their report readv for submission during December of this year, and it is the opinion of this Commission that it will be advisable to defer taking action on an\' of the above ordinances and communica- tions until the receipt of the report referred to, as this report will un- doubtedly contain information which will be of the greatest importance to the Commission in its further consideration of the subject." On pages 20 and 21 of the preliminary report of the Railway Terminal Commission submitted on March 2.\ 1915, the following appears relative to electrification : "A railroad company not only finds it unnecessary to conduct both its freight and its passenger business at the same terminal location or over the same terminal tracks, but it usually discovers operating ad- vantages in the separation of freight and passenger terminals. This is of great practical importance in preparing for the electrification of railway terminals. Both the railroads and the public are looking forward to the substitution of some less objectionable motive power for the present steam locomotive, especially in the operation of passenger terminals and terminal tracks." "The Committee on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of the Chicago Association of Commerce has — for more than four years— been making a detailed study of this question, and its report is soon expected. Without anticipating the findings of this report, it seems safe to assume from the evidence generally available, that electricity — applied either by means of the overhead trolley or by means of the third rail direct contact SNStem — is the only motive power other than steam that has demon- strated its practicability for such extensive application as would be neces- sary at Chicago." "It is apparent that the cost of electrification will be greatly reduced by simplifying and unifying the passenger tracks entering the city ; by removing the present tangle of cross lines; by establishment of direct instead of roundabout routes within the city ; and by the joint use of tracks available for and adequate for more railway companies than those which now utilize these particular tracks. The adoption of outlying cooperative freight stations would greatly simplify the electrification of the more central freight terminals and tracks." On December 21, 1915, the Railway Terminal Committee received the report of the Association of Commerce Committee on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railway Terminals ; also, an order introduced by .-Mderman Nance directing the Committee on Railway Terminals to take up for im- mediate consideration the subject of electrification of steam railways within the City of Chicago. After an extended discussion, a motion was made referring both of these matters to the Railway Terminal Commission, with the request that they report within thirty da} s on the subject matter. January 4, 1916. A meeting of the Railway Terminal Committee was held January 4, 1916, at which were present John F. Wallace, Chairman of the Railway Terminal Commission, and C. L. Deering, Harrison B. Riley, and Harrv A. Wheeler, representing the Association of Commerce. 6 At this meeting the representatives of the Association of Commerce explained the report of its Committee on Smoke Abatement and Electrifica- tion of Railway Terminals and answered questions put to them by different members of the Committee. inuary 7, 1916. At a meeting of the Commission held January 7, 1916, there was received a communication from the Railway Terminal Committee referring to the Commission : A comunication from His Honor, Mayor Thompson, trans- mitting to the City Council a report of the Association of Com- merce Committee on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railway Terminals ; Also an order introduced by Alderman Nance directing the Committee on Railway Terminals to take up for immediate con- sideration the subject of electrification of steam railways within the City of Chicago. Referring to this communication, the Secretary of the Commission was instructed to notify the Committee on Railway Terminals as follows : "* * * The Commission will proceed with all possible diligence in the consideration of this subject and will make a report at the earliest date possible ; however, the subject is too large and requires too much consideration to enable the Commission to make an intelligent report within the time requested." arch 7, 1916. Under date of March 7, 1916, the Chairman of the Rail\va\- Terminal Commission directed a letter to the Railway Terminal Committee with ref- erence to the Illinois Central terminal and reported that among other things — the members of the sub-committee of the Commission had had an interview with the President of the Illinois Central Railroad, during which the question of the electrification of the Illinois Central was discussed. ay 3, 1916. At a meeting of the Railwa\- Terminal Committee on May 3, 1916, the Chairman of the Railway Terminal Commission made a report on the various matters before the Commission, which report says the following regarding electrification : "The Commission feels that the development of a terminal station on the Lake Front of a capacity sufficient to take care of all — or prac- tically all — of the roads now having terminals in the territory south of Van Buren Street between State Street and the Chicago River, will permit of the working out of a plan for the adoption of electrification of the passenger traffic in the Chicago terminals, and that the electrification of the passenger terminal will be a step toward the complete electrifica- tion of all railroad tracks within the terminal district." Further explaining this statement, Mr. Wallace explained to the Com- mittee how the electrification of the suburban tracks of the Illinois Central Railroad would assist in the bringing about of electrification, not only of the balance of the service of the Illinois Central, but would also help toward the electrification of the other lines. He also explained to the Committee 7 how electrical operation would result in o;iving the terminal stations greater capacity and explained at some length what effect electrification would have on the Chicago & Northwestern suburban tracks. October 4, 1916. The Chairman of the Railway Terminal Commission, on October 4, 1915, made a report to the City Council Committee on Railway Terminals referring to matters of smoke abatement and electrification of railway terminals. This report reads as follows : "At the time the Railway Terminal Commission was created, there was referred to it a number of resolutions, orders and communications relative to Smoke Abatement and Electrification, some of these having been before the City Council or its Committees for a number of \ ears. When the Commission came to consider these resolutions, orders and communications, it was impressed with the fact that the Association of Commerce Committee on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railway Terminals had an extensive engineering and technical staff who were giving consideration to this subject, which Committee had promised that its report would be forthcoming within a reasonable time. The Commission therefore advised \our Committee that in its opinion it would be desirable to defer any action on these matters until the receipt of the report of the Committee of the Association of Com- merce. When this report was received by the City Council, it was referred to )-our Committee and by your Committee referred to the Railwa\- Terminal Commission. A number of meetings were held at that time — both b\- the Com- mission and b>- your Committee at which the Commission was repre- sented — and the general features of the report were discussed. The general findings of this report stated the financial impractica- bilit\- of undertaking the electrification of all of the railway terminals of Chicago as a whole and did not suggest any basis on which the City of Chicago could compel by legislative action the electrification of these railway terminals. The Commission has always been of the opinion that electrification of railway terminals in Chicago would be brought about through a process of negotiations with the railroads interested and when it is pos- sible to demonstrate to the railroads that the substitution of some other motive power than steam is to the financial advantage of the railroads and that this condition will most rapidly be brought about by securing the elimination of steam motive power on some branch of the service of one of the railroads, and demonstrating through this service the advan- tages of extending the change to all classes of transportation service within the city limits. The Commission feels that the development of a terminal station on the Lake Front of a capacity sufficient to take care of all — or prac- tically all — of the roads now having terminals in the territory south of Van Buren Street between State Street and the Chicago River, will permit of the working out of a plan for the adoption of electrification of the passenger traffic in the Chicago terminals and that the electrifica- tion of the passenger terminals will be a step toward the electrification of railroad tracks within the terminal district." 8 )eceinber 5, 1916. On December 5, 1916, the Commission approved the following com- munication and report : "Alderman Ellis Geiger, Chairman, and Members of the City Council Committee on Raihva}- Terminals, City Hall, Chicago. Gentlemen : Complying with the instructions from \our Committee — as passed by motion made at a meeting held Novemljer 29, 1916 — the Railway- Terminal Commission hereby transmits to }our Committee all of the orders, resolutions and ordinances pertaining to smoke abatement or electrification which have been referred to this Commission, a memo- randum list of same being attached hereto. The Commission is also submitting herewith an historical statement covering all actions and considerations given this subject and calls attention to the fact that on October fourth, 1916, the Chairman of this Commission furnished your Committee a typewritten statement which was practical!}' a report on all of these matters. The report of the Chicago Association of Commerce on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railway Terminals was also referred to this Commission. As this report covered the whole field of smoke abatement and electrification, the Commission is hereby transmitting its report on said Chicago Association of Commerce report, and the con- clusions on some may be applied to all other matters pertaining to this subject referred to the Commission. Respectfully submitted, CHICAGO RAILWAY TERMINAL COMMISSION, (Signed) John F. Wallace, JFW:H Chairman." Alderman Ellis Geiger, Chairman, and Members of the City Council Committee on Railwa\ Terminals, City Hall, Chicago. Gentlemen : In re report of the Chicago Association of Commerce Committee of Investigation on Smake Abatement and Electrification of Railway Terminals. The report of the Chicago Association of Commerce Committee of Investigation on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railway Ter- minals has been referred to this Commission. The Commission calls attention to the fact that this report of the Chicago Association of Commerce Committee on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railway Terminals was the work of the most expert body of men that the Association of Commerce was able to collect, and that the consideration this scientific body gave to the subject was un- hampered by limitations as to time or funds, the investigation lasting over a period of about five years and costing about $650,000. 