HISTORY OF RAILROAD CONSTRUCTION -- FINAL INDIAN HOSTILITIES -- NEBRASKA IN THE WAR WITH SPAIN -- THE SUPREME COURT OF NEBRASKA

urlington & Missouri Lines. The company now known as the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy railroad company was chartered by a special act of the Illinois legislature, dated February 12, 1849, under the name of the Aurora Branch railroad company.
   The incorporators were citizens of Aurora, Illinois, and vicinity. This company built from Aurora to a connection with the Galena & Chicago Union railroad (now Chicago & Northwestern) at Turner junction, about twelve miles. The track was laid with wooden rails faced with strap iron and was opened for business September 2, 1850.
   The Burlington & Missouri River railroad company was incorporated in Iowa, January 15, 1852. The first incorporators were citizens of Burlington and vicinity.
   The Burlington Railroad. The original incorporators found it impossible to raise money enough to complete even the first thirty miles, and the aid of the parties who were then engaged in building the C., B. & Q. was sought soon after construction began. In 1856 a valuable land grant was obtained, but even this was not sufficient to attract investors, and it took about seven years to build the first seventy-five miles to Ottumwa. After that nothing was done until 1865, when it became possible to sell at a large discount the bonds of the road secured by the road itself and the land grant, and the road was slowly extended until it was completed to the Missouri river in 1870.
   A branch from Albia to Knoxville, Iowa, 33 miles, was built and opened November 17, 1875.
   The Quincy, Alton & St. Louis road, from Quincy, Illinois, to Louisiana and Hannibal, Missouri, 46 miles, was leased and operated by the C., B. & Q. from February 1, 1876.
   The C., B. & Q. also purchased the securities of the St. Louis, Rock Island & Chicago railroad company and operated the road from October 1, 1876. The mileage was: Gladstone to Keithsburg, Illinois, opened December 17, 1869, 17 miles; Sterling to Rock Island, Illinois, opened January 12, 1870, 52 miles; Rock Island to Warm, Illinois, opened November 21, 1870, 215 miles; Cleveland branch, 2 miles; a total of 286 miles. This road was incorporated in 1855 as the Rock Island & Alton railroad company and, after several changes of name and foreclosures, was finally reorganized as the St. Louis, Rock Island & Chicago railroad company and sold to the C., B. & Q. as above stated.
   In 1878 a branch was built from Hastings to Sidney, Iowa, opened December 2d, 21 miles.
   In 1879 branches were built: Chariton to Indianola, Iowa, opened February 23, 33 miles; Creston to Fontanelle, Iowa, opened May 6, 28 miles; Clarinda, Iowa, to Burlington junction, Missouri, opened October 19, 21 miles; Leon to Mt. Ayr, Iowa, opened September 26, 35 miles.
   In 1880 branches and extensions were built: Port Byron junction to Rock Island, Illinois, opened January 6, 7 miles; Knoxville to Des Moines, Iowa, opened January 10, 35 miles; Red Oak to Griswold, Iowa, opened January 17, 18 miles; Mt. Ayr, Iowa, to Grant City, Missouri, opened September 20, 22 miles; Hastings to Carson, Iowa, opened October 6, 16 miles; Bethany junction to Bethany, Missouri, opened November 15, 29 miles. The Burlington & Missouri River railroad com-

pany in Nebraska was incorporated May 12, 1869, and the construction of the line from Plattsmouth to Kearney was begun in July of that year; it was completed to Kearney Junction, Nebraska, September 18, 1872. This company was consolidated with the C., B. & Q. R. R. Co. under date of July 26, 1880, at that time having a mileage of 836 miles as follows: Plattsmouth to Kearney junction, opened September 18, 1872, 191 miles; Pacific Junction, Iowa, to Plattsmouth, Nebraska, including the bridge across the Missouri river at Plattsmouth, 2 miles; Republican Valley railroad, Hastings to Red Cloud, Nebraska, opened November 4,1878, 41 miles; Red Cloud to Bloomington, Nebraska, opened March 10, 1879, 29 miles; Bloomington to Republican, Nebraska, opened January 25, 1880, 12 miles; Republican to Orleans, Nebraska, opened February 29, 1880, 12 miles; Orleans to Arapahoe, Nebraska, opened April 17, 1880, 27 miles; Arapahoe to Indianola, Nebraska, opened May 23, 1880, 28 miles; York to Aurora, Nebraska, opened November 3, 1879, 22 miles; Aurora to Central City, Nebraska, opened April 4, 1880, 20 miles; Amboy to Hubbell, Nebraska, opened June, 13, 1880, 53 miles.
