USA > Iowa > Cedar County > A topical history of Cedar County, Iowa, Volume I > Part 24
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In proceedings of the Board of Supervisors for 1865 a committee was ap- pointed to find out who the holders of these bonds were and to arrange if pos- sible to purchase them at the best rate that could be secured. Some of the holders then were Sheller and Ryan and H. Sill Howell.218 This committee never re- ported so far as the record goes and another was appointed at a later meeting. Nothing seems to have been accomplished by this plan, for we read elsewhere that a meeting of all the counties concerned was held to fight the payment. The record shows that the interest on the bonds was paid at stated times, but not for many years. What the final outcome was is not clear at this date and it will require search of other records to determine.
In the face of this trouble concerning the bonds voted more than ten years before, the board appropriated a sum of seven hundred dollars to aid in the pre- liminary survey of the Iowa and Southwestern Railway. This was voted upon. How much of it was used is difficult to determine.219
The difficulties of the Lyons road began to be aired very soon in 1854. Papers along the line began to set rumors afloat and the end was foreseen.
The Clinton Mirror, published at Lyons; the Investigator, at Fulton, gave warning of the future of the line. The contractor, H. P. Adams, endeavored to set matters at rest by a letter to the Clinton Mirror, which reads as below :
"Syracuse, June II, 1854.
"Dear Sir: I have just returned from New York, and business matters there will soon be in good shape again, and the Lyons road will be built. I regret very much the difficulty we have fallen into. The trouble in New York was caused by the failure of the Cochituate bank. We have a loan in that bank, and with Bryant and Alleo of that bank, of $100,000 made for two years from last fall. When they and the bank failed the paper and the bonds were put into market. This amount was too large to pay in a day or a week, therefore it
288
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
troubled me to get it arranged; and with the' tight money market and all things put together I could not carry it.
"I regret much the course some have taken in passing off goods and in leav- ing the work as they did; this was all unknown to me, and a thing that would not have happened if I had known their feelings or true situation. Every man within five hundred miles of the Mississippi will get his pay within a short time, no matter what stories or lies may be put into circulation about me or my road. Men who went there to work for me by the month are the first to cry 'Mad dog' and grab all they can and leave; this is all wrong and will be shown so within a few months. I shall spend twenty to forty days in New York, then go west and see what can be done. I remain yours,
"H. P. ADAMS."
When the grade stakes were located to Tipton a big feast was spread on land just east of the present school grounds, which then was covered with a growth of brush. A great part of the county was at this "barbecue" and speeches were made in relation to the road. Judge Bissell, who had ordered the bonds issued, spoke, saying among other things: "That any man who did not believe these movements sincere and that the road was to be built as planned was the biggest fool that had ever crossed the Mississippi rivah." History keeps repeating itself, according to this.
An interesting relic was found by J. C. Arthur, an employee of the Mil- waukee R. R., that contains more than ordinary interest. The relic is a quaintly printed invitation to attend a ball at Tipton on Tuesday evening, June 7, 1853, and reads as follows :
"Railroad Ball.
"Yourself and lady are respectfully invited to attend a ball to be given in honor of the LYONS-IOWA CENTRAL RAIROAD at the court house in Tipton, on Tuesday evening, the seventh day of June, A. D. 1853.
"MANAGERS.
"Clinton-Wm. E. Leffington, A. R. Cotton, D. P. McDonald. Cedar- John Culbertson, Robt. M. Long, Wells Spicer. Johnson-Jas. H. Gower, W. Penn Clark, F. M. Irish. Linn-Geo. Green, I. M. Preston, D. Dorwart. Mus- catine-Jas. Weed, Thos. Isett, Adam Ogilvie.
"Tipton, Iowa, May 26, 1853.
"Music by Milo White's band."
When asked if he could remember the ball, Judge Preston said: "I don't remember just what the project was, except that the people of Tipton confidently expected for a long time that they were going to get a great line of road from the Mississippi west." Doubtless this invitation will remind some of the pio- neers of Clinton, Cedar, and Johnson Counties of many rich stories.220
The first railroad in the county to carry freight and passengers was the main line of the Rock Island. It entered the county at the very southeast corner, where Durant now is located, and was completed to that point in 1855 so that its traffic began. Under the history of Durant the first shipments are described. This arrival of the steam cars made the teaming from the river no longer neces- sary. This main line strikes this county at the two corners only, the other town
TIPTON AMERICAN EXPRESS CO
TIPTON DEPOT
291
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
on the line in this county being Downey in the southwest corner. It has a double track system with the automatic signal service.
