Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-07-31
THE CENTRAL OF loWA-SoME
IMPORTANT FACTS.

| AH CNluCutiy Wc1l lulOIlIlteu party
writes an interesting letter from Mar.
shalltOwn, Iowa, to the Chicago Times,
touching the Central Railroad OF
Iowa and its connections, and present
and future business prospects.
From it we CLEAN the following,
which is of more immediate concern
to our people:
At Eddyville Transfer, nine miles
south of Oskaloosa and seventeen
north of Ottumwa, the track of the
keokuk d Des Moines railroad Joins
that of the Central of Iowa. Here
practically terminates the line. The
fourteen miles of road belonging to
the Central between Eddyville and
Abba is operated as a branch, its earn
ings being light. From Eddyville
Transfer to Ottumwa the Central use
the track of the keokuk 4 Des Moines
The Central will soon be compelled to
build a line of their own, for some
time projected, and very feasible as a
route, by way of Kirkville to Ottum.
wa, unless a satisfactory permanent
contract can be made with the Chica-
go, Rock Island L. Pacific, under
whose control the keokuk & Des
Moines will pass Oct. /. At Ottum.
wa, principal railroad center, the
business of the Central finds an outlet
to Chicago by way OF the chicago
Burlington & Quincy line, as also to
the east by the system of railways via
Peoria, Terre Haute, indianapolis and
Toledo. Connection is here made
direct with the st. Louis, Kansas City
& Northern railroad for st. Louis and
Kansas City and all points south and
southwest.
From MarshalltOwn to Ottumwa
the road traverses that belt of Iowa
richest in the production of corn, cat
tie and hogs. 1t is thus seen that for
business originating in the country
through which it runs the Central is
very advantageously located. The
sections traversed by it, whose inter.
est it unquestionably is to sustain and
make it a profitable line, must become
among the most wealthy and densely
populated in this chief of the trans
Mississippi states.
THE CENTRAL AS A THROUGH LINE.
By an alliance which promises per.
manency, entered into during the
present year, the Central is establish
ed as a division of very important
through line, which forms the short.
est, most economical, and most adj
vantageous route between Minneapo.
lis and st. Paul, and st. Louis and
Kansas City. The Milwaukee & st.
Paul, formerly associated in the St
Louis and southern business with the
Burlington, Cedar Rapids 4 Northern
line, has abandoned the latter route
for the present more direct and eco.
nOmical connection via the Central
and the st. Louis, Kansas City 4
Northern. The traffic between the
states of Missouri, Kansas, Arkansas,
Texas, the Indian Territory, and the
states of Iowa, Minnesota and western
Wisconsin should in future for the
most part take this route.
The Central Railroad Of Iowa occu.
pies a very commanding relationship
to these ultimate certainties of trade
to whatever extent they may devel.
op. Essentially barrier, as by the
force of its position it may be made
to oppressive railway combinations,
depressing the price of western prod.
ucts, the people along its line should
give it their best support, and unite
with energy in sustaining a route
which promises them the sure benefits
of two permanently competing great
markets.
This new route between st. Louis
and st. Paul via the Central is a thor.
oughly-equipped mail, passenger and
express route, having through Pull.
man sleeper and drawing-room coach
on its two daily trains. All Of its ap'
pointments are of the best and most
modern. Arrivals and departures al
terminal points are with view to di.
rect connection beyond without loss
of time and with convenience to the
traveller. For the large and increas
ing travel between a great section o.
the northwest and Kansas and Color.
ado, via Kansas City,. fifteen hour.
shorter time is secured by this line
than by any other available route.
The people Of Iowa and MinnesOts
should promote the prosperity of this
line in all possible ways, since it form.
the most actively and permanently
competing route available to them
and, therefore, in a special degree
subserve their best interests.