Audubon Republican. [volume] (Audubon, Iowa) 1894-1925, 1903-05-21
ELECTRIC RAILWAY
Company Organizing to Build
West from Des Moines

Thursday evening of last week the
committees of the towns and commun-
tiles west of Des Moines through which
the proposed electric road is to run,
met at the Slavery hotel in Des Moines
in answer to call made by Mayor
Nash of this city. The leaders of the en-
terprise were agreeably disappointed in
the attendance, as they expected about
twenty, whereas there were about
forty-fve present, representing Dali
las, Guthrie, Audubon, Shelby and
Harrison counties.
The meeting was called to order by
j. "A. Nash and he was made chair
man and Rush Benedict of Harlan,
clerk of the house of representatives,
acted as secretary. Besides Mr.. Nash
the representatives from this county
were Joe Ross, w. C. Elliott, w. II.
Neff, +. NJ. Leet, John Scoboe and
George Anderson.
The subjects considered we're such
as the proposed route, the probable
cost and manner of proceeding.
The general route of this line will
be through the county seats of the
counties named between Polk and Pot
tawattamie. The details of the route
will be left largely to future surveys.
However, in general, the line is pro-
jected from the city of Des Moines to
Grimes, to Dallas Center, through Pa
nora, Guthrie Center and Nelson, to
Audubon, thence south west to Kim
ballton and to Harlan. From Harlan,
two routes are projected, one south
west to Shelby and thence, eventu-
ally, south of the Rock Island, Mil
waukee and Great Western railroads
into Council Bluffs, the other straight
west from Harlan to Logan where the
line would naturally stop. 1t is pos
sible that the corporation may build
both to Shelby and to Logan. Potta-
wattamie was not represented at the
meeting because of the fact that the
line is not projected at present beyond
either Shelby or Logan.
1t is estimated that it will take
about $4,000 per mile to make the sur
vey, obtain the right of way, do the
grading and build bridges. This done
the company can easily bond the road
for the balance needed, say $1,000 a
mile more, to put the road in opera
alton. The $1,000 q mile for ITO or 40
miles the company of local men say
they can provide.
"A tOiSiSblilB vi
Lockwood, of Harlan; w. G.. Elliott,
of Audubon; +. w. Weeks, of Guthrie
Center: G.. A. Bolter, of Logan and
A. Barr, of Dallas county, was APP
pointed to draft articles of incorpor-
alton, which they did. Under these
articles the following directors we're
elected: Polk county, II. H. Polk,
Des Moines; Dallas, Clyde Brenton,
na1lag rn,taa.
Guthrie Center; Audubon. j. A. Nash,
Audubon; Shelby, G. w. Cullison,
Harlan; Pottawatamie, j. w. Davis,
Council Bluffs; Harrison, Almer
Stern, Logan, These directors will
meet at Atlantic June l to organize.
Mr.. Polk, the manager of the cleo
trio lines in Des Moines, was at the
meeting and offered the company the
free use OF his lines in entering Des
Moines and said il it was necessary
he would extend his lines TO the Dallas
county border. He also said he would
furnish the new road power at one
half what they themselves could furn-
ish it,
The survey made last year from Pan
ora to Audubon shows that a one per
cent grade can easily be found, which
is as good as the Rock Island here.
The new company is preparing to
handle the project themselves. How
ever, the chances are that capitalists
will be ready soon, to assume the
whole affair. But the local company
will make sure of the right location of
the route, that the railroad will be
standard guage, of good freight and
passenger equipment and of hourly
service.
The people of the neighborhoods
through which it will pass will likely
have to lend the project helping aid
or it will pass through some other
way. There are plenty of otherneigh-
hoods that want the line. Let us help
push it along. a-