Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1900-11-29
'TOHEADOFf WABASH
Burlington Reople Will Open Up
Cedar Greek Coal Lands.
TELEGRAPH OFFICE DISCONTINUED.
Bernhart Succeeds krum-New Track
Opened Today Between Fairfield
and Batavia--New Book in Instruc-
tions Issued Today by Burlington.

A rumor, which is said to be firmly
of railroad men at present, and it is
to the effect that the Burlington is
about to build a track between Bussey
and Tracey, for the purpose of cutting
tne Wabash off from a rich coal field
along Cedar Creek in Marion county.
The two roads run parallel from
Abba to Harvey and both pass thru
Bussey and Tracey, which are situated
about five miles apart. Several
ago the O. X. Coal Company,
owning mines few miles west of
Bussey, built private side track from
the mines to the railroad. 1t was
formerly intended that the track
should be connected with the Wabash
tracks, and in order to do this grade
was partially built SO that the o. K.
track could cross the Burlington
tracks to the Wabash tracks, which lie
east of the Burlington tracks.
That was as far as the enterprise
went, however, for the Burlington Off
Gals took hand in the matter at this
juncture. The result was that the o.
K. track was finally connected with.
the Burlington.
How 1t Will Be Done.
The latest development in the mat
ter is about as follows: Cedar creek
a small stream running thru the south
west corner of Marion county, is said
to have an immense quantity of coal
along it's course, but the only mine OF
any note along the stream is the o. K.
The Wabash people, it is said, have
surveyed a route for a coal track leav-
ing their line about mile south OF
Tracey, crossing the Burlington tracks
and tapping the Ceder Creek coal
country. 1t so happens, however, that
the Burlington people have learned OF
the latest enterprise on the part OF
their competitors, and are taking
steps to stop it as they did the o. x.
scheme.
The Burlington has had track for
some time running from Tracey to the
Tracy stone quarry, and the plan
seems to be to extend this track up
Cedar Creek and get the coal business
there instead of letting the Wabash
get it. More will probably be heard OF
| the matter soon and other mines VIII
probably be established on the creek,
when a track is built there, so that
the coal can be shipped without the
extra expense of hauling it in wagons.
Bernhart Succeeds krum.
A notice was issued Saturday from
the office of o. e. Stewart, supern
tendent of the Burlington in TINS city
/ announcing. that commencing. at moor
today a train order telegraph, station
would be established at. Bernhart, or
the new line, g5S miles west OF, Fair
field. The notice further states thai
| from and after that date thes use 81
the old line between Fairfield ,ant
Batavia will be discontinued, and The
new line between these points, vii
be put into service as follows: Be
tween Batavia and Bernhart, the new
lime will be used as double track. Eas
bound trains will use the right hanC
4 or south track West bound train.
will use the left hand or north track
Between Bernhart and Fairfield tht
new line will be used as double
4 track. Conductors will register a
Il Bernhart.
Trains will not RIM at maximum
speed over the new line between
Fairfield and Batavia, but good judg
ment must be used until the new tract
becomes better settled. Passenge
trains will make the same stops a
Bernhart that they have been maxim,
at Krum."
This means that the little station
known as Krum, between Fairfield
and Batavia on the old line of tn
Burlington, will be discontinued fron
this time on. The new line will b
I1h n Ia ON, n on, n hol
north of Krum, which is situated o.
4 the old line 4.8 miles west of Fail
, field.
Bernhart, the new town, is no lare
: er than Krum, but the station will b
, a convenience for people living in tina
/ VICINITY. The postoffice at Krum ha
| been discontinued, and mail formerl
} sent there will hereafter be sent t
: Fairfield. AS yet no postof1ice ha
) been established at Bernhart.
: This leaves single track frol
! Fairfield to Bernhart, but work
: progressing on the second track b,
| tween these points and the two track
will soon be in operation, altho col
weather may postpone the opening {
the second track until spring. At an
rate, the new track, except for I'll
S fact that it is new and not settled,
much better than the old one becaus
it is more in straight line and cut
: out the long curves formerly existin
, between Batavia and Fairfield.
! :, Some New Instructions.
/ A new book has been issued thr
r the Burlington offices in this city, el
: titled Instructions of the Freight, OF
I Grating and Treasury Departments /
8 Agents and Conductors The rule
!. or instructions contained in the boo
p are clear and concise, outlining all til
: work of the two lines of work affec
: ed. The books bear the date of N
), yember l, 1900, but their effectiveness
i does not date from that time. The
!, are the same rules that governe
! agents and conductors before I'll
y books were issued, but many case
= were found where the duties of ce
= tain. employees We're not clearly define
= in the minds of the employees Their
u selves and to remedy this trouble IL
book was issued.
v Many Subjects Treated.
The books themselves are bound