USA > Iowa > Linn County > History of Linn County Iowa : from its earliest settlement to the present time, Volume I > Part 34
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In addition to being the president of all of these railroad companies, Mr. Blair after 1862 gave personal attention to their construction and was in absolute control of their affairs in the west. These railroads eame to be ealled the "Blair Roads," and were so generally spoken of in the publie prints. From this people generally came to think that he was nearly the sole owner of all, or at least per- sonally owned a controlling interest in the whole group. This, however, was not the faet. Mr. Blair's individual ownership averaged about one-sixth, about another sixth being owned by his associates in the Laekawana Iron & Coal Com- pany of Pennsylvania, among which were Joseph H. Scranton, of Seranton, Pa .; Moses Taylor, of New York, and William E. Dodge, D. Willis James, and James Stokes, who then comprised the firm of Phelps, Dodge & Company.
The controlling interest was always owned by a group of New England capi- talists and their associates, who were at the same time the controlling stockholders in the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad Company - the line already con- structed from Clinton to Cedar Rapids. Among these latter were Oakes and Oliver Ames, of North Easton, Mass .; John Bertram, of Salem, Mass .; Charles A. Lambard, of Maine and later of New York; William T. Glidden, David P. Kimball, Joseph and Frederic Niekerson, of Boston, and Horace Williams, of Clinton, Iowa.
THE CEDAR RAPIDS AND MISSOURI RIVER RAILROAD
In May, 1856, congress passed what was then ealled "The Iowa Land Bill," making grants of land to the state of Iowa to aid in the construction of four lines of railway across the state, one of which was to be from Lyons City, thenee "north- westerly to a point of intersection with the main line of the Iowa Central Rail- road near Maquoketa, thenee on said main line running as near as practicable to the 42nd parallel aeross the state of Iowa to the Missouri River." The general assembly of the state by an aet approved July 14, 1856, granted the land inuring to the state for the construction of this line to the Iowa Central Air Line Railroad Company upon certain conditions contained in said act. That company began the construction of the road in the year 1856, considerable grading was done at different points along the line as far west as Anamosa, but the panie of 1857 coming on the work was stopped and never again resumed by the Iowa Central Air Line Company.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
It being quite probable that at the next legislative session the state would resume this land grant and forfeit the rights of the Iowa Central Company, and pass the grant over to some other company who would undertake the construction of the road, for the purpose of obtaining this grant, the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad Company was organized on June 14, 1859, by the prominent east- ern stockholders in the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska Railroad, together with John Weare and John F. Ely, of Cedar Rapids, and G. M. Woodbury, of Marshalltown, Iowa.
In March, 1860, the state resumed the land grant from the Iowa Central Com- pany and made it over to the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad. Work was begun on the line west from Cedar Rapids in 1860. The bridge over the Cedar river was built in the winter of 1860-61, and forty miles of traek com- pleted to Otter Creek Station (now Chelsea) during the year 1861, and to Mar- shalltown in December, 1862. Milo Smith, of Clinton, lowa, was the chief en- gineer and had charge of the construction of the road until it reached Marshall- town.
In 1861 John I. Blair became largely interested in this enterprise, and there- after took control of the construction beyond Marshalltown. After 1862 W. W. Walker was chief engineer until the road was finished. Track was laid to State Center in 1863, and on July 4. 1864. to Nevada, and to Boone in December, 1864, but the road was not surfaced up, finished and put in operation from Nevada to Boone until the succeeding year.
In July, 1864, congress made an additional grant of land to the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad, and authorized it to change its line of road so as to conneet with the Union Pacific Railroad at Council Bluffs. Work beyond Boone began in December, 1865, the track was laid into Council Bluffs in January, 1867. but regular service between Woodbine and Couneil Bluffs was not instituted until April of that year.
In July, 1862, the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad was leased in perpetuity to the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad Company, which company then owned the line from Chicago west to the Mississippi River opposite Clinton, lowa, and operated the Chicago. Iowa and Nebraska Railroad under lease. The lease covered not only the portion of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Rail- road then built, but the entire line to the Missouri river when the same should be completed.
