The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 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 ana
Bonds Finally Framed for Souvenirs
or Burned-A Romantic
Story.
HISTORY OF STRUCTURE
ISioux City rrihunel

[SiouN City Tribune.l
Workmen who are nov engaged in
tearing down t.e old Sioux
City elevated railroad structure
the third of its kind in the world
are demolishins the chief evidence of
several fortunes expended in its cod
struction and lost in its operation by n
syndicate OF Sioux City boom promo
tiers.
Incidentally these same workers are
making a lot of Morningsiders angry.
The latter liked the quick. safe rum
over the railroad tracks made possible
by using the elevated, and they chafe
at the SLOW trio to the suburban homes
necessary when stops on each corneu
are made Wind the railroad uacks are
crossed on surface lines Eu the Sioux
City Traction company is sure the ser
vice will eventually be bettered and the
running of parallel lines obviated.
Enterprising Sioux City men have
seen more thar 500, 900 of their money
disappear via the elevated. and the
King Iron bridge company was con
scious of the vanishing of something
like 5000 900 worth of claims on the ia
nous structure.
Where the Project Started.
The first definite move toward the
construction of the elevated was taken
in the spring of 1888. when a meeting
In the back room of the Sioux National
bank was held, attended by the follow
ing: a. S. Gairetson. d.. y. Hedges, Ed
Haakinson. James A. Jackson. A. NJ.
Jackson, James E. Booge. A. V. Lar
inner, E. c. Peters and Major John T.
Cheney. Later Charles Wise, w. Il.
Higman n Colonel c. g. Orr became
interested in the project.
The SiouN City Rapid Transit COM
pany was organized with a paidup cap
ltal of sl2o, 900, and L. c. Peters was
elected it's first president. The pur-
pose was to construct a railway to the
suburb of M~orningside. In the summer
of 1883 the surface line from Leach
stree: to Morningside vas constructed.
the work all being pair for by the
promoters of the system n using up
pretty much OF the capital which had
been paid up. In 1890 the %elevated
structure from Leach to Jones streets
was built, the company issuing $3.50, 600
iof 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 His position for 1.-THE con-
tractors accepting $1,000 900 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 one of
Importance dllu lllSJIl dtloII. .fitie Idi
900 persons, including the most promi-
nent citizens of the city, We're given
free rides Over the system and the flu
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 1898 from fastening
its crushing grip upon the system and
in that fatefu period the Sioux 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 man.
aged the line until arch, 1896, when
1t was disposed Of at j ceiver's sale. /.
Bonds Used as Souvenirs.
A. B. Robbins of Minneapolis was
the purchaser. paying $4,000. He was
a railroad contractor n anne into
possession of a 81, 800 claim against the
elevated o a through the failure of a
car company. To protect this claim he
bought the system. The King Iron
Bridge company bid $4,000 for the
EiCPCiNS iopliIS W liN 5ooh llle
5000, 900 worth of bonds held by ii. The
company, which had already been paid
about $50, 900 by the Sioux City men
promoting the line, would not give
more than an equal sun for full owner
ship of the system. 1t is reported that
come of these bonds were mailed out by
the bridge company to their stockhold-
ers as souvenirs, in lieu Of a dividend,
n that the balance vas burned.
There are still in evidence in safes Of
certain Sioux City men something like
$4,000 worth of these handsomely lith-
%ographed relics.
Mr.. Robbins operated the elevated
line for two years. when 1t was pur-
chased by A. M. Jackson OF Sioux City
for S87,5o0. that being in February,
1899. Mr.. Jackson hen 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 s135,0OO to j. s.
Lawrence, Abel Anderson and j. WI
Dec. O'Grady WHO consolidated it With
the other Sioux City lines under tha|
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