Report of the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad

WWI-era report from Chicago’s iconic North Shore Line.

This intriguing company report was published in 1918 by the Chicago North Shore and Milwaukee Railroad. It’s the first such annual account of the company’s operations after its complete reorganization by railway and utility tycoon Samuel Insull in 1916. He is listed as Chairman of the Board of Directors on the front page.

The following fifteen pages provide information on financial details, construction projects, new equipment, and more. A copy of the budget sheet, with accompanying certification of audit, is also included. A folding map is tipped into the front of the booklet, showing the route of the North Shore Line in bright red. Numerous stops are labeled between Chicago and Milwaukee, but subsequent improvements under Insull’s leadership would see the route become of the finest interurban lines in operation across America.