Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1902-03-25
TALK OF NEW ROAD
Iowa Line is to be Constructed at
Once.
OFFICIALS VISIT CEN1ERvILLE
Say that the Iowa & ST. Louis Rail-
way Is an Assured Thing and That
the Work of Building 1t Will Begin
in Near Future.

in Near Future.
Centerville, March 21.-H.F. Reddig.
president of the Iowa & ST. Louis Rail
way company, and William Kenefick.
the man who has the contract for the
building of the new north and south
road, were in the city yesterday. Ac.
complaining them were C.E. Dearborn,
who is representative of the financial
interests back of the new road, viii.
liam Stewart who is Mr.. Kenefick's
representative and D. Thompson who
was designated as Simply one of the
party They were here in the inter
ests of the new railroad which is to be
built from Elmer, Mo-, to this city,
with an extension north from here to
BIZ Xton, They say the road is to be
built right away and built for opera.
ton as soon as possible.
Mr.. Kenefick the contractor, as well
as the other gentlemen, was inclined
to let Mr.. Redding do the talking but
he volunteered the information that
all the railroad he built for the Iowa
& ST. Louis would be new. When ask
ed if this meant that no old lines of
road in whole or part would be used
he said yes. Mr.. Kenefck is an exten.
sive contractor and has contracts tic
build railroads for the Mitchell.
Lambert interests which are backing
the Iowa & st. Louis. He has con-
tracted to build the seventy-five miles
of road from Elmer to Buxton for a
cool million of dollars or at the rate of
about $4,000 mile. That means a
: job of heavy road building and it is
| q hot will in 70 he
much grading and filling and cutting
to be done besides the building of
dozen large bridges over the Charlton
,, river. All this is counted in the con.
tract and Mr.. Kenefick will build wfer
ever he is instructed to build even il
the line is extended from pole to pole
He is letting sub-contracts to other
!. contractors for the different classes of
work, the building of bridges, etc.
Mr.. Stewart as superintendent OF
representative of Mr.. Kenefick, will
1 make his headquarters in Centerville.
The work is to begin at once at Sedan
and the road built toward the south
:, Already scrapers and other parapher.
1 MALTA for railroad building are being
I brought to Sedan and unloaded and
I the subcontractors and men will be
c here in few days, some of the sub.
J contractors being already on the
0 ground. The progress of the work will
n depend very largely on the weather
I but it is the intention to push the
d work as rapidly as possible and get it
S completed by August l. Mr.. Kenefick
o will probably not be here much of the
!, time as he has interests to look after
II elsewhere.
et When asked about the recently an
VT tN Nv, De-
II dig stated that it was the intention Of
his company to build the same but he
said he could make no statement in re
!. gard to what arrangements had been
:, made with the Chicago & Northwest
a. ern at Buxton for connections or with
\. the Iowa Central at this place, or as
Al to whether any negotiations had beer
n conducted with these two roads. He
# said his road expected to run passen
If ger trains as well as freights, the mum
Der of trains depending on the amount
of business.
May Be Division Point.
There is one thing that Centerville
may reasonably expect when the new
e road sbuilt ad that is to be made
a division point which would probably
. bring shops here. Mr.. Reddig when
a asked about this matter did not offer
l. any encouragement but said that il
n had not been decided when the divi
v sion points would be located. The sup
I position that this city will be favored
! is more strongly based on the wide
G. spread belief that the Iowa & ST. Lou
g. is will not always be merely a coal
:. road but part of some great north
g and south trunk line on which Center
vile would be one of the important
towns, possessing exceptional advan
tages for railroad shops.
Although there have been reports
" of more than one survey for the new
road, it is practically certain that il
will be built on the route which has
= before been outlined in this paper II
y will touch at Sedan and it is probable
y. that junction point will be made sta
.s ton as important connections east and
- north could be made there.
II Right of Wy Secured.
" Practically all of the right of wa,
L. nection with coal leases and some Of
lie it by cash payment. So far as can BIZ
learned, however, no right of way has
been secured near Centerville, ant
this is undoubtedly the reason why
- the work of building proceeds in {
IL southerly direction where right of wa,
II privileges have been secured.
20 Mr. Reddig and his party have gone
% to Sedan to look after the prepare
AZ tons being made there for the com
~ mencement of work, the opening O
n. camps. unloading of tools, machinery
,r supplies, etc. From there the part,
!. will scatter in various directions at
ter looking over the ground and see
r ing that everything is moving alon.
ID properly. Centerville from now OF
g may expect frequent visits from tn,
officials of the company and Others
interested in the project. So far thos
,e who have been here are very agree
able and gentlemanly fellows, askin,
no favors of anyone, attending strict
re ly to their own business, and not givel
to telling others about it,
10 HITS AT CLEVELAND.