USA > Iowa > Linn County > History of Linn County Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 10
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
THE FIRST RAILROAD INN LINN COUNTY
While it may have been charged at times that lowa was slow in getting in touch with railway builders, it must be borne in mind that the first railroad to be built in the United States upon which a steam engine was used was constructed in 1829 ; but very little was done until about 1833-34. By 1835 there were not over 100 miles of road in aetive operation within the confines of the entire country. Up to 1841 not a mile of track had been laid in any of the following states: Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Michigan. By the end of 1848 there were only twenty-two miles of tracks laid in Illinois, eighty-six in Indiana. and none in Wisconsin or Missouri.
Traffic so far had been exclusively by river, lake, eanal, or in wagons. Much money had been expended in opening up rivers for steamboat traffic and more or less had been voted to build roads and dig canals. But over such a large stretch of country it was impossible for the nation to do much.
As early as 1837 many eitizens of Iowa and others began to agitate for a trans- continental line of railroad to run from the Atlantie states to the Pacifie, and for a grant of land by congress for this purpose. Asa Whitney, of New York, an able and public spirited man, had written mueh in the papers proposing sneh a project. There was of course at that time more or less speculation as to just where such proposed railroad might pass. The southern senators proposed a road through St. Louis and aeross Missouri to Kansas. There was a spirit of rivalry at this time. When Chicago began to get its growth the far-sighted people of that city saw that it would be in the interests of Chicago to have the line go dircetly west and through lowa, and thus cut out a dangerous rival.
The Chicago press henceforth always favored a direct route through Iowa. As early as 1838 G. W. Jones, then delegate in congress from Wiseonsin, secured an appropriation of $10.000, which was expended in making a survey from Lake Michigan through southern Wiseonsin.
Now the people of Iowa became active. They wanted a railroad from the lakes west, and this could only be seeured by public or state aid. The legislature of 1844 joined in a petition to congress asking a grant of publie land to the Terri- tory of lowa to aid in the construction of a railroad from Dubuque to Keokuk. The grant was to consist of alternate seetions extending five miles in width on each of the proposed roads or its equivalent in adjacent government lands.
During the winter of 1844-45 a convention was held at Iowa City where nearly all the counties of the territory were represented by wide-awake young men in the interest of this railway promotion. Several proposed lines were agitated and as some of these lines did not start at any place and went to no place many of these projects failed.
The first grant of public lands in Iowa for transportation was not for railroads but for improving navigation on the Des Moines river. It was made in 1846. Strong then was the prejudice against railway promotion, and little faith did the public men in congress put in this so-called wild speculation.
The people of Iowa were so enthusiastic in the way of railway building and in the promotion of enterprises that they even ignored old political standards. It would appear that when the subject of the training of the candidates was looked into it, it depended more on what use such person would be for the work of getting a railway grant than how he would vote on the tariff or on the rights of South Carolina.
The following letter, written May 28, 1848, by W. I. Merritt to S. W. Dur -. ham, an old friend and fellow democrat, shows plainly the attitude of one of the leading men of the party, then living at Dubuque, but who had formerly resided at Ivanhoe and hence was one of the early men in Linn county. He mentions Preston (Colonel Isaac Preston), and gives his reasons for not wanting him. The
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FIRST RAILROAD IN THE COUNTY
Leffingwell mentioned was the well-known W. E. Leffingwell, who formerly resided at Museatine, then Bloomington, and later removed to Clinton county. He was an eloquent lawyer and a popular man. He was later defeated by William Smyth for congress in this district. Bates and Folsom were both prominent Iowa City men, and well known in politieal eireles for many years. Judge Grant was the noted jurist of Davenport, and was a well-known railroad promoter who had much influenee in early years in Iowa.
In this letter Mr. Merritt suggests George Greene as a eandidate from Linn county. There is no doubt that if at this time Mr. Greene had been selected, he would have carried the district and made an enviable reeord as a statesman, and no doubt on aecount of his judgment and his keenness in business, he would have obtained from congress suel favors as would have amounted to much good for Iowa in the first stages of her statehood. The letter does not show whether or not Mr. Greene had consented or would consent to such a course, although it has been stated that he most likely would have consented to have made the canvass. For congress the whigs nominated this year, 1848, D. F. Miller for the first distriet and Tim Davis for the second distriet. The democrats nominated for the first distriet William Thompson, and for the second distriet Shepherd Leffler. The whigs were strong, the total vote for president at the November elections being, Cass, demoerat, 12.093; Taylor, whig, 11,144; Van Buren, free soiler, 1,126.