   The Omaha & Southwestern railroad was incorporated February 13, 1868, and leased to the B. & M. in perpetuity under date of July 19, 1871. At the time of the consolidation of the C., B. & Q. and B. & M. the mileage of the 0. & S. W. was: Omaha to Oreapolis, Nebraska, opened in 1870, 17 miles; Crete to Beatrice, Nebraska, opened December 22, 1871, 30 miles.
   The Atchison & Nebraska railroad was formed by the consolidation, August 10, 1871, of the Atchison & Nebraska and the Atchison, Lincoln & Columbus railroad companies. At the time of the consolidation of the C., B. & Q. and the B. & M. the mileage was: Atchison, Kansas, to Lincoln, Nebraska, opened September 1, 1872, 143 miles; Branch to Rulo, Nebraska, -- built by the Burlington & South-Western railroad and sold to the A. & N. in 1871, 2 miles.
   The Lincoln & Northwestern railroad was leased to the B. & M. in perpetuity under date of January 1, 1880. At the time of the consolidation of the C., B. & Q. and B. & M. the mileage was: Lincoln to Columbus, Nebraska, opened May 18, 1880, 73 miles.
   In 1880 the C., B. & Q. also purchased the securities of the companies named below:

    Chicago, Burlington & Kansas City railway company, operated by C., B. & Q. from September 1, 1880. This road was the result of consolidations and foreclosures of a number of local companies and at the time of its purchase by the C., B. & Q. the mileage was: Viola, Iowa, on the Keokuk branch of the C., B. & P. to Laclede, Missouri, opened September 27, 1876, 158 miles.
   Kansas City, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs railroad company, operated by C., B. & Q. from April 17, 1880. At this date the mileage was: Harlem, Missouri, to Council Bluffs, Iowa, 193 miles; Amazonia to Hopkins, Missouri, 50 miles; Nebraska City Junction to Missouri river, 4 miles; Winthrop Junction to Atchison bridge, 1 mile. This road was built by a number of local companies, the most important of which were the Missouri Valley, St. Joseph & Council Bluffs and Council Bluffs & St. Joseph companies, the latter an Iowa corporation. All were consolidated under the name of the present company in 1869 and 1870. The road from St. Joseph to Council Bluffs was opened in December, 1867. From St. Joseph south to Harlem and north to Hopkins was built in 1869 to 1870.
   St. Joseph & Des Moines railroad, a narrow gauge road, extending from St. Joseph to Albany, 48 miles, opened October 15, 1879.
   January 1, 1881, the C., B. & Q., having previously purchased all the securities of the St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern railroad company, took possession of the road. At this date the mileage was as below: Keokuk, Iowa, to St. Peters, Missouri, 128 miles, Keokuk to Mt. Pleasant, Iowa, 48 miles. The road from Keokuk to St. Peters was built in sections by a large number of local companies, which, by consolidations and foreclosure sales, were all merged into the St. L., K. & N. W. R. R. The first section completed was from

West Quincy to La Grange, Missouri, which was opened on January 31, 1871. It was opened to Keokuk in March, 1882. The section from Keokuk to Mt. Pleasant was built in 1880 and 1881 and was opened to Mt. Pleasant January 31, 1881.
   In 1882 branches and extensions were built: Bethany to Albany, Missouri, opened October 1, 18 miles; Beatrice to Wymore, Nebraska, opened February 7, 12 miles; Wymore to Endicott, Nebraska, opened July 25, 51 miles; Table Rock to Wymore, Nebraska, opened December 5, 38 miles; Nemaha to Calvert, Nebraska, opened October 10, 9 miles; Indianola to Culbertson, Nebraska, opened October 10, 23 miles.