9 While this report is presumed to be a thorough and extensive in- vestigation of all of the facts surrounding the prolilcm, it practically magniiies the difficulties by considering the problem, together witli all its conditions and its treatment as a whole, and presents no practical solution. The consideration of the problem in detail by your Commission con- vinces it that the seriousness of the air pollution is so intenselv localized along the various lines of steam railway transportation that the facts submitted by the Chicago Association of Commerce — being general averages — are of practically no value in the consideration of local condi- tions as they exist adjacent to the steam railroad rights of wav. The Chief Engineer of the Chicago Association of Commerce Com- mittee on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railwav Terminals, in an abstract of the report of said committee, makes the following statement : "The complete electrification of the Chicago railroad terminals as a means of abating smoke is technically practical but financially impractical. This is the finding of the Chicago Association of Commerce Committee of Investigation on Smoke Abatement and Electrification of Railwav Terminals, which has been studying the problem since early in 1911." Further on in this same abstract the statement is made : "The preceding conclusions apply to the complete electrification of Chicago's railroad terminals. The financial practicability, under present conditions of electrification as it might be applied to indi- vidual roads or to a single service of individual roads, is a matter which has not been investigated bv the Committee and concerning which no opinion is expressed." The Railway Terminal Commission fully realizes the magnitude of the problem for the complete electrification of the railway terminals in Chicago as a whole and the difliculties in the way of its accomplishment, and has therefore suggested that the plan along which it is now working, that is, of attacking this problem in detail and commencing with the Illinois Central Railroad with which Company negotiations are now under way and it is of the opinion that this method is at the present time most liable to lead to tangible results. The Commission believes that railway terminal electrification in Chicago is desirable wherever and to whatever extent the necessary investment is not so large as to be unreasonable when considered in relation to the traffic and the revenues that are available or can be made available. It has already pointed out in its printed report made to your Com- mittee on March 23, 1915, that the co-ordination and intensive develop- ment of railway terminals in this city would not only be of ver\- great advantage to the public in the handling of freight, the relief of street congestion and the development of the city, but also in increasing the financial and operating practicability of electrification. RespectfuU}- submitted, CHICAGO RAILWAY TERMINAL COMMISSION. (Signed) John F. Wallace. 10 TEMPORARY ADDITIONAL FACILITIES DEARBORN STATION. On June 26, 1914, the Railway Terminal Committee referred to the Rail- way Terminal Commission an application by the Chicago & Western Indiana Railway Company — operating the Dearborn station — for an ordinance grant- ing- permission and authority to construct, maintain and operate two tracks across PlyuKjuth Place at Taylor Street, the purpose of these tracks being to enable this company to develop the western half of the block east of Pljmouth Court and south of Polk Street for immigrant station purposes. At the time this ordinance was introduced in the City Council a very large percentage of the immigrants arriving at or passing through Chicago reached the city on railroads which use the Dearborn Station as a passenger terminal. The traffic at the Dearborn Station had entirely outgrown the facilities and there were no adequate provisions for taking care of immigrants. It was therefore desirable that the railroad company operating this station be given an opportunity to provide adequate facilities for its immigrant travel and also to better handle its suburban business. On the other hand, it was to the interest of the city not to grant addi- tional terminal facilities at this point that would in any way retard the solu- tion of the railway terminal problem or that would grant such additional rights as would make it unnecessary for this railroad company and other railroads using this station to seek a better location for a terminal station. The Commission gave consideration to this subject during a period covering several months. Various conferences were held with representatives of the railroad company, with the result that the railroad company agreed to accept an ordinance limited to a life of five years and definitely providing for improvements of a temporary character, the amount of investment in which would not be considered as a substantial objection to this company seeking other terminal facilities in the future. As a result of these conferences the Commission on October 30, 1914, adopted the following resolution : "WHEREAS, the City Council of the City of Chicago has submitted to the Railway Terminal Commission the application of the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad Company for the right to construct and oper- ate two tracks across Plymouth Court near its intersection with Taylor Street and have suljmitted also a pending ordinance relating to this subject, and "WHEREAS, the Railway Terminal Commission has, careful! v con- sidered the matter submitted to them, NOW THEREFORE, "BE IT RESOLVED that it is the opinion of this Commission that it is highly desirable that increased terminal facilities should promptly be provided by the Chicago & W^estern Indiana Railroad Company for its suburban passenger service and the suburban and emigrant passenger service of its tenant companies, viz : Grand Trunk & Western Railway Company, Chicago & Erie Railroad Company, Chicago, Indianapolis & Louisville Railroad Co., 11 Chesapeake & Ohio Railroad Company, Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Company, Wabash Railroad Company, Chicago & Eastern Illinois Railroad Company, and that such improved facilities should not wait upon and will not con- stitute a substantial obstacle to the present consideration and future adoption and carrying into effect of comprehensive terminal plans and policies, providing the ordinance authorizing such facilities is expressly limited to a period of not more than five years and contains provisions relating to the straightening of the south branch of the Chicago River and other conditions substantially of a character indicated in a redraft of the said ordinance previously submitted to this Commission which redraft is herewith respectfully transmitted for the consideration of the Council Committee on Railway Terminals and the City Council, and "BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that it is the opinion of this Commission that the Court proceedings for the widening of Polk Street from South State Street to South Clark Street — which proceedings are now pending in the County Court under direction and authority of an ordinance heretofore passed by the City Council — should be promptly carried to a conclusion so that the roadway of said Polk Street and the sidewalk on the south side thereof, can be widened and appropriate pro- vision be made to take care of the increased public traffic in connection with the proposed new station." The Ordinance providing for this improvement was passed at a meet- ing of the City Council held July 15, 1915. The improvements covered by the Ordinance are shown on Plate No. 13. Request for Exten- sion of Time and Ad- ditional Facilities. On May 26. 1920, the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad Company applied to the City Council for an ordinance which would extend the rights granted in the ordinance of July 15, 1915, for a period of five years and also grant to the Railroad Company the right to occupy the eastern halt of the block occupied by the immigrant station. This Ordinance was referred to the Commission June 7, 1920. .'\n anab.sis of the provisions of the ordinance was made and consideration given to the matter and on June 22, 1920, the following report was made. Chicago, June 22. 1920. Alderman William F. Lipps, Chairman, and Members of the Committee on Railway Terminals, of the City Council of the Cit)- of Chicago. Gentlemen : With reference to the ordinance entitled "AN ORDINANCE": "Authorizing and permitting the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Company to maintain and operate, at grade, two (2) rail- road tracks over and across Plymouth Court at the intersection of Plymouth Court with Ta) lor Street from a point on the westerly line of said Plymouth Court approximately seventeen (17) feet south of the south line of Ta} lor Street to a point on the east line of said Phniouth Court, approximately seventy-one (71) feet north of the north line of Ta\lor Street; to construct, maintain and oper- ate, at grade, one (1) railroad track over and across the public north 12 and south alley lying between Plymouth Court and State Street and Polk Street and Ta} lor Street, said track being approximately two hundred and ten (210) feet north of the north line of Taylor Street ; to maintain use and operate the railroad tracks, platforms and buildings over and across the first east and west public alley south of Polk Street between Plymouth Court and the first alley east thereof; and to maintain and use a conduit across Plymouth Court between Polk Street and Taylor Street as now constructed." which was introduced in the City Council at a meeting held May 26, 1920, and referred by the Railway Terminal Committee to the Railway Terminal Commission June 7, 1920. In July, 1915, the City Council passed an ordinance granting to the Chicago & Western Indiana Railroad Company the right to lay two tracks across Phmouth Court near Taylor Street for the purpose of developing a temporary addition to the Dearborn Station located on the half block immediately east thereof to be used for suburban and im- migrant business. This ordinance will expire in August of this year. The purpose of the ordinance at present before the Commission is to extend the rights referred to in the last preceding paragraph for a period of five years, and also to grant the right to lay additional tracks on the half block east of the suburban and immigrant station built in 1915, which would carry the railroad occupation to State Street. The Railway Terminal Commission in previous reports to your Committee has stated that it would be highly desirable if all of the passenger stations l^etween State Street and the south branch of the Chicago River could be eliminated. The Commission has also stated that with the straightening of the river, and the revamping of the railway freight terminals in the territory immediately east of the straightened river, it should be possible to release some of the railroad occupation from the territory abutting on State Street. With the passage and acceptance of the Illinois Central Lake Front Ordinance a way was opened up for the furthering of the consideration of this important subject. It has been stated in previous reports to your Committee that it is possible at the location provided in the Illinois Central Lake Front ordinance to provide facilities sufficient to take care of all, or practically all, of the railroad passenger trains now having terminals in the terri- tory between State Street and the south branch of the Chicago River. It should be the policy therefore at this time for the City to grant no additional rights to any of the railroads having terminals between State Street and the Chicago River that would in any way hamper or delay the City in furthering its plans for the ultimate solution of the railway terminal problem as affecting this territory. The Commission is of the