MIDWAY SHORT LINE " ALL RAIL ROUTE LOGANSPORT, IND. PEORIA. ILL. KEOKUK, CENTERVILLE, SHENAI^AH, IOWA OMAHA, NEB.\5^-^ Via The TOLEDO. PEORIA & WESTERN The KEOKÜK & HAMILTON BRIDGE The CHICAGO, BURLINGTON & QUINCY V : The ;WABASH Railroads ^ ■ V ^ CONTENTS - CONVENTION of DELEGATES, held in Keokuk July 29. 1918. MEMORIAL TO ESTABLISH, from Keokuk Industrial Association. ^Action of the CITY COUNCJlFof the CITY of KEOKUK, Iowa, joining in petition. Action of BOARD OF ALDERMEN of the City of KAHOKA, Clark County. Missouri, endorsing the Memorial. ' Action of BOARD OF ALDERMEN and CITY COUNCIL of the City of LANCASTER. Schuyler County, Missouri, endorsing and accepting the Memorial. Action of BOARD OF ALDERMEN and CITY COUNCIL of the CITY of MEMPHIS. Scotland County, Missouri, endorsing and accepting the Memorial. Action of. the ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE. Centerville. Iowa. MEMORIAL of Nebraska Association of Commerce, of Omaha, Nebraska. STATEMENT and PROPOSITIONS by Hon. F. T. Hughes, of Keokuk. Iowa, Counsel for Memorialists. TABLE of Comparative Distances. HISTORICAL CHART. Statement of inspection of Route by THEODORE OILMAN. MAP of ROUTE and CONNECTING LINES. Before His Honor William G. McAdoo Director General of Railroads Washington. D. C. August 16. 1918- H L_ 7:] to 3 CONVENTION OF DELEGATES HELD IN KEOKUK. IOWA JULY 29. 1918 JUI.Y 29, 1918. At a meeting held in the office of the Industrial Association of the City of Keokuk, Iowa, on July 29, 1918, for the purpose of eonsidering a Memorial to the Honorable William G. McAdoo, Director General of Railroads, Washington, D. C., on the subject of establishing an all rail through route from Logansport, Indiana, by way of Peoria, Keokuk and Shenandoah to Omaha, or to Lincoln, Nebraska, there were present delegate representatives from the various towns and cities along said line, including those of Omaha, Centerville, Shenandoah, Keokuk, Canton, Bushneil and Logansport. Said meeting or convention was organized by the election of Wm. Logan, Chairman, and W. J. Fulton, Secretary. After said meeting was fully organized, on motion of E. R. Ferguson it was unanimously resolved that the contemplated route would be a great public utility and of great service to the people along the line, as indicated in said Memorial. It was further resolved that the said Memorial be presented, as soon as can reasonably be done, to his Honor William G. McAdoo, or to whom he may direct, and that all reason¬ able efforts be made upon the part of the people and cities along the line of said road to have the proposed line established and operated in the interest of all the people and the Govern¬ ment of the United States, and that we ask our Representatives and Senators in Congress to do all things needful and proper, to the end that said route be thus established. It was further resolved that the proceedings of this meeting be signed by its Chairman and Secretary, and that the proceedings be further attested by the President of the said Keokuk Industrial Association signing his name hereto, attested by the signature of the Secretary, with the seal of the Association attached. William Logan, Chairman; W. J. Fulton, Attest : Secretary. Ross L. Shotwell. KEOKUK INDUSTRIAL ASSOCIATION, Attest : By John Nagel, President. By James T. McCarthy, Secretary. [Seal] 2 MEMORIAL TO ESTABLISH To the Honorable William G. McAdoo, ' Director General of Railroads, Washington, D. C. The people along the line of railroads hereinafter shown most respectfully pray your Honor to establish what we are pleased to call a through line of railroad from Logansport, Indiana, via the Pennsylvania Railroad, to and over the line of the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad, to Peoria, thence over that line to Hamilton in the State of Illinois; thence across the railroad bridge to Keokuk in the State of Iowa; and thence along the line of what is called the Keokuk & Western Division of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad, through the cities of Kahoka and Memphis in Missouri, Centerville, Humeston, Clarinda and Shenandoah in Iowa; and thence by the Wabash line from Shenandoah to Omaha. We represent that said lines of railroad are in fairly good condition, and there is a splendid new bridge across the Mississippi River at Keokuk, capable of any modern rail¬ road burdens. That the line contemplated from Logansport to Omaha is much shorter than the through lines from the East or Pittsburg, Pennsylvania, than the other routes further north or south. It will appear from the railroad maps that there is practically no through route rail¬ roads between Burlington, Iowa, and Quincy, Illinois, a belt of countr}'^ about eighty miles wide, with Keokuk about midway between these points. At Keokuk there is the great power dam across the Mississippi River, capable of gen¬ erating one hundred