Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-29

The Route FROM ottumNa 60 0s-
.dar Rapids.
Our readers will recollect that
bright and early Wednesday morn
ing last, an exploring expedition left
this city to examine the railroad route
from here to Cedar Rapids, and that
it included Hon. j. NJ. Cary, for
thirteen years the General Solicitor
and an influential Director of the Chi
cago, Milwaukee Il st. Paul Railroad
Company, J. M. Hedrick, the Presi-
dent of the Cedar Rapids, Sigourney
& Ottumwa Railroad Company, Ex-
Senator s. L. Bows, Of Cedar Rapids,
and Col, s. d. Carpenter, of this city
whose company made the grade from
here to Sigourney, and who had fire.
quently been over the entire route as
Surveyed to Cedar Rapids, and was
therefore familiar with it.
We are informed that the first day
was spent between this city and Sig
Quincy in giving the grade, bridges,
ETC., q careful and somewhat critical
examination, and they were found to
be in much better condition than was
generally expected. Many of the
farmers enroute were seen and they
all expressed themselves anxious to
have the grade utilized and the road
speedily completed, to which end they
generally expressed themselves Is
willing to contribute to the extent Of
their means or ability to do so.
Wednesday evening very respec-
table meeting of the Sigourney peo-
pie was held, which was addressed by
Judge Cary. He made to that meet
ing substantially the same statements,
in plain and unrcserved way, which
he had previously made to our people
here, and which were to the effect that
his company WAS . great and grow
ing corporation, that it already had
about two thousand miles of railroad
in operation that il had recently d.
rected its attention to central and
southern Iowa and the southwest !;
that to this end it was already at &C.
dar Rapids, enroute to its manifest
destination, and that his Company hav-
ing been favorably impressed with our
r QUITE had sent him to look it over,
and If his report to the meeting
of his Director, which occurs on the
7th proximo, should favorably i'm
press them, they would at once build,
iron, equip and operate the entire
road, provided the people along the
line will furnish the grade and right
ofway. His plain statements seemed
to meet with the hearty approval of
the Sigourney people as they did else
where.
Thursday the party passed over the
country, for the most part, on the old
survey, passing through Webster,
South English, North English and
Williamsburg, to the Amana Society
in Iowa county.
Williamsburg is near the centre Of
Iowa county and in the midst of q
magnificent and highly cultivated
country. At an early day Williams
burg was rival point for the County
Seat, but the building of the Rock Is
land Railroad located it at Marengo
on one side of the County.
The Amana Society, owning
about 10000 acres Of choice and high.
ly cultivated land, is situated in the
northeast part of Iowa county on both
sides of the Rock Island Railroad.
The Iowa river runs through their
property and upon it they have excel
lent water works, which furnish
much Of the motive power to run
their very extensive manufacturing
concerns.
The Amana Society is the most
prosperous community, or Commune
in the Country. 1t was located in
1855 by its present Treasurer and
General Manager Mr.. Byers. They
are for the most part German people
and their inspiring and central idea is
. devotion to the Evangelical Luz
theran Church. All the property of
its seven villages, manufactures, and
over 10000 acres of land fully stocked
with the finest animals, is owned in
common, and managed by directors
and after the general manner of An
incorporation. Sixteen hundred PEG.
pie now belong to the Society, which
has property estimated to be worth
100000, which would probably
make the Amana people the richest
per capita of any community on the
face ofthe earth. Here the party were
astonished to find very extensive
wool, calico, flour, beer, wagon, starch,
wine and many other manufacturing
Establishments which make wares very
largely for the outside world, Stew
art, of New York, taking all their
surplus woolens.
From this point the party proceed
ed to Norway on the Northwestern
Railroad and from thence to Cedar
Rapids. Their reception there and
subsequent action is related else where
in this issue.
We are also informed that Judge
Cary addressed the people at many
Of the other points along the route
and that from Ottumwa to Cedar
Rapids . disposition was generally
manifested to accept his proposition.
We may add that the Judge has re-
turned to Milwaukee quite favofably
impressed with what he saw of the
route, the resources of the country,
and the friendly spirit manifested,
and we hope that it is not too much
to expect that his representations will
secure favorable action from the pow
erful corporation which he repre-
| sents.
Perhaps we should have said before
that our explorers met at Amans .
large force Of engineers in the direct
employ Of the Chicago, Milwaukee &
st. Paul Railroad Company, which
were engaged in running and verify
ing the old survey, and that they may
be expected ct Sigourney in . few
days. From there they will run an
other line back to Cedar Rapids to
enable the Company to have the
choice of two routes and to select the