Leffler was elected, and Miller on a elose vote contested the election of Thomp- son before congress. The committee on elections deelared the seat vacant. Leffler, who was elected after an exciting canvass, was a native of Pennsylvania, who came to Iowa Territory in 1835. He sat in the first constitutional eonven- tion in 1844, and two years later was elected to congress by the state at large, and hence in 1848 he had the inside traek. In 1856 he was again a candidate but was defeated by Tim Davis, his old whig opponent of 1848. In 1875 he was a candidate for governor against S. J. Kirkwood, and was defeated. He died at Burlington in 1879. He had been one of the trusted leaders of his party for many years.
The letters from W. H. Merritt and George Greene show what interest these men had in the railroad enterprise.
LETTER FROM MERRITT
"Strictly confidential.
"Friend Durham :
Dubuque, May 28, 1848.
"Having retired from the editorial tripod I find more time to devote to my friends in the refleetive and agreeable exercise of correspondence than formerly. Since my second return to Iowa it would have been highly gratifying to my feel- ings had I been so situated in business as to have employed a portion of my time in personal communication with my friends, in viewing seenes connected with the early settlement of Iowa, and in witnessing the numerous monuments reared to attest the prevailing, the restless and resistless enterprise of the Anglo-Ameriean. In 1838, when I first pitehed my tent at Ivanhoe, Linn county had but few white inhabitants, possessed but few attractions for one accustomed to the society of one of the old Federal eolonies, and was entirely destitute of politieal or judicial organization. Everything that the eye eould behold appeared in a rude state of nature. Vast prairies which extended for miles presented no evidenees of eivi- lization, no familiar sound like that of the woodman's axe appeared to interrupt the solemn stillness of an uninhabited wilderness. The marks of wild beasts and wild men were now and then visible and the similitude was striking between the two, as though both were born to the same sphere of action and subject to the same laws of being. A sort of wildness and saered stillness seemed to pervade the whole atmosphere. Reclining npon a buffalo robe in my tent, refleeting upon the varied seenery without and quietly listening to the solemn murmurs of the Cedar. I
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
thought I could perceive visions of earthly happiness for the man of true genius nowhere else to be found. The longer I remained upon the spot, the more it endeared itself to my affeetions, and the less I thought of cultivated society and the dazzling beauties of wealth, and its primeval companion, aristocracy. Nature seemed to be deeked in her nuptial dress and wild beasts danced to and fro with a festive heart to the harmonious notes of a troop of forest birds.
"Circumstances forced me to leave that consecrated spot after a year's resi- dence, and once more become a vietim to the cold restraints and relentless laws of civilization. For five years was I bound by stern necessity to a habitation worse than a prison, and associated with men as little to be admired for their social qualities of character as the cannibals of old. To be engaged in merchan- dising among a people whose only article of faith was "cheat and grow rich," and whose friendship could be seenred only by corrupting the morals and lacerat- ing the heart of the innocent, was a pursuit little to be desired by one whose heart had been consecrated to a different field of enterprise and nourished by the saered impulses of the West. Be assured I escaped from this thralldom as soon as I could, and never to this hour has my mind enjoyed that repose that it did when seated upon the banks of the Cedar and surrounded by the beautiful scenery of Ivanhoe. I experienced a kind of maternal affection for the spot, a mystic tie instinctively chains my mind to its early history, and a magie like that which bound Blennerhasset to his favorite island in the Ohio seems to pervade every recollection connected with its name and its founder.
"But I must abandon this subject, or I shall trespass upon the time and space designed for another, and convert what was intended for a political letter into a literary bore. As you manifested a friendly solicitude when here that I should take up my residence in Linn county when my studies were finished. I thought it not out of place to remind you where my inclination would lead me.
