Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-07-03
THE CENTRAL RAILROAD.

An Ackley correspondent of the Du-
buque Times, commenting on the
Central Railroad says:
One soon gets the impression, when
aboard q train on this road, that
some pratical mind is at the head of
the corporation; you detect it in the
bearing of the employees; in the
cleanliness and comfort Of the pas
senger coaches, and in the drive and
push witnessed from one end of the
road to the other. Major Morrill,,
the present Receiver, is a thoroughly
practicable railroad man; and dis
pensing with a Superintendent, dis
charges the duties of that position
himself. His first purpose is to put
the road in first-class condition, us
ing the net receipts tor the purpose.
He is expanding during the season
$4,000 in new steel and iron rails,
$4,000 in new cross ties, besides
many smaller sums for new bridges,
bridge spans, crossings, culverts, ETC.,
so that there is no doubt but that the
roadway will be in better condition
when all these improvements are
completed than ever before. This
road has a large floating as well az a
large bonded debt, and it lie the aim
of Mr.. Morrill, to manage, through
economy and wise system of i'm
provements, to put it fairly on its
feet when it will possess value and
soon begin to rapidly pay off this
great and hampering incumbrance.
The general business of the Central
is improving as the increase of the
receipts demonstrates. The road
traverses one of the best portions OF
the State. 1t is the great coal thor
oughfare of the west, and as this traf.
fic increases by reason of the grow
ing population, the opening up of
new railroad connections and the
great mining facilities being inaugur-
ated, this item of the roads business
will be simply immense. In antici.
patton of this increase and the gener-
ally enlarged traffic of this road much
extra work is being done in the shops
at Marshalltown. Two coaches have
been almost wholly rebuilt. The
same is true of ten box and abou,
twenty coal cars. Several engine,
have been thoroughly overhauled
and others are being treated in like
manner The business is increasing
so rapidly that the Receiver will soor
be compelled to add largely to the
rolling stock of the road.
The litigation growing out of The
foreclosure proceedings is long and
tedious. The case is now in the Su
preme Court of the United States O.
appeal from Judge billions Cour
ordering the sale of the road. 1t vii
probably be, year before final de-
cision is reached, and in the mean.
time the road will continue in tn,
hands of the present Receiver. I
could be in no safer hands. MajoI
Morrill, is proving himself to be no
only q thoroughly practical railroa,
man, but most wise and far-seeinl
manager, and if sustained and sup
ported will soon have, not only thu
road bed, one of the best in the State
but the rolling stock available fo
the most effective service. The pas
senger traffic of the Central shows
most healthful growth. Through
coaches are run from st. Paul to 81
Louis. 1t is the natural route from
north and northwestern Iowa to tn
capital of the State, making close an
desirable connections with the trun
lines east and west. The new man
agement has already won the conf
dence and hearty support of its NOR
immediate patrons. Its employee
are prompt and accommodating an
being essentially an Iowa enterprise
is deserving of the earnest sympath
and liberal patronage of every cit
zen of our State.