Page "Fairbury, Illinois" Paragraph 7

< center >"... Chanute was clever.

He did not use force, but quietly laid his rails to the eastern edge of town, skipped Fairbury, began again at the western edge, and worked straight on until Saturday night.

In the darkness and secretly, he moved his crews back ; and the next morning, at first dawn ; and reinforced by armed guards of his own, he was ready for business.

To the consternation of the dumbfounded and helpless villagers, he rushed the track straight through the town and the courthouse was closed.

By Monday morning he was well on his way to Peoria.

"</ center >