The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1907-04-11
CoRYDoN AFTER lNTERURBAN.
Prospective Road to Run from
Corydon to Des MoInes.

! Col. Andrews, an engineer from New
York city, and the hessrs. Carpenter,
| father and son, from Ohio, were in Cory
don and met with the commercial club
Tuesday night aud the thing was gone
into pretty thoroughly.
The plan as proposed by the promot-
ers was to build a rail road from Cory
don to Des Moines, by way of Charlton
and lndianola. Whether it would
strike any other towns on the route
was unknown at this time. In the
future it is the intention to build on
south to Chillicothe, Mo-, and finally to
Kansas City. But the plan at present
is from Corydon to Des Mones.
Col. Andrews represents the money
men, or bankers of New York city, who
are to furnish the money to build the
road, less what is given them by the
people and corporations along the line.
The other two gentlemen will go along
the proposed line and work the road up
and explain same to the people of the
| different communities. Col. Andrews
addressed the club at some length and
also answered number of questions.
He said in part:
He was the person who had arranged
for and completed the contract for the
/ electric road from Fairfield, Iowa, to
Memphis, Mo. With one or two except
| ions all the contracts had been made for
the building of this road, the franchises
in the different towns voted and the
right-of-way secured. The actual work
of building that road will commence at
once. He had also selected the route
for road running north from Fairfield
and his plans had been approved
by his principals in New York.
The estimated cost of the road was
about S25,0O0 per mile. What he want
ed now of the people of Corydon and all
he wanted was about $3.50 raised to pay
the expenses of the two promoters to
go over the route and work up the plan
and explain the same to the people.
They would put their time against their
expenses. He would go over the route
in a buggy and select the same and re.
port to his people in New York. Then
if the road was accepted and his plans
approved he and his principals would
ask the people along the road to raise
$4,000 per mile and give the company
the right of way. For this $4,000 per
mile they would receive preferred stock
in the company, paying 6 per cent in
terest.
If it is decided to build the road the
people along the right of way will also
be asked to raise about $4,000 to pay
for the survey and other preliminary
work. This money however, said Col.
Andrews, would be refunded to them.
As to-raising the money it would he
done either by private subscription or
by voting tax.
A five per cent tax voted in Corydon
and Union townships would about raise
the $4,000 per mile through the two
| townships. In Union township it would
not raise that amount but in Corydon
would raise more than the amount and
the two would little more than aver
age the $4,000 per mile.
| How much there is in this plan we do
not know. However, we do know that
these men have made good in the Fair
field-Memphis line and that it will be
built without question. Also the fact
that the two promoters offer to put up
their time against their expenses for a
month looks like they have some faith
in the building of the road. If Col.
Andrews can do what he says he can,
and we do not doubt it, the fact of the
road being built in the near future
looks exceedingly good.
| Whlle we 90 not know much about IN
terurban railroads and what kind of a
country it takes to make them pay it
looks like this proposed line would be a
success. 1t is north and south line
with practically no competition and
could be feeder to the steam roads.
AS proposed from here to Des Moines
it will be about 80 miles long.
The $3.50 asked for the promoters for
expenses has been raised and they will
go to work at once. After their. report
and the report of Col. Andrews has
been received more can be told of the
| prospects. We are satisfied that it is
the hope of all that it will be built
| Corydon Times Republican.