"I would speak privately to you upon the subject of a candidate for congress in this district. I understand that Mr. Preston of Linn is to be a candidate; that Leffler will be a candidate ; Leffingwell of Bloomington and Bates and Folsom of lowa City. Leffler I do not believe ean be nominated. I think he has acted in had faith with his constituents. Leffingwell has no chance, although he has the untiring vigilance of S. C. Hastings to support him. Preston I fear has no chance. He is deeeived by Hastings and I fear erroneously counts upon the delegation from Dubnqne. We have appointed eight delegates. 1 am one. I have spoken to them all and find that every man is in favor of giving the nomination to Linn County for the reason that the interest of Linn is identical with that of Dubnque in properly agitating and ultimately construeting the Railroad from this to Keokuk, but they will not support Preston because they have no confidence in his ability.
"One thing is very certain, Friend Durham, and that is. that we must eleet a man who is identified with this great railroad improvement. Preston would no doubt do all in his power, but he fails to unite that confidence in his favor necessary to give him the nomination. Leffler would no doubt do what he has done, give Davenport the preference. Leffingwell as a matter of course would feel but little personal interest in a railroad running through the interior of the state and forty or fifty miles removed from his immediate constituency, to whom he is more nearly allied and intimately associated in politieal friendship. All residing upon the banks of the Mississippi and in its immediate vicinity, except those at Keokuk and this point. are opposed to any grant by Congress for this railroad. and I can hardly conceive that it reflects any dishonor upon them as a community or as private individuals, for they are no doubt influenced like all men from natural and selfish impulses. But with Mr. Leffler the case is far dif- ferent. Ile was elected to represent the wishes and interests of one entire com- munity of people, eight-tenths of whom have a direet and vital interest in the
4
*
SOME EARLY MEMBERS UNITED BRETHREN CHURCH, LISBON
ין
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FIRST RAILROAD IN THE COUNTY
success of this enterprise. He is requested and repeatedly urged by petition and memorial to give it his earnest support. But he pays no regard to their solici- tations until a scheme in which he is more directly interested is matured, forwarded to him, and he puts it upon its passage through Congress. At least six weeks before a single step was taken in aid of the Davenport road in this state, petitions were forwarded to Mr. Leffler for the Dubuque and Keokuk road. In truth no move was made for the Davenport road until Judge Grant returned from Washington City, which was some twelve days after the Legislature had convened, and after the petition had gone from this place, Cascade, from your town, a memorial from the legislature, and the convention had been held at Iowa City, at which, if I mistake not. you were present. Under this state of facts I cannot but regard Mr. Leffler as hostile to this road, in which case onr delegation cannot support his claim.
"As to Bates and Folsom of Iowa City, we regard them as feeling an equal interest in both roads, both proposing to pass through Iowa City. Under these circumstances what policy does it become us to adopt? Emphatically to select a candidate upon the proposed line of road. Can you not bring forward some man besides Preston ? Mr. Boothe and some three or four of our leading men have suggested to me that if Linn county should bring forward G. G. [George Greene], he would get the nomination and be elected by an overwhelming majority. Mr. G. is absent and I know not whether it would suit him if conferred. He is in feeling and interest emphatically a Linn County man, but whether such a proposal would strike him favorably or meet with his sanction are questions which I am unable to solve. I think if sent to Congress he would be a working man and would be very active towards procuring an appropriation for the said road. He feels, as does every Linn county man, a very deep interest in the enterprise. I wish you would give this subject a candid investigation and then write me upon the subject.
"I have been solicited to become a candidate for the Legislature. I have peremptorily declined. I feel no particular aspirations for office. I desire to give my time to the study of the law. You will recolleet that I have introduced the name of Mr. Greene to your notice without his knowledge and entirely upon my own responsibility.
"Our families are all well. Mr. Greene has been absent between three and four weeks. Remember me to all friends and believe me, your obedient servant and faithful friend,
WM. H. MERRITT.
"P. S .- Will you be so kind as to inform Wm. Greene that Mr. Bonson is anxiously waiting for that two yoke of oxen, which George contracted with him for. He wants them immediately. Respectfully yours, "WM. H. MERRITT."
Mr. Merritt was a man of ability and prominent in the democratic party up to the time of his death. As candidate for governor in 1861. against S. J. Kirkwood, with four other candidates claiming to run on the democratie platform, Mr. Merritt received 43,245 votes out of a total vote cast of 108.700. This testi- fies to Mr. Merritt's popularity among the people of Iowa.
