Year: 1867

The following extract from CON-
munication by President Smith, in the
st. Louis Times will give an idea of
what is proposed to be done the present
season, by the company:


MEssRs. EDITORS: The Iowa Cen
trail Railroad Company has made every
arrangement for vigorous work on the
entire line of road during the coming
spring and summer. The grading and
bridging from Toledo to Cedar Falls,
distance of thirty-eight miles, Is now
nearly completed. The grading and
bridging from the north end of the
North Missouri Railroad to this place.
distance of forty-nine miles, is all un-
der contract, to first class experienced
and responsible parties. Some twelve
miles in Appanoose county, are now
ready for the ties and iron, and prep
arations are now being made to work
all a long the line as soon as
the spring fairly opens. Our Engineer
Corps is now surveying, with a view
to a permanent location of the line be-
tween this town and Toledo, distance
of tifty-two miles, and we propose to
contract for the grading and bridging
of this part of our line, by the TWEEN
tieth day of May next. Our object is
to have all the grading and bridging
as far North as Cedar Falls, q
distance of one hundred and forty-nine
miles North end of the North Missou-
ri Railroad, completed by the first day of
next November, so that during the
next winter we can obtain and place
the ties thereon, with view of putting
on the iron in the spring following.
In the meantime, we will survey and
locate our route from Cedar Falls to the
south end of the Minnesota Central
Railroad, distance of seventy nine
miles, and sometime during the pres
ent summer contract for the grading
and bridging of this part of our line, so
as to complete the connection between
st. Louis and st. Paul, and as / learn
from ID. e. Shepard, Esq, Chief engin-
Ger and Superintendent of the Min
nesota Central Railroad, that the same
is now running To within forty-four
miles of the State line, to which it is
intended to complete the road this
summer. two-thirds of the grading be-
ing done and the work progressing
daily. We have raised sufficient stock
south of Cedar Falls, to prepare our
road bed ready for the ties, with the
small deficiency i'm Appanoose and
Powesheik counties, and so much as
may be required to bridge the Des
Moines at Eddyville. OF our ability to
raise sufficient stock north of Cedar
Falls to do the earth work and bridging
for that part of our line, l have no
doubt.


With all the right of way and liberal
supply of depot grounds, and all the
grading and bridging done on our line
of railway, two-hundred and twenty
eight miles in length, being nearly one
half of the entire line between st.
Paul and ST. Louis think IL will not
be difficult to negotiate bonds of the
company to such an amount as to tie,
iron and equip the road.


Originally, our company was organ
iZed to go as far north as Cedar Falls,
but concluding If we depend on
another and separate Company to com
plete the connection between the term
mus of our line and the Minnesota
Central, that all Chicago or any other
interest, desirous of interfering
with North and South trade had to
do, would be to buy up majority of
stock I'm such short line, and thus
throttle the interest of our road, and to
a great extent defeat the chief object
Of our organization; hence we changed
our article of incorporation, SO as to
mbrace q line through our State, thus
making a complete and Independent
connection between st. Louis and st.
Paul, and direct line, on the west side
of the Mississippi river, through the
State of Minnesota, Iowa and MISSOURI
without change of cars or breaking
bulk. ~


When we shall have completed our
surveys and estimates of the cost
of our grading, bridging and other ex-
penses, and secured all the stock it Is
possible to go along the line of our
road by personal subscriptions, as our
counties as such, cannot take stock i'm
railroads, we shall present the matter
to those interested In the property of
st. Louis, and ask them to make up
the deficiency. We will not ask for
" q million or "a half million,o but
say from one hundred and twenty-five
to one hundred and seventy-five thou
sand dollars, and have confidence
that In view of the character Of our en-
tcrprise as connected with the interests
of st. Louis, you will respond to our
entire satisfaction.


Yours truly,


WM. Il. SMITH, Pres't