B. F. Booker, Esq.
Keokuk, Iowa.
Dear Sir:
I hand you the following additional report upon the preliminary Railroad survey made by Mr. Herton from Keokuk to Atlanta, Missouri and partly located by me from Atlanta north-east. The location commenced at Atlanta and at the present time has reached the crossing of the Quincy, Missouri & Pacific RR. about 1-1/2 miles southeast of Knox City. In a general way it has followed the preliminary line making a few changes such as at the Salt River Crossing, crossings of Little and South Fabius Rivers and of Troublesome Creek, where the alignment or profile could evidently be improved. I think if time were taken to run more lines at points between Atlanta and Knox City, the located line might be held more closely to the base line at several places; notably in the vicinity of Salt River and the crossings of the Little Fabius and South Fabius Rivers. If this could be done it would save some distance but whether the profile would admit of such location could only be ascertained by trial.
No rock is to be found at the crossings of the various streams until the South Fabius River is reached (Station 1353+60 Loc. Line). The material at these crossings consists of clay with often a considerable mixture of sand. The depth of this material is unknown but is considerable. For foundations for permanent structures iron cylinder, iron piles or masonry resting on wooden pile foundations would be adopted. In case of the latter the piles and grillage could be placed below permanent water.
At the crossing of the South Fabius River limestone is encountered. It shows near the surface and would afford a good foundation for a permanent structure. This stone is hard and of fine texture. It will undoubtedly make good building stone, although it has not yet been quarried to any extent beyond getting out some rubble for foundations of buildings.
Rock is also found at the crossings of the Middle Fabius and the North Fabius Rivers. Here it consists of a soft sandstone underlaid with a hard limestone. The former would be adopted for rubble foundations not exposed to the water, as it hardens upon exposure to the air.
The latter is much the same as that in South Fabius and is high enough to be quarried without difficulty. From the crossing of Kennedy Branch of Honey Creek to the Mississippi bottoms limestone is very generally encountered, both at the stream crossings and in the cuts. There should be little difficulty in obtaining all that is necessary for building purposes. The crossings of Lupier Creek and Fox River in the Mississippi River bottom do not show rock. Foundations here will have to be made with piles or otherwise.
I will mention here that the streams along the line with the exception of the Des Moines River do not show indication of changing their channel during high water. They overflow but their banks appear to be quite stable and easily protected. The banks of the Des Moines River, however, do show indications of considerable wash during high water.
The land through which the line passes is valued at from $10.00 to $20.00 per acre in farms except in the Mississippi bottoms where it is valued at from $20.00 to $40.00 per acre. Land not under cultivation and not containing valuable timber is valued at about $4.00 per acre. When it contains timber it would be worth the above price plus a fair valuation for the timber. The line runs in the vicinity of considerable timber that would be available for construction purposes. I think that contracts could be obtained for the delivery at a distance of five or six miles of good sawed oak lumber at from $17.00 to $20.00 per M. and of oak ties at from 25¢ to 30¢ each. These are a little lower than the prices given you in my last report. The water service along the line would not present serious difficulties. Water could be obtained either by scraping out reservoirs in favorable locations for the purpose of catching and holding the rain water or by digging wells and thence pumping into tanks.
The peculiar clay soil in this vicinity would make the former method quite available and cheap as very little waste would occur beyond evaporation. In some cases these reservoirs might be placed so as to furnish a gravity supply. Water can generally be obtained in the ravines by wells from 10 feet to 40 feet deep. In the Mississippi bottom from 12' to 20'. The towns in the vicinity of the line are Atlanta, Sue City, Novelty, Hedge City, Knox City, Deer Ridge, Williamstown and Winchester. These are all small places varying from 100 to 500 inhabitants.
Mason City, La Plata, Edina and La Belle are larger places situated from five to twelve miles from the line but would all be tributary to it in a business way. The population of these latter towns probably vary from 600 to 3000 people.
The products of this section consist principally of the usual grains, especially corn and the shipments principally of stock and hogs. The raising of grass seeds is also quite an industry, several car loads being shipped each year from the various railroad stations.
The feeling along the line by the farmers in regard to the road is generally friendly; they are all very anxious indeed to see the road constructed, on their neighbors land. I should estimate that the amounts which the farmers would demand for right of way to be from two to three times the actual value of the land. In some cases where the line runs near a residence, probably no fair adjustment of damages can be made with the owners but the question will have to be settled by commissioners appointed by the court.
In such cases I think the Railroad Company would get very fair treatment as the value which
this road would be to this part of Missouri if constructed is very clearly seen by every one except
those upon whom it encroaches.
Yours truly,
Volume 12 pages 58 - 60 Splinters transcribed in altered form for the web by Matt Lee.
ATSFRY.com |
Junction Records |
Plans & Plats |
Oral history |
Train Orders |
Photo |
Clicbooks |
Available |
The |
Meades |