Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1904-03-11
Exciting Railroad War on at
Iowa City For Electric
Line Right-of-Way
FRANCHISE GIVEN OLD COMPANY
nembsheIl Exploded in Camp of the
Iowa City, Davenport & Muscatine
Electric Railway Company, Which
Had Almost Completed Its Survey
Over Proposed Route.
Special to Times Republicans

Special to Times Republican.
Iowa City, March 11.--An exciting
raifroad war is being waged here be-
tween two rival companies for the pos
session of the right of way for an cleo
tr3c line between here and Muscatine
For the past three months the Iowa
City. Davenport and Muscatine Electric
Railway Company have been making
their surveys over the proposed route
and now their work is about completed.
Last week the council of this place
granted them franchise allowing them
the use of the streets and what other
privileges they needed. Their officials
who were then in the city, made the
statement that they would have the
track layed and cars running in the city
within so days and that the line would
be built from here to Muscatine by the
end Of October. The special election,
called to pass upon the franchise, is
to be held In April. Yesterday a bomb
shell exploded in the camp of the old
company. 1t was announced here that
new company had been incorporated
under the title of the Eastern Railroad
Company and had already secured OPP
tions on a great deal OF the land along
the right of way of the old company.
To-day No. began condemnation pro-
ceedings against property on the south
ern outskirts of Iowa City and in the
direct path of the old road.
Plainly the new company meant bus
- v,,ys,% 49, ~ G,~,< h..,,
garded as an idle ruInor became real
fact and one that vitality concerned the
existence OF the road. And the legal de-
partment OF the Iowa City, Davenport
and Muscatine Railroad Company be-
gan to stir itself Inquiry at the state
capital found that there had been no
SUCH company incorporated and at the
first site the whole deal seemed to be
q great hoax. The attorneys for the
old road fled a petition yesterday,
praying for an injunction restraining
the Eastern Iowa Railroad Company,
an alleged corporation, from condemn
ing property on the southern side of the
city. The petition alleges that the al
legation in the application for the con-
domination proceedings states that the
Eastern Iowa Railroad Company is a
corporation, which allegation is con-
be- ded to be false.
Later it was learned that articles had
been dled in the recorders office of
Lynn county for a corporation by the
name of the Eastern Iowa Railroad
Company, with a capital stock of $10,-
600. but the articles do not state wheth-
er any OF this stock is paid up or not.
The incorporators We're A. f. Groeltz,
q former Western Union telegraph OPP
orator, president; A. D. Barnes, vice
president: and w. w. Chamberlain,
secretary and treasurer. The last two
men are layers in Cedar Rapids. The
articles further state that the number
of the directors can be increased when
necessary. It has been stated here that
their options secured SO far have cover
ed property amounting to about $4,000.
and that 1t Is the right of way of the,
old road out OF West Liberty.