Omaha daily bee., 1884-04-10
VEST OF TIL MISSOURI.


Information from Burt county, the
nursery of the new Nebraska Central
railroad, is to the effect that the contract
has been let for the construction of the
first 100 miles of the road from Decatur
west, to the representatives of the Eng
fish Railway and Canal Building com
pany. The route is through Burt, Cum
ing, Stanton, Madison, Boone, Wheeler,
and Loup counties and the ~unorganized
territory. The route and relations of the
road outside of the state are difficult to
fathom. One report has it hat the road
is fostered by the Chicago, Milwaukee &
st. Paul, which seeks a connection with
the Central Pacific. This seems reasona-
bic from the fact that the Nebraska Gem
trail will cross into Iowa and connect
with the former road at Mspleton.
Another report is that the road is really
the Central Paciic under an assumed
name. This company has made several
flying surveys through Nebraska and
Wyoming in the past four years, more
for effect than for practical results. Con-
trolling as it now does, and ruling with
an iron heel, the entire Pacific coast from
Portland on the north to San Diego on
the south, and east to the backbone of
The Rockies, the company is not harassed
by compelling roads and is not likely to
be for years to come. Every eastern road
stops short on the borders of her do
mains and dump their loads of freights
and passengers into her lap. She is the
undisputed and all-powerful monarch of
the region, and while her title
and territory are unquestioned by
rival roads, an extension beyond
Ogden is not probable. Still it is a great
convenience to have a road over the
country mapped out by the Nebraska
Central in the hands of friendly stock
holders, and it may be possible that the
assumed name is onlya blind to avoid OPP
position from the Union Pacific. How
ever, it is immaterial by whom the road
is controlled SO long as it is built. A
fourth line across the state will be a quar-
terly division of the state and will expe-
dite the settlement of a region richly dow
cred by nature and capable of supporting
millions of people. Among the benefits
which Omaha will derive from this new
road will be a direct rail connection wit h
the northwest, the intent ion being to
build a branch to this city from some
point in Madison or Cunning counties.
The organization and strength of the
Nebraska Central, and the territory
which it proposes to cover, had consider
able effect in precipitating the consolida.
ton of the Chicago & Northwestern and
the Blair system of roads in western
Iowa and Nebraska. Both will occupy
contiguous territory and an active build
ing rivalry will doubtless result. The
Blair roads comprise 9O6 miles of road
and include the bridge over the Missouri
river at Blair, Neb. Included in the
total are Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska,
the Cedar Rapids and Missouri and the
Maple River lines, now leased by it, and
also the Sioux City and the Fremont,
Elkhorn and Missouri Valley, which are
proprietary roads of the lines named.
Under existing arrangements the annual
rentals paid by the Chicago and North
western have varied according to the
business done by its leased lines, and for
several years past have steadily increased
in amount as the section of country
traversed by the roads in ques-
ton has developed rapidly. The
The leased lines extend across the state
of Iowa and form the transcontinental
link between the Northwestern and the
Union Pacific, and the proprietary roads
of these leased lines extend into Nebras-
ka, where they have a large local traffic.
just how the purchase will affect railroad
matters in central Iowa and northern
Nebraska does not yet appear. Some
lines that the Northwestern contemplated
will not need to DO built now, and other
extensions and connecting links will be
more necessary.