THE COMING OF THE RAILROADS

The railroad history of Winneshiek county is confined largely. to the operation of one company, though there have been a number of projects which did not get beyond the paper stage. Old settlers will tell you many interesting incidents of the days prior to 1870, when the larger part of their crops had to be hauled by ox team or horses to Lansing and McGregor. These are often referred to as "the good old days." If a, man were fortunate the trip might be made in three days. During a part of that time, at least, he could consider himself exceedingly lucky if the money in which he was paid would pass current the day following for the amount it represented. Private bank bills were largely the medium of exchange until the passage of the National Bank Act in 1863 and it was an exceptional bank whose strength enabled it to redeem its bills at face value.

If one wished to go on a journey he had the alternative of three varieties of transportation, viz: by foot, by ox cart, or on stage coaches. The stage lines ran from McGregor and followed the military road established by teamsters plying between Fort Crawford at Prairie du Chien and Fort Atkinson. The Decorah road branched off this side of Joel Post's (where Postville now stands) and came up through Frankville township. From Decorah one road went west over Hog's Back (the north line of the farm of E. L. Beard & Son, a mile west of town), and was the thoroughfare to New Oregon and west toward Osage and Otranto. Another road led out of town to the northeast, crossing the river between the Ice Cave mill and the twin bridges and passed on up the ravine to what is now known as Clay Hill. This was the thoroughfare to St. Paul and such intermediate points as then existed. It can readily be inferred that of these there were a very small number and the hospitable log house of some settler was usually the hotel in which the weary traveler found shelter. Lucky indeed was he to be provided with a board floor for a bed and his coat for a pillow.

The early settler is ever impatient for improved conditions and the people who came to Winneshiek county were no exception to the rule. They wanted transportation facilities, and their efforts to secure them were characteristic of the times. A glimpse of their efforts is disclosed in the chapter on railroad building in Spark's History of Winneshiek County, as follows:

In 1856 everything was booming. The abundant resources of a new country had reached a high state of development, money was plenty, and the prospects for the future bright. One thing alone seemed lacking to make the people perfectly

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satisfied with their condition-better facilities for transportation. . The time had passed when the products of the county could be transported sixty miles to market by ox teams without suffering much inconvenience and loss. The time had come when a railroad was a necessity. The railroad fever was raging throughout the West, and far-seeing ones realized the immense value that would sweep in on iron rails, drawn by the iron horse. After a due amount of talk and agitation, the Northwestern Railroad Company was formed. Decorah was its headquarters, but they took in prominent citizens of Clinton. John Thompson, of Clermont, became president; O. C. Lee, a banker at McGregor, secretary; W. F. Kimball, of Decorah, treasurer; Eb. Baldwin, chief engineer, and E. E. Cooley, attorney. With a mighty faith in the future, business men put down their names for stock by the thousand dollars' worth, and $80,000 of the capital was actually subscribed. Whether it all could have been paid for is another matter. With such a start as this, the company felt it could appeal to the public spirit of the people, and the county was asked to bond itself to the amount of $100,000. Strange as it may seem to later comers, who worked and toiled to gather together the few thousands which the railroad actually cost when it did come, the people enthusiastically came forward and voted aye. The bonds were printed after some delay, and were all ready to be formally signed, sealed and delivered, when the Supreme Court stamped the law under which the bonds were being put out, with the word "unconstitutional." The scheme collapsed, and the county was saved a burden of debt, which might have retarded its progress for all the years past, as well as scores to come. It is worthy of note that when the railroad did come to us it followed the line marked out by those pioneers, and proved that their plans were wise and farsighted, if they were a dozen years ahead of the times.

Several attempts were made before a railroad was finally built. The company to succeed was the McGregor Western. This company was organized January 19, 1863. The commencement of the road was at North McGregor. Work was commenced in March, 1863, and in one year the road was in running order to Manana, fourteen and one-half miles. The work was completed to Postville in September, 1864, to Castalia in October, 1864, and to Conover in August, 1865.

Decorah, at this date, had become a thriving inland city, well supported with newly started manufactories. Her citizens looked upon the road that was to pass them by with a covetous eye. Railroad connection, with river and lake transportation, was necessary to the future prosperity of the place. This was readily comprehended, and every effort was put forth by an energetic people to secure better transportation facilities. As a result, proposals were made to the managers of the McGregor Western Railway to build a branch line from Conover to Decorah, nine miles. The citizens of Decorah pledged themselves to furnish $40,000, as a bonus, provided the company would build the nine miles of road, which the managers agreed to do. Nearly $18,000 was paid in by the people of Decorah, and, on the other hand, the road was graded and bridged, ready for the superstructure. But the main line having been leased to the Milwaukee & Prairie du Chien Company, work on the branch was suspended in September, 1865.

The road is now operated under the management of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railway Company, by which name it is known. The branch was completed to Decorah in September, 1869, in accordance with the agreement made by the company with the citizens of Decorah. The event was one of great importance

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to the capital city of the county. A day of celebration and rejoicing was given in honor of the event. Large crowds of people thronged to the city, and many availed themselves of the opportunity offered and made excursion trips to Conover and back.

