Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1917-02-26
HISTORY OF ATLANTIC SOUTH.
ERIN RAILROAD DRAMATIC TO
THE FINISH.
ANONYMOUS LETTER
THREATENS WoRkMEN
OH Poured Upon Two Bridges and Set
on Fire-One Totally Destroyed
History Of Inflated Line Sensational
and Depressing Firm Wreekine
Line Within Its Rights.

Atlantic, Feb. 26.--rhc final chapter
in the history of the Atlantic Southern
railroad, a portion of the road which
was built largely by farmers and which
few years ago was the object of a
frantic effort to purchase by former
Secretary of the Treasury Leslie NJ.
Shaw, ds being written In the same
dramatic style that has characterized
the life Of the enterprise from its very
inception
Following the failure OF Shaw to buy
the railroad, that portion Of the line
from Villisca to Atlantic. a distance OF
about forty eight miles, has had a
most checkered history, Bought in by
creditors, it was operated for time
and then the trains were pulled off, de-
pots dismantled and several towns
which had been built up several of
them Of considerable size, were ma
rooned entirely and the farmers, who
were dependent upon the railroad for
transportation Of their produce and
the merchants to secure their goods,
found themselves in dire straits.
Some History of the Road.
Those interested In the railroad took
the matter into the courts and before
the Iowa board of railroad commission
ers. The latter issued an order reuuir-
ing the owners of the property to re-
instate service, but before the order
could be made operative mjunctions
We're secured and upon showing that
was made that the road could not be
operated except at Il loss. the owners,
the Roberts Abeles Conway of st.
Louis. announced their intention OF dis
mantlng the line. Efforts were then
made to organize a company for the
purchase of the property and operate 1t
as an electric railroad and this only
recently fell thru
A few days ago a force of men were
sent hero to begin work of tearing up
the rails and switches, which material
is now said to have become even more
valuable than when 1t was laid about
nine years ago. An engine crew and
cars to haul the material was set at
work, beginning at the town OF Grant,
midway between Atlantic and Villisca,
the plan being to haul the material
from Grant south to Vlllisca after the
demolition Of the north end of the line.
Attempt to Burn Bridges.
The appearance of the crew Of
wreckers was the first intimation many
Of those interested financially in the
property had of the failure Of the last
effort to restore service and to all liv-
ing along the railroad 1t was like Civ
ing them death thrust. Swallowing
their chagrin. however, the farmers
and others proceeded to make the best
of il but it appears that there are some
persons who have registered their pro-
test in a different manner. for oil has
been poured upon two of the bridges
and fired. one structure being nearly
destroyed. the fire in the other being
discovered in time to be eXtlnSuished
before much damage had been done.
E. T. Houchin. in charge Of the wreck
ers, also received an anonymous letter
threatening to blow up the trainmen II
the work is not stopped. The letter is
either disguised or penncd by an illit-
crate person and IAN outraged people
is mentioned as being behind the move
ment. The Abeles company is acting
under the authority of the federal
court, which may be invoked to assist
in locating the guilty ones. Mr..
Abeles has offered a heavy reward for
the arrest of the perpetrators