   In 1882 branches and extensions were built:

    Sheridan to Paw Paw, Illinois, opened November 27, 20 miles; Clarinda, Iowa, to Northboro, Missouri, opened July 10, 18 miles; Culbertson, Nebraska, to Denver, Colorado, opened May 29, 244 miles; Auburn to Tecumseh, Nebraska, opened August 30, 23 miles.
   The Chicago, Burlington & Kansas City railway was extended from Laclede to Sumner, 10 miles, opened July 17, 1882.
   In 1881 the C., B. & Q., jointly with the Wabash company, began the construction of a road in Iowa from Van Wert on the Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska (now Keokuk & Western railroad) to Shenandoah, Iowa, 95 miles, opened to Shenandoah November 18, 1882. This road was operated independently until 1896 when the C., B. & Q. bought the Wabash interest and under date of May 1, 1896, took possession of the property.
   In 1883 branches and extensions were built: Tecumseh to Beatrice, Nebraska, opened September 2, 33 miles; Nemaha to Salem, Nebraska, opened December 20, IS miles ; Kenesaw to Holdrege, Nebraska, opened November 15, 40 miles.
   In 1883 the C., B. & Q. purchased the stock of the Hannibal & St. Joseph railroad company and took possession of the road on May 1, 1883. At that date the mileage was: Hannibal to St. Joseph, opened February 15, 1859, 206 miles; Quincy to Palmyra, Missouri, opened April 1, 1860, 13 miles; Cameron to, Missouri river, opposite Kansas City, opened November 30, 1867, 54 miles; Kansas City bridge, opened July 3, 1869. The H. & St. J. R. R. Co. was incorporated February 16, 1847, and after the usual financial difficulties and reverses finally secured aid from the state in land and bonds and was completed as above. The bonds issued by the state were repaid by the company.
   In 1884 branches and extensions were built: Chester to Hebron, Nebraska, opened January 3, 12 miles; De Witt to Tobias, Nebraska, opened May 1, 24 miles; Holdrege to Oxford, Nebraska, opened August 4, 20 miles; Aurora to Grand Island, Nebraska, opened June 8, 18 miles; Odell, Nebraska, to Concordia, Kansas, opened August 24, 70 miles.
   The Chicago, Burlington & Kansas City railway was extended from Sumner to Bogard, 21 miles, opened October 17, 1884.
   In 1885 branches and extensions were built: Fontanelle to Cumberland, Iowa, opened August 5, 20 miles; Holdrege to Elwood, Nebraska, opened August 12, 28 miles; Republican, Nebraska, to Oberlin, Kansas, opened October 12, 78 miles.
   The Chicago, Burlington & Kansas City railway was extended from Bogard to Carrollton, Missouri, 7 miles, opened June 23, 1885, and the St. Joseph & Des Moines railroad, 49 miles, was changed from narrow, to standard gauge and leased to the C. B. & Q.
    In 1886 branches and extensions were built: Galesburg to Rio, Illinois, opened October 31, 12 miles; Tobias to Holdrege, Nebraska, opened December 26, 113 miles; Elwood to Curtis, Nebraska, opened October 6, 44 wiles; Fairmont to Hebron, Nebraska, opened December 6, 33 miles; Edgar to Superior, Nebraska, opened August 4, 26 miles; Grand Island to Anselmo, Nebraska, opened September 13, 101 miles; Aurora to Hastings, Nebraska, opened September 13, 28 miles.
   In 1887 branches and extensions were built: Omaha to Ashland, Nebraska, opened January 3, 25 miles; Anselmo to Whitman, Nebraska, opened May 30, 99 miles; Curtis, Nebraska, to Cheyenne, Wyoming, opened De-

cember 11, 263 miles; Central City to Greeley, Nebraska, opened August 15, 44 miles; Greeley to Burwell, Nebraska, opened December 15, 41 miles; Palmer to Arcadia, Nebraska, opened October 31, 54 miles; Ashland to Schuyler, Nebraska, opened October 24, 51 miles; Orleans, Nebraska, to Blakeman, Kansas, opened November 13, 95 miles.