For a time after the completion of the railroad to Conover that town was one of the most prosperous, thriving little cities in this part of Iowa. Great things were expected of it by the new residents and as a market place it outrivaled any of its neighbors. Its glory was short-lived, however. In 1866 the railroad was extended west and north into Howard county on its way to St. Paul, and Ridgeway came into existence. The same year that the branch was completed from Conover to Decorah (1869), the road was extended westward from Calmar, and Fort Atkinson thereby secured closer relations with the world.

During the succeeding ten years attempts were made to secure other railroads, but with negative results. In 1879 a narrow gauge road was built from a point below Lansing to Waukon. This line connected with the river road from Dubuque to LaCrosse which was operated under lease by the Chicago and Northwestern Railway. Seeing an opportunity to secure increased transportation facilities, on August 8, 1879, Decorah township voted a four per cent tax to aid in the extension of this line to Decorah. Frankville and Glenwood townships, through which the line would pass, refused to vote the tax, but the right of way was secured, grading was done, piers for bridges were erected, and the laying of rails had proceeded some distance beyond the confines of Waukon when orders were received to cease operations. The owners of the river road had offered to sell the property to the Chicago and Northwestern Company. They were slow in entering into the project and while a party of officials were out on a tour of inspection to determine its worth the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul officials bought the property. As they already had a standard gauge line running into Decorah it would complicate matters to extend the narrow gauge to this point. They could see no profit in a connection with the river road by this route, even if the line was made standard gauge, so they ordered the extension discontinued.

As the line was never built to Decorah the tax was never collected, and the right of way reverted to the original owners. A few years ago portions of this grade were secured by the county for highway purposes.

Another attempt to secure an outlet to the Mississippi river to connect with the Chicago and Northwestern near Lansing was made in 1881-82. At that time a five per cent tax was voted to the Upper Iowa and Mississippi Railway Company, but when it became evident that the attempt would be fruitless the company had the tax annulled.

In the meantime some of the influential men of Decorah got in touch with the officials of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern and the Chicago, Rock Island and Pacific railway companies and opened negotiations for the extension of the line of the former company from Postville to Decorah. The representatives of Decorah were promised the extension of the line on condition that a five per cent tax be voted to aid in the construction. Decorah voted the tax on April 4, 1882, but Military township voted against it. Litigation followed and through a technicality the tax was annulled. The road was built, however, commencing at a point three miles below Postville and running north through Bloomfield, Military and Springfield townships to Decorah, with Castalia and Ossian on

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the line. The town of Nordness was established in Springfield township. The line was completed into Decorah and the last spike driven on October 23, 1884, and on November 20th a celebration of the event was held. A special train bearing officials of both the Rock Island and Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern companies, and citizens of Cedar Rapids and the intermediate towns to the number of several hundred, arrived in Decorah at noon, and the visitors were entertained at a banquet held in Steyer's Opera House. It was a gala occasion in which the citizens of Decorah and surrounding territory proved themselves most cordial hosts. Some years ago the road was absorbed by the Rock Island Railway, and the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern company passed out of existence.

While the southern part of the county was busy with the various projects heretofore mentioned, the northern part of the county was not idle. A road known as the Minnesota, Iowa and Southwestern was projected from LaCrosse to Charles City and Western Iowa in 1881. Hesper, Burr Oak, and Bluffton townships voted tax aid to its construction, but a technicality in the manner of ordering the vote in Bluff ton township made it illegal. In a new election in 1882 the project was defeated as far as the territory above referred to was concerned. The road was never built.

In the latter eighties the Chicago, Burlington and Northern railway projected, a line from New Albin, where they intended to bridge the Mississippi river, across the northern part of Iowa. Their engineers made surveys across Allamakee county and through Winneshiek to a point about four miles northwest of Decorah, when they were withdrawn. The reason for abandoning the enterprise was never made known, but that it had been definitely decided upon at one time was assured in the statement of an official to a friend who was then one of Decorah's prominent business men. He had made several visits here and during the last one he said "The next time I come to Decorah I will ride on our own train." It was subsequent to this visit that the survey was made.

Another project on which considerable time and money was spent was the Decorah, Rochester and Red River Valley line. The late William H. Valleau, then a prominent citizen and former mayor of Decorah, was its moving spirit and devoted several years in an endeavor to finance it, even going to London in hope of enlisting English capital, but without success.

The development of the interurban has given encouragement that still further transportation facilities may yet be our portion. A route for such a line was surveyed from Chatfield to Decorah, some years ago, but the one that holds out the most hope at the present time is the Minneapolis, St. Paul, Rochester & Dubuque line, otherwise known as the "Dan Patch" line. A preliminary survey was made five years ago. The line was built and has been in operation from Minneapolis to Northfield, Minnesota, during the past two years, and is now being extended to Faribault. It might have been completed ere this had the promoters been willing to issue bonds to finance it, but they are proceeding on the laudable plan of paying the cost of construction from sales or shares of stock and thus retain ownership for the shareholders.

The topography of Winneshiek county is such that railroad construction is not easy. It may be attributed to that fact that the northeastern portion of the county is one of the few sections of the state that is noted for its distance from railroad lines.

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