Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1913-09-12

INTERESTING CHATTER
IN IOWA PROMOTION

9 IN IOWA PROMOTION :
Manson Journal: There is a lot OF
history, especially in a new country,
that never gets into the records. This
county. In our anniversary edition a
lot Of early history was put on record.
but there was one bit of history that
was overlooked.
In the early '70s the west saw many
railroad schemes born and die without
reaching manhood. Among these which
never were completed was one. we be-
lteve. which was called the Iowa Pa
cifc. The only part of this road we
ever were familiar with was that which
was to run from Fort Dodge to Sioux
City, although we suppose 1t must have
started much farther east than Fort
Dodge and we are quite sure that it
was planned to reach the Pacific some
day.
So far as this section of the coun-
try was concerned. John F. Duncombe
and George r. Pearsons were the NOV
ing spirit and their activity was con-
fined to the road through Calhoun
county and into the edge of Sac.
We believe it was in the fall OF 1872
that the matter was first brought to
the attention of the settlers in the form
OF q proposed 5 per cent tax to assist
in building the road. At first every
voter was up In arms at h idea OF
voting a tax to help a railroad. Every
man declared that it was a scheme to
rob the settlers. but John F. Duncombe,
who by the way was of the smooth
est men that ever worked in the Iowa
political field. met the indignant voters
n IN a short talk converted every
man in the various Townships. He
proposed tina a tax be voted. but it
was not to be paid until the road bed
was built and the trains running. This
proposition put a different outlook to
the plan n carried with out any
trouble.
The next summer surveying parties
ran q number of lines through the CEN
tral part of the county. running east
n west. At last one was made the
permanent survey and ran about one
n a half miles north of where Rock
we'll City now stands.
In the early fall gangs Of graders
appeared and active work was begun.
Three principal points were selected to
work. One at the crossing of Lake
Creek on section 10. one in Garfield
township and one at h Coon river in
Sac county. To the casual observer
this looked like the real thing and UNI
der the conditions the tax had been
voted 1t looked al IL there could be no
scheme In 1t. n we do not know now
that there was. but later it was noticed
tnat no work was done in townships
AO S0A was VOlCOs
Right here is where the scheme took
on a peculiar appearance. There were
not many settlers In those lays and
none OF those who were residents Of
the county paid any tax. but most Of
the land was owned by what were
tax was entered against this land the
owners. not being familiar with the
conditions. paid the tax. When the
money was once in the hands Of the
unit treasurer h question came up
as to who 1t belonged to. and Mr.. Dun
combe did not have much trouble in
convincing the officers that the money
wa his to the amount of the work
done at least. There was considerable
talk about 1t at the time but most Of
promoters of the road.
what the original plan was, we never
Knew, but suppose the promoters ex-
pected to get q large amount of grad
Ing completed, and then with the tax
voted would AVE quite a large piece
OF property to u over to some we'll
established road. but the panic Of '73
30 badly upset things tina there was
no prospective purchaser and the pro-
motors made h best Of the deal to
savs themselves The road was never
Des Moines, who built the original mar
row gauge through Rockwell City. later
revived, h franchise and secured the
right Of way from Rockwell City to |
Sac City and for g number Of years
the roadbed. Thus they kept the fran
chise alive and In time sold the road. /
bed and right Of way to the Milwau- /
kso when II built to Sac city and Storm
Lake from Rockwell City.
Building the railroad was not all the
plan: Ct. II. Pearson purchased section |
- IN Center township and laid out q +
town 1itC lust Oaot OF Lake Creek near