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HISTORICAL ENCYCLOPEDIA OF ILLINOIS.
Twiney, the Attorney-General, present. Peoria County is, at present, one of the wealthiest and most populous counties in the State. Its soil is fertile and its manufactures numerous, especially at Peoria, the county-seat and principal city (which see). The area of the county is 615 square miles, and its population (1880), 55,353; (1890), 70,378; (1900), 88,608.
PEORIA LAKE, an expansion of the Illinois River, forming the eastern boundary of Peoria County, which it separates from the counties of Woodford and Tazewell. It is about 20 miles long and 2}£ miles broad at the widest part.
PEORIA, ATLANTA & DECATUR RAILROAD. (See Terre Haute & Peoria Railroad.)
PEORIA, DECATUR & EVANSVILLE RAIL-WAY. The total length of this line, extending from Peoria, Ill., to Evansville, Ind., is 330.87 miles, all owned by the company, of which 273 miles are in Illinois. It extends from Pekin, southeast to Grayville, on the Wabash River-is single track, unballasted, and of standard gauge. Between Pekin and Peoria the company uses the tracks of the Peoria & Pekin Union Railway, of which it is one-fourth owner. Between Hervey City and Midland Junction it has trackage privileges over the line owned jointly by the Peoria, Decatur & Evansville and the Terre Haute & Peoria Companies (7.5 miles). Between Midland Junction and Decatur (2.4 miles) the tracks of the Illinois Central are used, the two lines having terminal facilities at Decatur in common. The rails are of fifty-two and sixty-pound steel.- (HISTORY.) The main line of the Peoria, Decatur .& Evansville Railway is the result of the consolidation of several lines built under separate charters. (1) The Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railroad, chartered in 1867, built in 1869-71, and operated the latter year, was leased to the Toledo, Wabash & Western Railway, but sold to representatives of the bond-holders, on account of default on interest, in 1876, and reorganized as the Pekin, Lincoln & Decatur Railway. (2) The Decatur, Sullivan & Mattoon Railroad, (projected from Decatur to Mattoon), was incorporated in 1871, completed from Mattoon to Hervey City, in 1872, and, the same year, consolidated with the Chicago & Great Southern; in January, 1874, the Decatur
