The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-10-17
The F1ref LSco fstfve Mnde d


On Saturday, IN company With Gen. keid,
and VIM. Leighton, Esq, Lessees Of the D.
NJ. v. B. B., the President and Directors Of
The Conpsuv, Sapt Williams, Hosr depus,
Master Machinist, and few other citizens,
we took Z ride on - handsome md well-con-
structed locomotives we eversaw or rodeaf
Ter, which had just been finished and put on
the track-every part Of which, from its mag.
sive whesls down 70 the smallest steam cock,
had been cast and finished in the Company's
own machine shop, in this city. At few
moments before IL O. clock the whistle sound
ed, and the steam horse seeming proud of its
own ability and power, moved on to the main
track, and, at the bidding of the careful engi-
neer, started ahead, sAsisfsihg those who en-
joyed the ride that it possessed the speed and
power Of those from the Oldest and best en-
CINE works of the country. This is, we be-
lieve, the first locomotive manufactured in
Iowa, and the first one made went of the Mis-
sissippi River, outside of St. LOUIS =
The engine has 14-inch cylinder, 22-inch
stroke, Eve foot wheel, and weighs about "a
tons, and finished as first class eneine. Al
regards its finish, We donbt very much vheth-
q II could be surpassed in any othsr establish
ment. Its cost will not be far from $17 600,
being several thousand less than the same
kind of an engine could be built for at an
eastern machine shop. The BEN weighing, 95
lbs, was also cast and finished in this shop by IN
experienced machinist. The silver plate, about
Is inches in diameter with the words "Des
Kotnes Valley Railroad, y encircling the name
of the engine, which by the way is sIowA,"
was engraved by Mr.. J. R. Buckingham, and
is handsomely executed.
At the machine shop we were allowed a
few moments to inspect the machinery which
had performed large amount Of this labor,
guided by the hand of the skillfnl workmen.
The building is of ample dimensions, covering
about one block of ground. The finishing
department is well supplied with all the mod
ern improvements in machinery. There are
several departments for the various charac-
tiers of work required in constructing and re-
pairing engines, but we did not have sufi-
cient time to gather all the information We
desired. In this department alone, about
seventy or eighty workmen are constantly en-
ployed.
There is another building a short distance
from the machine shop, where the Company
keep large number of workmen busy build
ing and repairing freight and stock cars and
passenger coaches, a large number Of the
former and three or four of the latter having
been in use several months and perhaps
year.
We were informed by Mr.. Sellers, tn m whom
there can be no better Master Machinist, that
he will put another engine, of about the same
size and capacity of the one just completed,
on the track in three or four months: and
will be able with the force now employed
to build about two each year, and do all the
repair work required.
These evidences of the prosperity and use
fulness of this railroad are extremely Crafty
ing to us, as they must be to every person who
is at all interested In the future prosperity of
our city.
This road bids fair to outstrip all its COM
petitors, and may reach Des Moines by the
middle of next year, at least such is now the
great desire of those under whose guidance
the work is being pushed forward.