opinion that the ordinance referred to at the opening of this communication if passed would have the effect of placing the particular railroads using the Dearborn Station in position to delay consideration of a final treatment of the railway terminal situa- tion for a period of five years, and for this reason the Commission is of the opinion that the ordinance as submitted should not be recommended for passage by your Committee. The time which has elapsed since this ordinance was referred to the Commission has been too short to permit of a thorough consideration and discussion of the subject between the Commission and the railroads 13 using; the Dearljorn Station, and the time set for the adjournment of the Council for the summer vacation will not permit of a proper considera- tion of this subject by your Committee. It is therefore suggested that in lieu of the ordinance referred to the Commission June 7, 1920 your Committee recommend for passage a sub- stitute ordinance providing for the extension of the ordinance of July 15, 1915, for a period of one year, or defer final action on this ordinance until the Council convenes next fall. Respectfully submitted, (Signed) EDWARD J. NOONAN, EJN:M Chief Engineer." On June 23, 1920, a meeting of the Railwa)- Terminal Committee was held and it was decided to defer action on this ordinance until fall. On December 15, 1920, a meeting of the Railway Terminal Committee was held to consider the Chicago and Western Indiana Railroad Company Ordinance. After hearing from property owners the Chicago Plan Com- mission and the Railway Terminal Commission action on the ordinance was deferred on the request of representatives of the Railroad Company, in order to give these representatives opportunity to consult further with their Board of Directors. 14 CHICAGO & WESTERN INDIANA RAILROAD COMPANY'S PRO- POSED SWITCH YARD BETWEEN 94th AND 110th STREETS. This proposed improvement was given consideration by the Railway Terminal Commission principally because the city desired to provide for the opening of 103rd Street and also to determine the desirability of providing for the opening of additional streets through the territory to be occupied by this switch } ard. There was also a controversy between the city and the Western Indiana Railroad Company with reference to the vacation of certain streets in the southern part of the city as provided for under existing track elevation ordi- nances. The Commission gave extended consideration to the entire subject and secured from the Western Indiana Railroad Company provisions for the opening of 103rd Street. With reference to the question of street vacation, at a meeting held June 14. 1915, the following resolution was adopted: "BE IT RESOLVED. That it is the sense of this Commission that the question of the vacation of certain streets and alleys under and by virtue of the terms of an ordinance passed April 5, 1911, and appearing in the printed Journal of the proceedings of the City Council of said date at pages 4398 to 4429, inclusive, as indicated on a plat referred to this Commission by the Committee on Railway Terminals, involves no question of public right or interest other than that of the compensation to be paid by the railroad company therefor, and that the rights of the City and the public will be protected by the insertion in the so- called immigrant station ordinance, now pending before said Committee, of a provision limiting but not acknowledging the claims of the Chi- cago & Western Indiana Railroad Company ; therefore BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That this Commission recom- mend to said Committee that there be inserted in said immigrant station ordinance a section, a draft whereof is hereunto attached, and that the question as to whether or not the streets and allevs in said draft referred to are or will be vacated, by virtue of the terms of said ordinance of April 5, 1911, shall be determined in some manner in no wise connected with or dependent upon the passage of said immigrant station ordinance. THAT, inasmuch as a controversy exists between the railroad company and the city concerning the construction of certain provisions of the track elevation ordinance of April 5, 1911, appearing in the printed Journal of the Council Proceedings of said date, at pages 4398 to 4429, inclusi\e, without either the city or the railroad company conceding anytliing as to the construction of said ordinance, the railroad company' by the acceptance of this ordinance agrees that it will at no time and in no way make any claim that, under the terms of said ordinance of April 5, 1911, aforesaid, any streets, alleys or highways are or will be vacated to any greater or further extent than is shown by yellow color- ing on the plats hereunto attached and marked "Exhibits 1 and 2 re- spectively," and made a part of this ordinance, which property, shown by yellow coloring on said plats, is more particularly described as follows: (Here follows a detailed description of the portion of each street and alley referred to above.) 15 The City of Chicago does not, by the passage by the City Council of this ordinance, admit that, under the terms of said ordinance of April 5, 1911, the streets, alleys and highways colored in yellow on said plats, marked respectively 'Exhibits 1 and 2' are or will be vacated." The provisions suggested in the resolution of the Railway Terminal Commission were incorporated in an ordinance which was passed at a meet- ing of the City Council held July 15, 1915. 16 THE BALTIMORE & OHIO CHICAGO TERMINAL RAILROAD CO. Ordinance authorizing and permitting the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad Company to lay down, maintain and operate addi- tional tracks and requiring it to elevate the plane of certain of its road- bed and tracks within the city of Chicago. This ordinance was referred U> the Railway Terminal Commission bv the Local Industries Committee, December 1, 1914. .'\t the time this ordinance was introduced, the Baltimore & Ohio Ter- minal Railroad Company owned a block of property adjacent to the north line of Twelfth Street and abutting on the west side of the Chicago River on which there was located coach yard and engine terminal facilities in con- nection with the passenger terminal of this railroad at South Wells Street and Harrison Street. In order for the Pittsburgh, Fort Wayne & Chicago Railway Company to carry out its program of improvements in connection with the new Union Station, an option was secured from the Baltimore & Ohio Terminal Rail- road Company for the block of property referred to above, and before this property could be released it was necessary for the Baltimore & Ohio Chi- cago Terminal Railroad Company to locate coach yard and engine facili- ties at some other place. To meet this situation the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad Company planned to create coach yard facilities on the block fronting on West Fourteenth Street between Wood Street and Lincoln Street, and also planned to erect engine house facilities on the block immediately west thereof. At the time this ordinance was introduced the tracks of the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad Company were on an elevated roadway extending from the western part of the city to Union Avenue (one block east of Halsted Street), from which point these tracks descended to the street level at South Jefferson .Street. The ordinance provided for the widening of this elevated roadway to carry six continuous tracks from the coach yard to the Chicago River, and at Robey Street an increased length of subway in order to make possible a yard development, which — in connection with the existing subway in Robey Street under the Northwestern-Burlington tracks — would result in a con- tinuous subway of more than a half mile. The objections to this ordinance were: that these tracks would be in- creasing the width of the railway barrier extending parallel with Sixteenth Street; the investment in the widened elevated roadway would be an added factor in the ultimate solution of the railway terminal problem and that the extending of these additional tracks east of Union Avenue at grade would create an additional complication at Sixteenth and Canal Streets, where the City and the railroads are already confronted with a serious problem in w^orking out a satisfactory grade separation scheme. 17 On the other hand it was necessary to the operation of this railroad that it be permitted to create the coach yard and eng^ine terminal facilities provided for in its ordinance and that it should have adequate running- tracks between this coach yard and its passenger terminal. The Railway Terminal Commission in giving consideration to this sub- ject became convinced that the total number of tracks asked for in the ordi- nance were not required at this time for the adequate operation of this railroad property and that the existing complication at Sixteenth and Canal Streets should not be increased. The Railway Terminal Commission was of the opinion that the Balti- more & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad Company should also in this ordi- nance agree to provisions for the straightening of the Chicago River. The Commission gave consideration to this ordinance for several months and at different times had conferences with the executive heads of the railroad company. At several of these conferences there were also present the executive heads of other railroads doing business in Chicago and the whole problem of the solution of the railway terminal situation was ver\ thoroughly discussed. As a result of these various conferences the ofificials of the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad Company agreed to accept an ordinance which would contain the river straightening clause; provide for a reduced number of tracks and a development of their coach yard and terminal facili- ties along lines requiring much shorter subways at Lincoln Street and Robey Street than contemplated in the ordinance originally. On January 26, 1915, the Commission reported to the Local Industries Committee as follows: "Alderman .Mbert J. Fisher, Chairman, and Members of the Committee on Local Industries of the City Council of the City of Chicago. Gentlemen : In reference to the ordinance authorizing and permitting the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad Company to lay down, maintain and operate additional tracks, and requiring it to elevate the plane of certain of its roadbed and tracks within the Citv of Chicago, which ordinance was. on December 1, 1914, referred to the Railway Terminal Commission with the request that the said Railway Terminal Commission consider said ordi- nance and report its findings ; also, proposed amendments or remommenda- tions, if any, to the Committee on Local Industries. I have been instructed hv the Railway Terminal Commission to report to your Committee that, after serious consideration of this ordinance and several conferences with the President and other officials of the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad Company — at which conferences general discussions were held relative to the fundamental principles which the Com- mission believes should govern any permanent solution of the railway ter- minal situation and the effect which this ordinance would have on the final carrying out of these principles — the Commission is of the opinion that the ordinance referred to will not substantially interfere with the ultimate solution of the terminal problem, provided the ordinance is so amended that the permission and grants contained therein shall not extend to territory 18 east of the east line of Union Avenue, and that Section I\' of said ordinance providing for tlie construction of subways shall be amended by striking out therefrom the words "South Robey Street'; and that Section l\'-a be amended so as to exclude therefrom reference to the subway at South Robey Street, and that the extension to other subways provided in such section be amended so as to conform with the attached schedule. The Commission would also recommend that provision be made in the ordinance providing that the Railroad maintain retaining walls substantially to the full height of said elevation along the entire length of the improve- ment provided for in this ordinance. Very trul)' yours, (Signed) JOHN F. WALLACE, JFW: H Chairman. Chicago Railway Terminal Commission." The ordinance embodying these recommendations was reported by the Local Industries Committee and was adopted at a meeting of the City Coun- cil, February 19, 1915. The improvements provided for in this ordinance and which have already been constructed are shown on Plate No. 12. The property north of Twelfth Street vacated by the Baltimore & Ohio Chicago Terminal Railroad Company has been taken over by the Pennsyl- vania Company and is being improved in connection with the general de- velopment by this company shown on Plate No. 9. 