Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-05-25
DOWN The LINE OF THE IOWA CENTRAL
Things Seen and 1eard--The Railroad
and the COuntry-A New Town-A
Halliday Among the Farmers
and Contractors.

and the COuntry-A New Town-A
Halliday Among the Farmers
and Contractors.
We were in no degree displeased, last
Monday, on being invited by our friend
Mccoy, of the firm of Overman & Nc
Coy, contractors on the Iowa Central
Railroad, to take a ride "down the
line" 1t was just after noon when we
got off, in an open buggy behind pair
of good chunks from OConnor Il Jew
els livery. Just enough rain had fallen
on Saturday evening to lay the DUST
The sun shed "a tender, hazy bright
ness" and the sweet, fresh breath of
Spring, so exhilarating to all office
bound quill-driver, fiuttered the young
leaves and nodded the early grass as we
sped along. We lit our pipe, crossed
our legs, and were at peace with ourself
and all the world. Feeding herds OF
cattle dotted the hillsides, and, rs we
drove near, motherly looking old cows
stared at us with their great, round,
liquid eyes, and seemed about to put
the question: Does your mother
know you're out?" But we didn't
mind their impudence, and wished
them good fodder and fat calves, as we
would have done, that day, had they
been Misunderstanding bipeds instead
of motherly-looking quadrupeds. Birds
fiuttered up from the grass, perched
themselves on tree-tops and fence-tops,
and tops of everything, and swelled
their pretty Threats with the rich notes
of their beautiful songs. Myriads Of
insects floated in the sunlight, and theil
infinitesimal hummings commingled
into one monotonous, indolent buzz. II
was so dreamy, quiet and beautiful out
there on the prairie, going down the
line of the Iowa Central.
Directly in front of s. II. Rownd's
house, about two miles from town, we
came upon the first gang" at worl;
finishing up a cut. About twenty men
and four teams were at work there. Mac
talked with the "boss" awhile, and
then we ratified down the hill, came uI
on the other side, deserted the road and
struck off through the fields and over
the open prairie, close to the line.
About mile from Rownd's was anoth.
er force, composed of twelve men and
three teams. Mac looked around q little
told Mike to "shove things" and on
we went.
Flynn & Co. are sub-contractors or
sections four and five, and we found
them "hard at it" with force of four
teen men and four teams. They want
ed more men and more teams, and made
Mccoy promise to do what he could tt
increase the force.
Section six is on the summit. This
is sub-let to McGrath, Digna & Co.
men from Freeport, Ill. They had four
teen men and four teams at work, and
expected to considerably increase thei,
force within few days. From the
summit-the highest point of GROUND
between the Cedar and the Black Hawk
--one gets splendid view of the coun
try, as there is nothing to interrupt the
vision, in any direction, as far as the
eye can reach.
No grading has yet been done or
section seven. 1t will probably be sub
contracted in short time.
Donnally Bros, who did considera.
bio work on the extension of the Du.
buque & Sioux City Railroad west from
Cedar Falls, have sub-contract of sec
tions eight, nine, and part Of ten-reach
ing to the bank of the Black Hawk
They have got a large amount of work
done, and are thorough-going, driving
men. They had about twenty men and
thirteen teams at work, and were en-
gagged on a fill with scrapers. A team
took load, scrambled up the embank'
ment, near the top of which the load
was dumped; then down on the Other
side, where it was loaded again and re-
turned-and SO the teams were kept
going, up and down, loaded alternately
on either side of the embankment. The
dirt was moved very fast. The mer
engaged here have made quite littl,
village, having five shanties, with 1
population of about forty-five souls al
together. One of the shanties is large
and is used as boarding house. Berth,
are built up at one end, where the mer
sleep. The keeper treated us to som,
excellent small beer, which he hat
made for the men.
The remaining part of section ten
being across the Black Hawk, is let t.
Currier Bros, and they had eight mel
and two teams at work.
On the day we were along the line
therefore, there were eighty eight mer
and thirty teams at work on the first
ten m lies Of the Iowa Central out o.
Cedar Falls. The heaviest part of the
grading is done, and considerable of the
distance is ready for the ties. The tim.
Der for the bridges is all on the ground
and Mr.. Mccoy informed us that he in
tended to go to drisingNpiles next week
There are more mel Ut work on the
road in Tama county than in Black
Hawk county, and the work IS furthel
advanced in that county than It Is IN
this. The balance of the work in tdese
two counties will be let on the 7th 81
June, and there is no doubt that the
grading and bridging will all be done
between Cedar Falls and Toledo before
another Winter sets in. A trip down
the line is very strengthening to ones
confidence In the early completion of
the Iowa Central.
After leaving the agreeable Donnally
Bros. Zone of whom had recently been
kicked by colt; was too lame to work,
and therefore had plenty of time to
TALK we steered for the bridge across
the Black Hawk; crossed the stream,
and pulled up, shortly after, at Mr.. A.
Cottrell's. Here we found engineer