Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1909-06-08
LONG CAMPAIGN FOR BUILDING
RAILWAY CONNECTING TOWNS
IN THIS VICINITY INTO CHAIN,
NOW AT AN END.
BOOSTER SPIRIT
FINALLY CONQUERs
$4,000 SUBSCRIPTION OF STOCK
HAS BEEN RAISED AND LIST
INCLUDES MANY NAMES; WILL
ISSUE CERTIFICATES SOON.

The dream of progressive Ottum-
vans has been realized and one need
not draw too strongly on his magma
ton to hear on the outskirts Of the
city the air whistle Of the interurban
cars as they come rumbling along the
highway laden with passengers for OF
tumwa, who will return laden with
various commodities from the stores
of the city to their several homes. The
stock subscription has been complet-
ed and many thanks to the Jealous
boosters who have given time and
effort without thought of compensa-
ton to the cause of Greater Ottum-
wa" and the securing of an interur-
ban, the much sought after and very
welcome enterprise that Ottumwa
has needed for a long time Some four
years has the topic been discussed,
for the past two years it has been Civ
en- much attention, and during the
past year a real fight to obtain it or
die commercially in the attempt,
was CARRIED on, and it has been sue
cessful. One can almost step on the
platform of the cars now and HE him
off to the nearby towns. The Ottumwa
the revival of the interurban topic,
which was dormant for few months,
and when the announcement was
made week ago that the CONNER
cial association had arranged for
speaker from Chicago to address an
open mass meeting at the Grand
opera house last Tuesday evening, this
spirit took form. The membership of
the association Immediately got busy
and especially the Young Mems Boost
er club, and tickets were distributed
broadcast throughout the city to the
capacity of the house, with the result
that the meeting was larger in at
tendance than any previous meeting
at which the matter was discussed.
The enthusiasm aroused at this meet
ing is responsible for the closing of
the subscription list yesterday and it
represents the close of hard cam
paign in which no stone was left I'M
turned to bring the matter to a final
success.
Road Now Assured.
That the interurban is an assured
thing, no doubt any longer remains.
That Ottumwa will become not only
the possessor Of an interurban road,
but center for several roads, is
equally assured Ottumwa has been
aroused from momentary lethargy
which may be explained as due to a
misrepresentation Of just what was
expected of its people in the matter
of interurbans. The question of its re-
lation to the city as whole was for
chilly brought out by numerous speak
ers at the recent meeting, when many
who hitherto had evinced little or no
interest in attending meetings of the
association were present in goodly
numbers, and the result speaks for
itself. The amount has been subscribed
and the next step will be the prelimin-
airy survey, and then the construction
of the line. It will be but a short step
from the raising of the fund until the
work of building will be commenced
and once started. sufficient interest
will be manifest to keep the Ottumwa
public in a state of impatient expec-
fancy until the completion of the line.
The real obstacle to the building of
such line has be p overcome, and
from now on the work will not lag.
The people have got an idea of
what interurban means and will not
rest content until they can use the
cars.
Issue Stock Soon.
The interurban committee will i'm
mediately get busy with the certifi-
Gates of stock which they viii begin
at an early date to issue to the sub
cribers Of the $4,000, and that done.
the company for preliminary survey
will be in force under the articles of
| incorporation which the committee
have had in their possession for some
time past They likewise hold very
| valuable asset in the form of fran
chise issued by the city, that is worth
considerable to Company which will
operate an interurban line. The time
of holding the meeting Of the inter-
urban committee has not been set as
yet, but no time will be lost in going
right on with renewed vigor to prose
| cute the work already begun, and the
issuance of the certificates of stock
| will begin Immediately. The amount
| to be called for on the subscriptions
| is not known and whether so pet
cent or the entire amount remains for
| the committee to determine.
| The final work of securing the sub
scriptions that still remained neces-
sary after the meeting of Tuesday
night, was prosecuted largely by a
committee of retailers who volunteer
| ed at the meeting to make a store to
store canvass of their fellow merchants
with the result that the list was com
pleted yesterday afternoon and a list
| comprising more than 240 names is
the result of the interurban canvass.
The amounts vary from 50 and SIS to
amounts ranging high as 5000, and the