The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1904-09-30
THE GREAT ELEVATED
RAILROAD is DOOMED
Passing of This Spectacular Evi,
dence Of Sioux City's
Boom Days.
HISTORY OF STRUCTURE
How the Project Was Financed and
Bonds Finally Framed for Souvenirs
or Burned-A Romantic
Story.
HISTORY OF
ISioux City Tribunal

[SiouN City TribuneSl
Workmen who are now engaged in
tearing down tAe old SiouX
City elevated railroad structure
the third OF its kind in the world
are depolishing the chief evidence of
several fortunes expended in its con-
struction and lost in its operation by Il
syndicate OF Sioux City boom ON
tiers.
Incidentally these same workers are
making Il lot of Mo~rningsiders angry.
The latter liked the quick, safe run
Owe. the railroad tracks made possible
by using the elevated, and they chafe
at the SLOW trip to the suburban homes
necessary VIXEN stops on each corner
are made and the railroad tracks are
crossed on surface lines But the Sioux
City Traction company is sure the SER
vice will eventually be betterea and the
cunning of parallel lines obviated.
F.nterprising Sioux City men have
seen more than $4,000 of their noney
disappear via the elevated and tine
King Iron l;ridge company WAS con
scious of the vanishing of something
like 5000, 900 worth OF claims OH the "a
nous struct;lre.
Where the Project Started.
The first definite move coward the
construction of the elevated was taken
in the spring of 1883. when q meeting
in the back room of the Sioux National
bank was held, attended by the follow
ing: A. S. Ga!retson. ID. j. Hedges, ED
Jackson, james L. Booge, A.. Y. Lar
liner. L. G.. Peters and Major John 7.
Cheney. Later Charlee Wise, w. Il.
Higman and Colonel c.. c. Orr became
interested in the project.
The Sioux City Rapid Transit COM
pany was organized with a paidup cap
ltal of Sl2n, 000, INC L. c. Peters was
elected it's first president. The pur-
pose was TO construct n railway TO the
suburb of MorningSide. In the summer
of 1858 the surface line from Leach
streec to Norlineside WAS constructed,
the work all being pair for by The
promoters OF the system and using up
pretty much OF the capital which had
bean paid up. In 1890 the elevated
structure from Leach TO Jones streets
was built, the company issuing $290,000
of bonds to cover the expenses. The
contract for building the elevated was
let to the kirg Iron Bridge company
through its Iowa agent-who subse-
quently lost lis position for 1.-THE con-
tractors accepting 5000 600 worth of the
bonds in part payment for the work.
A Most Hopeful! Opening.
The entire line was opened to the
public in 1891. the occasion being n of
Importance and Inspiration. More than
500 persons, including the most promi-
Gil las VI liz ~ - a y
free rides over the system n the fu-
ture of the line and of the suburbs
which it was designed to serve, was as
luminous as the glow of an Indian
summer sunset.
But these prospects could not be ne
gotiated with sufficient success to keep
the panic year of 1893 from fastening
it's crushing grip upon the system and
in that fateful period the Siou City
Rapid Transit company passed into the
hands Of a receiver, James A. Jackson,
one of the original promoters receiving
the appointment. Under the rule of
this receiver, the motive power of the
line was changed from steam to cleo
tricity. This was hardly accomplished
when James A. Jackson died in 1898
and his son.. A. NJ. Jackson, was made
receiver in his stead. The latter a
aged the line until ..tarch, 1896. when
it was disposed OF at ] ceiver's sale.
Bonds Used as Souvenirs.
A. B. Robbins of Minneapolis was
the purchaser, paying $1,000. He was
a railroad contractor and came into
possession of a $1,000 claim against he
elevated road through the failure of a
car company. To protect this claim he
Bridge company bid $4,000 for the
property, hoping to make good the
5000, 600 worth of bonds held by it. The
company. which had already been paid
about 500, 900 by the Sioux City men
promoting the line, would not give
more than an equal sum for full owner
ship of the system. 1t is reported that
some of these bonds were mailed out by
the bridge company to their %stockhold-
ers as souvenirs, in lieu of a dividend,
and that the balance was urned
There are still in evidence in safes of
certain Sioux City men something like
s75,0 900 worth Of these handsomely lith-
relics,
line for two years, when it was pur-
chased by A. NJ. Jackson Of Sioux City
for 1850, that being in February.
1899. Mr.. Jackson then organized the
Sioux City Transit company, himself
being the sole owner Of the property.
-Four months later the line was sold
by Mr.. jackson for S135, 900 to ]. S.
Lawrence, Abel Anderson and j. w.
Dec. O'Grady who consolidated 1t with
the other Sioux City lines under the
name Of the Sioux City Traction COM
pany.
Now Owned by the Packers.
The line has since passed into the
hands Of the Swift-Armour interests.
The portion Of the structure between
Jones and Iowa streets was torn down
two years ago and now the balance
Of the long steel trestle will be re-
moved
A supplemental system was built on
the south end Of the regular Morning
side line, by the Jacksons, running to
the handsome residence Of Allen Cros-
san, three miles south Of Morningside
This was subsequently torn UP.