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of this region, and, in fact, they did not know or care about the completion of a railroad to Davenport. Muscatine was a little nearer, and the river was as efficient a means for transportation. However, the road helped those who were coming from the east.

The first advantages of railroad facilities felt by the people of Tama county, was when the Mississippi and Missouri River R. R. was constructed from Davenport to Iowa City, in Johnson county, and the event was hailed as a great blessing. It reached Iowa City on the first day of January, 1856, having built night and day, laying rails by torch light to secure the bonus offered by that city. This made the lot of the pioneer easier, and the trips of seventy miles to market were made oftener and in better spirit, and few complained. Two years later this road was extended to Marengo and that became the market point for the county and stages were run regularly carrying mail and passengers. In 1860, the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska R. R. was completed from Clinton to Cedar Rapids, and as it was expected that this road would be constructed through Tama county, a jollification was held, and trade left Marengo, and Cedar Rapids was patronized. It was then considered but a little distance to market, and the trip could be made with a load of wheat in four days easily and three when time pressed. Two years later – in 1869 – the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River R. R. began building westward from Cedar Rapids and the market point followed the road. Late in the fall it reached Tama county, and finally passed through just south of the center. The contentment of the people in that region was now almost complete.

About the same time a railroad was completed from Dubuque to Waterloo, and northern Tama contributed thousands of dollars in trade to that enterprising city, it only taking two days to go to market and return.

In 1873, the “Pacific Division of the B.C.R. & N. was constructed from Vinton to Traer, and northern Tama was satisfied. In the years that have flown since that time these roads have been extended westward. The Toledo & Northwestern railroad has been built, crossing the west half of the county diagonally to the northwest. The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul railway has been constructed through the southern part of the county and the Wisconsin Iowa & Nebraska R. R. or “Diagonal” as it is called, has been built across the northwestern corner of the county. In addition to these, a net work of iron track almost surrounds the county; north, south, east and west, railroads have been constructed within a few miles of the county lines, so that the marketing and transportation facilities of Tama county are equal to any county in the State.

THE FIRST RAILROAD IN TAMA COUNTY.

The first railroad agitation in Tama county was over the Iowa Central Air Line. The company was organized at Lyons in 1843 and secured a land grant upon a survey of line running north of and parallel with the present line of the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. It was the purpose at organization to have the Iowa Central run from Sabula, on the Mississippi river, westward to Marion, Linn county, and on through Toledo and