and fifty to two hundred thousand horsepower, and that factories requiring great transportation of freight and passengers are being established in the imme¬ diate power zone, including said city. That the Du Pont Powder Company has a plant, with several million dollars invested, near this city, and that there is no practical .through route from Peoria to Keokuk and the west to Omaha, and we believe that the people throughout this territory should have a prac¬ tical through route established between the cities named, to enable them to go to the far east and west by a more direct route than they now have. It is further represented that it has been the thought of the Pennsylvania Railroad people for many years to establish and extend its lines over the route here named to the Missouri River and Omaha, and that the western portion of the Toledo, Peoria & Western á Railroad, the bridge across the said river at Keoloik, and the line of road contemplated froni Keokuk to Centerville, Iowa, was really built by parties in interest of the Pennsylvania people, but after the road reached Centerville in about 1872, what was known as the Panic of *73 stopped, for the time being, the building of this line to Shenandoah to connect with the Wabash line to Omaha, and after the completion of this link so that the through line was opened by the Wabash in 1882, complications arose and the line was acquired by otlier interests, and this through route thereby deferred. We further represent that the congestion of business through the City of Chicago and St. Louis and Hannibal, Missouri, seems to require the route we have suggested, at least for its excess of freight and passengers, and that it is unable to carry the business required, and more especially under the emergencies of the Government in the present war. That between Peoria and Keokuk on the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railroad, and also about ninety miles west of Keokuk at Centerville and other places along the Keokuk & Western Division there are vast coal fields requiring transportation, and the Centerville coal fields compete even in Nebraska points with coal from Colorado, and the necessity for short and quick transportation in this regard is great. In 1880 the then Wabash, St. Louis and Pacific Railway Company acquired the Toledo, Peoria & Western, and Üie now Keokuk & Western Division, then known as the Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska Railway Company. The latter road was then operated as far as Van Wert, Iowa. The Wabash Railway Company, then in conjunction with the Chicago, Bur¬ lington Sc Quincy Railway Company, constructed and put in operation a joint line from Van Wert to Shenandoah. The Wabash Railway Company then operated its line over the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway Company through to Omaha and continued so to operate the line as a through route until 1885, when the latter company failed and lost those lines. The Chicago, Burlington & Quinqr Railway Company acquired the Iowa lines and a large interest in the Toledo, Peoria & Western Railway Company, possibly to control fur¬ ther competition, and the through route ceased to be such and has so remained. All these things go to show the long deferred hopes of the people for this through route, but the neces¬ sity remains and increases with the growing demand. To the end, therefore that your petitioners may have the relief herein we pray that your Honorable Administration take cognizance of this Memorial and direct that the same may be heard before your Honor personally, or such of your Regional Department as to your Honor may seem proper, and for which we shall ever pray. Keokuk, Iowa, July 8th, 1918. Keokuk Industrial Association, By John Nagel. President. By James T. McCarthy, Secretary. [Seal] 4 CITY OF KEOKUK, IOWA The City Council of the City of Keokuk, Iowa, being duly assembled in session, on motion unanimously joins in the prayer of the Petitioner to this Memorial and affirms all the matters and things therein stated, to the end that the proposed through railroad route from Logans- port, Indiana, to Omaha, Nebraska, on the line described in the said Memorial be established. CITY OF KEOKUK, By Ed S. Lofton, Mayor; T. J, Hickey, D, J. Hem my, Attest: O. W. Sandberg, City Clerk. Commissioners. [Seal] 5 MEMORIAL aXY OF KAHOKA, CLARK COUNTY. MISSOURI At a meeting of the Board of Aldermen of the City of Kahoka, Clark County, Missouri, held in the Cit/'of Kahoka the 4 day of November, 1918, there came on for hearing the Memorial to Honorable William G. McAdoo, Director General of Railroads, Washington, D. C., to open up and establish as a through line of rail route from Logansport, Indiana, via the Pennsylvania and the Toledo, Peoria & Western lines through Peoria, Illinois, Keokuk, Centerville and Shenan¬ doah, Iowa to Omaha, Nebraska ; and it appearing