The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1904-02-11
lie Big RUSH IS over.
Iowa Central Succeeds in Relieving
CONGESTION.

Inc cOnSSSted trafnc conulIlon Oh
the Iowa Central was practically
cleared up Sunday, and nearly every
load of the great blockade of freight
that has existed between Oskaloosa
and Albert Lea for several weeks will
be moved by this (Monday) evening.
Sunday was very busy day with the
road. Everything worked smoothly
and train after train of the freight
that has been standing upon every
available siding along the road was
pulled cut and disposed of. Last Sun
day there were two thousand cars
standing en- sidings waiting to be
moved
The conditions with which the Cen
trail was surrounded were somewhat
remarkable and will probably never
happen again in the history of the
road. Inthe beginning the agents of
the road were successful in securing
for shipment over the Central large
consignmentsof flour, shingles and
many ether shipments of more or less
extent Just at this time the power
began bothering the mechanical de-
partment, Engine after engine be-
came defective and had to be taken
into the shops for repairing OF con-
siderable extent The rapidly with
which the power became unfit for ser.
vice was astonishing The mechan-
ical department was working over
time but soon there were more en-.
gines waiting for repairs than could
be placed in the Marshalltown shops.
The situation caused the superin-
tendents of the line much worry and
they did everything possible to meet
the emergency. Six powerful en-.
glnes were borrowed from the Great
Northern Railway at st. Paul and
We're brought to the relief of the Cen
tral. These engines were bigger.
heavier and more powerful than any-
thing owned by the Central and were
capable OF moving great tonnage.
Inc engines We're put into the service
several weeks ago and have been go
ing nlght and day ever since their ar
rival In the meantime some of the
Centrafs more powerful engines had
conValesced to a sufficient degree to
enable them to take hold of a string
OF cars. But the trouble did NOT
cease. 1t was like the old adage: 'Tt
never rains but it pours." Because
the Central had about all it could
handle with the power at it's disposal,
business seemed to fall to it from
anywhere and everywhere. Great
contracts came from every direction
ina more were in sight Superin-
endent NJ. Sweeney, Of Minneapolis,
,ecame concerned about the situa-
ION and came to OslSaloosa to make
us headquarters where he could be
n closest touch with the operating
apartment He and Supt. J. A.
avis, of the road, nave been working
PREVIOUSLY night and aa a9Yy almost
ring the past Two weeks IS bring
like order out of the reign
: chaos.
The situation was serious and the
found themselves in
e position of having to refuse fur
Pr contracts until the situation was
lieved and the freight that was on
. road at the time had been moved
I'd this was done last week Per
liable and time freight was, of
urse, accepted from all lines and at
times, and right here was one of
Q sources of trouble. This class OF
lfic became so great as to demand
nest the undivided attention of tne
eraing department. They had lit
! chance of caring for the other
ipments. The movement of fuel of
e northern markets required a part
the power all of the time and the
oblem that was before Messrs.
Veeney and Davis was one of con-
lerable magnitude. The gentlemen
We become masters of the situation
viewer, and it is not likely that there
II be any repetition of the difficulty
Mr. Sweeney is authority for the
atement that the operating depart
7nt will have no further use for Dor
wed power, the six huge engines or
e Great Northern, and they will be
turned home during the week. Mr.
yeeney will consume a part of the
EEK in clearing up business matters
the city, and should the situation
ntinue to be better, as is now prom
I'd, he will return to his office in
toward the latter part of
e week.