The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1859-06-17


MsssRs. EDrroas: Thinking that it may
not prove uninteresting to yourself and to
some Of your many readers to learn some
thing more definite about the Iowa and Mis-
souri, State Line Railroad than has yet APP
peared in public print, concluded to give
you short synopsis Of it's rise, progress and
present prospects.
1 The citizens Of Mercer county, Missouri,
and Of Decatur county, Iowa, residing on
and near the State line, feeling the ACTUAL
necessity Of a railroad, over which they
could convey their surplus produce to market
and by which they could obtain more readily
their supplies Of groceries and merchandise,
held several public meetings at Pleasant
Plain, Decatur county, Iowa, to devise ways
and means how work Of that kind could
be accomplished.
After several consultations II was deter
mined to organize railroad company under
the general incorporation laws of Iowa, and
to take subscriptions Of stock, payable in
cash, land, railroad ties, produce and labor.
The company was duly organized on the
4th Of January, 1859, by electiDg full
board Of officers and adopting articles Of in
corporation. General agents we're imme-
diately appointed to canvass the route from
the Mississippi to the Missouri river, to pre-
sent the object before the people, and au-
thorized to appoint local agents and to fur
nish them with stock books SO that the peo-
pie could have an opportunity to subscribe
stock, after they had fairly investigated the
subject.
The entire route has been canvassed, from
As to so local agents have been appointed,
many of whom are energetically employed
in procuring subscriptions Of stock, and the
prospects now are that 100000 will be
subscribed in the above mentioned property
and labor, and paid, by the citizens along
the line.
The company have secured the right OF
way and purchased several acres of ground
in this city, for their depot, warehouses, ma.
chine shops, and other necessary buildings
competent corps OF engineers have beer
employed and the route surveyed from thi.
to Mt. Sterling, I'll miles.) The engineer,
! are now busiy engaged in locating the road
!, and will continue that work until the whole il
located to the Missouri river.
The route from the west bank of the De
Moines river is found an exceedingly practi
: cable one, and the estimated cost Of grading
= masonry and bridging falls little short O
= $4,000 per mile.
= The work will be let in small contracts, I
:. stockholders only, who will take contracts t
" the amount Of their subscriptions. B
: adopting this plan much will be saved to til
= Company.
The ceremony of "breakng ground" too
place on Wednesday, the 9Th inst, on til
: west bank of Des Moines river, opposite th
!, city. The citizens, including large numb.
= of ladies, after landing from the ferrybo,
> of our worthy townsman, @. G. Dibble, Els,
:. to whom too much praise cannot
: awarded for the liberal spirit manifested o
> the occasion-marched to the ground unde
y the direction of Gen. E. A. M. Swasey, VIII
ofhciated as Marshal Of the day. The cere
mony was opened by an appropriate praye
Q offered by the Rev. w. II. Tuston, afte
! which +. Robinson, Esq, the President 0
Company, was introduced to the audience
! He riveted their attention to such degre
: that for some 80 or 40 minutes, while hi
soul.strirring and interesting address wa
q in progress, no other sound was heard I
: come in conflict with his voice; but when
II ceased to speak the assembled multitud
o gave vent to their pent-up feelings by lou
g and repeated shouts and cheers. The Pres
J, dent then went through the ceremony
Ie moving the FIRST shovel full of gravel.
'e Col. Jones, the General Agent Of the Con
- pany, was then introduced and delivered hin
MS self in most felicitous style, and oalli1
o. upon a benign Providence to bless this il
%, portaut enterprise, took spade in hand a,
be threw the second shovel full of earth
ed Our fellow townsman, Geo. Schram,
ID ESQ, the Treasurer Of the Company, ",
il then loudly called for. With dif6ien
r. characteristic Of our esteemed fellow q
as isen, he made his appearance among I
fair and strong grouped in crescent sty
4. and AZ he delivered himself in such short .
IA pithy sentences withal, will, for the bent
m Of your readers, repeat them here - neal
in as my memory serves me. He said he
he not respond to the call for the purpose
be wearying their patience with long speet
in but he had desire to assure his fellow ci
ma gems that his heart and soul was wrapped
ng in this important enterprise, and never in
= life had he thrown shovel full Of ear
. with more heartfelt good will and pleasu
ut snan tne one ne was ABOUT 20 throw VINE