that during the years 1870 and 1871, when the Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad Company, now a division of the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company, was being constructed through this county and state, a great public aid was required, and stock, payable in bonds of the county and city, was subscribed and paid for to the extent of about one hundred fifty thousand dollars, and this was on the promise and moving con¬ sideration that this line of road was in fact an extension of the great Pennsylvania roads from the east and to cross from the Mississippi River to the Missouri River through the county and city herein and extend west to connections with the Union Pacific and other great western lines and would ultimately become a great central or midway route from the Atlantic to the Pacific; that this road was practically completed to the Missouri River in about 1882 and was operated by the then Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific as a through route from Omaha via Keokuk and Peoria to the east, but that the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy has owned the prop¬ erty since about 1900 and that this company and the Peoria Company are gen¬ erally understood to have been, since the above time, owned or controlled by the Burlington and .Pennsylvania Companies and have been operáted as disjointed and local roads; that the Burlington commerce coming from these lines west and going east diverts at Keokuk, either by way of Burlington, Chicago or Quincy, and that the route is much farther than by the straight line through Peoria; whereupon we do insist that your Honorable Railroad Administration establish this line of route as a through line and more especially so as it has been about eighteen years since these lines have been completed and in operation, yet no through route has been established and the diversion and changes in distances is a great burden upon the commerce of the people along this line and of a belt of country, split midway by 'this line, of from eighty to one hundred miles. We therefore endorse the Memo¬ rial and most earnestly request that your Honorable Administration do establish this line as so prayed for and to do sudh other things in and about the premises as shall be just and right. Signed this 4 day of I^ovember, 1918. (Signed) W. R. SISSON, President. (SEAI,) A. T. BLUM, Attest. City Clerk. 6 MEMORIAL CITY OF LANCASTER, SCHUYLER COUNTY, MISSOURI At a meeting of the Board of Aldermen of the City of Lancaster, Schuyler County, Missouri, held in the city of Lancaster the 4th day of November, 1918, there came on for hearing the Memorial to Honorable William G. McAdoo, Director General of Railroads, Washington, U. C., to open up and establish as a through line of rail route from Logansport, Indiana, via the Pennsylvania and the Toledo, Peoria & Western lines through Peoria, Illinois, Keokuk, Kahoka, Mem¬ phis, Lancaster, Centerville and Shenandoah, Iowa, to Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska; and it appearing that during the years 1870 and 1871, when the Mis¬ souri, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad Company, now a division of the Chicago, Bur¬ lington & Qtiincy Railroad Company, was being constructed through this county and state, a great public aid was required, and stock, payable in bonds of the county and city, was subscribed and paid for to the extent of about one hundred seventy-five thousand dollars, and this was on the promise and moving considera¬ tion that this line of road was in fact an extension of the great Pennsylvania roads from the east and to cross from the IMississippi River to the Missouri River through the counties and cities herein and extend west to connections with the Union Pacific and other great western lines and would utimately become a great central or midway route from the Atlantic to the Pacific; that this road was practically completed to the klissouri River from about 1871 to 1882 and was operated by the then Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific as a through route from Omaha via Keokuk and Peoria to the east, but that the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company has owned the property since about 1900 and that this com¬ pany and the Peoria Company are generally understood to have been, since the above time, owned or controlled by the Burlington and Pennsylvania Companies and have been operated as disjointed and local roads; that the Burlington com¬ merce coming from these lines west and going east diverts at Keokuk, either by way of Burlington or Quincy, to Chicago, and that these routes are much farther than by the straight line through Peoria; whereupon we do insist that your Honorable Railroad Administration establish this line of route as a through line and more espé- cially so as it has been about eighteen years since