On June 2, 1864, the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad Company was eon- solidated with the Chicago and North-Western Railway, and from that time the operation of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad under the lease was by the Chicago and North-Western Railway Company.
I. B. Crocker, of Oswego, N. Y., was the first president of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad, and until 1866. Mr. Crocker during this period was active in the financial affairs of the company, and especially in obtaining the land grant from the state and the supplemental grant direct from the United States. While not a man of large means, he was possessed of great energy and foresight.
John I. Blair was president from 1866 to 1871, when he was succeeded by Horace Williams, who remained the president until the company went out of existenee in 1884.
In 1884 the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad was sold to the Chicago and North-Western Railway. It was in fact a consolidation, but for convenience in handling the transaction it was made a sale, the Cedar Rapids Company deeding its railroad and all rights and franchises pertaining thereto to the Chicago and North-Western Railway Company, receiving its pay in the stock of the latter company, which stock was distributed pro rata to the stockholders of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Company, after which the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad Company closed up its affairs and went out of business.
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THE OLD BLAIR BUILDING
THE SIOUX CITY AND PACIFIC RAILROAD COMPANY
An act of congress passed in 1862 authorized and required the Union Pacific Railroad Company to construct a railroad and telegraph line from Sioux City to a connection with the Iowa branch of the Union Pacific Railroad, whenever there should be a line of railroad completed through Minnesota or Iowa to Sioux City, Iowa. On July 2, 1864, the original Union Pacific act was amended, and among other things it was provided that the Union Pacific Railroad was released from the construction of said branch, and such company as should be organized under the laws of Iowa, Minnesota, Dakota or Nebraska, and be by the president of the United States designated and approved for that purpose, was authorized to con- struct said branch and receive therefor lands and subsidy bonds to the same ex- tent that the Union Pacific Railroad would have done under the act of 1862. It was further provided that if a railroad should not be completed to Sioux City across Iowa or Minnesota within eighteen months after the passage of said act, then the company which should have been so designated might commence, con- tinue and complete the construction of said Sioux City branch.
The Sioux City and Pacific Railroad Company was organized in August, 1864, to construct this branch line and was by the president of the United States desig- nated and approved for that purpose. The corporators and first board of direc- tors were Platt Smith, L. B. Crocker, M. K. Jesup, James F. Wilson, A. W. Hub- bard, Charles A. Lambard, Frederick Schuchardt, William B. Allison, and John I. Blair. Soon afterwards the Sioux City and Pacific Company passed under the control of Mr. Blair and his associates in the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad. The necessary money to build and equip the Sioux City and Pacific was principally furnished by them. The general offices of the company were first at Dubuque, but on the passing of the control to the Cedar Rapids people headquarters were moved to Cedar Rapids.
Construction was begun in the spring of 1867. The Cedar Rapids and Mis- souri River Company built six and a half miles of railroad from Missouri Valley Junction to California Junction, where it connected with the line of the Sioux City and Pacific. These six and a half miles were turned over to the latter com- pany. Track laying began at California Junction in September, 1867. Thir- ty-six miles were completed by the first day of December, 1867, and the line to Sioux City in February, 1868. Early in 1869 the entire line was completed and in operation between Missouri Valley Junction and Sioux City and to Fremont, Nebraska, where connection was made with the Union Pacific Railroad. The cars were ferried across the Missouri river during the summer months, and crossed on a temporary bridge during the winter months up to the fall of 1883, when the bridge across the river was completed and opened up for business. L. Burnett was the engineer in charge of construction of this railroad and superintendent in its operation until January 1, 1878.
This company received from the United States a grant of land comprising the alternate sections within twenty miles on either side of the line of the railroad. But as nearly all of the government land within these limits had already been disposed of, and where the grant of this company lapped over the grant to the Union Pacific Railroad, each company received half, so this congressional grant only amounted to about 42,500 acres. There was acquired through a consolida- tion with the Nebraska Air Line Railroad a state land grant of 46,000 acres. The company received from the United States a loan of six per cent bonds to the extent of $16,000 per mile of road constructed between Sioux City and Fremont, and issued its own first mortgage bonds to an equal amount.
