Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1877-07-11
Railroad War at Des Moines,

Both the X. & ID. M. and the d. M.
Il Fl. d. Railroads claim the right Of
way in Des Moines west of the river.
The X. & d. M, desiring to build a
new depot and bridge, had the right
of way condemned and deposited the
sum awarded with the Sheriff. Hay
ing finished their bridge, they yester-
day undertook to lay the track to the
depot. The Register says:
cat six O'Clock Monday morning
the track builders OF the X. Il d. Nj.
Co. commenced to lay the rails from
the bridge westward. At the same
time another party laid track on
Fourth street on the south side of
Market square into the alley between
Market and Elm streets, south Of the
Mandel and :McGlew lots. AS soon
as this was discovered by the d. M.
Il Fit. Dodge Company, they stationed
party Of men at the east end of the
track they had laid from Third to
Second street, that track having been
run full of cars and the last one
ditched and protected by snnbbing
post. About III o'clock a. H., the X.
y d. NJ. men had completed the track
from the bridge to the connection on
the west side of Second street. all but
one rail. This they laid. and it was
promptly showed Off the ties by the
hands of the d. M. e Fl. d. Road.
Nothing more was done until four
o'clock, the last named gang, howev-
er remaining constantly on guard.
AT that time X. & d. NJ. train came
across the bridge with three cars
loaded with foundation stones in
front of the engine and some section
cars behind, and in the latter were q
large number Of workmen, who dis
mounted when the train stopped and
came to the place left for the last rail.
Meantime Messrs. Fyffe, represent
ing the X &c d. M. Company, and
Kaufman, representing the d. M. &
Fl ID. road, had arrived on the scene.
Mr.. kaufman directed his men to re-
sist by force the laying of the rail
Col. Fyfle had previously notified
the police authorities that he intended
to lay the rail at four o'clock and re-
quested them to be present and pre-
vent any disturbance. They
were on hand. AT the word of COM
mand the X. Il ID. NJ. workmen seiz-
ed the rail, laid it in place and began
to spike it down. The d. M. & Fl.
d. men attempted to push them away
and not succeeding in this placed
their crowbars under the ties and
showed them north SO that the rails
lacked about two feet of connecting.
The crowding and pushing was de-
cidedly lively, and in the melee one
man slipped and accidcntly struck one
of the opposing force with his foot.
The injured man seized bar and was
about to retaliate with a blow, when
he was prevented by the policemen,
who took possession of the track and
compelled both parties to leave it. The
marshal then announced that the point
in dispute was question of law be-
tween the two railroad companies,
with which the police had nothing to
do, but if any attempt was made to
disturb the public qniet they would
arrest the parties making such dis
turbance. The work was not renew
ed and the rail remains at the pres
ent writings p. m. as it was laid.
The engine and train are ready to
run to the grounds where the depot
is to be built, as soon as the connec-
ton is made. For time it appeared
as if there would be some trouble, at
least it so appeared to outsiders, but
the workmen did not share their feel
ing. They acted with commcndable
prudence and discretion. As one of
them remarked to reporter: cit
won't pay to fight for Is cents q day."
Ats p. m. the X. & D. M. workmen
were removed.