these lines have been com¬ pleted and in operation, yet no through route has been established and the diver¬ sion and changes in distances is a great burden upon the commerce of the people along this line, of from eighty to one hundred miles. We, therefore, endorse the Memorial most earnestly and request that your Honorable Administration do estab¬ lish this line as so prayed for and to do such other things in and about the prem¬ ises as shall be just and right. Lancaster, Missouri, January 16th, 1919. At a meeting of the City Council, held at its office in said city, the foregoing Resolution came on for hearing and having been duly considered it was, on motion, unanimously adopted as the wish of all the people of our said city. Signed by T. L. BUFORD, Mayor. ■ Attested by W. A. GURY, City Clerk. (seae) With the seal of said city hereto affixed. 7 MEMORIAL QTY OF MEMPHIS. SCOTLAND COUNTY, MISSOURI. At a meeting of the Board of Aldermen of the City of Memphis, Mis¬ souri, held in the city of Memphis the 29th day, of January, 1919, there came on for hearing the Memorial to Honorable William G. McAdoo, Director General of Railroads, Washington, D. C., to open up and establish as a through line of rail route from Logansport, Indiana, via the Peimsylvania and the Toledo, Peoria & Western lines through Peoria, Illinois, Keokuk, Kahoka, Memphis, Lancaster, Genterville, and Shenandoah, Iowa to Omaha and Lincoln, Nebraska ; and it appearing that during the years 1870 and 1871, when the Mis¬ souri, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad Company, now a division of the Chicago, Burl¬ ington & Quincy Railroad Company, was being constructed through this county and state, a great public aid was required, and stock, payable in bonds of the county and city, was subscribed and paid for to the extent of about two hundred fifty thousand dollars, and this was on the promise and moving consideration that this line of road was in fact an extension of the great Pennsylvania roads from the east and to cross from the Mississippi River to the Missouri River through the counties and cities herein and extend west to connections with the Union Pacific and other great western lines and would ultimately become a great central or midway route from the Atlantic to the Pacific ; that this road was prac¬ tically completed to the Missouri River from about 1871 to 1882 and was operated by the then Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific as a through route from Omaha via Keokuk and Peoria to the east, but that the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Rail¬ road Company has owned the property since about 1900 and that tliis company and the Peoria Company are generally understood to have been, since the above time, owned or controlled by the Burlington and Pennsylvania Companies and have been operated as disjointed and local roads ; that the Burlington commerce com¬ ing from these lines west and going east diverts at Keokuk, either by way of Burl¬ ington, or Quincy,. to Chicago, and that the routes are much farther than by the straight line through Peoria; whereupon we do insist that your Honorable Admin¬ istration establish this line of route as a through line and more especially so as it has been about eighteen years since these lines have been completed and in opera¬ tion, yet no through route has been established and the diversion and changes in distances is a great burden upon the commerce of the people along this line and of a belt of country, split midway by this line, of from eighty to one hundred miles wide. We, therefore, endorse the Memorial and most earnestly request that your Honorable Administration do establish this line as so prayed for and to do such other things in and about the premises as shall be just and right. Memphis, Missouri, January 29,1919. At a meeting of the City Council, held at its office in said city on the date aforesaid, the foregoing Resolution came on for hearing, and, having been duly considered, it was on motion unanimously adopted as the wish of all the people of our said city. Signed by J. W. BENCE, Mayor. Attested by WILLIAM M. GRISTY, City Clerk. With the Seal of said city hereto affixed. 