This company up to August, 1884, operated its own road and also leased and operated the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley road. as the same was from time to time extended. The earnings of the railroad were never sufficient to pay
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
the interest on the first mortgage bonds. The avails of the two land grants and the proceeds of the sales of the town lots along the line up to 1875 (when the remaining land assets were sold to the Missouri Valley Land Company) were used to make up the deficiency. After these assets were exhausted the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River, and Chicago, lowa and Nebraska Railroad companies, through loans and other methods of assistance, made up the deficit until the sale of all of these roads in 1884.
In 1880 the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska, and the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River companies by purchase from the individual stockholders acquired over nine- ty per cent of the capital stoek of the Sioux City Company. This stock was in the treasury of these railroads at the time of their purchase by the Chieago and North-Western Railway Company in 1884. Through and under that purchase the Chicago and North-Western Railway Company became the controlling owner of the Sioux City and Pacific and moved its general and operating offices away from Cedar Rapids.
John I. Blair was the first president of the Sioux City and Pacific Railroad Company and was succeeded by Horaee Williams in 1871. Mr. Williams was president until the fall of 1877, when he resigned and was succeeded by Oliver Ames. Mr. Ames remained president until the control of the railroad passed into the Chicago and North-Western Railway Company.
THE IOWA FALLS AND SIOUX CITY RAILROAD COMPANY
In the Iowa Land Bill of 1856 a grant was made to aid the construction of a line of railroad from Dubuque to Sioux City on the same terms as fixed for the other three trunk lines across the state, viz: a grant of every odd numbered sec- tion within six miles on either side of the railroad, and where such odd numbered seetions had already been disposed of by the United States, the railroads were authorized to select an equal number of acres from the odd numbered seetions within fifteen miles of the line of the railroad. This grant was given over by the state of Iowa to the Dubuque and Pacific Railroad Company, which company began the work of construction but afterwards failed and was reorganized as the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad Company. This last named company contin- ned from time to time to extend the line westwardly, so that in 1867 it was com- pleted and in operation to Iowa Falls.
Considerable right-of-way had been acquired between Iowa Falls and Fort Dodge and the grading already commenced when a sale and transfer of the right- of-way, the uncompleted work and the portion of the land grant belonging to the line west of Iowa Falls, was made to John 1. Blair and his associates. The Jowa Falls and Sioux City Railroad Company was organized on October 1, 1867, and on January 7. 1868, by a contract of that date, took over from the Dubuque and Sioux City Company all the right-of-way west of Iowa Falls and the work already done, also the proportion of the land grant inuring to the line west of Jowa Falls and all of the rights and franchises of the Dubuque & Sioux City Company per- taining to that portion of the line.
Prior to this date, viz: on September 13. 1867. the Dubuque and Sioux City Railroad Company leased to the Illinois Central Railroad Company the portion of its road already constructed to lowa Falls and also the line to be thereafter built from Iowa Falls to Sioux City. This lease was for twenty years or in perpe- tuity at the option of the Illinois Central Railroad Company. The legislature of the state of lowa on April 7. 1868, passed an act ratifying the said sale by the Dubuque and Sioux City Company and vesting the land grant in the Iowa Falls Company.
The work begun by the Dubuque and Sioux City Company was vigorously proseented so that the road was completed and in operation to Fort Dodge carly
CONGREGATIONAL CHURCH, CENTRAL CITY
CHRISTIAN CHURCH, CENTRAL CITY
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THE OLD BLAIR BUILDING
in 1869. In the fall of 1870 it was finished through to Sioux City and the entire line turned over to the Illinois Central Railroad Company for operation under the lease. J. E. Ainsworth was superintendent of eonstrnetion. In the original articles of incorporation the principal place of business of this company was fixed at Dubuque, Iowa, but in October, 1869, the artieles were amended and the main office of the company moved to Cedar Rapids. John I. Blair was the first presi- dent. He was sneceeded in 1871 by Horace Williams, who remained at the head of the affairs of the company until the control of the same passed into the hands of the Illinois Central Railroad.