In the beginning the line north and south now known as the Rock Island was known as the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern. It was built by that company in the later sixties and a few years ago was acquired by the present ownership. This is constructed diagonally through Springdale township, giv- ing service to the towns of Centerdale and West Branch.
The Milwaukee controls a line that touches the northeastern corner of the county near the Wapsie. This was formerly called the Davenport and North- western, but like all the little roads has been swallowed up by the big ones. The only village on the line in this county is Massillon. This road was built in 1871 just before the line to Stanwood.
In 1857 two railroad propositions were before the people of this county-the "Great Western," as it was called, to run from Comanche to Iowa City, run- ning almost parallel with the present line of the C. & N. W., and the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska, or as it is called in the references to it, the Clinton road. A meeting of citizens was called on January 14, 1857, to consider the proposition of the Clinton road. This line at that time had sixteen miles of road in operation, and when this meeting was called was about ready to run trains to Dewitt. The proposal of the Clinton line was as follows: "If the people of Tipton will sub- scribe the stock sufficient to insure the grading and ties for about fifteen miles of road (from Tipton to the point of intersection), they will run a line through Tipton en route to Iowa City and complete it as fast as the money is paid in on subscription. As soon as the grading is completed the company will lay the iron, put on the rolling stock and run the trains to Tipton." This, in substance, is the proposition made by Charles Walker, president of the company.
The above proposition was after the main line of this road had been fixed eight miles north of the county seat, but the letter of the president stated that this should be no branch line. To quote from his letter :
"We do not pretend to say what is wisest, safest, and best for Tipton to do, but we do say in a kind and friendly spirit that the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska company intends to build a road through Cedar County to Iowa City and that Tipton may or may not be on the line of that road as she chooses, but we very much desire to accommodate Tipton and to have her co-operation.
"We furthermore say that the road to Iowa City will be no branch road, but as main a road as the line to Cedar Rapids, and that all the trains run on the Iowa City road will be through trains to Clinton and not trains to a junction.
"And finally we say that if Tipton chooses to regard this friendly overture from a company that has shown its energy and ability by work more than by talk; and has to some extent redeemed this part of Iowa from the reproach of its manifold failures, there exists no reason why your people should not have trains arriving and departing daily, long before the falling leaves of the present year.
"If your people choose to consider the contents of this communication, you will please let us know, and act promptly in what you propose to do.
"Signed for president and acting directors.
292
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
"To Wells Spicer, John Culbertson and others." 220
On the map which accompanies this section the reader may notice the plan of this road, the proposed to Tipton. It made connection with the main line near the east line of the county, and judging from the events that have followed . this was the time for the county seat to get a railroad if ever in its history up to that time.
The Wisconsin, Iowa and Nebraska Railway was projected in 1854 from the Mississippi to the Missouri and the first twenty miles was constructed and put into operation that year. In 1848 the road was extended sixty miles and put into operation from De Witt to Lisbon passing then along the line now the right of way of the C. & N. W. The history of the towns along this line is found under its proper heading. The increased traffic on this line led in 1890 to plans for doubling its tracks and removing the abrupt curves and heavy grades. In 1891 this double track had been completed through Cedar County. No expense has been spared by this company to provide all modern equipment and safety appli- ances for the security and comfort of the traveling public. In 1908 the automatic safety block system was installed across this county. This road has about twenty- five miles of double track line subject to taxation by this taxing district. The taxing value of all lines being submitted to the Board of Supervisors by the Executive Council of the state.221
CHICAGO, IOWA AND NEBRASKA RAILROAD. (C. & N. W.) Time Table No. 2.
To go into effect Sunday, April 15, 1860. Government and information of employees only.
Trains West 2 I
Stations
Trains East
I
2
Passenger
Freight
Passenger A. M.
Freight P. M.
4.05
8.30
Clinton
10.45
4.00
4.20
8.50.
Comanche
10.32
3.40
4-35
9.10
Low Moor
10.20
3.25
4.45
9.25.
Ramessa
10.10
3.10
5.05
9.50.
De Witt
9.50
2.45
5.20
IO.IO.
Grand Mound
9.30
2.20
5.40
10.30.
Calamus
9.13
1.55
5.50
10.45
Yankee Run
9.04
1.40
6.05
11.05.
