The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1908-10-29
FROM OSKALOOSA
TO 0TTUMWA
A NEW iNTERuRBAN LINE Is BE.
ING PROJECTED.
MONEY IS SAID TO BE READY
Two Routes Are Under Discussion
One by Way of EddyVilIe and
the Other by Fremont
and Wright.

An electric interurban line between
Oskaloosa and Ottumwa is in pros,
pect. The plan it seems has pre-.
| viously been under consideration and
| to those who are conversant with
such matters the proposition seems
the most likely that has come in this
| direction since interurban talk was
started several years ago.
The fact has Deen known for some
time that parties have been in Os-
kaloosa and Ottumwa and between
the two cities examining routes and
taking note of the territory between.
The parties who were here were secre-
tive in their methods and did not
make known the nature of their bust
ness. They came and went and no
one knew of their errand until later
when the news was told through 9th.
er parties. The possibilities of line
between the two cities it appears has
been thoroughly Investigated
Two routes have been under consid-
Grafton. The more probable route is
via Eddyville and Kirkvihe and along
the Des Moines river valley to Ottum-
wa. A survey to EddyvIlle has been
previously made and the notes areI
available. 1t Is said lnat the survey
from Ottumwa to Eddyville has also
been made. The route from Oskaloosa,
is over the line of the Oskaloosa & !
Buxton Interurban, through Beacon
and Giyin, and the suggestion has been
made that the interurban to Beacon
might be incorporated in the new line.
From Givin the line would avoid the
sand ridge country and takes easy
grades to Eddyville. From Eddyville
the route takes an easterly course to
Kirkville, a town which has no rail-
way connections, and would be helped
by and would help an interurban.
From Kirkville the line is south to
Ottumwa. The length of this route
is said to be about thirty mics.
The second route said to have been
under consideration is along what has
been known as The prairie route" to
Fremont, in Cedar township of this
county. The line leaves OskaIoosa,
at some southeast point, where a con
venient grade may be secured as the !
country at first offers some construc-
ton difficulties. The route leads by
way of Wright to Cedar, thence south
to Kirkville and ON to Ottumwa over
the Eddyville route, or, east from
Cedar to Fremont and thence south
to Ottumwa. Which of these routes
presens the greatest business posi-
bilities is not known, but the manner
in which the plans have been investi-
gated and the routes considered
would lead an outsider to believe
that someone is in earnest concerning
the proposition. Another point in
favor of the proposed line is said to
be the fact that it would connect two
prosperous cities and touch several
smaller places. The line sarts from
somewhere and it goes somewhere, u
and would not be dependent upon the
of possibilities for its
earning capacity. The construction
is said to be under the average cost of
such work. The grades are easy and
no large streams are encountered be-
tween the two cities.
The proposition came to light To-
cally in a communication recently re-
ceived by Mayor Charles Ralston, ask
ing for information concerning the
possibilities of the line between Os-
kaloosa and Ottumwa, and of parties
likely to be interested in such
plan. The communication stated that
financial backing for such a line was
available and that in case the line
was projected construction companies
stood ready to take up the work. 1hel
matter will bear investigation.