. In March, 1887, the Iowa Falls and Sioux City Railroad Company sold to the Iowa Rail Road Land Company the remaining acres of its land grant and all assets aceruing from land transactions. At that time all of the individual stock- holders of the railroad company sold their shares to the Illinois Central Railroad Company, who moved the offices of the corporation from Cedar Rapids to Dubnqne, and afterwards consolidated the company with the Dubuque and Sionx City Rail- road Company.
THE FREMONT, ELKHORN AND MISSOURI VALLEY RAILROAD COMPANY
This company, while a Nebraska corporation, soon after its organization and np to 1884 kept its general offices and aeconnting department in the Blair build- ing in Cedar Rapids. It was organized at Fremont, Nebraska, in Jannary, 1869, to construct a line of railroad up the Elkhorn Valley, in Nebraska, and obtained a land grant from the state of Nebraska amounting to about 100,000 aeres, also some eonnty bonds from Dodge and Cumming counties, Nebraska. In 1869 John I. Blair and his associates in the Sioux City and Pacific, and the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River enterprises obtained control of the company, and undertook the construction of the railroad. Ten miles of track north from Fremont were laid late in the season of 1869. In 1870 the road was finished to West Point, and leased to the Sioux City and Pacific Company, which company from that time on continued to operate (under said lease) the several extensions of the Elkhorn road up to Angnst, 1884. In 1871 the road was extended to Wisner, a distanee of fifty-one miles from Fremont, where the terminus remained until 1879, in which year the main line was built to Oakdale, and six miles of traek laid on the Creighton branch north from Norfolk. In 1880 the main line was extended from Oakdale to Neligh, and the Creighton braneh finished to Plainview. In 1881 the main line was extended to Long Pine, and the Creighton braneh finished to Creighton. In 1882 the main line was extended to Thateher, and in 1883 to Valentine. In August, 1884 - at the time of the purchase of the Iowa roads hy the Chieago & Northwestern - this last named company acquired all the stoek in the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Railroad, and thereafter the work of extension was pushed vigorously.
In the two sueeeeding years a line was built into the Black Hills country and the main line of the road extended to the eastern boundary of the state of Wy- oming. Between 1884 and 1888 several lines of railroad in the south Platte conntry of Nebraska were constructed by the Fremont, Elkhorn & Missouri Valley Company. L. Burnett was engineer in charge of location and construction until the road was completed to Wisner. From 1879 to 1889 - during which period the main line from Wisner to the west line of the state, the Black Hills branch as far as Whitewood, and the South Platte lines were built - P. E. Hall was super- intendent of construction and J. E. Ainsworth chief engineer. John I. Blair was the president from 1869 to 1872, Prinee S. Crowell, of East Dennis, Mass- achusetts, from 1872 to 1876, and James Blair, of Seranton, Pennsylvania, from 1876 to 1883, when he was sueeeeded by Horace Williams, who remained the president of the company until the control was taken by the Chicago & North- Western Railway Company in 1884.
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HISTORY OF LINN COUNTY
THE MAPLE RIVER RAILROAD
The major portion of the land grant to the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad - transferred to The Iowa Rail Road Land Company - was situated north of the main line of the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad. In 1876 a large portion of several counties was vacant and still the property of the land com- pany, so the stockholders interested in the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River Railroad and The Towa Rail Road Land Company decided to build branch lines north from the main line to the end that purchasers might be found for the land and thus settle up the country, and furnish business for the main line. The Maple River Railroad Company was organized in that year to build these lines. The money for the building of the same was furnished by the stockholders in the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River, and Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska companies, they taking the stock and bonds of the Maple River Railroad Company issued for construction. The road was leased to the Chicago & North-Western Railway Company in advance of construction. Work was begun in the fall of 1876, and in 1877 the line was completed from Maple River Junction to Mapleton, a distance of about sixty miles.
In 1879 a branch was built from Wall Lake Junetion to Sac City. This Sac City branch was extended to Holstein in 1882. and in 1883 to Kingsley. The building of the above lines was imder control of P. E. Hall, vice president. J. E. Ainsworth was the chief engineer. In 1884 when the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River, Chicago, lowa and Nebraska, and Sioux City and Pacific roads were pur- ehased by the Chicago & North-Western. the Maple River Railroad was included in the sale, and from that time on became a part of the Chicago & North-Western Railway, which company has since extended the branch line from Kingsley to Sargeants Bluffs, thus making another through line from the east into Sioux City, and also extended the main line from Mapleton to Onawa.