8 MEMORIAL ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE, CENTERVILLE, IOWA At a meeting of the Board of Directors, Association of Commerce of the City of Centerville, Appanoose County, Iowa, held in the city of Centerville the 4th day of March, 1919, there came on for hearing the Memorial to Honorable William G. McAdoo, Director General of Railroads, Wash¬ ington, D. C. to open up and establish as a through line of rail route from Logansport; Indiana, via the Pennsylvania and the Toledo, Peoria & Western lines through Peoria, Illinois, Keokuk, Center¬ ville, and Shenandoah, Iowa to Omaha, Nebraska; and it appearing that during the years 1870 and 1871, when the Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska Railroad Company, now a division of the Chicago, Bur¬ lington & Quincy Railroad Company, was being constructed through this county and state, a great public aid was required, and stock, payable in taxes of the county and city, was subscribed and paid for to the extent of about $50,000 Dollars, and this was on the promise and moving consideration that this line of road was in fact an extension of the great Pennsylvania roads from the east and to cross from the Mississippi River up to the Missouri River through this county and city herein and extend west to connections with the Union Pacific and other great western lines and would ultimately become a great central or midway route from the Atlantic to the Pacific; that this road was practically completed to the Missouri River in about 1882 and was operated by the Wabash, St. Louis & Pacific as a through route from Omaha via Keokuk and Peoria to the east, but that the Chicago, Burlington & Quincy Railroad Company has owned the property since about 1900 and this company and the Peoria Company are generally understood to have been, since the above time, owned or controlled by the Burlington and Pennsylvania Companies and have been operated as disjointed and local roads; that the Burlington commerce coming from these lines west and going east diverts at Keokuk either by way of Burlington, Chicago, or Quincy, and that the roTite is much farther than by the straight line through Peoria; whereupon we do insist that your Honorable Railroad Administration establish this line of route as a through line and more especially so as it has been about eighteen years since these lines have been completed and in operation, yet no through route has been established and the diversion and changes in distances is a great burden upon the commerce of the people along this line and of a belt of country, split midway by this line, of from eighty to one hundred miles. Now our city of Centerville is the county seat of this county and a city of about nine thousand population and has more than the usual amount of commerce and inter-change of business because of its varied products, etc., and our people feel that, since this line was built a great deal by local aid and promises and has been completed and in operation all the way from Omaha and Lincoln Nebraska to Logansport for nearly twenty years past, we should have the route established as a through route, to the end that it may meet the promises heretofore made and the necessity of the Government as a war measure and the people as well. We, therefore, endorse the Memorial and most earnestly request that your Honorable Adminis¬ tration do establish this line as so prayed for and to do such other things in and about the premise.s as shall be just and right. Signed this 5th day of March, 1919. G. L. GOLDSTEIN, President. W. K. CURRIE, Sec'y. Attest. 9 MEMORIAL FROM NEBRASKA ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE Omaha, Nebraska, July 25, 1918. Hon. WiEWAM G. McAdoo, Director General of Railroads, U. S. A., Washington, D. C. Dear Sir :— At a meeting of the Nebraska Association of Commerce, of Omaha, Nebraska, the Memorial adopted by the Industrial Association of Keokuk, Iowa, to join up and connect the railroads from Omaha, Nebraska, to Dogansport, Indiana, was carefully considered and the action of said Association and City Council was heartily approved and endorsed, and their action concurred in by the Nebraska Association of Commerce, of Omaha, Nebraska, and the following resolution was adopted: "Resolved by the Nebraska Association of Commerce, of Omaha, Nebraska, on this 25 day of July, 1918, that this organization heartily concurs in the memorial adopted by the City of Keokuk, Iowa, and the Industrial Association of said City, Memorializing that you as Director General of Railroads, U. S. A. to have some action taken to establish a through trunk line railroad from Omaha, Nebraska to Logansport, Indiana; following the line of railroads, as set forth in said Memorial, that this is almost a straight line from Omaha due east, and to Logansport, Indiana, and other great eastern cities like Pittsburg, Philadelphia, Washington and New York, and would give Omaha a direct line to the great commercial centers of the east through one of the most fertile agricultural sections of America, having splendid towns and cities along the road as outlined, which towns have no through east and west railroad, and through a country which have coal mines and splendid stone quarries, etc., crossing the Mississippi River at Keokuk where the great mid-continent water power has been developed, now generating 200,000 horse power, and where an immense new steel bridge spans the Mississippi River." This would give Omaha a direct line to the east and avoid the congestion of freight and pas¬ senger business which is now routed to go