19 PROPOSED SANTA FE FRUIT TERMINAL. On June 1, 1915, the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railway Company through its president, E. P. Ripley, presented an ordinance providing for the vacation of certain streets in the vicinity of Twenty-second Street and Archer Avenue, and also a communication stating that it was the intention of the railway company to establish at this location facilities for the handling and distribution of fruit and vegetables arriving in cars, these facilities to be open to the general shipping public and be made available to other carriers. This ordinance was referred to the Local Industries Committee and later submitted by this Committee to the Railway Terminal Commission. The Commission had previously — at the request of the Municipal Mar- kets Commission^given consideration to the general question of fruit and produce terminals and markets, and had come to the conclusion that its province was not so much to suggest any particular location for a fruit and produce market or terminal but rather to determine if any suggested location would be in harmony with a proper solution of the passenger and freight terminal problem. The ordinance as originally presented to the Railway Terminal Com- mission was a simple vacation ordinance — carrying with it no provisions re- garding the establishment or operation of a fruit terminal. It was therefore necessary for the Commission to outline the provisions that an ordinance of this character should contain and to have the railway company submit an amended ordinance as a basis for consideration. The Commission also had conferences with merchants engaged in the fruit and produce business in Chicago regarding the establishing of such fruit and produce terminal and the efifect which this terminal might have on their business. The Commission — through its stafif and with the co-operation of most of the railroads — collected statistics giving the volume of fruit and produce traffic of the city. On account of records being unavailable certain of the railroads were unable to furnish all of the information desired. However, sufficient data was collected to enable the Commission to form an approxi- mate estimate of the total volume of this traffic. The Commission also secured from the Santa Fe Railway Company a suggested track and building layout for this terminal and worked out alter- native plans — both for track arrangement and street traffic provisions — that would fit in with any future railroad or street development in connection with tlie straightening of the Chicago River. In connection with the street vacations contemplated by this ordinance the Commission desired to determine a proper location for a north and south street, through this territory, that would be in harmony with any street plan adopted in connection with the river straightening. Purple Street — proposed to be vacated — was not in the proper location for such north and south street and it was finally decided that the most feasible arrangement — both iov the city and the railroad — would be to provide for 20 the widening of Blackwell Street, sufficient to carry the traffic of two streets north of Eighteenth Street — which might be concentrated in this street — and to provide that such widening be so arranged as to not interfere with the present arrangement of tracks serving the Fairbanks property on the east side of Blackwell Street between Eighteenth Street and Twentieth Street. As Eighteenth Street — with which this north and south street would connect — is on viaduct and the railroad tracks crossing under this viaduct would cross diagonally from northeast to southwest over the proposed widened Blackwell Street, it became necessary to provide that at least a portion of this widened street be carried on viaduct. It was finally decided that the viaduct should extend southerly from Eighteenth Street to such a point as would permit of the approach to said viaduct reaching the surface at or about the north line of Twentieth Street. The Commission did not attempt to decide questions of policy with regard to this ordinance but endeavored to place in the hands of the I^ocal Industries Committee such information as would enable the committee to frame an ordinance satisfactory to the city. After having decided on questions of street openings and street widening the Commission reported to the Local Industries Committee as follows: "December 14, 1916. Alderman James H. Lawley, Chairman, and Members of the Sub-Committee of the Local Industries Committee, City Hall, Chicago. Gentlemen : In re Santa Fe Fruit Terminal Ordinance. Acting under instructions from the Railway Terminal Commission, I am transmitting herewith the following papers : "a" Original ordinance submitted to the Commission by your Sub- Committee ; "b" Substitute ordinance prepared by the Santa Fe Railway Company, to which is attached the comments and recommendations of the Commission ; "c" A modification of the substitute ordinance made by the Santa Fe Railway Company to meet certain of the recommendations of the Commission. (This ordinance was received by the Commission today, consequently the Commission could not give same considera- tion without delaying its report. It is transmitted herewith for any assistance it may be in your preparation of the final ordinance.) "d" A communication from Mr. Brode B. Davis, attorney for the N. K. Fairbanks Company. (This communication was written by Mr. Davis at the request of the Commission, after he had had an op- portunity to examine a tentative draft of the proposed report by the Commission on this subject.) "e" Copy of a drawing prepared by the staff of the Commission, show- ing in perspective the proposed viaduct and approach on Blackwell Street, and also showing how the east 55 feet of the street could be improved with a level viaduct in a manner that would give the N. K. Fairbanks Company access to Blackwell Street for the entire distance between 18th Street and 20th Street, without interfering with the use of the space underneath for switch track purposes. 21 The Commission is of the opinion that the development of the property now owned by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway Company west of Blackwell Street, by placing thereon the proposed fruit terminal, will not interfere with the solution of the railway terminal situation, and is further of the opinion that the City will be greatly benefited by the opening of the new north and south street provided for in the ordinance and bv the con- struction and operati(jn of the proposed fruit terminal : the ordinance, how- ever, should contain adequate provision binding the Railway Company to the erection and operation of such terminal. The Commission has given exhaustive consideration to all phases of this subject, and in transmitting the attached papers believes it is placing vour Committee in position to prepare an ordinance that — while safeguarding the interests of the city — will be acceptable to the parties at interest. The members of the Commission are ready to go before your Committee at any time — should you so elect — for a further consideration of the subject, but do not believe that further consideration by the Commission as a body should be necessary. Respectfully submitted, (Signed) EDWARD J. NOONAN, EJN :H Secretary Railway Terminal Commission." During the period that his matter was under consideration by the Com- mission a model was constructed by the Staff of the Commission which showed graphically the improvements contemplated by the Atchison, Topeka territory and also in relation to possible improvements in connection with the straightening of the Chicago River and the developments contemplated in connection with the Illinois Central-Lake Front improvements. This model was submitted to the Local Industries Committee and greatly facilitated the consideration given this subject by this Committee. After a number of meetings the Local Industries Committee completed a draft of an ordinance as shown in Pamphlet No. 718, which ordinance was referred to the Compensation Committee. The ordinance together with the report ot the Compensation Committee came up for consideration before the City Council April 4, 1917, and an amendment was offered providing for an electrification program to be adopted by the Santa Fe Railway Company, and the whole matter was then referred to the Railway Terminal Committee. See Plate No. 14. 22 ILLINOIS CENTRAL-LAKE FRONT ORDINANCE. The South Park Commissioners — acting under the general laws of the State of Illinois and under the special provisions of an act approved May 4, 1903, May 2, 1907, May 25, 1911, and June 11, 1912, respectively— in an agreement with the Illinois Central Railroad Compan\ , dated March 30, 1912, and a supplemental agreement dated June 26, 1912, fixed the eastern boundary line of the Illinois Central Railroad property between Grant Park and Fifty-first street, and the Illinois Central Railroad Company in turn relinquished to the South Park Board its riparian rights along the shore of Lake Michigan between the boundaries noted above. The agreements, among other things, provided that the Illinois Central Railroad Company — under certain conditions— would remove its existing passenger station fronting on Twelfth Street. In order to make these agreements practically efTectivc, it was necessary to secure from the Secretary of War a permit to fill in land now submerged along the shore of Lake Michigan between the boundaries noted in the preceding paragraph. The Secretary of War had indicated that the passage of appropriate ordi- nances by the City Council — providing among other things, for a Harbor District within the limits covered by these agreements — would be considered a condition precedent to the approval by the War Department of the plans of the South Park Commissioners. The Railway Terminal Commission in its report of March 29. 