   In 1887 the C., B. & Q. purchased the securities of the Denver, Utah & Pacific railroad company, a narrow gauge road from Denver to Lyons, Colorado, with two short branches, aggregating about 49 miles of road, which had been built from 1881 to 1985. It was, however, operated independently and was not included in the mileage of the C., B. & Q. until 1889, when it was changed to standard gauge.
   In 1888 branches and extensions were built: Streator to Walnut, Illinois, opened June 1, 59 miles; Whitman to Alliance, Nebraska opened February 3, 69 miles; Greeley Center to Ericson, Nebraska, opened May 7, 19 miles; Blakeman to St. Francis, Kansas, opened July 8, 39 miles.
   In 1889 branches and extensions were built: Alliance, Nebraska, to Cambria, Wyoming, opened December 1, 162 miles; Culbertson to Beverly, Nebraska, opened November 1, 10 miles; Denver to Lyons, Colorado, changed to standard gauge and leased to C., B. & Q. September 1, 1889, 41 miles.
   In 1890 branches and extensions were built: Newcastle to Merino, Wyoming, opened August 5, 30 miles; Edgemont to Hill City, South Dakota, opened November 4, 60 miles.
   In 1890 the C., B. & Q. began an extension of the St. Louis, Keokuk & Northwestern railroad from old Monroe, on the main line to St. Peters, to St. Louis. This extension was 48 miles in length and included a double track steel bridge across the Missouri river at Bellefontaine Bluffs. It was opened on March 4, 1894.
   In 1890 the C., B. & Q. purchased the stock of the Chicago, Burlington & Northern railroad company, which had been built in 1885 and 1886 from Oregon, Illinois, to St. Paul, Minnesota, and from Fulton to Savanna, Illinois. The mileage owned is: Oregon, Illinois, to St. Paul, 332 miles; Fulton to Savanna, Illinois, 17 miles; Galena junction to Galena, Illinois, 4 miles; and also short branches to Dubuque, Iowa, and Winona, Minnesota, aggregating 2 miles.
   In 1891 branches and extensions were built: Beverly to Palisade, Nebraska, opened December 22, 8 miles; Merino to Gillette, Wyoming, opened August 12, 48 miles; Hill City to Deadwood, South Dakota, opened January 28, 46 miles,; Minnekata to Hot Springs, South Dakota, opened July 3, 13 miles.
   In 1892 the Chicago & Iowa railroad, which had for some years been controlled by the C., B. & Q. through its ownership of the C. & I. securities, was under date of January 1, 1892, leased to the C., B. & Q. The road was from Aurora to Forreston, Illinois, and from Flag Center to Rockford, Illinois, 23 miles.
   In 1892 branches and extensions were built: Palisade to Imperial, Nebraska, opened August 15, 31 miles; Gillette to Sheridan, Wyoming, opened November 26, 101 miles.
   In 1893 branches and extensions were built: Englewood to Spearfish, South Dakota, opened December 11, 32 miles; Sheridan to Alger, Wyoming, opened July 14, 7 miles.
   In 1894 an extension was built from Alger, Wyoming, to Billings, Montana, opened October 28, 122 miles.
   Under date of May 1, 1896, the C., B. & Q. Leased the Humeston & Shenandoah railroad from Van Wert to Shenandoah, Iowa, 112 miles, which had heretofore been owned jointly by the C., B., & Q. and Wabash companies
   In 1899 branches and extensions were built: Grant City to Albany, Missouri, opened November 6, 20 miles; Arcadia to Sargent, Nebraska, opened October 31, 19 miles.
   In 1899 the C., B. & Q. purchased all the securities of the Keokuk & Western railroad company and took possession of the property on May 1, 1899. The road extended from Alexandria, Missouri, to Van Wert, Iowa, 143 miles, completed in 1880, and from Des Moines, Iowa, to Cainsville, Missouri, 110 miles, completed in 1884.
   In 1899 the C., B. & Q. purchased the se-