The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1903-11-12
NEW THROUGH TRAINS.
Burlington Service to Des Mcines ID
Inaugurated.

i
The new train service over the
Burlington via Oskaloosa and Tracy
to Des Moines was inaugurated sun
day under favorable circumstance
and the initial run of the through
passenger train was success IN ali
WAYS. The train was quite literally
uatronized, especially on the west.
end of the run in the morning and
from OsKaloosa east in the evening.
The first train was made up from
Burlington of through baggage and
mail car, smoking car, day coach ana
a through Pullman sleeper from Chi
cago. Conductor e. j. Goodspeed, Oh
Burlington, was in charge of the train
and Engineer Henry Sieben, OF Bur-
lington, was at the throttle. The
fireman was Erie Harrington, Of o.
kaloosa, son of Mr.. and Mrs. Harry
Harrington e. E. Clarl1s, OF Abba,
cared for the duties of brakeman.
The sleeper was in charge of George
Word, veteran with service stripes.
A party Of railway officials made the
frfp to Des Moines over the new route.
and on invitation of the agent, Mr..
A. M. Hixson, of this city, a small
party of newspaper folk and others
accompanied the train from this city.
The Oskaloosa party was made up OF
Agent Hixson, Attorneys Walter Bur
reIl and L. G. Bolton, T. M. Shockley
of the Saturday Globe, R. Burke OF
the Times-Journal, Phil Hoffman,
and Roy Robinson of the Herald.
Others of the party were Chief En-
gineer G. G.. Wilcox, of Burlington;
Travelling Engineer George Johnson,
of Burlington, and representatives of
the Winfield Beacon, J. r. Stinscn
and Ed G. Hinkle.
The train was due in the city of
Oskaloosa at 11:20 o'clock a. M, but
it was twenty minutes late into this
+ station and some later out. The train
left the city and started out over the
new track at a good rate Of speed.
Some rough track between Oskaloosa
and Tracy was found and some of it
was in excellent condition, and very
fair time was made. Bolton was the
first station passed. 1t was duly
christened. More time was lost at
Tracy where another coach was
picked up, and then the train lit out
for Des Moines in earnest. It was all
new territory for the engineer, being
his first trip over the line out Of Bur-
Iington, and an excellent showing
was made under the circumstances
"A large crowd of people had gathered
at the station house at Tracy to see
the new Sunday train aud this was
repeated all along the line from
Tracy to Des Moines. Many passen-
gers also boarded the train at all of
the stations on the old line and the
coaches were all filled OF entering
the capital city. The trala was about
half an hour late on arrival at Des
Moines. The return trip was started
on time at 3:45 o'clock sharp end the
train pulled into Tracy buC five min
-utes late, a remarkable run under
the circumstances. The run over the
nSW @WOlh DCLWOCh lazy anu SoAN
loosa was slower but the city was
reached only ten minutes behind tine
schedule time. Quite a large crowd
had gathered at the station in this
city to witness the arrival Of the first
evening train of the new schedule,
and there were numerous passengers
for eastern points.
The sleeper that was to have been
dropped at Oskaloosa is to be taken
through to Des Moines and return.
The fare for a seat between Oska-
loosa and Des Moines will be but
twenty-five cents and it is thought
that enough patronage between the
two cities can be secured to warrant
the running of the car through to
the end of the route instead of drop
ping off and taking on at this station,
as was contemplated in the begin
ming.
The construction work between o.
kaloosa and Tracy is not yet COM
pleted but it is in fair shape. Much
ballasting is yet to be done to bring
the line to the required standard. A
large force of men is at work on the
bridge over the Des Moines river
near Tracy and the work of construc-
ton is being carried forward as rap
idly as circumstances will permit
This work will require a number of
months vet But the read is now
open and is ready for business and It'll
will be popular route for both pas
senger and freight traffic.