191. '^. commenting on this matter, stated as follows : "Should the City, the South Park Commissioners and the Illinois Central Railroad come to an agreement under which the City Council would pass ordinances protecting the city and making possible the carrying out of the agreements referred to, the Illinois Central Rail- road would come into possession of lands which, in addition to their present holdings, would give it an unusual site for passenger terminals." -Vcting under suggestion from the War Department, as noted above, the City Council Committee on Harbors, Wharves and Bridges, in the latter part of the year 1914, commenced a series of hearings for the purpose of framing an ordinance establishing Harbor District Number Three — extend- ing from Sixteenth Street to Thirty-first Street — and providing for access thereto over the lands of the Illinois Central Railroad Company. Members of the Railway Terminal Commission attended a number of these hearings and took part in the discussion. The President of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, at the request of the Committee, attended several meetings, discussed the general question of Lake Front and Harbor Development in connection with contemplated im- provements by this Railroad and stated that plans covering the proposed development of the railroad property were not completed and could not be submitted to the Committee. The Committee felt that it could not wait on the completion of these plans and therefore inserted in the ordinance a clause providing that the Illinois Central Railroad could not make use of 23 any of the property obtained throuf^h the agreement with the South Park Conitnissioners until plans for the utilization of such property had been approved by the City Council. In January, 1916, the Committee on Harbors, Wharves and Bridges completed its drafts of the ordinance and transmitted a copy to the Illinois Centra! Railroad Company. On January 14, 1916, the Railway Terminal Committee of the City Council referred to the Railway Terminal Commission — for a preliminary survey and a recommendation as to the best method of procedure — a resolu- tion directing the Committee directly and through the Railway Terminal Commission to take up for consideration the entire question of the reloca- tion of the terminals of tlie Illinois Central Railroad. On February 23, 1916, Mr. C. H. Markham, President of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, addressed a letter to the Chairman of the Com- mittee on Harbors, Wharves and Bridges with reference to the ordinance prepared by that Committee. In this letter, Mr. Markham — after setting forth reasons why he thought he could not, in behalf of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, accept the ordinance as drawn — made the following alternative suggestions : "(\) Believing tht the Ciey is already well equipped with all of the power necessary to safeguard the public interest, the proposed ordi- nance ought to be restricted in its relationship to this Compan\ to only those things which are necessary to obtain permit from the Secretary of War for the filling in of the submerged lands. This would enable the City and the South Park Commission to proceed with the work and the Illinois Central Railroad Company is willing to co-operate to the extent that it will not be crippled or hampered in its own operation or interfered with in the performance of the service to the pulilic which it is obligated b}- its charter to perform. (2) If this is not satisfactory, we would suggest that the ordinance be deferred until such a time as this Company's plans for its ter- minals have been developed to such an extent as will enable us to come before you with an intelligent plan of our requirements for the construction of the terminal. We are now preparing these plans and it will only be a few months before they will have been developed sufficiently to enable us to do this." On March 7, 1916, the Railwa}- Terminal Commission instructed the chairman to address the following letter to the Railway Terminal Committee : "March 7, 1916. .\lderman Ellis Geiger, Chairman, and Members of the City Council Com- mittee on Railway Terminals, City Hall, Chicago. Cicntlemen : .\t a meeting of the Council Committee on Railway Terminals, held January 14, 1916, there was referred to the Railway Terminal Commission for preliminary survey and recommendation as to the best method of pro- cedure on the following matters : ".•\. A resolution (referred to the Committee January 10, 1916) directing the Committee directly and through the Chicago Terminal Com- 24 mission to take up for consideration the entire (|nestion of the re- location of the terminal of the Illinois Central Railroad Company. B. A copy of an order, passed by the City Council December 10, 1915, directing the Committee on Railway Terminals to take up with the Illinois Central Company the development of additional terminal facilities to the end that adequate terminal facilities shall be pro- vided and a rate of fare established not to exceed ten cents within the city limits." I desire to report that the Commission has given consideration to these matters and that at the request of the Commission. Mr. Walter Fisher, Alderman Ellis Geiger and myself had an interview with President Mark- ham of the Illinois Central Railroad with reference to these matters in which the subject of the re-location of the Illinois Central passenger station, elec- trification of the Illinois Central tracks and the questif)n as to the rate of fare for suburban service were taken up and discussed very much in detail. President Markham has promised to submit tentative plans for such terminal developments as speedily as possible and present them for con- sideration. Meanwhile, the staff of the Commission has been giving attention to this subject, so that the Committee may have the benelit of this preliminary stiuix' in advance of plans being presented by the Railroad Company. As having a bearing on this subject matter, I am submitting herewith copy of a letter from Mr. Markham addressed to Alderman Littler, Chairman of the Committee on Harbors, Wharves and Bridges. Very truly yours, J. F. WALLACE, JFW:H Chairman." While the plans of the Illinois Central Railroad Company were being prepared, the Commission and its staff conferred with officials of the Railroad Company and the staff of the Commission made alternative studies of differ- ent features included in the plans, and also constructed a model which cm- bodied the station plans of the Railroad Company and also showed the area between Fourteenth Street and Twenty-second Street from Canal Street tt) the Lake, with all railroads and buildings correctly shown thereon, together with tentative plans for railroad grade separation within this territory. On this model was also shown the proposed plan of the Railroad Company for an additional approach to the station from the west south of Eighteenth Street. Before this model could be constructed, it was necessary to work out detail plans, take photographs of the area in order to get the building develop- ment, and consult various sources of information. On September 20, 1916, Mr. Baldwin, the Chief Engineer of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, at a meeting of the Railway Terminal Committee, presented plans which showed a possible development of the property of the Railroad Company, but did not submit any ordinance or proposition which could be used as a basis of consideration b}- the Committee. The Committee therefore requested the Illinois Central Railroad Company to present, in the form of an ordinance or resolution, the action which the Railroad Company desired from the City and also to submit alternative plans showing an initial development sufificient for the railroads now using the Illinois Central Station 25 and how such initial development would form part of the comprehensive development shown in the plan submitted at this meeting. Durinff October and November the Commission had several conferences with the ofilicials of the Illinois Central Railroad Company- in reference to the terms of the ordinance being prepared by the Illinois Central Railroad Com- pany, particularly in regard to the question of electrification, and the Com- mission advised the officials of the Railroad Company that, in its opinion, no ordinance would receive consideration by the city that did not provide for the electrification of at least the suburban service of the Illinois Central Railroad. On December 14, 1916, Mr. C. H. Markham, President of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, attended a meeting of the Railway Terminal Commission and submitted a copy of a jjroposed ordinance covering the im- provements on the Lake Front and providing for the new station at Twelfth Street, and advised the Commission that it was his intention to submit this ordinance to the Railway Terminal Committee in the near future. This ordinance was submitted at a meeting of the Railway Terminal Committee held December 29, 1916, by Mr. Baldwin, and contained the following provisions : The suburban service of the Illinois Central Railroad Company to be electrified within five years after work on the proposed improvement was started ; A new route of entrance to the proposed station extending north of and parallel with Archer Avenue from Stewart Avenue to State Street thence parallel and south of Eighteenth Street to the right of way of the Illinois Central Railroad — this line of railroad to be elevated in accord- ance with the usual track elevation provisions, stipulating the location and kind of subways ; The establishment of Harbor District Number Three, substantially as contained in the ordinance prepared by the Committee on Harbors, Wharves and Bridges ; For the location, grades and elevations of proposed viaducts for access across the tracks of the Illinois Central Railroad to the proposed Harbor District and the Lake Front Improvement ; For the concurrence by the city in the contracts between the Rail- road Company and the South Park Board and in the application to the War Department for permission to fill in submerged land ; For sub-surface use of a portion of Grant Park — sui)ject to approval by the South Park Board — for the purpose of rearranging the entrance to the suburban station of the Illinois Central Railroad located north of Randolph Street ; For the use of the sub-surface of Grant Park from Adams Street to Randolph Street for the purpose of operating a terminal in conjunc- tion with the possible use of the same area for city transportation sub- ways and access from Twelfth Street to this terminal under Grant Park; Permission for the filling in of certain slips along the Chicago River; For the extension of the life of existing franchises covering the oper- ation of the Blue Island Branch, the South Chicago Branch and the Kensington and Eastern Branch of the Illinois Central Railroad. 