Invading New Territory - The Illinois Central said to be backing up a Wyoming Line

Chicago, Aug 20. - The following is published here: "Recent movements tend to confirm the belief that the Illinois Central will not only invade Nebraska, but also Wyoming and possibly Colorado.  The objective point will be either Ogden or Denver, with the chances in favor of the former.  Articles of incorporation of the Wyoming and Eastern Railroad Company have recently been filed with the Secretary of the Territory at Cheyenne.  The Illinois Central is believed to be baking this enterprise.  The capital stock is $10,000,000 and the length of the road to be built in the territory is 425 miles.  The initial point of the new road is at or near Twin Creek, on the southwestern boundary of Utah and Wyoming, where it is to connect with another road to Ogden and Salt Lake City.  The route designated is easterly and northeasterly through the Valley of Horn Fork, the South Pass, the Sweetwater and North Platte Valleys to the Nebraska boundary. 

"Between the main lines of the Elkhorn Valley (Northwestern) and Union Pacific is a cast unoccupied stretch of country, the productive wealth of which has scarcely been touched.  The eastern counties are well settled and support hundreds of thriving communities, while the central and western counties are in the infancy of development.  They have been retarded by lack of facilities for reaching markets.  Crossing the river at Onawa the route indicated to the mountains would be almost an air line and would lead rivals lines a lively race for overland traffic.  The western terminal of the Illinois Central's Iowa lines is at Sioux City, and the proposition to extend the line from that point to the Rocky Mountains has been entertained for several years past, as it is the only means by which the Iowa lines of the Illinois Central can be made profitable.

----- NY Times  8/21/1888