The daily Gate City and constitution-Democrat. (Keokuk, Iowa) 1916-1922, 1918-08-06
HELP FREIGHT TRAFFIC
Ideas Practically Same as Those Ad-
vanced in Recent Meeting
Which Took Place
Here.

Fort Wayne, Ind, as to the feasibility
of establishing an overland route
from the Indiana state line to Omaha
and passing through Keokuk to
Omaha.
Mr.. Cory's ideas are in line with
those advanced a short time ago by
a meeting in Keokuk which is also
presenting Mr.. McAdoo with plan to
establish the same route in order
that congestion may be relieved
In a letter to The Gate City Mr..
Cory says: 81 have Mr.. McAdoo's let
ter stating that the matter will be
given careful attention and thanking
US for directing his attention to
same"
Mr.. Cory's letter to the director
general follows:
'4To the Hon. William McAdoo, Wash
ington, d. G.
Dear Sir:
"The Toledo, Peoria & Western
railway extends from Loganport, In
diana, westward to Burlington and
Keokuk, Iowa, ON the Mississippi
river, a distance of some 290 miles.
From Logansport to the Illinois state
line $50 miles) the road is owned out
right by the Pennsylvania company.
From the Indiana line west, it is con-
sidered an independent line, but it's
stock is 81 percent controlled by the
Pennsylvania and Burlington COM
panies. 1t is now in the hands OF a
receiver, and according to the Stats
teal tables of railway earnings pub
lished each week in the Railway Age
it doesn't appear to be making much
financial Roadway. Its ultimate own
ership will likely rest in either one
or the other of the companies con-
trolling it's stock or it may be oper-
ated jointly by them. This control
cannot come about, however, until
court action settles it's legal troubles
and the Lord only knows how long
this may be as courts are exasperat-
ingly snail-like in their progress.
Right now is when the road can serve
the nation and do it's part in helping
prevent disastrous consequences.
What Is Needed.
"In my opinion what is needed
at this time is an order requiring
freight destined for eastern and
western points to be turned over
to the Peoria line and thus be
diverted from the already con-
gested terminals of Chicago. The
Burlington could switch its east
bound business from Colorado,
Wyoming, Nebraska and Iowa
points via Galesburg, H., to
Peoria; or its St. Louis and Kan
sas City traffic via Bushnell. Also,
the Santa Fe could divert its east
bound business at Iowa Junction,
ILL.,, where it crosses the Burling-
ton branch of the Peoria line.
All this traffic, being sent into
Peoria would be taken east to
Logansport, Ind, from whence its
distribution north, northeast,
east, south and southeast by the
Pennsylvania and Wabash lines
would be greatly expedited
''Westbound traffic for Missis-
sippi and Missouri river terri
tory would, of course, be by way
of Logansport via the Pennsyl-
vania and Wabash. Much Chesa-
pea1e &c Ohio westbound business
could also go via this route, by
being diverted to the Pennsyl-
vania at Marion or Converse,
Ind.
1.-The Minneapolis & st. Louis Is
another road having a terminal at
Peoria and is an important line
reaching northwest into Iowa, Mime
sofa and South Dakota.
chicaso's Consested Terminals.
81 have stated that this plan looks