Lowden
8.52
1.25
6.25
II.35.
Onion Grove
8.31
1.00
6.55
12.20.
Mechanicsville
8.03
12.20
7.15
1.05.
Lisbon
7.42
11.55
7.23
1.20.
Mount Vernon
7.36
10.50
7.45
1.45.
Bertram
7.15
10.50
8.15
2.25.
Cedar Rapids
6.45
IO.IO
P. M.
P. M.
A. M.
A. M.
P. M.
A. M.
NOTE .- Trains will meet and pass at stations indicated by full face figures. Train No. 2 West, No. I East, have right of road against all other trains for one hour after their own time at any station as per table. After that time the right
1
GALENA & CHICAGO
ANAMOSA
CHICAGO JOWA NEBRASKA
DIXON AIRLINE
TIPTON
BRANCH(PROD
TO IOWA CITY
GREAT WESTERN
IOWA CITYOS
M.T.A.R.
C.R.I.S.P.
DAVENPORT
CHICAGO ROCK ISLAND
MUSCATINE
MAP ABOUT 1857 PROPOSED RAILROADS
295
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
of the road belongs to the other trains. Train No. 2 East has right of road against No. I West, for one hour after their (its) own time, at any station as per table. After that time the right of the road belongs to No. I West.221a
M. SMITH.
The Tipton-Stanwood line as organized is now a part of the Northwestern system, having been taken over from the Tipton Railroad Company in 1872. The latter company was organized in 1858, about the time the C. & N. W. main line was built, with officers in the county seat and a capital of two hundred thousand dollars. The grading to Stanwood was begun in 1859 and completed in 1867. This was the end of the proceedings until '72 as mentioned above. Meantime a move was made to construct a line from Wilton to Tipton to be known as the Muscatine branch of the Tipton line. The line was finally to run to Muscatine and in due time the road was graded from Wilton to the North- western, which was in the future to extend to Anamosa in Jones County.
Mr. Geo. Dutton, who now lives in Tipton and goes and comes at will over the C. & N. W. as a pensioner of that road, ran the first train into Tipton as engineer. He also ran the first work train into Boone on the main line. During his active service, while going up the State Centre hill, a heavy grade before double track was laid, his engine blew up and he will carry the scars of the acci- dent so long as he lives. His fireman was killed outright. Only one man in Iowa has been longer on the pension rolls than he has.
When one rides from Tipton to the stone mill he passes the Tipton-Wilton grade of this road. , It is another vision of the past when men had almost se- cured the lines of transportation that are still under discussion. Over almost this same route, at least in the same general direction, the interurbans of the future are surveyed. Surely there isn't much that is "new under the sun." It was Thanksgiving day, 1872, that the first train of cars came to Tipton, almost twenty full years after the first suggestion of a road had come before the people. Tipton is now on a branch line and regrets the past events that made the main line of the C. & N. W. run nine miles to the north. An old atlas of 1872 locates the proposed line to Wilton and suggests the alternative of a line to Muscatine.
It was in 1871 that the line from Clinton to Elmira as it now runs was begun and grade completed and was then known as the Clinton and Southwestern. Track was laid that same year for some distance out of Clinton. Simply a be- ginning was made, for thirteen years elapsed before this present line was com- pleted to Elmira, the present junction of the main line of the Rock Island and the Davenport-Clinton line. The story of the branches, piecemeal construction, and final disposition is all found carefully preserved in the memory of Mr. A. Russell, the worthy and efficient roadmaster of this division. He states that the track was laid in sections, commencing in 1871 as mentioned by the company known as Clinton and Southwestern, being laid then to McCausland and con- tinued afterward to Noels, another station on the line. Not until 1884, when the old B. C. R. & N. obtained it, did it reach the county seat. September of '84 it reached Tipton and in November of that same year reached Elmira, making an outlet to the west by rail. The branch running from Bennett to Davenport was first constructed under the name of the D. I. & D., which translated means Dav- enport, Iowa and Dakota. This was graded in 1888 to some point north of the
296
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
Clinton line and crossed that line at some distance east of Bennett about north from Sunbury, as one may observe in passing that way an old abandoned grade branching off near the latter town. This line lay unused for the two years 1888 to 1890, no rolling stock being available and none was needed since the road went nowhere and had no reason to use cars. When the road was finally obtained by the B. C. R. & N. in December, 1890, the track running from Sunbury north was taken up under the direction of Mr. Russell, who is still in the employ of Rock Island, a grade made to Bennett and connection was now made to Daven- port. In 1891, January 19, the first train ran to Davenport. The first man to purchase a ticket for Davenport at the ticket office in Tipton was Reuben Swartz- lender. This was six years after the trains had been running to Clinton from Elmira Junction.222
A few flat cars and one caboose composed the rolling stock of the D. I. & D. . when it was transferred to the B. C. R. & N.
