pg 215

Louisa county now has very ample railroad facilities. The Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific has a line crossing the county east and west, through Lettsville, Fredonia, Columbus Junction and Cotter. This line was originally known as the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company. The records show that the condemnation proceedings for procuring the right of way were begun by A. O. Patterson, attorney, in October, 1855. Peter A. Dey was the chief engineer. The road was completed to Fredonia by the 4th of July, 1857. This remained the terminus of the road so far as traffic was concerned, for several months. The road was completed to the Sand Bank early in the winter of 1857-58. It was completed to Washington in 1859.

An effort was made to get this road to run through Columbus City, and a number of the citizens there, including Colonel W. W. Garner and George D. Harrison, exerted themselves to this end. At one time Colonel Garner surveyed ...

pg 216

... a line crossing the Iowa river half a mile or so south of the present bridge, and passing immediately south of Columbus City. However, some of the heavy property owners of Columbus City thought that the road was sure to come through and refused to aid in securing it.

The Mississippi & Missouri Railroad was often ridiculed by the Wapello Intelligencer, during the years 1853 and 1854. The issue of February 13. 1854, contains the following:

"Hurrah for the Muscatine and Oskaloosa Railroad! From a gentleman who has just returned from Muscatine we learn that work has actually commenced upon that much talked of road. He states that one boss and two hands are actually engaged upon the work. Should they prove to be industrious and energetic it is confidently expected that the road will reach the Iowa River some time during the present century."

The Rock Island also owns a line of railway extending through the county north and south, by way of Morning Sun, Wapello, Bard and Columbus Junction. This road was first called the Cedar Rapids and Burlington Railway Company, and it begun securing its right of way in this county in the spring of 1868. It was completed to Wapello in 1869. The people of Columbus City township did not want to see it stop at Wapello, and they raised something like $10,000 to have it built as far as Columbus Junction. Cyril Carpenter, one of the leading citizens of Oakland township, made a large contribution to have the road extended on farther north. This line has gone under various names since that time. It has been known as the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Minnesota: then the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern, and in June, 1902, it was leased for ninety-nine years to the Rock Island which now controls it.

The next railroad to be built through any part of the county, was the Narrow Gauge, called the Burlington & Northwestern. This merely touches the county in the southwest corner, the only station in this county being Wyman. It was built through the county about 1881.

The Iowa Central Railway has a line of road passing through the county east and west, going through Oakville, Elrick Junction, Newport, Morning Sun and Marsh. This road was first known as the Chicago, Burlington & Pacific, and the greater part, if not all of its right of way deeds were procured in 1882 and 1883, and it was constructed about that time. In July, 1888, it was sold under foreclosure proceedings to the Iowa Railway Company, and in the following month it was again sold to the Iowa Central Railway Company.

The next addition to the county's railway facilities was the Muscatine, North & South Railroad Company. It was built in 1898 from Muscatine to Elrick Junction, and passes through Grandview and Wapello.

Taxes were levied to aid in the construction of this road, in Grandview township, Wapello township and in the City of Wapello. The proposition to vote this tax was bitterly resisted at the time. At this writing, this road has been extended by way of Oakville, south to Burlington.

The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company has an excellent line of road, passing in nearly an east and west direction through Oakland and Union townships. The only station in this county is Gladwin, in Union town- ...

pg 217

... ship. The company began its right of way proceedings in the year 1901, and settled with every landowner in this county, whose land it touched, without litigation.

A great many other railroads have been built through this county, on paper, aside from the Air Line. There was a Keokuk, Mt. Pleasant & Muscatine, and an Iowa Union Railway Company, both projected at about the same time as the Air Line. In 1867 there was quite a movement to build a railroad from Muscatine to Wapello. Articles of Incorporation were adopted and directors elected. John Bird of Wapello, was president, and Allan Brunhall of Muscatine, was secretary.

In 1879 the Mt. Pleasant, Wapello and Muscatine Railway was agitated. A meeting was held in Wapello in August, 1879, at which Senator James Harlan presided, and L. A. Reiley was secretary. Articles of incorporation were adopted. The capital stock was fixed at $1,000,000 and the following directors were elected: Henry Ambler, James Harlan and H. S. Clark of Henry county. J. S. Hurley, J. P. Walker and George Jamison of Louisa county; and S. G. Stine, S. E. Whicher and G. B. Johnson of Muscatine county.

In 1871 the Mississippi & Northwestern Railroad project was taken hold of and a tax was voted in Marshall and in W'apello townships in the fall of that year.

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