Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1911-12-26
|OTIuMWA MAY
Get OTHER ROAD
1T is, BELIEVED THAT m. e. ST. l
WILL COME THIS WAY TO
ST. LOUIS.
THROUGH ELDON
Figure on old Survey From Eldon to
ST. Louis Touching Wide strip
Not Now Traversed by North
545 and South Line.

The story relative to a proposed new
railrond entering Ottumwa that was
published some weeks ago, based large
ly ON survey that was being made IN
this vicinity at that time, would ap-
pear now to bear further fruit and the
M. & st. l.. road may come this way.
At the time the matter was published
a few weeks ago, the Commercial asso.
citation and some local shippers took
the matter up with the Chicago North
western. and the Minneapolis st.
Louis roads, asking If they were seek.
ing line through this section, but met
with no encouragement from the FOR
mer and but little from the latter. 1t
has since developed that there may be
something in the story as the Des
Moines Capital published an article
Yesterday to the effect that the M. &
St. L. Is going to build through this
section going via Eldon to st. Louis
and probably run from Oskaloosa to
Eldon.
New Line South.
The CAPITAL states the following:
That the Minneapolis & st. Louis,
since It has acquired the Iowa Cen
trail. is to become route between
Minneapolis and st. Louis In fact as
well as in name, Is the news received
blythe Capital today In dispatch from
Eldon.
It Is reported that surveying party
is now running q line direct through
Eld0n and to the south which Will con-
meet with the Iowa Central, presumably
at Oskaloosa, and give the M. & st. L.
the abort route between the Twin cities
and st. Louis.
This line will follow the survey made
by the promoters of the Eldon & st.
Louis railroad several years ago. Its
route is south from Eldon through
Troy and Milton, Iowa; and then
through Memphis, Edna, Shelbyvilie'
Shelbina, Paris and Mexico Mo-, to the
Missouri river, which 1t crosses at
Gasconade. From that point the route
follows the big Muddy" into st. Louis:
Railroad men say that this proposed
line reaches one Of the best unoccupied
territories in the west. The survey
shows a / per cent grade and gives
line which passes through several coun'
ty seats not now reached ny any ho.th
and south road and territory which
is one of the best. 80
Present reports are to the enect thal
this surveying party Is now at WORK q
short distance north OF Eldon. Inc
route Of the proposed new snort Inc
through Iowa would doubtless be via
Mason City, MarshalltoWn, Grinhell
and Oskaloosa and thence to Eldon. IN
Minnesota the line would be over tne
M g st. L. to Albert Lea, where IT
connects with the Iowa Central.
~ Might Come Here. IN
When It become known here some
time ago that survey was being
made in the vicinity Of OttumWa,
John IT.. Morrell, of the freight rate
committee of the Commercial assoc1a-
tion. wrote Vice President and Cen
eral Manager, w. G.. Bierd of the Min
Near olis & St. Louis railroad relative
to his line being interested in the sur
yey with a view to entering this terri
tory on route to St. Louis. A reply
hearing date of November 20 from
vice President Bierd thanks Mr.. Nor
rell for the information rendered, out
states that the plans of the road at
that time had not reached the stage
where he could advise as to route
local conditions or time. The many de-
tails to be worked out and the time
necessary to work them out was ad-
yanced for his inability at the time to
give anv information as to Ottumwa.
The reply further states: However.
think it is only right and fair to say.
az you will probably realize, that II
this comnany extends it's line from
Alba to st. Louis. Ottumwa is far to
the east of such line and there would
he nothing to justify such detour IN
the line. However. it is possible that
the Minneapolis &; st. Louis may en-
ter into joint trackage or ownership
for the use of certain parts Of the
Wabash and if this is carried out. the
M. & ST. L. may in this way reach your
city. but until more of these details
have been ascertained. can give no
added Information at this time"
Told Of Old Survey.
Following the receipt of this reply
that was turned over to the CONNER.
cial association by Mr.. Morrell, Score:
taTy J. N. Weidenfeller wrote Vice
President Bierd relative to the old
Eldon & st. Louis survey touching the
several points alluded to in the
former story and which are made use
OF in the Des Moines Capital story Of
yesterday relative to the M. & st. l..
extension. Secretary Weidenfeller in.
formed Mr.. Bierd where he could get
the Information regarding the survey
notifying the official Of the NJ. e. st.
Il. of the address of G. r. Dubois of
Macon. Mo-. who made the survey for
the Eldon E. St Louis line from OF
tumwa to Mexico, Mo-. distance Of
144 miles The maximum grade Of one
per cent and maximum curves of three
degrees, eighty per cent Of the line
tangent. was part of the information
furnished the official by Secretary
Weld enfeller as obtained from En-
gineer Dubois.
j Can Secure Survey.
The information was obtained from
Engineer Dubois of Macon. Mo-. by
President NJ. B. Hutchison of the Com
mercial association, aud the informa-
ton included practically all that could
be desired as to the line aside from
the actual survey itself. and stated