of
Muscatine County Iowa
1911
| History of Muscatine County Iowa 1911 | |
Source: History of Muscatine County Iowa, Volume I, 1911, pages 410-411
THE RAILROAD. The Chicago & Rock Island Railroad Company, by special charter granted by the legislature of Illinois in 1851, was incorporated and a few months thereafter work of construction was begun and in August, 1854, the road was completed, the event being made the occasion of a grand celebration. The people of the Mississippi valley hailed the new road as a link uniting them with the outside world. On every side settlements at once began to spring up along the line and the tide of civilization moved steadily westward. Today, with its numerous connections cobwebbing the state of Iowa and other great commonwealths, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad is a part and parcel of one of the greatest transportation systems in the world, extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific coast.
In 1852 the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company was incorporated in Iowa with power to build and operate a railroad from the eastern line of the state of Iowa by way of Des Moines to Council Bluffs on the Missouri river. The Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company was organized January 1, 1853; the capital stock was $6,000,000. Each share of the par value was $100. Its franchise was for fifty years. Five per cent of the stock subscribed was to be paid down and the remainder in installments of not more than twenty per cent of the full amount at intervals of not less than three months. The amount of the indebtedness to be incurred was limited to $4,000,000. John A. Dix, afterward the war governor of New York, was elected president. In September, 1853, the first ground was broken for the road. The first passenger train left Davenport on the 22d of August, 1855. The litigation over the Rock Island bridge rolled up an immense expense account, to such an extent as to involve the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company and it failed to meet its guarantees. The Chicago & Rock Island assumed the responsibility, paying interest and principal. In 1866 the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company failed to meet the mortgages given to secure the payment of moneys borrowed and expended in its construction. Its land also lapsed through inability to execute its provisions. The mortgages were foreclosed and the property purchased by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Company of Iowa, a corporation formed under the organization of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad Company. On the 20th of August, 1856, the Illinois and Iowa companies consolidated under the name of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company. The main line thus connected extended from Chicago to Rock Island in Illinois, and from Davenport to Kellogg, within forty miles of Des Moines, the former 181 1/2 miles, the latter 131 miles. The Oskaloosa branch extended from Wilton Junction, by way of Muscatine, to Muscatine, and was fifty miles in length. During 1867-9 the main line was extended through Des Moines to Council Bluffs, 186 additional miles, the entire line being open to traffic in June, 1869.
The main line of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific passes through the townships of Fulton, Wilton, Moscow, Goshen and Wapsinonoc. For years the southwestern branch of the road branched off at Wilton, running to Muscatine and thence to the southwest. It now follows the river from Davenport to Muscatine. The line from Wilton to Muscatine is still continued.
The Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railroad passes through the western tier of townships, Orono, Pike and Wapsinonoc. At West Liberty it crosses the main line of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific. A branch of this road, built as the Muscatine Western, runs from Muscatine west intersecting the main line at Nichols. It passes through Bloomington, Lake and Pike townships. In the construction of these roads voted large sums of money and the city of Muscatine was also very liberal in that respect. In the fall of 1901, the construction of the Milwaukee cut-off was commenced, and in December, 1901, the track laying was finished from Muscatine to Conesville, a distance of seventeen miles. By June 1, 1903, regular trains were running on this new and important line.
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