Tama County Republican. (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1867-1872, 1870-02-17
4 Chance FOR a Railroad.


4 Chance for A sailrcaa.
j, W. Street, Esq, President of the
new railroad company whose proposed
route is from Cedar Falls through To
Iedo Malcolm and Monteznma to some
as yet unsolicited point south Of the
latter town, thus giving St. Paul dl-
rect line OF railway communication
with st Louis, addressed the citizens
OF Montezuma on last Friday evening,
plainly giving them to know that which
he hoped 10 be able to 90 tor them,
ana also that which he hoped to see
them willing to DO for themselves.
Taking for granted the plain state
ments and logical estimates of the
speaker, there seems to be needed, to
secure us the road now III hand, only
united and determined action On the
part OF the people of this county.
1t is estimated that 1880 tons of
steel rails Will be required in ironing
the road. \ French company, engaged
in the manufacture OF the best quality
Of these rails, proposes to furnish the
amount required Tor this road, 1t $50
per ton, accepting in payment therefor
at least half of the amount in The First
Mortgage bonds ol the road.
Bat there are other aad probably
better offers made by other companies.
Ottumwa wants thus road: Sigourney
hopes Ottumwa may have it, through
her From Sigourney to Ottumwa
road bed is already made, and the
Great Eastern Railway Construction
Company has contracted to iron and
equip the same BY August, $50. OF
tumwa and Sigourney are willing to
grant this road bed TO the company
| whereof Mr.. Street is President, on
! condition Of granting the road through
! Sigouvney to OttumWI, and the Great
! Eastern Railway Construction Compa-
ny, asserting to this transfer, offers to
| continue It's work, anl il the road bed
Of the entire line be given them, to
iron and equip it all, receiving pay
ment in the First Mortgage bonds OF
the road, taking for themselves, as such
companies are wont to do, that which
Mr.. Street ve'y naively alluded to as
"a liberal margin for profit" Mr..
Street is confident this may be done
and the road still be LETT in a condition
to flourish.
The coal-bc1s south Of Montezuna
are Of the best the State affords, and
will be IN incxhaustibc source OF rev
enue to the road. So will be the pine
lumber Of the North. Almost the en-
tire road will be in q country needing
| both the coal ana The lumber, and this
road will possess a consequent adyan-
tage over most OF the lines now in OPP
Grafton.
It has been shown that at all events
there is one route practicable and Civ
ing It's projectors offers from reliable
company to iron and equip it, 50 SOON
as ne road bed is furnished by the peo-
PIE along the linc--that running IRON
Montezuma TO Sieourney and Ottum-
wa. II this route be chosen, the Great
Eastern Railway Construction Comta-
ny stands ready to give us our regu.
lar trains at an early day. Mr.. Street
llliiiho IL poso4DiS, IN" WI, w ''iihO
even more favorable negotiations with
other capitalists, and OF such clarac-
ter as shall leave the railroad company
independent OF Sigourney and Ottum-
wa. 1t may be that some other object
i've point to the South Of lis will be
observation-disclosures, for instance-loav-
ing the capital cities Of Keokuk and
Wapello counties TO build and enjoy
the road they have begun. Once fin
ishcd 10 Nontezuma, the road viii not
lacl, for invitations to visit other points
below us. Even if Ottumwa be the
point chosen, ronte direct to that
city from Nontezuma would look
much better on q map than # twisted
around to take in Sigourney. If the
people choose to furnish road bed,
such route VIII probably be given the
| preference.
From Cedar Falls to Toledo a vast
deal OF Tie grading is already done,
and the road-Led is made tar to the
south Of Toledo, even. Black Hawk
and Tama counties have agreed to fin
lsh the work on the road-bed in their
respective limits, 50 far rs tais work is
assigned to them. Powcshick county
IS called upon for $4,000; one-halt to
be paid when the ears on this road
reach Malcolm; the other half when
they reach Montezuma.- Moutezuma
Republican, Feb. "a.