Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1903-09-18
Interesting Story of How Rock
Island Road Gained En-
trance Into Twin Cities
MADE DEAL WITH MILWAUKEE
Sold in Exchange One Half of Its
Roadbed and Other Fixed Property
Between Muscatine and Davenport
A Perfectly Legitimate Bit of Rail-
road schemins-Debt involved

Muscatine, Sept 1S.-Denied an en-
trance into Minneapolis and St. Paul
because the line over which it was OPP
Grating into those cities refused to re-
new the contract for trackage rights,
the Rock Island railroad made deal
With the Milwaukee road whereby 1t
gained entrance into the Twin Cities
and in exchange sold one-haf of its
roadbed and other fixed property be-
tween Muscatine and Davenport. This
is the interesting story connected with
the entrance of the Milwaukee into this
city as told by q Muscatine man who
knows. This matter Is an open secret
among railroad men. to whom 1T has
long remained mystery how the Rock
Island permitted the Milwaukee, a
competing line, in many senses, to use
It's tracks.
The story dates back several years
and is an interesting bit Of railroad
seheming, perfectly legitimate and said
to be entirely satisfactory to both par
ties. Many years ago the Minneapolis
& ST. Louis railroad. over the tracks Of
which the Rock Island entered Mime
apoEs needed money. 1t desired funds
to pay interest on its preferred stock
and other incidental debts. 1t APP
preached the Rock Island road for q
loan and in consideration Of certain
privileges s7,O800O0 was placed in its
Golfers by the c., r. !. & p. Mean
while the Rock Island, 1t is said (there
fidently expected to foreclose on the
bonds when they became due and add
the NJ. & st. l.. to its system and there
by gain a permanent entrance into
Minneapolis.
The debt OF $6,000.0O0 became due
and the Rock Island approached the M.
& st. l.. for an extension of its con-
tract whereby 1t was permitted to use
the tracks of the latter road into the
Minnesota capital. The Rock Island
was informed that the Nj. & ST. L. did
not desire to renew ard furthermore
that the $6,000,00O was ready to be paid
over when the bonds we're cancelled.
The debt was paid. Tie Rock Island
began casting about for a road over
which it could operate into the north
ern metropolis. 1t finally made deal
with the Nj: Sc to use its tracks
from Faritau .Iinn., 20 Minneapolis.
But the Milwaukee was building a cut
off between Muscatine and Rutledge,
small town near Ottumwa. which was
Intended to shorten the distance be-
tween Chicago and Kansas City. max
ing it the shortest of all lines. with but
one exception, between those two
points. Between Davenro rt and Mus
catine a stretch OF track had to be built
and then. too, terminal facilities were
hard to get in the AIuscatine county
town. To make a long story Short the
Milwaukee saw where it could do a
good stroke OF business and in return
for the trackage rights between Fari-
bault, Mimi, and Minneapolis asked
for one-haif interest in the Rock
Islands line between Muscatine and
Daw export. The request was complied
with and the Milwaukee entered Mus
catine with little trouble.
Where did the Minneapolis & st.
Louis road get the money to pay its
debt to the Rock Island? It was loaned
by the Illinois Central, which crosses
the M. s. st. L. at Fort Dodge, and the
latter road issnow a part Of the former.
This is how the Milwaukee has
trackage rights from Sunbury (South
Muscatine) to the point where the
Rock Island strikes the Milwaukee
tracks at Davenport.