26 Considerable discussit)n was held on tiie o-.diiiaiicc, i)rirticularl)- with reference to electrification, the extension of the electrification provision to cover other branches of the service, and the effect snch electrification would have on the bringing of other railroads into this tcrniinal. A motion was finally passed bv the Cfmimiltec rciiuesting the Illinois Central Railroad Company to submit an ordinance containing provisions for complete electrification within a reasonable length of time. At a meeting of the Railway Terminal Commission January 16, 1917. the proposed Ordinance of the Illinois Central Railroad was under considera- tion. The question of electrification and other phases of the Ordinance were generally discussed with Mr. Markham and Mr. Baldwin, after which the Commission adopted the following resolution : "RESOLVED : That the Chicago Railway Terminal Commission sees no reason why the Ordinance to establish Harbor District Number Three of the City of Chicago and to provide for adjustment of certain matters between the South Park Commissioners, the Illinois Central Railroad Company, and the City, should not provide for the electrifica- tion of the suburban service of said Illinois Central Railroad Company within five } ears from the date of the passage of said Ordinance, and the complete electrification of all branches of the service of said railroad in the City of Chicago, within ten years from the passage of said Ordi- nance." On January 17, 1917, there was a meeting of the Railway Terminal Com- mittee, at which Mr. Markham explained the improvements contemplated in connection with the proposed ordinance, which may be summarized as fol- lows : The complete relocation of the suburban tracks and the segregation of these tracks to the westerly side of the right of way for a distance of about eight miles ; The construction of a subwa\ for this service under its proposed passenger terminal ; The reconstruction of all of the stations and waiting-rooms used in connection with this service ; The reconstruction of the signal service ; The complete electrification of about one hundred miles of track; The purchase of entirely new suburban passenger equipment ; The depressing of all tracks between Thirty-first Street and Forty- seventh Street ; Easements for street crossings; The construction of a new passenger terminal at an estimated cost of approximately fifteen million dollars ; The reduction in the number of engines operating on the Lake Front through electrification of suburban service and a proposed southerly connection with the St. Charles Air Line. Mr. Markham also explained that the Michigan Central Railroad had perpetual running rights over the tracks of the Illinois Central from Kensing- ton and owned and operated its own freight terminal at South Water Street and that the Illinois Central Railroad Comi)any had no authority to agree 27 to an electrification jMogram that would include the operations of the Michi- gan Central Railroad. In his opinion, a [)ro^;rani for complete electrification would render it more difficult for the Company to secure other railroad com- panies as tenants for the proposed station and without additional tenants the full benefits of tlie settlement and agreement with the South I'ark Board could not be obtained. Later in the meeting, Mr. Wallace, presented the resolution of the Rail- way Terminal Commission with reference to electrification and explained U' the Committee some of the factors which influenced the Commission in ado])t ing this resolution. Mr. Wallace called the attention of the Committee to the fact that the Commission had previously recommended that anv ordinance granted the Illinois Central should contain provisions for the electrification of at least its sulnnban service and had at various meetings impressed upon the President of the Illinois Central Railroad Company the necessity of pro- viding for the electrification of at least the suburban service of this railroad. However, this was before the Illinois Central Railroad Company sub- mitted its ordinance and was predicated on the idea that such ordinance would be limited in its character and sufficient to protect the city in case the city should join with the South Park Commissioners in an application to the War Department for a permit to fill in the Lake Front. When the Commission had an opportunity to consider the ordinance submitted by the Illinois Central Railroad Company, it was seen that this ordinance was of much broader scope than the Commission had expected and if passed — in the form submitted — would make it unnecessary for this rail- road to come to the city fi)r additional legislation for many jears. The Commission was aware of an increasing public sentiment in favor of smoke abatement, looking toward the electrification of railroads in Chicago and that this sentiment was so deep founded that it would eventually result in gradual electrification substantially in the manner in which track elevation was brought about. The Commission was therefore of the opinion that the city should not at this time grant privileges to the Illinois Central Railroad Company which would make the company practically independent of the city for many years and take away from the city its power for demanding in contract ordinances the electrification of all of the service of the Illinois Central Railroad. At a meeting of the Railway Terminal Committee held February 6, 1917, the resolution of the Railway Terminal Commission pertaining to the elec- trification of the Illinois Cetitral Railroad was formally adopted and the Railway Terminal Commission by motion, was requested to present to the Committee at its next meeting a statement of such matters of general policy as in the opinion of the Commission would arise in connection with the preparation and consideration of the Illinois Central ordinance. .\t a meeting of the Railwa\' Terminal Commission held March 6, 1917, the Commission gave consideration to the request of the Railway Terminal Committee noted above and instructed the Chairman to submit the following statement : 28 "The Commission had always been of the opinion that the primal requisite to a consideration of this Illinois Central ordinance was an understanding as to what the Conunittee would require in the way of provision for electrification, and it is tliought that when the scope of the ordinance as pertaining to electrification is definitely decidetl upon, the other provisions of the ordinance can be readily determined. The Commission has already transmitted to the Committee a resolu- tion in regard to the electrification of the Illinois Central Railroad tracks and the Committee, by a formal action has concurred in this resolution. The Commission in this resolution stated that it saw no reason whv the ordinance tinder consideration should not provide for the electrifica- tion of the suburban services of the Illinois Central Railroad within five years, and complete electrification of both the passenger and freight service within ten years, but in the discussion before the Committee, it was made plain that the question as to time at which this electrification should be brought about was open for discussion. It may develop from future discussions that some interval of time other than ten > ears might be agreed upon as being more reasonable. The Committee may also be willing — as a matter of compromise — to enter into a discussion with the Illinois Central Railroad as to the proprietv of excluding from the electrification provisions of this ordi- nance, the Western Lines of the Illinois Central Railroad, particularly as the Illinois Central Railroad secures entrance to its station from the West over the St. Charles Air Line, of which property it owns only a one- fourth interest, and the Illinois Central might be unable to agree to the electrification of a property of which it is not the sole owner. The Commission, however, is not recommending that the cit\ take the initiative in offering such a proposition to the Illinois Central. The consideration of other matters pertaining to this proposed ordi- nance can well be deferred until a satisfactory agreement is reached per- taining to electrification. For the information of the Committee, how- ever, the following subjects are outlined as being the more important features of the ordinance and on which the Committee will e\entualh- have to make decision. Eighteenth Street Connection. The question as to the Eighteenth Street connection is one of the matters which will have to be settled by the Committee. The Commis- sion is of the opinion that it would be inadvisable for the city to permit of the construction of this 18th Street connection if the present St. Charles Air Line is to be maintained. The Commission is not convinced that tlie four tracks of the St. Charles Air Line are not sufficient to take care of all of the traffic which would come into the new station from the West, particularly if the switching to and from industries located along this line is restricted to such hours as will not interfere with the main line movements to and from the station. The Commission appreciates that the Illinois Central would nnich prefer to have its independent connection into its station, but if it is proven impossible for the Illinois Central to make arrangements with the other companies of the St. Charles Air Line in regard to bringing pro- spective tenants over this line, it would be much more desirable for the Illinois Central to secure additional right of way adjacent to the Air Line on which to place independent tracks than to build ;in independent con- nection at 18th Street. 29 Or, if this is proven not feasible, it might be possible to work out an arrangement by which the traffic of the Air Line could be diverted to the 18tli Street connection and the Air Line discontinued, but in such an event there would be quite a serious question arise as to furnisliing trackage facilities to the industries now located along the Air Line. Viaduct Cost. In regard to the question as to who should bear the expense of the construction of the proposed viaducts across the Illinois Central for " access to the Lake Front and as to the nature and location of these viaducts, the Commission feels that this is a matter for the Committee to work out in conference with the Illinois Central. The Commission can advise with the Committee on the above ques- tion, but in the final analysis it is a matter that the Committee itself will decide. Depression of Tracks. In regard to the depression of the Illinois Central tracks, the Com- mission believes that the tracks should be kept as low as possible, so as to reduce to a minimum the obstruction of access to the Lake Front, and so that the approaches to the viaducts crossing the tracks will cause as little damage to abutting property as possible. Where this depressed track level will connect with the existing elevated right of way South of 51st Street will present a separate problem that will have to be worked out in detail. Other Matters. Other matters to which the Committee will have to give considera- tion in its discussion of the proposed ordinance are the application of the Illinois Central Railroad for rights under Grant Park for the develop- ment of a suburban terminal and also the question as to the extension of existing franchises on some of the branch lines of this railroad. It would be useless at this time to advise the Committee as to the proper treatment of these suggestions, as such treatment will be largely affected by other considerations growing out of the consideration of the entire ordinance." During the months of March, April and May there were a number of meetings between the members of the Commission and representatives of the Illinois Central Railroad, and the staff of the Commission devoted consider- able time to working out a number of matters in connection with the pro- posed Illinois Central Railroad Development. .lune l.'i, 1917. On June 15, 1917, the Railway Terminal Committee referred to the Com- mission the Ordinance submitted some months before by the Illinois Central Railroad. During June, July, August and September, there were a num- ber of meetings of the Commission on the Illinois Central matter and the members of the Commission individually had conferences with representa- tives of the Illinois Central Railroad. The staff of the Commission at this time was occupied with an analysis of the provision of the Illinois Central Ordinance and in preparation of studies covering special features of same. During the month of October, 1917, a number of meetings of the Com- mission were held at which there were present representatives of the Illinois 30 Central Railroad Compain-. In these meetings the Ordinance submitted by the Railroad Company was gone over in detail. At the conclusion of these meetings the representatives of the Railroad Company were requested to prepare a re-draft of the Ordinance incorporating suggestions brought out in the meetings referred to above. During November and December of 1917, the members of the Commis- sion or its staff were in almost continuous conference with representatives of the Railroad Company in preparation of a re-draft of the Illinois Central Ordinance. During January and February, 1918, conferences with the Illinois Central Railroad officials were continued. On January 15th, a report was made to the Railway Terminal Committee outlining the progress being made in the con- sideration of the Illinois Central Ordinance. braary 18, 1918. On February 18, 1918, at a meeting of the Commission, it was decided that counsel for the Commission should prepare an Ordinance covering the proposed Illinois Central Lake Front Improvement including provisions for electrification in several progressive stages. During March, April, May and June the staff' of the Commission together with representatives of the Corporation Counsel's office and members of the Commission, were in almost continuous consultation with reference to pro- visions to be embodied in an Ordinance and working out the details of the physical plans, grades, viaduct crossings, etc. ly 10. 