Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-02-04
Intention of the Rock island to
Build Into That City Is
Apparent
.puRcHAsE OF SIOUX CITY LANp
Aim is to Secure Part of the Big
Packing House and Grain Traffic in
Northwest Iowa and the Dakotas-
Reported Purchase of the Terminals
Regarded as True.

Des Moines, Feb. 4.-Representative.
a of the Iowa. Minnesota and South Da.
kota legal division of the Rock Island
road in this city, when questioned
4 neither affirm or deny the story from
Sioux City to the effect the Rock ISL
and and Great Western roads have
purchased 1874 acres of land in that city
of the s. 7. Davis estate for $12S,0O0, to
be used Jointly by them for terminal
/ purposes.
John 1. Ollie, assistant solicitor, said:
This Office has no information on the
1 subject. 1t is not likely we would be
consulted in the matter. Mr.. Mather,
our president, is in New York and it
! is not improbable he met Mr. w. l..
Stevenson, agent for the estate there,
and contaminated the deal. AS I'M
derstand it, Mr.. Stevenson has just re
turned from New York to Sioux City
| and confirms the report of the sale. 1t
is not likely this department would
know of the transaction until it comes
| to passing on the title and to the ex-
animation of abstracts, deeds of con-
veyance, etc.
while have no information upon
the subject, 1t is not improbable the
Rock Island intends going to Sioux
| City. II it has made this purchase that
is certainly its intention. The Rock
Island now has lines in six.y-six
counties in the state and makes every
important point in Iowa with but a
couple Of exceptions. 1t is quite likely
that it will build to Sioux City in the
near future to share in the big pack
ing house traffic originating there
The general opinion here is that the
reported purchase Of terminals at Sioux
City is correct and that the road will
build to the Missouri river packing
point. Such an extension has besn con-
templated by the Eock Island for the
last two years and last season prelimi-
nary surveys were ordered for an ex-
tension Of the Guthrie Center branch
to Sioux City. This survey was made
from Guthrie thru Carroll, Boyer and
Ida Grove to a poin. on the Plymouth-
Woodbury. county lines about nine miles
northeast of Sioux City. Another pre-
|liminary was run from Ida Grove to a
point on the Missouri river bottoms
near Grant Cetner about fifteen miles
out of Sioux City to The south.
The extension, If st is built, would be
an important one to Des Moines bust
ress interests and world furnish access
to much territory now either not
reached by Des Mones roads or ar
rived at by circuitous routes, placing it
out of reach OF Des DIoines business in
terests.
d. T. Gilman, banker of Sioux City
and trustee for the holders of mortgage
Eonds against the Davis tract. confirms
the reported sale to the Rock Island and
Great Western roads and states that the
price paid was $500 an acre. Mr..
Stevenson has refused to either deny or
affirm the report.
A company has been organized at
Pella to construct railroad from that
town to Harvey. eight miles south. The
purpose is to secure a connection with
the Des Moines divisions of the Bur-
lington and Wabash roads both of
which run thru Harvey. Pella is To-
Gated on the Des Moines valley division
of the Rock Island road and has but the
one road It is a place of nearly 1000
The proposed road will
the building of a bridge
across the Des Moinss river at Harvey
and the doing of considerable heavy
work along the river