Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1866-05-18
Railroads,
DUBUQUE e. SIOUX CITY.

Tho cars on the Dubuque e. Sioux City
Railroad commenced running regularly
to Cedar Falls on Monday, April LIST,
1861. The time when the town should
enjoy the advantages of railroad COM
munication with the east had been anx-
iously looked forward to for a number
ofyears, and the Iron Horse, we dare
say, never had, from any people, moro
enthusiastic and hearty reception than
was extended to him here on the banks
of the Cedar. On Thursday, the 18th
of April, Grand Celebration was had
in honor of the event, on which occa-
sion prominent railroad and business
men of Dubuque, and from the various
places in this portion of Iowa, were the
honored and handsomely treated guests
of proud and happy little Cedar Fails.
On the route which the procession was
to take, were hung flags, cedar wreaths,
and a profusion of notices, thanking
and praising nearly every enc, were ar
tisticaliy arranged. Hon. A. +. Brown
made reception speech to "Mr. Presi.
dent, Gentlemen of the ID. & S. c. II. r.
Co., and Fellow-Citizens," in the new
depot, after which the procession was
marched to Overman's block, where
further speaking was INDUCED in. The
s-'->es OF the day, and few of the prom
lnent citizens, next proceeded to the
American House, then kept by J. l..
Wilcox, now the popular landlord of
the Garter. and partook Of an excellent
supper. A splendid ball in the evening
closed the exercises. The GAZETTE of
the next morning came out with two
column-and-a-half report. Cedar Falls
remained the western terminus of the
road until the first of June, 1s65-four
years-when trains began running to
New Hartford, ten miles west. Soon
after, trains ran twenty miles west, then
thirty-five, and now the western termi-
nus Of the road is at Iowa Falls, a flour
ishing town Of about zoe Inhabitants, in
Hardin county, on the Iowa River fifty
miles west of Cedar Falls. 1t is expect
ed that the road will be extended to
Fort Dodge, Webster county, fifty miles
still further west, during the next year
or year and u half. Cedar Falls derived
great advantage from being for four
years the western terminus Of the road.
CEDAR FALLS & Minnesota II. r..
This road, in operation to Waverly,
Bremen county, fifteen miles north of
Cedar Falls, is an outgrowth of Cedar
Falls enterprise. Though the road has
never, as yet, proved advantageous to
this place, still it is destined TO become
valuable as feeder to the large manu-
featuring interests which are soon to be
in operation here, The grading on this
road was commenced in the fall of 1850:
during the winter following timber was
gotten out, and in the spring of 1861
there was much zeal manifested in
pushing the road northward, and it was
confidently asserted that twenty miles
OF the road would be completed during
that year. But the war came en-; the
contractors were unable to get pay for
work done, and the construction of the
road stopped. In 1854 the ID. & S. G. II.
r.. Company leased the road, and pro-
ceeded at once to complete it to Waiver
ly. On the first day OF December of
that year, the first regular passenger
train ran over the road and gladdened
the hearts of the Waverlyites. The
road is still operated by the d. & S. C.
Company. There isno immediate pros
pect Of its being extended beyond its
present terminus. The road forms a
Junction with the d. & S. G. road about
mile and half east of Cedar Falls,
where small depot building has been
erected. We believe conductors desig-
nate the plaee,as Minnesota Junction.