1918. )cember 10, 1918. nnary 17, 1919. On July 10, 1918, the Commission reported to the Railway Terminal Committee that Mr. Markham, President of the Illinois Central Railroad Company, had become associated with the Federal Railroad Administration, and that the president succeeding Mr. Markham had requested that further negotiations be deferred until fall so that he might have an opportunity to become more familiar with the subject. During the next few months progress was made in working out the details of the Ordinance in informal conferences with reiiresentativcs of the Illinois Central Railroad Company. At a meeting of the Commission held December 10, 1918, an Ordinance "marked draft of December 7, 1918" was .submitted to a sub-committee of the Railway Terminal Committee which had been previously appointed to give special consideration to the Illinois Central Lake I'ront Ordinance. During the month of January, 1919, several joint meetings of the Com- mission and the Sub-committee of the Railway Terminal Committee were held, and on January 17, 1919, Mr. Walter Fisher was instructed to prepare an opinion on the extension of Lake Street, South Water Street and River Street, east of Beaubien Court. It was decided at this meeting that consider- ation of the Illinois Central Lake Front Ordinance be deferred until the opinion by Mr. Fisher could be prepared. 31 May 20, 1919. In the time during which Mr. Fisher was preparing his opinion a number of meetings were held in the office of the Commission for the purpose of con- sidering details of the Ordinance and at other meetings the provisions of the Ordinance were explained to representatives of civic and other organizations. On May 20, 1919, the opinion of Mr. Fisher on the stub-end streets was received and active consideration of the Ordinance was again taken up. There were meetings almost every day in May and ten meetings were held in the month of June. During this period several re-drafts of the Ordinance were prepared. On June 26th the Ordinance was reported by the sub-coniniittee to the full Railwa\ Terminal Committee. July 21, 1919. During the month of June there were several meetings of the Committee and on July 21, 1919, the Ordinance was passed by the City Council. During all the time that this Ordinance was under consideration, that is, from May 20th to its final passage by the City Council, in addition to the meetings listed above there were held numerous conferences with reference to details of the Ordinance, textual amendments and matters of like kind so that during this interval the Commission either through its own members or its stafif was occupied almost uninterruptedly b} work in connection with this Ordinance. August 27, 1919. On August 27, 1919, there was a hearing held in the United States En- gineer's office at Chicago with reference to the provisions in the Illinois Central Lake Front Ordinance for the creation of Harbor District Number Three and the reclamation of land for park purposes. Before this meeting studies were made of questions involved and a state- ment was prepared by the Chairman for presentation at this hearing. Later an additional statement was prepared and submitted by the Chairman in rebuttal of certain statements brought out in the hearing of August 27th. January 14, 1920. At a meeting of the City Council held January 14, 1920, the Illinois Central Lake Front Ordinance was amended by extending the period of acceptance one month. During the last months of 1919 the members of the Commission had a number of conferences with the Chicago representative of the Chief of Engi- neers of the United States Army with reference to a permit from the Secretary of War and also had conferences with representatives of the railroad with reference to the acceptance of the Ordinance. February 5, 1920. At a meeting of the City Council held February 5, 1920, the acceptance clause in the Illinois Central Lake FVont Ordinance was amended to cover the question of the approval of the issuance of securities by Commissions created for that purpose. At this same meeting of the City Council the Ordinance was amended so as to include the ])rovisions required by the War 1 )ci)artnient. S2 The Ordinance was accepted by the South Park Commissioners January 21, 1920, and the amendments to the Ordinance noted above were accepted b\- the South Park Commissioners Februar}- 10, 1920. The Ordinance was accepted by the Illinois Central Railroad Company and the other Railroad Companies party thereto on February 18, 1920. The permit from the Secre- tarv of A\'ar was issued under dale of Februar\ 20, 1920. 88 EXHIBIT I PLATES Plate Number Railroad Route and Terminal Map 1 Tentative Route Map with Three Passenger 'J'erniinal Stations 2 Railroad Facilities — Central Business District 3 Railroad Occupation in Relation to Loop District 4 Railroad Areas — Central Business District 5 Location Railroad Facilities — Central Business District 6 Perspective Drawing — West Side Terminal Developnietit 7 Union Passenger Station — Track Level 8 Pennsylvania Freight House 9 Burlington Freight House 10 Chicago & Alton Freight House 11 B. & O. C. T. R. R. Coach Yards and Engine Terminals 12 Dearborn Station — Temporary Facilities 13 Santa Fe Fruit Terminal 14 River Straightening — Location and Property Ownership 15 River Straightening — Property Areas 16 Central Business District — Possible Street Openings and Reduction of Railroad Occupation in Relation to Railroad Facilities 17 Railroad Facilities — Southern Area 18 Rearrangement of Freight Facilities — Tentative Plans — Track Level 19 Rearrangement of Freight Facilities — Section Showing Air Right De- velopment 20 Rearrangement of Freight Facilities — Tentative Plan — Viaduct Level 21 PLATE NO. 1. RAILROAD ROUTE AND TERMINAL MAP Note lines of railroad approaching City from all directions and how these lines have been con- solidated into groups as the business center is reached. — See Page 5 — PLATE NO. 2. RAILROAD ROUTE AND TERMINAL MAP Showing the possibility of consolidating en- trance routes for passenger trains in connection with the plan for three terminal passenger sta- tions. —See Page 8— Lvanston RAILROAD ROUTE AND TERl-HN^U. 11?? AND VICINITY lo accompany report ol Uiito*© Kaimay lermnol Loi Showing possible use of Illinois Central trarks and terminal for through poss«>n^r traffic by railroads now using Dearborn. La 5al!e and Grand Central Stations WEST SOUTH IC B B ATiSTRv B aO R R CO w R-H CCC1.5TI, BY CI A L fiy C iC R R C IE. 1 RR C to RY (/l-d C PllPH^ GTW RY M.CRR WYC RR WYCkSTL RR PMRR WABA5M RR PLATE NO. 3. CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT Showing Railroad Facilities Existing and Under Construction. All the facilities on the west side of the river have been — or are being — reconstructed. Note that the facilities do not interfere with any of east and west streets north of Roosevelt Road — and as part of the reconstruction program, new viaducts arc being constructed at all of these streets. East of the river all of the railroad facilities are of antiquated type — east and west streets are blocked, and Clark Street is the only north and south street that extends through the rail- road territory and this street is narrowed in width by encroachment of railroad tracks. The line of proposed river straightening is shown by a dotted line — note the absence of per- manent improvements in the line of river straightening. — See Pages 6 and 11 — J^j-lUlMkv^hri no I ■^ m^?^f~ :^='iv.\wX1 P I n ^ n i-i I " i — n □□DDno ^r^^=^^ j\ ii — ^ir HHnn " RAMOOLPM ODnn annnnnan FJ'.fl. C f NOOLPM ST nnEsnnnm iDDD 9 ' nte^.. isr teUbb ir ]£ R «r ;' n >aw. g - naQDDn ■fT][; □D| J p DD i\^ I " -r 1 c n [3S253' ~"~ J JUi a 11 TSMm^ -^r I ICZT] ;^ _l v' [ I J to) s I Vfl ,(^' /r:^ .^^ 3 ff Vm ^ f i[]D sP.^r 'r7 n- iLiUlill CENTRAL Bl'S!NE?S DISTRICT CHICAGO SHCWINO RAILROAD TACILITltS tXlSTlNG AND UNDER CONSTRUCTION PLATE NO. 4. CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT Railroad Occupancy • This Plate shows railroad occupancy surround- ing the Central Business District — the property of each railroad being shown by distinctive mark- ing. -See Page 5- i pa _) Carroll a-'i: CHICAGO , 1 f, CHICAGO Central Business District \v CDQanannq CHICAGO 1^1 H 1 I 1 I 1 L_i I 1 L SHOWING EAILBOAD OCCUPANCY Chicago Eailwoy Terminal Commiaaion 5CALL 100 «N) «M no CO) ITMfl ■taa •^X AUST IN IZ^ AVt. ~~ _~_ T AU^TIH :\ WAY HAN rul-TON 3 E33 P"^ ]^n^m- WA3HU Tun D uSsnaDDonaDnnnnGB ' ■ ■ BANDOLPH 51 t. RAND O LPH 5T laoasOT naooooa n nnDDBDnn *.T E MADI 50 H ST DnOQBaDD :■ T E MCMB O 5T DponanQD DSDD ssnnn W MADIJOH DDD Dl PLATE NO. 5. CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT Showing Areas of Railroad Occupancy. On Plate No. 4 was shown territory occupied by each railroad. In this Plate (No. 5) is shown the area occupied by groups of railroads and designated as northern area, northwestern area, western area, southern area and eastern area. The northern area and the northwestern area do not ofTer any serious obstruction to the free flow of traffic to and from the Central Business District. The railroad facilities in the western area are all being reconstructed in accordance with the Union Station Ordinance. The facilities in the eastern area are to be reconstructed in accordance with the Illinois Cen- tral-Lake Front Ordinance. The reconstruction and revamping of railroad facilities in the southern area, in connection with river straightening, should be undertaken as the next logical step in connection with the solution of the railway terminal problem as affecting the Central Business District. — See Page 7- ] ■ ■" ■ ] *^ W HANOOLPH ~_Z^y ^T E RANDOLPH ST V y ^ ^ nzr UJI II I C Chicago ^□nt]na CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT CHICAGO SHOWING BY AREAS EXTENT OF RAILROAD OCCUPATION c, I I I I I I [ j I lo atciainpony raporl ol Ltiic»^ Kailwuy l«rl .. 1L.1...-U.S i J ST 5 ? _5 t_E °; ILLINO IS ? ST .-Tl \ W AUSTIN AVE C _^"/I."^ _ e=]a[±i]: esaa WATCR 5T a D D D g D DQ %'^>?///;v /4^'y//A 5T C LAKC ST^/ / / / ^ ^ ./ •1r_ ^___ "n nn I rn rn rn rn^rn niK^.^y -. '''////77?27^ ^CZZD'CZI'l WASHINGTON H WASHINGTON 5T MAOIJ.ON ST C MA OIS QN ST D D □ D iTJDaHQ OHd D ^dqoIqddd d d d do c^naSEEHgBSDgDD IS tJACKSONBVL nnDEaBooQgmnagn VAN euRLN ._ _____ ^T C VAN B URCNS QD© ^MiDHanncil T-r-ir c 22 I 1 r—i r-1 I 1 S s PLATE NO. 6. CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT Showing Location of Railroad Buildings, Team Yards and Terminals. This is an index map that shows by number reference the location of each railroad building, team yard and terminal in the territory imme- diately surrounding the business district. Note the LaSalle Street Station (No. 5) at the very southern edge of the Loop District. Also the row of freight houses along Polk Street blocking the expansion of the Central Business District southwai'd. -LJ-JL JSOO □ _W SUPCRl OR , ST ^ „ i rnmr W ONTARIO Tf % i .i o ^c nnngnnn m DDo^ DDQ anDDDDQ \ms mi 1=1 c^ inUP Dnnq DC :□ :-□: I ■s 111 n ciniz: c^ c ^a g 33 M ~^ m Snnr P *sU< =1 tsnrlbtfy ISDD A] i::y 4® D DDID K : I ^ ■INDEX- PASSENGER TERMINALS 1 C R R Present Tchmin/kl Proposed New Terminal r Suburban Teouinal Oeabborn Station Lasallc Statio Grand Central 5 Uniom Statiom Proposeo C&NW. Station FREIGHT TERMINALS Penna.Rv. New Freight Terminal unoeh consiruc pROPOStD Team Yard C s, A R R. » Team Yard C B S.Q R R Freight Terminal " Team Yaad ATi-STRY ' Proposed Tduit Terminal MStPsSSM RY Treight Terminal FREIGHT iOUSES . TEAM YARDS ETC AT&SF RY Inbouno rREKHi Houst Outbound " Round House Team Yard B.