Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-24
Interurban Railway Company
Will Connect With Iowa
Central at Newton
ELEVEN MILES OF ROAD NEEDED
Extension From coIfax to Newton
Likely to Be in Operation Within Six
Months From Opening of the 1903
Building Season--Business is DeveI-
opins Beyond Expectations.

Des Moines, Nov. 24-Newton and
the Iowa Central railroad will be reach
ed by the Interurban Railway Company
in another year. The company has de-
cided to continue the line from Colfax
to Newton next season, and will have 1t
in operation within six months from the
opening of the 1903 building season.
Material for the construction of the
road will be contracted within a very
short time, and its delivery commenced
SO that it will be on hand early in the
spring.
Eleven miles of road beyond Coltax
will be necessary to complete this line.
This will be mile and half shorter
than the Rock Island road between Col
fax and Newton. The distance will be
saved by taking a direct route ana
leaving the Rock Island at the point
where 1t passes thru the town of Metz
nearly two miles to the south. Inc
preliminary surveys made indicate that
a route suitable for the electric line can
be secured with grades not TO exceed 4
per cent.
The purpose in building to Newton is
to make a connection with the Iowa
Central more than with the idea of Sc
curing local traffic from that point.
However, with the rapid development
of the manufacture of farm machinery
at Newton, and its limited railroad ia
cilities, the new line hopes to get con-
siderable local business.
The Iowa Central now operates
branch to Newton from New Sharon.
When this was built it was the inten-
ton to extend it northwest thru Fort
Dodge, but the Sage interests in the
road put an end to the project. Later
it was the hone of T.. M. Martin, when
he was general manager of the road, to
extend this line into Des Moines. Mr..
Martins severance of connection with
the road put an end to this project. 1t
is the purpose of the interurban peo-
pie to effect this long desired connec-
ton. AS yet a traffic agreement has not
been asked of the Iowa Central, but the
interurban management is confident it
will be able to arrange for an exchange
of business that will give Des Moines
all the advantages of the Iowa Central.
1t is also proposed to make connec-
ton at that point with the Newton &
Northwestern, now building thru Boone
and Gowrie, from Newton to Rockwell
City
There is no intention of effecting an
arrangement by which Iowa Central
trains will be operated over the inter-
urban into Des Moines. The interurban
company will have power sufficient to
handle this business itself and will OPP
crate it's passenger trains so as to make
q close connection with Iowa Central
trains at Newton.
With the completion of its freight
line out by way Of the Oak Park mine
to Klondike Junction, the interurban
will have line without a grade to ex-
coed per cent. The freight motor now.
in use, when the power is reinforced
by the new auxiliary power station at
will be able to haul five
standard gauge loaded cars over any
portion of the system. But by spring
the company will have in service a
much larger and more powerful freight
The business the line is
developing has exceeded it's expecta-
tons and the motive power is to be in
creased by the addition of a new 400
horse power motor now building at its
shops in this city and which will have
capacity sufficient to haul ten loaded
standard cars over it's system from
Newton.
The track laying is now completed to
within two and a quarter miles of Col
fax. During the present week it will
be finished to the crossing with the
Colfax & Northern, three quarters of
mile from Colfax. At this point
bridge remains to be put in and further
track laying will be delayed several
days. However, this will not interfere
with the completion of the
line, for the machinery for the auxiliary
power station at Mitchellville has Just
to arrive and it would be
to operate the line beyond
that point to advantage until this plant
is in operation.
Two track gangs are working on the
freight line north from the city. and
track laying on this will be completed
in another week.
TRACK AIN To cAMRpinHE