History of Linn County Iowa

ontests-First Rai

The people of Marion insisted that that city was the center. While there was more or less feeling in the county over the county seat fight, the legislature of Iowa in 1850-51 created the office of county judge, which was designed to and did succeed the former legislative bodies of the several counties of the state. The judge had the same

methods of Judge Berry. Political questions were lost sight of in the court house struggle. Speakers were employed pro and con. Judge Berry's term of office expired January 1, 1856, and a successor was to be elected in August of 1855. Marion put up Judge Berry for re-election, while Cedar Rapids put up Rev. Elias Skinner, a well known Methodist preacher who had travele

about this the most famous fight that has ever occurred in Linn county over the removal of the court

board held that because of many names of voters bei

number of names were again filed pro and con. Much money was spent on both sides; again the Cedar Rapids fa

n the court docket but no action has been taken, so that it has for the fourth time been lost, much to the surprise of the citizens of Cedar Rapids and to the satisfactio

AILROAD IN

ed was constructed in 1829; but very little was done until about 1833-34. By 1835 there were not over 100 miles of road in active operation within the confines of the entire country. Up to 1841 not a mile of track ha

nded in opening up rivers for steamboat traffic and more or less had been voted to build roads an

ited man, had written much in the papers proposing such a project. There was of course at that time more or less speculation as to just where such proposed railroad might pass. The southern senators proposed a road through St. Louis and across Missouri to Ka

8 G. W. Jones, then delegate in congress from Wisconsin, secured an appropriation of $10

1844 joined in a petition to congress asking a grant of public land to the Territory of Iowa to aid in the construction of a railroad from Dubuque to Keokuk

ere represented by wide-awake young men in the interest of this railway promotion. Several proposed lines were a

avigation on the Des Moines river. It was made in 1846. Strong then was the prejudice against railwa

litical standards. It would appear that when the subject of the training of the candidates was looked into it, it depended more on what

e mentions Preston (Colonel Isaac Preston), and gives his reasons for not wanting him. The Leffingwell mentioned was the well-known W. E. Leffingwell, who formerly resided at Muscatine, then Bloomington, and later removed to Clinton county. He was an eloquent lawyer and a popular man. He was lat

h favors as would have amounted to much good for Iowa in the first stages of her statehood. The letter does not show whether or not Mr. Greene had consented or would consent to such a course, although it has been stated that he most likely would have consented to have made the canvass. For congress the whigs nominated this year, 1848, D. F

o came to Iowa Territory in 1835. He sat in the first constitutional convention in 1844, and two years later was elected to congress by the state at large, and hence in 1848 he had the inside track. In 1856 he was again a candidate but w

eorge Greene show what interest thes

FROM

, May 2

ly conf

nd Du

t few attractions for one accustomed to the society of one of the old Federal colonies, and was entirely destitute of political or judicial organization. Everything that the eye could behold appeared in a rude state of nature. Vast prairies which extended for miles presented no evidences of civilization, no familiar sound like that of the woodman's axe appeared to interrupt the solemn stillness of an uninhabited wilderness. The marks of wild beasts and wild men were now and then visible and the similitude was striking between the two, as though both were born to the same sphere of action and subject to the same laws of being. A sort of wildness and sacred

whose only article of faith was 'cheat and grow rich,' and whose friendship could be secured only by corrupting the morals and lacerating the heart of the innocent, was a pursuit little to be desired by one whose heart had been consecrated to a different field of enterprise and nourished by the sacred impulses of the West. Be assured I escaped from this thralldom as soon as I could, and never to this hour has

d for a political letter into a literary bore. As you manifested a friendly solicitude when here that I should take up my reside

ad faith with his constituents. Leffingwell has no chance, although he has the untiring vigilance of S. C. Hastings to support him. Preston I fear has no chance. He is deceived by Hastings and I fear erroneously counts upon the delegation from Dubuque. We have appointed eight delegates. I am one. I have spoken to them

t Keokuk and this point, are opposed to any grant by Congress for this railroad, and I can hardly conceive that it reflects any dishonor upon them as a community or as private individuals, for they are no doubt influenced like all men from natural and selfish impulses. But with Mr. Leffler the case is far different. He was elected to represent the wishes and interests of one entire community of people, eight-tenths of whom have a direct and vital interest in the success of this enterprise. He is requested and repeatedly urged by petition and memorial to give it his earnest support. But he pays no regard to their solicitations until a scheme in which he is more directly interested is matured, forwarded to hi