LETTER FROM GEORGE GREENE
"Dubuque, March 3, 1847.
"Dear Durham :
"I find that I cannot without great injury to my business here, leave until next week ; but still I am very anxious to see the work go on. If you like my sug- gestion of finishing Jo's [Joseph Greene] contract first in order to expedite the arrival of the money it will be as well to have Wm. [Greene] send Andrew or some
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
other person out to bring the field notes in. I propose the finishing of Jo's first because it can be done soonest. It will not require so long to plat the work in the S. G.'s office, and it will not interfere with the operations of Mr. Ross, who will take the field at the time, or soon after, you do. He wrote Mr. Wiltse that he should return to the work as soon as the snow decayed sufficient to justify. If any, he has done but very little in the T.s south of the one you have to correet. You may get any one you please to go out in my or Jo's place at our expense. The weather may not suffer you to start out before I come down, which I think will be early next week. You will take my horse, wagon, or anything else of mine that you may need. Mr. Wiltse thinks you had better make all your ealenlations before going upon the ground. Ile thinks you can do it more correctly and with a great saving of time and expense.
"If you should consider it necessary you ean employ Major MeKean to go in our place; though I should think Andrew or some other good hand will do as well. If you should see fit to adopt my plan I will be at Cedar Rapids at the time the notes reach there and will bring them on immediately to Dubuque. Out of the money first received we will of course pay off the balance of the ex- penses of the surveys. You can show this to Win. and Jos.
"Yours truly
GEO. GREENE.
"S. W. Durham, Esq., "Marion, "Linn Co., "Towa."
The following is a report of the railroad meeting held at Marion in 1850 in which nearly all the public-spirited men of the city took part :
RAILROID MEETING, MARION, NOVEMBER 30, 1850
Meeting called to order by appointing P. W. Earle chairman and J. Green, secretary.
On motion of W. Smythe, Esq., Resolved that a committee be appointed to report names of delegates to attend the State Rail Road Convention to be held at Iowa City on the . . day of December next.
Committee appointed by chair, H. W. Gray, Sausman, Dr. Ely, Hill of Put- nam, Ashlock, Griffin, Mills of Marion.
Maj. MeKean was called for to address the meeting. He proceeded to do so in an appropriate address.
On motion of Hon. G. Greene, Resolved that the delegates appointed to attend the State Rail Road Convention form themselves into a Rail Road Association and draft articles of said association for the advancement of the Dubuque & Keokuk Rail Road.
The committee appointed to report names of delegates to attend State Con- vention through II. W. Gray report the names of the following persons as delegates :
T. J. McKean, Hon. G. Greene, Dr. Jacob Williams, W. P. Ilarman, Esq., Ed. Railsback, Mr. Steadman, E. D. Wal, Freeman Smythe, J. J. Nugent, E. Jordan, Dr. Brice, Col. I. Butler, Robert Robinson, Jas. M. Berry. Isaae Cook, Esq., John C. Berry, A. R. Sausman, N. W. Isbel, Esq .. P. W. Earle, Esq., William Smythe, Esq., Dr. J. F. Ely, Dr. Carpenter, Hon. S. W. Durham.
Which report was by substituting the name of II. W. Gray in place of W. Smythe, Esq., adopted.
On motion of I. Cook, Esq., If any fail to attend they appoint a substitute.
On motion of Dr. Carpenter, Resolved that the secretary inform absent dele- gates of their appointment.
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On motion of Hon. G. Greene, Resolved that the delegates shall assemble in a separate convention if they shall deem expedient after the action of the State Convention to advanee the interest of the Dubuque & Keokuk Rail Road.
Messrs. Cook, Esq., and Hon. G. Greene being ealled for, addressed the ineet- ing in appropriate addresses.
On motion the meeting adjourned.
J. GREENE, Seeretary.
The getting of a railroad into Cedar Rapids then was the much talked of seheme, and many people believed that this would also end in failure as many other paper railroads had ended before. But the men at the head of this company were men who had a standing in the financial world and were in touch with the big banks of the country. They did not rely on the taxes voted or on empty promises, for if these failed they would still go on with the work. It is needless to add that this company, like all others, got as mueh tax as possible and changed the location of the route according to the amounts of bonuses offered. When the road entered Cedar Rapids it was the beginning and the end in the long struggle for railroad supremaey in the county, and decided for all times the supremacy of the river eity over the county seat. The latter without a railway could do nothing more than sit down and wait till such a time as some company saw fit to extend a line across the state through other points.
