ership ▁on ▁the ▁south ▁part ▁of ▁the ▁line , ▁the ▁railway ▁built ▁an ▁am usement ▁park ▁called ▁D ell wood ▁Park ▁in ▁Lock port . ▁ ▁The ▁park ▁opened ▁on ▁July ▁ 4 , ▁ 1 9 0 5 ▁at ▁a ▁cost ▁to ▁the ▁railway ▁of ▁almost ▁$ 3 0 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁ ▁D ell wood ▁Park ' s ▁car ousel , ▁boat ▁r ides , ▁pic nic ▁areas ▁and ▁sul ky ▁races ▁with ▁a ▁grand stand ▁brought ▁up ▁to ▁ 1 5 , 0 0 0 ▁visitors ▁to ▁the ▁park ▁on ▁week ends ▁in ▁its ▁peak ▁years . ▁It ▁operated ▁for ▁more ▁than ▁thirty ▁years ; ▁the ▁park ▁burn ed ▁down ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 9 3 0 s . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 1 5 ▁the ▁C & J E ▁became ▁a ▁subs idi ary ▁of ▁Central ▁Illinois ▁Public ▁Service ▁Company , ▁which ▁was ▁owned ▁by ▁Samuel ▁Ins ull . ▁ ▁Despite ▁the ▁use ▁of ▁modern ▁sub urban - type ▁inter urban ▁cars , ▁C & J E ▁rid ership ▁pl um met ed ▁with ▁the ▁on set ▁of ▁the ▁Great ▁De pression ▁and ▁on ▁November ▁ 1 6 , ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁the ▁rail ▁line ▁between ▁Lock port ▁and ▁Ar go ▁was ▁abandoned . ▁ ▁In ▁ 1 9 3 3 ▁the ▁railway ' s ▁subs idi ary ▁Chicago ▁and ▁J ol iet ▁Transport ation ▁Co . ▁replaced ▁most ▁rail ▁operation ▁with ▁bus es . ▁The ▁heavy ▁traffic ▁Cic ero - Ar go