through St. Louis, Chicago and lay over, and the con¬ gestion at Chicago and St. Louis of travel east and west would be avoided, expedite passenger and freight business, and prevent lay overs and loss of time. Omaha, the metropolis of Nebraska, with over 200,000 population, the second largest packing center, and primary grain center of America, would find this a great help for seaboard business. We attach a copy of the Industrial Association of Keokuk Memorial hereto, and make it a part of this Resolution as fully as if herein incorporated, and concur in all its language and its truth, and ask that it be considered with the request of the Industrial Association of Keokuk as our wishes for a great through trans-continental line for a large area, and people who should have relief which they have never been able to get from the railroads by reason of combinations, and of drawing the business to the main railroads, thereby depriving these many cities and towns of railroad facilities for their development and territory which is justly tributary to Omaha in Western Iowa. That railroads should be developed in the heart of the continent and facilities offered whereby coal, which is in great abundance near Omaha, can be shipped directly to this market for its great industries, and thereby saving the long hauls and affording Omaha ample fuel from the Iowa mines. For all of which we shall ask the co-operation and help of the Department at Washington having this re-alignment of the railroads for the better service of the people in hand. TTnanimously adopted at Omaha, Nebraska, July 25th, 1918. Respectfully, NEBRASKA ASSOCIATION OF COMMERCE, By William F, WappEcii, Ross L. SiioTwELL, President. Sec'y. R. S. Lucke, Treas. Geo. p. Wilkinson, Director. 10 STATEMENT AND PROPOSITIONS SUBMITTED TO, HON. WILLIAM G. MCADOO AUGUST 16. 1918 By FELIX T. HUGHES, Counsel for Memorialists In the present emergency, anything that hastens the transportation of troops, supplies, coal or general freight is of the utmost military and economic value. The system outlined in the Memorials herewith presented will save an almost incalculable amount of delay in the shipment of men, munitions, crops and coal; it will prevent long waits of troop trains at junctions, the slow and exasperating friction of transshipment with all its inconvenience to thousands of soldiers; it will avoid an immense wastage of idle passenger and freight cars, and immensely decrease the wear and tear on railroad equipment already inadequate to the demands. For half a century it has been the dream of railroad builders to perfect such a system. The spirit of competition and jealousy as well as financial problems have prevented this consummation. The way is now clear for the Director General to repeat in this case the actions that he has taken in similar cases with such enormous benefit. The Midway Line is described as hardly more than an office arrangement and possibly might require the appointment of a Supervising Director to direct and supervise the operation of the line as an entirety without disturbing the present operating officials and employees. By a simple order combining several disjointed systems into one a strategical triumph can be accomplished. The Midway Line passes through a great number of county seats in which draft troops will be collected. It taps a net work of cross lines, and shortens the hours of waiting, the change of engines, the switching of cars, and the confusion of bookkeeping to such an extent that hundreds of thousands of hours will be saved to soldiers and millions of miles to freight. Incidentally, this will relieve the congestion in the present trunk lines and will vastly improve their efficiency. A reference or two to the railway map maj' aid Your Honor in arriving at a proper solution of the questions involved. In the earliest locations of railroads through Missouri and Iowa to the west, wide territories were sought to furnish freight and passengers sufficient to compensate for the investment, as the country was sparsely settled. First among these roads was the then Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad (now owned by the C. B. & Q. system) from Hannibal on the Mississippi River to Saint Joseph on the Missouri. Later came the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy to Burlington and across the state to Omaha. 