Missouri Valley times. [volume] (Missouri Valley, Iowa) 1874-1931, 1900-03-15
A Retrospective View.
Tny ID. " .r.n l,ls !

word }v p..sS nn, n,;i, I'm fsrn,iuc
ns.d pe,.er4' r..tsssi.,s hat also the
ga:,"r-' irnrrnv-.n.". nf ci !. town ,nd
hamlet. ln 'e'n ".,ri. aavs.f my CIV.
and the present .,,,s, the improve
ments have been 80 marked that it IL
hardly possible tn believe that reallv
existed then and whet has haen ac-
complished In so short /. tune.
Rube Newton, lumber dealer. was
the first watchmsn on the pay roll of
the $. G. & P. Railroad Co, and com.
menced work at this place in 1853. AT
that time tire main line of this road
only extended from Fifth street TO the
present county di'cb bridge in the
west part of town. The company at
that time, owned no buildings except
two small "sbscks." one of which
was occupied BY Supt. Burnett. and
the other IS general storage building
for the company, and one engine was
the sum total of their vunning stock
Tho turn table was located near Erie
street at the crossing of Second street.
John Newhouse and Ed Newton
made all the axe, sledge and
pick handles used by the company.
The side-track extended from Sixth
St. to where the Electric Light station
now stands. This track was filed with
dirt from the hills, and the cost Of H,l-
ing did not exceed one hundred doll
ars. and It. was Mr.. II. Newton's duty
to watch and care for the property
stored on this track.
In the spring of 1858, the company
commenced work in earneet In exten-
ding their road, and built on an ave-
rage ~ miles per day. When the
grade was built through the west part
Of town. It was constructed through
mud and water, and the ground, inclu.
ding the location Of the shops and the
other company buildings was nothing
but mud puddles, the home of frogs,
snakes. and crawtish, and apparently
q most undesirable location for the
buildings now occupying the grounds,
but It only demonstrates the fact that
energy. labor. and necessity can over
come any obstacle when necessary. In
the country contiguous to the desired
improvement we're large hills from
which to secure dirt for grading up tn.
ground and road he'd, and thus secure
the grading down Of hills and grading
up the low lands, and securing solid
foundations for buildings, &c. The
road at the same time was beipR b'ijlt
rapidly north, and when II reached the
Little Sionx river, II was found r,eces.
sary to cross the stream west of Little
Sioux, and at the place of crossing the
town of River Sioux was located, and
to this place Mr. II. Newton. was sent
~ station agent. At that early date
the Indian tribes such as Omahas,
Sioux and Pottswattamies were In the
habit Of encamping in the vicinity and
being employed by the r. r.. Co. in
chopping wood. They erected near
Mr.. Newtons station On immence te.
pee or tent and in this would hold their
fessts and dances. Many times during
these early years, not being able to en-
joy the dancing of these aboriginies,
Mr.. Newton would close uE his Office,
and on hand car come dewn to this
city. Here he would remain until the
exuberant spirits of the Indians would
subside and 60 to work again. t..i ..,n he
would return Z" his post. Mr.
on says another peculiar thing
would take place; he would get dog,
but the canine would disappear, but
he noticed that about the time of the
disappearance of his dog the Indians
would have q big feast and dance.
After fourteen years service for the
$. q. & p. Co, at River Sioux. IS sta
tion agent, operator. and general ,utili
ty man, he returned to this city, snd
opened 9 lumbe yard, and has contin
ued in the trade until short time ago
when he retired and his son Harry ha,
succeeded him in the trade.
| 1t must he a matter Of great salts
faction to Mr.. Newton to note the i'm
provements IN this section since 1855
and to know he, in the various post
tions he has occupied. has helped tt
develope this great country, and to se'
pleasant homes extensive business, ex
tended rsilroads, where q few year
ago only the tepee Of the red man, sn,
rowing coyote. The march Of progress
has made wonderful changes In city
town and country, and soon we will b
one Of the gra ndes, richest, most pre-
gressive people IN the globe.
II there is any one thing that vii
excite the political feelings of CON
munity and engender bitter and sngr
contention, it is that of post Office.
| At an early day, the chief town 1
the south part of this county was oil
st John. located about two miles sout
ut this city, and E X Robinson Wa
the postmaster, bat after Missoul
Valley was located and an Office 9,
cured. It soon became evident that
would be useless to continue bot
Offices. and so ST. John Office was di,
continued. and ". c. Ellis became th
first post master Of Mo Valley.
As We have already told of the bi
ter strife between Nv Whiskey Row." an