Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1903-09-24
MILWAUKEE HAS EXTENSIVE
PLANS FOR LOCAL YARDS.
TO BUILD BRIDGE OVER HEAD RACE
Work Progressing Rapidly On New
Sidinas-Storase Track For Wreck
er-Roads Prohibit Use Of Liquor
and Tobacco.

which are in process of construction.
others not yet begun, but for
which the plans are completed, are to
be made upon the Milwaukee tracks
and buildings within the city. New
switch tracks, a remodeled depot and
"Y' connecting the down town city
track with the main line and pass
ing over the head race OF the City Wa
ter Supply Co., are part of these i'm
proyements.
Plans for "Y."
Plans have been drawn and COM
pleted for the construction of a cir
cular bridge over the head race, upon
which is to be located "Y'' connect
ing the track which comes down to
the Jefferson street depot with the
main line track. The bridge calls for
the construction of twenty-four bents
or sixteen foot sections. This will
make bridge of Ss4 feet in length
and will accommodate practically the
entire "Y." This ''Y" will enable the
trains to come down from the round
house and go down the city track
without going down the main line and
backing down the present line. This
extensive Improvement is to be COM
pleted before winter sets in.
Remodeling Depot.
Work has begun on the remodel
Ing of the depot building. The plans
for the remodeling contemplate the ad-
dition of sixteen foot extension to
the west side of the building. The en-
tire building has been elevated two
feet and a new foundation put in. 1t
is now stated that the second story,
which was at first contemplated for
the accommodation Of the Office of the
superintendent and the dispatchers
will be omitted and instead the depot
will be left one story and the extern
sion added on the west side of the
present building.
Work on Switch Tracks.
Work on the three $500 foot side
tracks on the west side of the river is
progressing rapidly. The outside one
of the three tracks has been complet-
ed for a distance of about 1000
feet and the switch connecting it with
the main line is also in place
Two other switches have also been
built within the last few days. One
of these just back Of the car repair
( ers' shop is for the accommodation oil
the wrecking outfit and gives place
for the five cars comprising the outfit
The other leads off from the turn table
and has been built for the accommodate
ton of the west bound engines while
they are waiting for their trains.
To Abandon Trains.
About fifty trains are to be taken
out of service by the Chicago, Rock
Island and Pacific railroad The trains
that are to be abandoned are in SER
vice on the numerous branch lines
of the company throughout linois,
Iowa, Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska
and have not been paying. In many
instances the lines where trains will
be taken off will be left without pas
senger service of so little value does
the company consider them.
In many of the states there are laws
which compel specific passenger train
service by railroads in order for the
latter to retain their franchises. Many
of the branch lines, particularly in
Kansas and Nebraska, were built dur
ing the western booms of fifteen or
twenty years ago, and the service ov,
er them at that time paid. The Santa
Fe, Burlington and other lines reach
ing the western districts are afflicted
similarly to the Rock Island, and
( now that one of the systems has
acted it is likely that others will fol
low.
War on Liquor and Tobacco.
Railroads throughout the country are
waging war against the use of in
toxicating liquors and tobacco by EN-
ployes engaged in and operating trains
2 The fiat has gone forth generally tina
employees who drink, or who frequen
places where liquors are sold, are no
safe men to entrust with the lives o
patrons nor with the valuable propert,
transported by the railroads. Tota
abstinence is essential to service il
the operating department of every rail
road centering in Chicago, and so ia
as known of every important railroa
in the United States.
The rules which have recently bee
inaugurated against the use of tobac
co are not SO stringent as those agains
liquor, but generally they prescribe tn
use of tobacco while on duty and whe