The Railroad, part 4

With considerable thanks and credit to that spunky lawyer Lincoln and his backwoods humor the railroad could now move forward, or westward, knowing they had the Supreme Court’s blessing to cross any river they encountered. Of course that didn’t mean than some minor meany, or a major one, wouldn’t still attempt to burn the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad’s bridges behind them—or in front of them. In fact, on the night of June 5, 1859, someone made preparations to try just that very thing. But the plan was fouled when a watchman, while making his rounds of inspection, found a collection of gunpowder, tar, oakum, and brimstone, in a pile and ready to be set off right in the middle of the Rock Island bridge.

However, while someone was planning to rain fire and brimstone over this bridge, out on the plains of Iowa, Peter Dey and his assistant, Grenville Dodge, were making preliminary surveys. The plan now was to run a railroad between Davenport, Iowa on the Mississippi River and Council Bluffs, Iowa located on the Missouri River.

Now this railroad that was to link Davenport with Council Bluffs was to be built, owned, and operated by the very same gentlemen who were in possession of the Chicago and Rock Island Railroad. But for reasons of the all-mighty dollar, a separate organization was established to govern this new railroad and was rightfully names the Mississippi and Missouri Railroad. This new company could now send Dix, as its president, to Washington to lobby for all new federal land grants. Another money collecting angle was to send Thomas Durant to New York to negotiate even more securities. Durant was also to direct agents in the field to persuade Iowa counties and towns along the new route to issue bonds and subscribe to stock.

Immigrant labor now became an important factor and some six hundred, mostly Irish, workers were assembled at Davenport. The laborers weren’t the only imports involved in this project: what Farnam called “British iron” were the first rails they laid, and had been shipped all the way from iron foundries in Great Britain.

Perhaps to complete the international aspects of this new railroad its first locomotive was named the “Antoine Le Claire” in honor of the son of a French fur trader. Le Claire, the man, just happened to also be the founder of Davenport and generously donated his townhouse to be converted into a luxurious railroad station. Returning the favor, the “Antoine Le Claire” was as gaily painted as the stagecoaches of the day and included upon its side panels two bronze bas-relief statues of Le Claire, the donator.

Go To Page: 1 2 3