When the B. C. R. & N. railway was laid through the county in 1884 the business men of Iowa City made use of the first days to come to Tipton on an excursion, and about sixty, including ex-governor Kirkwood were received by the business men. There was no depot yet built, and a delay of three hours due to the incompleted bridge over the Cedar River caused the most annoying wait to the band and citizens lined up to meet the guests.
This was the outlet to the west so long under discussion and known on the map when first projected as the Southwestern. Frequent mention is made of this line for years but not until the track layers came into view did any one become enthusiastic.
The visitors from the University City, through Editor Fairall of the Republican offered the following resolutions which met with approval of course :
Resolved, that we feel greatly rejoiced over the completion of this long de- sired railway, connecting Iowa City and her sister city, Tipton, and we trust the acquaintance thus begun by its aid will result in closer and long continued busi- ness and social relations between the two cities, and further be it
Resolved, that we tender to the people of Tipton and to the proprietors of the Fleming House our heartfelt thanks for their cordial reception and kind en- tertainment and hope that they give us an early opportunity to reciprocate.
In 1854 the mails and stage lines are advertised to arrive and depart from Tipton on a schedule as below: From Davenport, every Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday. From Muscatine, Monday and Thursday. From Iowa City, Wednesday and Saturday. From Marion, Monday, Wednesday and Friday. Dubuque every Friday, also from Fulton City on Friday. From Prairie du Chien, Tuesday.
The departures occurred on alternate days with the arrivals generally.
N. J. Hawley, stage proprietor, and R. M. Long, Esq., postmaster.
Mail lettings are listed at such figures as are supposed to correspond to dis- tance and times of carrying.
From Marion to Tipton, let to Wm. McLeand at $590.
From Tipton to Fulton, let to H. C. Pierce at $300.
From Tipton to to Garnavillo, let to Levi Ellis at $604.
LOWDEN
LOWDEN DEPOT
WEST BRANCH FROM THE SOUTH, SHOWING BLOCK SYSTEM ON THE C. R. I. & P. R. R.
299
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
Notwithstanding the numberless mail routes complaints were loud about delay. The people complained that more than a week elapsed between mails from the east. It seems that the stage line from Davenport to Cedar Rapids run by Frink and Walker generally carried the mail daily and received no pay for so doing. They sold out to the Ohio stage company and the people lost this ac- commodation. Stages passed through the town daily but no mails came. The authorities at the capital, who were responsible for the mail service got their share of blame.223
Alonzo Shaw gives some interesting reminiscences of the early day of trans- porting the mails when he was engaged in that service. He tells it in his own way in a recent interview: "In December, 1846, I was a successful bidder for the government mail contract covering the territory from Galena, Ill., to Iowa City, Iowa, a distance of one hundred miles. The stops along the line were Belle- vue, Jackson, Maquoketa, Tipton, Woodbridge, and Gower's Ferry, the only postoffices. on the route. The contract called for one trip each week. I was awarded the route the following year and made the two hundred miles from point to point during the six days. For two years I followed this trail and drew in pay for the service $750 per year. The net returns after paying ex- penses being about one and a half dollars per day. I averaged the thirty-three and one-third miles each day and always spent Sunday in Galena, although my home was in Tipton. In the home town I kept two good saddle horses.
That seems meagre pay for the work but was on a par with other salaries at that period in our history. There were many pleasant features connected with the rides over the prairies, plenty of time for reflection and meditation. Often I rode fifteen or twenty miles without passing a habitation. There was no house between Maquoketa and Denson's Ferry on the Wapsipinicon, neither was there a building between the latter place and Tipton, except at Bunker's Grove, where Captain Higginson lived.
There was the same lonesome stretch between Gower's Ferry and the present town of Morse, and not even a strawstack between Morse and Iowa City, then the capital of Iowa.
