The St. Louis Republic. [volume] (St. Louis, Mo.) 1888-1919, 1900-07-01
EARLY RAILROADS
IN MISSOURI.

| To the Editor Of Tn. BepcSlic
REFERRING to recent communication
about early railroads IN Missouri, published
| In your columns from Mr.. Il. F. H.xson.
l would Ike 10 go little further into the
subject:
II IS true the Pacific was the first railroad
| built out az ct. Louis: that its charter was
approved March L. 1873. and on July 4.
1879. ground was broken initatory TO
the work OF construction: that Luther NJ.
Eennett. the Mayor OF st. Louis cast the
first shovel Of earth on the track, and that
In December. lSl: the road was opened to
Cheltcnham for passenger travel
In the early fO.ties the first railroad built
IN Missouri EXTENDED from Aclen's large
brick Touring mill, four miles south Of
Richmond. Roy County, to the Lexington
ferry on the north bank OF the Missouri
River. The track was graded and pro-
vidod with wooden rails. and although the
cars. passenger and freight were drawn by
muie, II was recognized as railroad. Its
completion was celebrated by a free excur-
sion. and the people for miles around EN-
braced the opportunity to enjoy free ride
over It from the mill to the river and re-
rurn. The road was owned and Operated
by Allen and Reeves.
The next railroad was chartered by an
act of the Missouri Legislature which was
am roved February -, 1873 CAustin A. King
G.verpoT) and was called tho Independence
and Missouri River Railroad Company;
capItal stock, s5n.eJO. divided into shares OF
sl,.l the incorpGrators being Lewis Jones,
samuel II. Woodson afterwards a member
of Congress), John Parker. George w.
Buchanan. Samuel ID. Lucas, Vim. Il. HAY,
John NcMurray and others. The road eA-
tended from independence to Robert Hick-
mans Landing. four miles distant, on the
Missouri River. The track was laid with
wooden ties and rails and operated By horse
power. The charge for freight was p cents
per ton per mile and for passengers 10 cents
per rlile.
This Rad was completed twenty-four
years after the first railway charter in
america was granted to the Mohawk and
Hudson River Company. New York. and
twenty-five years subsequent to the COM
pletion of the first railroad In America.
The road was only three miles In length,
and constructed for the transportation Of
granite from the granite quarries at Quin-
cy 10 the Nepouset River, for the Bunker
hin Monument in Boston The rails were
of nine a foot deep. and covered with an
oak strip oyeriaid with iron. 1t was also
operated by horse power.
In fs5, the Pacific Railroad was completed
from St Louis to Franklin. now known as
,Pacifc." In 1855 TO Jefferson City, l25
AS the road was completed to the various
tovns-Franklin, Washington. Hermann,
e.c-passenger trains were run. Therefore,
m, train which plunged Into the Gascon-
AIDE River was not the first over the road.
THE Gasconade Bridge disaster occurred
On November l. 1856. and was one OF the
most appalling in the history of Missouri
railroads.. II was on the occasion of the
celebration OF the completion of the Pacific
20 the State capital by an excursion over
the road and a grand public dinner In the
Statehouse.
Ats o'clock that morning a train OF ten
n, ss.nser cars crowded with specially in
,-i,ad guests among whom were many OF
the best-known citizens OF st. Louis, left
for Jefferson City/and reached the Gascon-
ade River. twelve miles above Hermann
and forty miles below Jefferson City. about
i, o'clock The bridge across tho Gascon-