Topeka, Kansas, April 28, 1886
B. F. Booker, Esq.,
Keokuk, Iowa.
Dear Sir:
Your letter of 26th instant received. The work which we have in mind covers the location of a road from Kansas City to Chicago. From Kansas City to some point in Chariton County in the State of Missouri there is supposed to be but one route. From that point on there are two general routes on which we desire to make a location. These are the northern and the southern routes. By the southern route, so far as we know, there are no alternate lines, and the crossing of the Mississippi River would be made at Fort Madison, but from that point to Chicago, by the northern route, we have apparently three lines to consider.
First - the one to the south of the CB&Q passing through Galesburg and to a connection with the C&NW Ry. at Dimmock in La Salle County or Spring Valley or near there, in Bureau County. The line which I spoke to you about in Bureau County to be surveyed from or near range 8 to Spring Valley, would, of course, be a part of the work to be done before the Southern line of the northern route could be properly located, that is, we would not know until that line was run whether the location should be made to Spring Valley or to Dimmock. The surveys made by the northern route are all made upon the supposition that we may and quite likely will build this line in connection with the C & N W Ry. using that line from a point of junction into the City of Chicago. This is a matter, however, I want you to treat as a strictly confidential one, and I mention it to you so that you may be fully posted, and understand what is required to be done.
Second - the middle line by the northern route would pass through Galesburg and parallel to the C B & Q line from at least Galesburg to Kewanee or Neponset or possibly to Princeton, and from there it would probably take a route to the north of the C B & Q as we have heretofore discussed.
Third - the third line by the northern route is the one mentioned in your letter, passing through or
near Bishop Hill in Henry County, Mineral in Bureau County, Sublette in Lee County, and thence
on to Lafox. If this location is made in connection with the C & N W line it might prove to be a
shorter line, have the easiest work and develop some local territory. You will note that all the
lines between Lafox and Monmouth crossed by the line which I have indicated to you, run in a
northwesterly and southwesterly direction, and consequently a through trunk line via that route
would have a decided advantage as a line for local business to Chicago, over a line paralleling the
C B & Q and the consequent trouble we would experience in securing locations for our stations
and it seems to me would in several other ways prove to be a more desirable route than either of
the other northern routes, and it seems to me that the topography of that country favors that route. I
think we will probably have to locate two lines on this northern route, the southern and the
northern. The middle route does not impress me favorably the more I study the question, in
connection with the C & N W Ry. By the Southern Route the problem to be solved is not nearly as
difficult as by the northern route, and it appears to me that we will locate upon the route which we
agreed upon before you before you left here, but on looking over the map it has occurred to me that
a preliminary survey should be made from some point in Stark County, to Spring Valley so as to
connect the southern with the northern route, and also with the C & NW. Of course if this line
should prove to be of value, we would have to locate quite likely between Spring Valley and the
point in Warren County which you name, but I imagine this will have very little weight as to
location of the southern route. I think the work should be done at an early date so that we may have
the benefit of it as early as possible.
In regard to the number of parties to be put into the field, I think 8 parties are all you can handle with advantage, and I would not advise putting others in the field. I do not think that any assistance outside your office would be of much value to you, as I think you will have to depend upon the reports of your various locating engineers in guiding you in reaching conclusions as to the various lines. You will soon get familiar with their methods of doing business and their ability, so as to know how far to trust each man.
My experience is that the best results come from grappling the problem without too many assistants. So far as office work is concerned, you will have to put that in good shape so that the work can be done there without requiring too much of your time, and so as to give you an opportunity to at least visit each one of your parties and remain a day or so with each one in order to become familiar with their methods and to form your own judgment as to their ability.
What we are after principally are results, and we do not care to have any red tape either in the field or office work. What we will require in the office will be a map of the line located on a scale of 2,000 feet to the inch, with detailed maps on a scale of 400 feet to the inch wherever the complications are such as to require it, as for example, in passing though lands with small sub-divisions, or through towns and their suburbs, in addition to these we will want a profile and estimates; we will also want cross-sections of important streams, on which shall be recorded soundings which you will have made. When the lines are located and the cross-sections are secured we will then call upon Mr. Chanute for assistance in making estimates for bridge structures. I think it might be well to secure his services for a week or so at that time, when the notes are all in, to assist in considering the best devices for making the several crossings and also to assist in making the estimates for these crossings after the plan for the same has been settled upon. Mr. Chanute will be ready to assist you at any time in these matters, but I would advise that you should not call upon him until the notes for all the bridging are in, when the estimates for the same can be worked up in a short time. With the general plan before you, much depends upon good judgment and tact as the work goes on, and I have very little doubt but that you will be able to master the situation as the work proceeds with much less difficulty than you apprehend. I desire to have you feel free to communicate with me upon all subjects about which you have doubt, and I will be ready to offer such suggestions and help as I can.
Yours truly,
(Signed) A.A. Robinson
2nd V.P. and Chief Engineer
Volume 12 pages 39 - 41 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the web by Matt Lee.
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