For the air line known as the Iowa Central Air Line, the citizens of Linn county voted in June, 1853, the sum of $200,000 to aid in the construction of the road. In 1856 congress voted a grant of land to the state of Iowa to aid in the construction of four roads aeross it, including one on the line of this company. The legislature in extra session conferred the land on this road in case it was eom- pleted. A contraet was let to a New York eoncern to complete the road to Marion, a distance of eighty miles. On account of the finaneial erash in 1857 the contractors failed to raise the money and to go on with the work. While the people were sore over this failure another company began building from Clinton west and had completed forty miles during the year 1858. It eame as far as Lisbon by the end of this year, and this was the first railroad station within the borders of Linn eounty.
The Dubuque and South-western was extended through to Cedar Rapids in 1865, just six years after the Northwestern road had laid its traek to the river and had trains running. This eaused Cedar Rapids to become at that early day a sort of railway eenter, and opened np a new territory towards Dubuque. It was not a sueeess financially till it was absorbed by the Milwaukee road in May, 1878.
The following letter from one of the first employes will be of interest in this connection :
"Lamar, Mo., Sept. 5, 1910.
"The Dubuque and Southwestern track was laid to Springville in the year 1859 or 1860. Mr. Jessup was president, and J. P. Farley, superintendent and manager. Mr. MeConnell was road master. He owned a farm near Langworthy. I remember the first regular train was composed of one mail, express and bag- gage car combined, and one flat-top eoaeh. The engine pulling the string was named 'Prairie King,' a little 14 by 16 or 18 inch eylinder. The track was laid with about 50 pound English T rail. The road had at this time three engines besides the 'Prairie King,' viz: the 'Prairie Queen,' still smaller than the King, the 'Anamosa,' and the 'Monticello,' which was of the Rogers make of engines, the other three being of Mason manufacture. The conduetor, Archie Cox, engineer, Ace Owens, and Baggagemaster Watson came to our house for supper and boarded with our folks until they could get accommodations at the Bruce house. and I went the next day on the train as the first newsboy. I was
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
still newsboy when Vicksburg was taken. I then went to the army and stayed until after the war closed. I went on the road again after the war as fireman, brakeman, and baggageman. About 1870 I was promoted to conductor and stayed with the company until 1875. After Archie Cox quit the road Frank Farley took his place, and when the road was extended to Cedar Rapids, two or three years later, they put another train on, one leaving Cedar Rapids in the morning and one leaving Farley Junction in the morning. After they put on the second train Charley Farley was conductor of that train and George Farley was agent at the station at Cedar Rapids. Pat Cunningham was roadmaster for several years, and James Rollo was master meehanie and engineer for ten or twelve years. Our first stock cars were flat ears and when we got an order for a stock car we would take a flat car to the shop and put stakes and slats on in order to hold the stock while in transit. C. H. BRANCHI."
One of the most important occurrences in the county was when on June 15, 1859, the first railroad made its entrance into Cedar Rapids and once and for all made the town the chief eity in this part of the state.
This was accomplished after many failures and after innch money had been expended for surveys and in other ways. The following from men still living. who remember the affair, will give the reader an idea as to how jubilant all were on the day of this celebration :
George C. Ilaman was at that time running a drug store at about the same lo- cation he has now. The corner of First avenue and First street was then occupied by what was called Greene's hotel, and Mr. Haman ocenpied a store room in the sonth side of the building. He remembers distinetly the big celebration held in honor of the first train to arrive.
Mr. Haman said, as near as he could remember, that the town of Cedar Rapids had a population of about 1,500 people at that time and a big celebration was inaugurated and carried out. People from the surrounding country came to town to see the train come in, and the Indians on the reservation at Tama almost turned out enmasse to see the great piece of machinery that they had heard so much about but had never seen. The day was a great holiday, inneh of the regular business being suspended and the people turned out in their best elothes to celebrate what was to them the greatest day in the history of the city.
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