Chicago & South Western Railway Company stock certificate circa 1869 

Stunning railroad piece with multiple vignettes - steam locomotive at the top, Union soldier at the bottom left, and an artist interpretation of the Missouri state seal.  Stunning revenue (tax) imprint in orange makes the certificate a piece of financial art.  Measures 7" by 10". Unissued and cancelled. Circa 1869.

This issuance is the consolidation of Iowa and Missouri (connecting) railroads.  Incorporated to consolidate Chicago and Southwestern Railway Company (Iowa) [3/3/1869] and the Chicago and South Western Railway Company (MIssouri) [5/21/1869]. Formed "for the purpose of constructing, owning, maintaining, using and operating a continuous line of railway from some point on said Washington Branch of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific Railroad in the State of Iowa to a point on the Missouri River opposite the City of Leavenworth in the State of Kansas, under and by the corporate name of Chicago and Southwestern Railway Company."

The Chicago & South Western Railway (Missouri) was renamed from Leavenworth and Des Moines Railway Company  in 1867. Charter amended "to survey, make, locate, construct, maintain and operate a railroad from a point of the Missouri River in Platte County, opposite or nearly opposite to the City of Leavenworth, Kansas, to the northern boundary of said State of Missouri in the direction of Ottumwa in the State of Iowa."

(Iowa) Incorporated "to construct, operate and use a railway with a single or double track and all the usual or necessary appendages, appurtenances, branches, equipment, connections, extensions, side tracks, depots and all necessary franchises and emoluments. The main track of said railway shall extend from and from with the town of Washington, in the State of Iowa or such other point on the Muscatine branch of the [sic] Rock Island and Pacific Rail Road as the Board of Directors may hereinafter designate, southerly to the State line between the States of Iowa and Missouri at a point where the Chicago and [sic] South Western Railway Company of Missouri shall reach said State line, and in the event of consolidation of this company with the said Chicago and [sic] South Western Railway Company of Missouri then in connection with said last mentioned Railway to form a continuous line of Railway from the City of Leavenworth in the State of Kansas to the town of Washington or such other points as the Directors may designate, in the State of Iowa."

Origins and renaming:

In 1860, the Platte City and Fort Des Moines Railroad was incorporated in Missouri.  The name to the Leavenworth and Des Moines Railway Company in 1867. The name changed again to the Chicago and South-Western Railway Company on 1869 and to the Chicago and South Western Railway. The company was consolidated (with others) into the Chicago Rock Island Railroad in 1880.