Historical
For
Muscatine County Iowa
1889



Source: Portrait and Biographical Album, Muscatine County, Iowa, 1889, page 632

RAILROADS

Muscatine County is well supplied with railroad facilities, having in the northern part the main line of the Chicago, Rock Islans & Pacific, which passes through the townships of Fulton, Wilton, Moscoq, Goshen and Wapsinonoc ; with stations at Stockton, in Fulton Township ; Wilton in the township of the same name ;Moscow in Moscow Township ; Atalissa in Goshen ; and West Liberty in Wapsinonoc. For years the soutwestern branch of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad branched off at Wilton, running to Muscatine, and thence to the southwest. It now follows the river from Davenport to Muscatine, with stations at Montpelier in Montpelier Township; and Fairport in Sweetland. Fruitland is another station on the line southwest of Muscatine, in the township of that name. The line from Wilton to Muscatine is still continued.

The Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad," the Great Iowa Route," passes through the western tier of townships--Orono, Pike, and Wapsinonoc, with stations at Port Allen, Coneville, Nichols and West Liberty. At the latter station it crosses the main line of the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railroad. A branch of this road, built as the Muscatine Western, runs from Muscatine west, intersecting the main line at Nichols. It passes through the townships of Bloomington, Lake, and Pike ; with a station in Pike Township, known as Adams. In construction of these roads the County voted a large sum of money, and the city of Muscatine was also very liberal, loading itself with a debt that was quite burdensome, though it was not all for the roads mentioned, but much of it being for an extinct corporation.

POPULATION

The following table gives the population of the county at each enumeration since its organization : 1838, 1247 ; 1840, 1942 ; 1844, 2882 ; 1846, 3000 ; 1847,3010 ; 1849, 4516 ; 1850, 5731 ; 1851, 6170 ; 1852, 6812 ; 1854,9493 ; 1856, 12,569; 1859, 15,503 ;1860, 16,444 ; 1863, 16,889 ; 1865, 17,241 ; 1867,20,699 ; 1869. 24,336; 1870, 21,688 ; 1873, 21,382; 1875, 21,623 ; 1880, 23,170 ; 1885, 24,320.

POPULATION BY TOWNSHIPS

The following is a statement of the population of the county by townships, from the State Census Report of 1885 :

Bloomington, 1433 ; Cedar, 345; Fulton, 1,104 ; Goshen, 937 ; Lake, 616 ; Montpelier, 663 ; Moscow, 776 ; Orono, 466 ; Pike, 1,001 ; Seventy-Six, 660 ; Sweetland, 1,237 ; Wapsinonoc, 2,232 ; Wilton, 2,461 ; Muscatine City, 10,389 ; Total 24, 320.

COUNTY FARM

The County Farm of Muscatine County, which is now under the management of Mr. Rice, was established in 1882, and the farm comprises 160 acres of land situated in Bloomington Township, on section 33. Since the year in which it was established there has been erected two brick residences, one 56x36 feet, the other 32x36 feet, and a large barn. A large bakery and all the modern appliances have been placed in the building, and under the able management of Mr. Rice the expense is constantly decreasing. During the past year the institution was nearly self-supporting, the expense per capita being only about seventy-four cents. They have an average of about thirty-four inmates per year, but probably within another year an addition will have to be erected. A large pest-house has been built ; two large stables accommodate about fourteen cows and sixteen head of horses, and the farm has an abundant supply of water. Mr. Rice has been in charge of the farm for three years, and carries on general farming.


Back to 1889 History of Muscatine Co. Index Page

Back to the Muscatine Co. IAGenWeb Index Page