The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1854-01-05
Annual Report of the President Of the Chicago
and Rock Island Railroad
Chicago, December 10, 1853.

THE Board of Directors submit to the (
stockholders the following report on the +
progress of the work, III constructing 'heir
read during the pact year.
Al the date 81 the last annual report wv
road WAS in operation To joliet. From lhe
annexed report OF the Chief Engineer II APP I
pears the road was opened Tor use " stss
cessivc stages, namely, To Morris, 10 QUA
Ma, and Peru, reaching the latter point III
the month Of April, and subsequently 70
kiskilwa on the 9Th OF September, to Shell
field the 10th Of October, and this day the
road will be opened to Geneseo, a distance
of lis miles from Chicago, leaving only rs
miles between the west end OF the road in op-
Grafton and it's ultimate terminus on the bank
sc the Mississippi at Rock Island. To com
plete this last section, there is little 70 be
done except to lay the rails, The ralis are
on hand, and there is no reason to doubt the
entire road will be in condition to DC useu
for transportation at latest by the lst Oh
March next.
The policy pursued by the contractors, OF
so conducting their work as to hring inc
road into use by successive stages, has been
wisely calculated to give character to the en-
terprise The road has BY this means made
the most early demonstration Of the impor-
lance of its business, and by It's success
given confidence toits securities, anu ahofd-
ed accommodation to the public. II mas al
so shown that a larger amount oil machinery
would be required than was originally anti
pated 1t will be seen by the report OF The
CAiei Engineer, that upon the basis OF bust
ness actually done and offered the past year,
the receipts Of the road may be estimated at
one million Of dollars the first year OF its
complete operation.
The contractors By terms OF their contract
are to have the use OF the road until compile
ted and the contract accepted. and We have
Il cir assurance that they viii deliver il 10
the company on the 10th i July next. The
present condition OF the work warrants this
exneetation and We have full confidence il
viii be done We deem il proper To say t.
the stockholders, that We have been well
satisfied with the energy anu skill with
which the contractors have prosecuted the
work. aud especially with their jpdicious
management Of the finances, BY which they
have been able To carry forward the work,
without relaxation through the recent severe
pressure III the money market. II il hard
Is two years since they commenced the
work and now they have l5s miles in ope-
ration. and the remainder nearly completed
and We may congratulate the patrons OF the
road, on the near completion Of the same,
and the successful development OF the re-
sources OF lis business.
The cost of the road will be somew hat, bat
not materially swelied beyond the original
estimate. The cost 81 land has been more
than estimated-tht extension further inta
the city Of Chicago for passenger station
owing 10 the great rise in property N this
city, the complete fencing Of the whole read
the payment Of interest on stock, the ad.
aiti5naI machinery, that /, How found 10 b
necessary, with less important items, viii
probably nuke the total cost If the road
ab0u, 1 millions Of dollars The same "a.
ito Of business as developed the past year
wtlf enable the company TO divide ten pei
cent. on the cost Of the road and leave q
fair surplus. The estimate ct revenue by
the Chief Engineer i based On the business
81 the past season with prospective increase
that may be expected from the transports.
ton Of eoal This may be reduced in sane
respects by the operation Of other roads IN
q year Or two. NJ doubt other roads will
divide some portions u the business, but L
can hardly be supposed this DIVISION vii
equal the natural growth OF the county
which is not more than ebnut rs occupied
by cult vatlnn, aud which il * confidently
believed Will much more than make good Ton
any losses by such division. There are
however, auxiliary sources OF business III
prospect for the road.
The Directors hive made contract T.
lease the Peoria and Bureau Valley Rail,
road and the sanction Of the stockholders
viii be asked al this time 10 confirm the
same.
Al Rock Island the road strikes the great
cfannc OF commerce on the Mississippi
where il opens upon steamboat navigation
that is good for large portion Of the year
In aid - this avenue Of trade n Railroad is
projected and the company is organized e.
extend from the foo. of the lower rapids %
the Mississippi at Warsaw TO the head Of the
Upper Rapids at Port Byron This will
make the communication complete for the
whole year, and make Rock Island a more
important commercial ecrt~e, that must add
greatly 10 the business of the Rock Island
Road. The great auxiliary source Of bus.
ness for your road will be found in the large
traffic that Will be collected from the coun.
try wing westerly OF the Mississippi. From
Davenport on Its west bank ospposte the
terminus of your road AT Rock Island, a
Railroad is now in course OF construction
through the State of Iowa via Iowa City and
Fort Drs MONIES to Council Bluffs on the
Missouri. This road will be connected with
road from Muscatlne running westward
I through the counties OF Washington, keo.
/ kuk, and Mahaska. &c, to the Missouri riv-
er. The same interest propose 10 construct
branch road running up the valley Of Co.
dar River, through Upton, Cedar Rapids
and thence in northwesterly direction, to
embrace the trade of Northwestern Iowa -
These roads are undertaken By the Mssis-
sippi and Missouri Railroad Company
The section from the Mississippi to Iowa
City is under contract and progressing rap
idly and is expected TO be completed for
use by the close Of next year, and will! add
81 miles to the line westward from your
road. Til. roads are to be connected by Il
bridge across the Mississippi at Rock Is
land, where the situation is eminently favor
able for such work. Authority has been
granted to build the proposed bridge,
and the work has been commenced. 1t
has been said the situation at Rock Island
is favorable for such a structure. The bed
Of the River is Il limestone rock, and Of
course affords the best foundation. The
channel of the river is straight and smooth
for half mile above the site proposed.
The water in the channel at this place is
never less than eight feet, and there is a