1898 Chicago Terminal Transfer Railroad Company - Signed by Marshall Field
DESCRIPTION
This is an original nineteenth century stock certificate issued by the Chicago & Northern Railroad Company, dated March 1898, and representing one hundred shares of capital stock. The certificate is printed on orange security paper with an ornate engraved border and features detailed vignettes of railroad labor and steam locomotives, underscoring the industrial character of late nineteenth century railroading. The face includes manuscript entries, period signatures, serial numbering, and multiple punch cancellations reflecting later corporate actions. The verso contains formal transfer language with handwritten assignments, dates, signatures, witness attestations, revenue stamps, and additional punch holes documenting subsequent transfers and validation.
Historical Context
By the late 1890s, regional railroad companies such as the Chicago & Northern Railroad Company played a crucial role in linking agricultural regions, industrial centers, and growing cities throughout the Midwest. Railroads were central to economic expansion, facilitating the movement of grain, livestock, manufactured goods, and passengers at an unprecedented scale. Stock certificates like this one illustrate the financial mechanisms behind railroad growth, relying on private investment to fund track construction, rolling stock, and operational expansion during a period of intense competition and consolidation within the American railroad industry.
CONDITION
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