RS UNITED BRETHR

eading men have suggested to me that if Linn county should bring forward G. G. [George Greene], he would get the nomination and be elected by an overwhelming majority. Mr. G. is absent and I know not whether it would suit him if conferred. He is in feeling and interest emphatically a Linn County man, but whether such a proposal would strike him favorably or meet w

cular aspirations for office. I desire to give my time to the study of the law. You will recollect that I have

etween three and four weeks. Remember me to all friends

. Mer

Bonson is anxiously waiting for that two yoke of oxen, whi

tfully

H. Me

or in 1861, against S. J. Kirkwood, with four other candidates claiming to run on the democratic platform, Mr. Merritt rece

ROM GEOR

, March

r Du

can be done soonest. It will not require so long to plat the work in the S. G.'s office, and it will not interfere with the operations of Mr. Ross, who will take the field at the time, or soon after, you do. He wrote Mr. Wiltse that he should return to the work as soon as the snow decayed sufficient to justify. If any, he has done but very little in the T.s south of the one you have to correct. You may get an

as well. If you should see fit to adopt my plan I will be at Cedar Rapids at the time the notes reach there and will bring them on immediately t

rs t

GRE

Durha

ar

nn

ow

ing held at Marion in 1850 in which nearly all

NG, MARION, NO

appointing P. W. Earle chai

d to report names of delegates to attend the State Rail Road Conven

Gray, Sausman, Dr. Ely, Hill of Putn

ress the meeting. He proceeded to

tate Rail Road Convention form themselves into a Rail Road Association and draft a

s to attend State Convention through H. W. Gray rep

the, J. J. Nugent, E. Jordan, Dr. Brice, Col. I. Butler, Robert Robinson, Jas. M. Berry, Isaac Cook, Esq., John C. Berry,

g the name of H. W. Gray in pla

., If any fail to attend

ved that the secretary inform abs

a separate convention if they shall deem expedient after the action of the

eene being called for, addressed t

the meetin

ne, Sec

They did not rely on the taxes voted or on empty promises, for if these failed they would still go on with the work. It is needless to add that this company, like all others, got as much tax as possible and changed the location of the route according to the amounts of bonuses offered. When the road entered Cedar Rapids it was the

ne of this company. The legislature in extra session conferred the land on this road in case it was completed. A contract was let to a New York concern to complete the road to Marion, a distance of eighty miles. On account of the financial crash in 1857 the contractors failed to raise the money a

s track to the river and had trains running. This caused Cedar Rapids to become at that early day a sort of railway center, and o

of the first employes will be

o., Sept.

o,' which was of the Rogers make of engines, the other three being of Mason manufacture. The conductor, Archie Cox, engineer, Ace Owens, and Baggagemaster Watson came to our house for supper and boarded with our folks until they could get accommodations at the Bruce house, and I went the next day on the train as the first newsboy. I was still newsboy when Vicksburg was taken. I then went to the army and stayed until after the war closed. I went on the road again after the war as fireman, brakeman, and baggageman. About 1870 I was promoted to conductor and stayed with the company until 1875. After Archie Cox quit the road Frank Farley took

. Br

5, 1859, the first railroad made its entrance into Cedar Rapids and on

rveys and in other ways. The following from men still living, who remember the affair,

nue and First street was then occupied by what was called Greene's hotel, and Mr. Haman occupied a store room in the

unding country came to town to see the train come in, and the Indians on the reservation at Tama almost turned out enmasse to see the great piece of machinery that they had heard so much about but had nev

. Arms, hats and handkerchiefs were waved in accompaniment, displaying a due appreciation for the beginning of what was

was a couple of years before an extension was made, the track being laid as far as

but he attended the dance which continued until sunrise the next morning. He was a single man and as was the custom had his lady friend with him and was obliged to send her home in an omnibus, the then prevailing me

these facts were collected. The road was extended to Cedar Rapids from Clinton, where connection was made to Chicago. There was no

AY SCENE IN

GHT BY

LAND

ON THE C

ment. James L. Bever was another man in business here at that time and he made it a point to purchase all this city st

oad a Linn county biogra

ard from the river united in the Chicago, Iowa and Nebraska railroad. When that company commenced their operations, it was expected it would have the co-operation of the Galena company. Failing to receive this it pressed forward its work unaided, and by the latter part of 1857 had the track laid as far as the Wapsipinicon river, a distance of thirty-s

apids for it was the termination of a str

Work was resumed on the extension (for which the Cedar Rapids and Missouri Railroad company was organized), and pushed with vig