The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1915-02-08

z
kuk, must, In time, be very large. The
receipts for carriage Of coal for the
year ending April /. 1854, was $22,
096.93. For the year ending April l.
1866. $32,S40.55, being an increase OF
forty-eight per cent in one year. The
total receipts of the road for the past
year from all sources: freight passen.
gers and mail from April 1, 1864, to
April 1, 1866, were as follows: $685..
824.8O; expenses, $1S3,673,62. Net
revenue, $186,151.1S."
The Last Pull and Into pes MoInes.
The civil war had ended, and finan.
cial conditions were more favorable
for public work, and the grading OF
the road progressed rapidly. To com.
plete the forty miles in order to reach
the capital, acted as an inspiration
and the enterprise fastened onward
with increasing spirit and speed.
A triumph for the road, and great
event for the city Of Des Moines, was
the completion of the Des Moines
Valley railroad to the capital, on Aug.
ust 20, 1855. It was q day Of ehthus-
iasm and q historical period for all
The series OF ten years in the building
of the road included elements Of finan.
cial difficulties, floods, labor troubles
and multitude Of minor impedi-
ments.
Richard Wood wrote review of
the coming OF the first train into Des
Moines, and stated that thousands OF
people were present to welcome the
officials and their steam highway and
i aid to emigration and building up the
commonwealth Of the Des Moines val
ley territory. 1t should be noted that
the capital city in the year OF 1866
was a town OF some six thousand pop
ulatiOn, and was making progress as
the conditions Of the early years could
maintain.
keokuk and Burlington Citizens At
~. tend Celebration.
The local papers said that the cele-
bration on that epochal day included
visitors from all the towns along the
line all the way to Keokuk. The may
or and city council of Keokuk were
welcomed in speech by the eloquent
John A. Kasson, to which response
was made by Colonel VIM. Patterson,
mayor of Keokuk. whose memory is
revereG. Colonel Leighton was called
for, and responded Interestingly at
some length. Colonel Reid made
some happy remarks. DR.. Charles
Beardsley of the Burlington Hawk
Eye spoke briefly and well with refer
ence to the generous rivalry in Iowa
between large towns. e. H. Stiles
and Mr. Gilespy of Ottumwa made adj
dresses, also Chief Justice Wright
From Burlington: A. D. Wentz, L.
Casper, e. Chamberlain, Mark S.
Foote, C. P. Squires, James Morton,
A.. G. Adams, DR.. Beardsley, James
Putnam, H. e. Hunt. T. w. Barhydt.
From Keokuk: ]. NJ. Billings. 8. j.
Carter, B. Payne, w. ). Jewell, e.
Griswold. and many others of rank.
The original name of the road con-
tinued for number OF years, and
then some business changes in the
and the title became the Keokuk and
Des Moines railroad. This rule was
Eof BRIEF duration and spassed away
and was succeeded by some changes
OF minor note and Importance. The
letters X. cd. M. were gone. The
grade on the banks or summit OF West
Sugar Creek had ever proved the one
serious point for freight trafnc going
west, and becoming weary Of the de-
lays at this severe gradient, the COM
pany decided to make new road
around the summit and follow the
river from point q little west OF the
Prouty hill and continue along tho
valley to point some ten miles vest,
where the Cd line would be Joined.
This was called the River route, and
came into use in 1876. Three years
later the Des Moines Valley railroad
was leased fog long series OF years.
by the Rock Island management. Re-
Gently there IL a movement for the
separation from the Rock Island and
a return to the original name. The
Des Moines Valley railroad Is the one
great business element Of the valley,
and the very life and welfare Of the
fine commonwealth and the many
towns and cities along. its line.
Saw Steamers on the Des MoInes.
In my boyhood years l would look
across the broad valley Of the Mis-
sissippi to the northeast some four to
five miles, and see the trains on the
first railroad Of my acquaintance. the
Des Moiness Valley. Sometimes a
steamer ON the Des Moines would be
seen in bold relief as watched the
passing Of the trains. Both great en-
terprises were a delight and sources
OF fine inspiration to my youthful
mind and soul.
This is the tribute which gladly
give to the dear old Des Moines Val
ley railroad, which has ever received
nv patriotic homage since the days
of the early years OF the civil war
Well done, D. ", like you as well
as ever.
JASPER BL1NES
Seven Pines, Alexandria, Mo.