THE MISSOURI VALLEY AND BLAIR RAILWAY & BRIDGE COMPANY
In 1882 congress granted to the Sioux City & Pacific Railroad Company the right to build a bridge across the Missouri river to connect the Iowa and Nebraska portions of its railway at the point where the line crosses the river between Missouri Valley, Iowa, and Blair, Nebraska. The Sioux City & Pacific Company not being financially able to undertake the work, assigned its rights under said act to the Missouri Valley and Blair Railway & Bridge Company, which company was organized in 1882 for the purpose of building the bridge and its approaches. The capital stock of the bridge company was subscribed for by the several rail- road companies whose roads made up the through line from Fremont to Chicago, viz: the Sioux City and Pacific, Cedar Rapids and Missouri River. Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska, and the Chicago & North-Western companies, cach taking stock in proportion to its mileage in the through line between Fremont and Chicago. The money for the construction of the bridge was raised principally by the sale of bonds, which bonds were guaranteed - both principal and interest - by the several railroad companies who were stockholders in the bridge company. Work was begun early in the summer of 1882 and the bridge completed and opened for traffic in November, 1883.
When the bridge was opened for business it had cost about $1.300.000, of which $400,000 was for the bridge proper across the channel of the river and the other $900.000 for the approaches and protection work. Several hundred thousand dollars have since been expended in protecting the river banks so as to hold the channel of the river under the bridge. After its completion the bridge was operated by the Sioux City and Pacific Railroad Company under a contract.
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THE OLD BLAIR BUILDING
Horace Williams was the president of the bridge company from the date of organization to the time when the control passed to the Chicago & North-Western Railway. P. E. Hall was vice president and in general charge of construction. George S. Morrison was the engineer who made the plans and directed the build- ing of the bridge. When the Chicago & North-Western Railway Company took over the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River and the other roads in 1884, it became the owner of the entire capital stock of the bridge company and moved the ac- counting offices away from Cedar Rapids.
The total grants of lands to these companies by the United States, the state of Nebraska, and several counties in Iowa, amounted in the aggregate to about one million, nine hundred and ninety thousand acres. As the several railroads were projected it was the policy of the companies to acquire land around the stations and plat and sell town lots. For convenience in distribution of the proceeds to the stockholders, and in handling the real estate, land and town lot companies were organized from time to time to take over and dispose of not only the land grant lands but of the purchased lands and town lots.
THE IOWA RAIL ROAD LAND COMPANY
This company was organized in 1869 and its capital stock distributed pro rata among the stockholders of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad. The land grant of that railroad company was conveyed to the land company on September 15, 1869. In 1887 the Iowa Rail Road Land Company bought from the Iowa Falls and Sioux City Railroad Company for cash, all of its remaining unsold lands and the bills receivable, and other assets resulting from previous sales.
From time to time thereafter, through consolidation and purchase, all of the remaining real estate and bills receivable of these several land and town lot com- panies and of the Moingona Coal Company, which were under common control, passed to the ownership of The Iowa Rail Road Land Company.
The Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad was finished in 1867, and the land grant completely earned then. From that time on the officers of the rail- road company and of its successor, the land company, for thirty-five years per- sistently and continuously worked to have this land grant finally adjusted so that the tracts actually granted might be definitely known and the companies receive evidence of title thereto. Their efforts were finally successful in 1902.
John I. Blair was the first president of this company. Horace Williams was president from 1871 to 1872. In 1872 J. Van Deventer, then of Clinton, Iowa, and later of Knoxville, Tennessee, was elected president and remained so until 1889; since which time P. E. Hall has been the president of this company.
Henry V. Ferguson, now vice president of this company, came into the employ of these companies in 1868, and has been continuously in their service since that time. P. E. Hall has been an officer of The Iowa Rail Road Land Company since 1871.
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