Of course the pleasant summer weather was to be expected and enjoyed, but during the winter I had to experience the severest kind of storms, those that are not common now where there are trees and improvements to destroy the ef- fects of the wild winds sweep across the prairie. I well recall riding one day from Galena to Maquoketa with the thermometer thirty-five degrees below zero. But I was prepared for just such emergencies, being dressed for the weather in buf- falo skin overshoes with the hair on the inside, a pair of Indian-tanned buckskin overalls, fur cap and coat.
In 1848 I sold the contract to William and Robert Hanna, who were at that time conducting a saddle and harness shop in Tipton. This was the shop for- merly run by Austin Parsons and now by his son." 224
When the boat "Cedar Rapids" reached that city from Pittsburg its log contained the following, which is of interest to this county. In these times when so much is said about improving our rivers it does seem probable that it is practical in high water as on this occasion.
300
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
We read: Left Pittsburg July 5, at dark ; * arrived at Saint Louis on the twelfth; arrived at the mouth of the Iowa River Sunday morning at eleven o'clock; took large flat of lumber in tow-sixty thousand feet; lay four miles be- low the mouth of the Cedar all night; five feet of water in the channel of the Iowa up to the mouth of the Cedar; from there up, water rising very fast; ar- rived at Moscow on Monday; found river too high to go under bridge; took the lumber on board boat and then had to take out of hog chain braces and haul through by steam capstan; left Moscow Tuesday evening at five o'clock; lay all night at Rochester ; arrived at Cedar Rapids Wednesday night. The boat carried two hundred fifty tons and is described as being 155 feet long, 26 feet wide, and 3 feet hold. She had but one deck or, as steamboat men call it, is a lower cabin boat. She has a stern wheel 14 feet in diameter, 18 feet long with buckets 15 inches wide.
SECTION VIII.
JUDICIAL MATTERS.
In the proceedings of the county commissioners several references are made to the securing of a room in the house of Stephen Toney to use for the District Court. This old house stands now on the river bank almost ready to fall in when a flood comes, and there must have been a room as the commissioners requested, since they paid Toney for the use of it. The only authority for the courts when the History of '78 was written is that statement quoted from Judge Tuthill in which he says "that he saw and examined the old book of records of the district court in 1842 and that he made a memorandum of its contents," from which it appears that the first session of the Court was held at Rochester, and we may suppose at the house of the said Toney, on Monday, May 28, 1838. Present, Hon. David Irwin, Judge, Wm. W. Chapman, District Attorney for the United States, and the name of the Marshall was not given, although he was allowed his mileage. Robert G. Roberts was appointed the clerk of the court and bond was given in the sum of $2,000 for the faithful performance of his duty. His sure- ties were Martin Baker, James W. Tallman, Richard Knott, Geo. McCoy, also sheriff later, and Stephen Toney, who, Charley Crawford says, was a little man. The old book says I. C. Hastings was appointed district attorney pro tem, but his initials are given in all the records as S. C. Hastings. Tallman was sheriff. The grand jury for the U. S. on that occasion are given among others in the section dealing with the county commissioners in their first session. Some of them came from as far north as Pioneer Grove. Alanson Pope came from there and W. A. Rigby from Red Oak. At this first session of the grand jury they had no business and were at once discharged.
The territorial grand jury had Charles Whittlesey for foreman. This Whit- tlesey was the first member of the Territorial Council. Three men of this name are found in office in the pioneer days, William, Charles, and John, a Justice of the Peace, whose name is attached to some documents in the files of the first cases. No business came before the grand or petit jury and after ordering the warrants to issue for the day's pay and mileage the court adjourned until the first day of the next term. The pay was probably given in warrants that could be collected when the money came into the treasury to meet the bills. This was a very in- definite date then.
301
302
HISTORY OF CEDAR COUNTY
The district court consisted of a single judge who heard both criminal and civil cases in the district over which he presided. The Hon. David Irwin was the presiding judge in the first sessions recorded. His name appears on page one, book one of the courts.
The first case recorded according to the history of 1878 is the one on an action of debt brought up on change of venue from Muscatine County, but there is a case on record which says filed May 28, 1838. This is Scott vs. Fought & Hare, for trespass, Woods and Starr for the plaintiff. The case referred to above by the editor of the old book chronicles the fact of Book A, or one, as it is now labeled, was missing and the first case that was to be found came up in July, 1840. But it happens that this old book was found by Mr. Van Ness when clerk of the district court and the time of his service was from 1873 to 1876, according to the official record, his term expiring two years before the old book was pub- lished, hence this record must have been in the county clerk's office at that time.
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