&O.CTR R. Inbound Fucioht House OineouHD ■• C 6E.I.R.R Inbound •■ Outbound " C aE R.R. In-0ut8ouno" C i N W. RY Dock Warehouse Fruit ■■ In-Outbound Freiomt Houn Coach Yabd Flour Warehouie Outbound FftcroHT HouU Inoouno " " Team Yard 5hop Buildings Storacc Freight House Transfer ■■ Team Yard C B.6.Q R.R. Transfer Freight House " In- Outbound •■ 4- i C.6.W.R.R ' C.I. S.L. RV I CMiSxP RY NYCaStL R R PM.R.R PCC 4.StL RY Outbound ' " IrtBOuHO I WABASH R R Inbound I " Ot/raouMD I Federal Buildins ». Post OrricE Outbound Im-Outboond ■• In-Outbound Outboukd ■■ ■' Inbound Outbound ■■ ■■ i Inbound Outbound Inbound Inbound ■' ■' Outbound Elevator A Dock House Freight House Supply Houses Team Yaad Team ■• Inbound Freight House Outbound " JN60UND Outbound ■• Fruit House Dock Freight House Elevator A' Freight House Fruit HouSE Freight House aTeai Inbound Freight House Outbound " Roundhouse & Team Yard Inbound Faei&ht House OuTeouNO " " Team Yard In-Outbound Frei&ht Mouse . OuTi u Yard -r^-f-r- PLATE NO. PERSPECTIVE DRAWING Railroad Facilities West Side of River. This drawing has been made from the construc- tion plans and shows how the district will appear when the improvements in connection with the Union Station Ordinance are completed. The "two level" type of freight house is clearly shown by the tracks disappearing under the build- ing — the Pennsylvania Freight House — shown in the foreground center. This permits of a double use of the same ground area. The large building with the flag on the west side of Canal Street has been introduced into the pic- ture to show the possibility of attractive building development along the edge of this terminal area. With modern terminal improvements the "shacks" and rundown buildings along the edges of city railway terminals will disappear. -See Page 6- PLATE NO. 8. THE UNION PASSENGER STATION Track Level Plan. This drawing shows the track layout and pro- posed interior arrangement of the head house and concourse of the Union Passenger Station now under construction. It shows how the head house is set to one side and connected with the concourse by using the under surface of Canal Street. < Uls 5 fa PLATE NO. 9. PENNSYLVANIA FREIGHT HOUSE Western Area. This is the first two-level type of freight house built in Chicago. The arrangement of tracks and platforms on one level and the drive- ways and freight houses on the level above is shown in the section. The warehouse development above the freight house is also shown. The team yards, coach yards and passenger engine terminals are also shown on this drawing. —See Page 6 — PLATE NO. 10. BURLINGTON FREIGHT HOUSE Western Area. I This freight house is under construction. It is of the two level type but the arrangement of the tracks is dilTerent from the Pennsylvania house shown on Plate No. 9. In this plan the under surface of Canal Street is utilized. —See Page 6— 1 o 5 2 3 3 z ' i I e- 5 O I f i' 70 '\^'^\'V\\\:l|;ii;iiii ^^ ROOSEVELT I PLATE NO. 11. ALTON FREIGHT HOUSE West Side Area. This is a two-level type freight house and has recently been completed. The arrangement differs somewhat from either the Pennsylvania or Bur- lington houses shown on Plates No. 9 and No. 10. A portion of the building is carried up a number of stories to provide general office space. The building is divided in two parts at the street level to permit of Harrison Street extend- ing through the development. Note also the driveway extending from Polk Street to Van Buren Street. -See Page 6 — ,4 Tin: T. I :n : n-- L I t i : I rl t I- .111: 3 1 ps L-- -7T- . - . 1 U- t ] ■fi" rni ii rn] I I 1 PLATE NO. 12. COACH YARD AND ENGINE HOUSE FACILITIES B. & O. C. T. R. R. A new location was made necessary for these facilities on account of improvements in connec- tion with the Union Station and the rearrange- ment of freight house facilities of the Pennsyl- vania Company. This map also shows extension of subways along portion of the B. & O. C. T. R. R. right-of- way. -See Page 17, Exhibit L— H i a < 7. p IK f () in J; K 0> S^ 0) J 7. rr'. ^ 3£ h If} < 2 <—> M M :^ u. s U i: oji*A3T3 NvinodOai PLATE NO. 13. ANNEX TO DEARBORN STATION This Plate shows a temporary addition to the Dearborn Passenger Station, referred to on page 12 of Exhibit I. It is iaiportant that no improvement of a per- manent nature be undertaken in connection with the facilities of any one railroad or group of rail- «x)ads in the "southern area" unless such improve- ment is co-ordinated with plans for the complete revision of all the railroad facilities in this area — in connection with river straightening. o PC POLK N &5 a: < o H CO DEARBORN STATION! DC UJ P U U-. TAYLOR t y ' «< ' .\* -' j ! tV^ '^'' ST. IMMIGRANT STATION H CO 0) ST. LOCATION PLAN Chicago & Western Indiana PIailroad IMMIGRANT STATION annex to dearborn station looccompany repoK a \jktc©6o Kailway lermuwi Ot 'ommi3Sion SO 100 1921 PLATE NO. 14. SANTA FE FRUIT TERMINAL This Plate shows street vacations, street dedica- tions, viaducts to be built, and the general char- acter of the development of a fruit terminal by the Atchison Topeka & Santa Fe Railroad Com- pany, under the terms of an Ordinance recom- mended in 1917. -See Pages 20-22, Exhibit I.- J i A.T. & S.F. RY. Peoposed Fbuit Terminal Development SHOWING Street Vacations and Dedications lo accompany report oi V^nico6o jLailway lerminol Oi 'Ommtsston SCALE 100 200 300 400 500 FT. PLATE NO. 15. RIVER STRAIGHTENING Showing the tentative line of river straighten- ing provided for in the Union Station Ordinance and the o\vnership of property abutting thereon. This Plate shows the desirability of the owners of property — all of which are railroads — agreeing on a rearrangement of property lines after river straightening, or a co-operative development for the joint use of all railroads in the territory. This Plate also shows graphically the large area that will be transferred from the west side to the east side of the river through river straighten- ing. -See Page 11- PLATE NO. 16. RIVER STRAIGHTENING Showing Areas of Property Affected Thereby. This Plate shows the area of each piece of property abutting on the proposed tentative line of river straightening, the area in the old channel, the area in the new channel, and combinations of these figures. —See Page 11— PLATE NO. 17. CENTRAL BUSINESS DISTRICT Showing possible street openings and street ■widenings — colored red — in connection with river straightening. This Plate also shows the area — colored yellow — now used by railroads that could be released for commercial occupation, provided passenger stations were eliminated and the area between Clark Street and the straightened river were in- tensively developed as shown on Plates No. 19, No. 20, No. 21. The great relief to traffic congestion and the possibility of the southern expansion of this Cen- tral Business District through the straightening of the river, opening of streets, and reduction of the area occupied by the railroads is shown quite clearly on this Plate. The new Illinois Central-Lake Front Station and the proposed Eighteenth Street connection with this station are also shown. -See Page 14 — \ . n $ PLATE NO. 18. RAILROAD FACILITIES SOUTHERN AREA Showing the relationship which river straight- ening, the opening of streets— colored red — and the release of railroad occupation — colored yellow — bears to the existing freight facilities in the area south of the Central Business District. This Plate shows the same arrangement as Plate No. 17 but is on an enlarged scale in order to bring out the existing railroad development in this district. It will be noticed that at present there is but one street — Clark Street — leading into the Central Business District from the south between State Street and the river. The proposed arrangement — shown on this Plate — provides for four addi- tional north and south streets through this terri- tory, and in the scheme of development — see Plates No. 20 and No. 21 — there will be additional driveways for the accommodation of freight house traffic. -See Page 14 — il VAN BUR EN C CONGRESS C HARRISON E . 7 T.H gTM 9TH E. II TH E: ROOSEVELT C 15 t-M P 14 TH PLATE NO. m. REARRANGEMENT OF FREIGHT FACILITIES IN CONNECTION WITH RIVER STRAIGHTENING Track Level Plan. This Plate represents a carefully studied plan for the track layout in the rearrangement of rail- road freight facilities in connection with river straightening. It will be noted that this layout is ) confined to the ai-ca between Clark Street and the *■. straightened river south of Taylor Street. North of Taylor Street the layout is confined to the ter- ritory between Wells Sti-eet and the river. By confining the railroad development to this teri'i- tory the best arrangement of viaducts and ap- proaches and double the capacity of the existing ' freight facilities can be secured. | The typical cross section shows the arrange- ment of platforms, viaducts, driveways and _ freight houses. This cross section is shown en- ■ larged on Plate No. 20. 1 The four lines of track under Clark Street and extending between LaSalle Street and Sherman Street to Van Buren Street, indicate a possible arrangement for suburban trains. -See Page 18- I TYPICAL CB0S3 4CCTI0N PLATE NO. 20. REARRANGEMENT OF FREIGHT FACILITIES AND THE COMMERCIAL DEVELOP- MENT OF AIR RIGHTS This Plate shows a typical cross section of the plan of development shown on Plate No. 19. It is introduced here on a larger scale in order to bring out the possibilities of air development for com- mercial purposes in connection with this plan. On this Plate the portion that would be used for railroad facilities and the jjorlion that would be used for commercial purposes are shown. It will be noticed that railroad facilities are pi-ovided with an independent driveway and there- fore it is unnecessary for these facilities to ex- tend to the street. This gives the opportunity for this commercial development to have a frontage on the City streets independent of the railroad. Therefore there would be no conflict between rail- road usage and commercial usage. This is an important feature that has not been provided in other two-level freight house developments. --See Pase 18- "Jl" I 1 1 lU LU LJ LJ Lj LJ LJ Li^ V-. -. ^ il-.. ! ■ '--.l Si ■ ^ Juiii ^3 I- SV < £ 1 J IF -r SS 'O i ; kj a 3 ! J, ct ^ c* ex U_ UJ o J 5 Z en r, I- UJ -t Z 5 S z < cc < UJ 2 I g_ i '^1 II ** ^^iss^ oiol p PLATE NO. 21. REARRANGEMENT OF FREIGHT FACILITIES IN CONNECTION WITH RIVER STRAIGHTENING. Viaduct Level Plan. This Plate should be considered in connection with Plate No. 19 which shows this same scheme of development at the track level. This Plate shows the new streets extending through the development and also the freight house driveways between these streets. The in- tersection of the slope of the viaduct approaches v.ith the natural street level is indicated by dotted lines. .\ltcntioi] is called to the indicated "Ramp to Lower Level" at the intersection of Harrison Street with Franklin Street. There is an oppor- tui\ity hers to connect the viaducts in this freight house district v/ith a low level street for heavy traffic that would extend along the east bank of ths river to connect with the lower level of the proposed South Water Street. Such an arrange- ment would permit the detouring of traffic be- tween the several freight house districts to this heavy traffic street and avoid congestion on the Loop streets. —See Page 18— -x UNIVERSITY OF ILUNOIS-UBBAN* 0112 046995004