11 This was before the Civil War. These two lines crossed the Mississippi River about 60 miles apart from Burlington to Quincy and a hundred from Burlington to Hannibal. Centerville, Iowa, is about 40 miles south of Ottumwa and about 60 north of the Hannibal and St. Joseph (now the Burlington) Railroad. The original lines, in order to secure the business of the territories between, extended branch lines north and south by which the business could be carried to the main lines and from there east or west as the case might be. Loading and carrying the commerce on these local lines and then connecting up with the trunk line trains, consumed much time and expense, though they necessarily grew with the increasing business. The distance between Hannibal and Burlington being so great, the Pennsylvania Railroad sought to establish a midway line by, way of, Peoria and Keokuk. This project, howevèr, as is shown in the Memorial, was hindered and delayed by the circumstances arising. Nevertheless, the lines were completed and operated by the Pennsylvania and the Burlington. The hauls' north and south on these, branch lines, however, could, .be reduced, if these branches could be utilized, by .the proposed Midway Route with great saving of time and expense. We realize every day how Government troops and war material are delayed and the main lines congested. In many cases soldiers collected along this " midway " must be carried from some local station to a through train center; there detrained to await the coming of trans¬ portation facilities to the far east or south as the case may be. If, however, they wére once loaded for their destination, they would be far on their journey in less time than is now taken to get them by the local train to the nearest through point and transferred. At Omaha, a center of 200,000 population, all the great railroad and business traffic destined for the East is now poured into the congested centers of Chicago and Southern points. The Railroad Line would relieve that congestion by diverting the pressure at its source and delivering it direct to its destination as set forth in the Memorial and the resolution adopted by the Nebraska Association of Commerce at Omaha, Nebraska, as shown in the copy herewith filed. At Lincoln, Nebraska, State capital and 40,000 population, the Military Route would strike all the great lines west, northwest and southwest, and be more than fifty miles shorter than the present lines from Logansport via the Pennsylvania or the Burlington roads. The lines are not in ideal physical condition, but they do carry their capacity in freight and passengers as safely as the other roads. Improvements would, of course, enlarge their abilities, but even in their present state they are capable of rendering the Government a very great service if consolidated. The belt affected is so rich in men, wheat and coal that any relief to the present unscientific handling of its problems would be a splendid contribution to the " Win the War" measures. Respectfully submitted, FELIX T. HUGHES, Counsel for Memorialists. 12 COMPARATIVE DISTANCES Pittsburg, Pa.—Pennsylvania route via Fort Wayne and Chicago: thence via Burlington route to Omaha 964.4 miles Pittsburg, Pa.—Pennsylvania Railway via Logansport, T. P. & W., Burlington and Wabash to Omaha 952.7 miles Being 11.7 miles shorter Pittsburg to Chicago and Omaha via Logansport. ... 1002.2 miles Pittsburg to Omaha via Logansport and proposed Midway Route.. .. 952.7 miles Saving by latter route 49.5 miles Logansport to Lincoln, Neb. via Midway to Shenandoah and Ne¬ braska City 617. miles Logansport via Chicago and Omaha to Lincoln, Neb 670.7 miles Saving Chicago transfer and congestion delays and.... 53-7 miles 13 HISTORICAL CHART. COMPILED FROM POOR'S MANUAL Omaha Keokuk Logansport, Ind. The line from Logansport, Ind., on the Columbus, Chicago & Indiana Central R. R., to a connection with the Union Pacific Railroad Company was originally a Pennsylvania enterprise. February 10, 1869, the president and directors of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, in their report to the shareholders, stated that the restless spirit , of their rivals in the East and West rendered it necessary to make connections with the chief trade centers of the West more perfect and less liable in the future to molesta¬ tion and interruption ; that this had been done to a great extent through a lease to the Pittsburgh, Cincinnati & St. Louis Railway Company, guaranteed by the Pennsylvania Railroad Company, of the lines of the Columbus, Chicago and Indiana Central Railroad Company ; that the rapid progress made by the Union and Central Pacific Railroads indicated the completion of a railroad line across the continent during the ensuing summer; and that, when opened throughout, the Pennsylvania road and its immediate Western connections would present the shortest line to and from the great cities of the Atlantic seaboard, either by way of Chicago, St. Louis, or by an intermediate route in progress from Keokuk westward, connecting with the Union Pacific road near Fort Kearney, and that this advantage would secure to it at least a fair and reasonable share of the large traffic that would be carried between the Atlantic and Pacific States. Columbus, Chicago & Indiana Union Pacific Railroad, Central Railroad, Logansport, Omaha, Neb. Ind. Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska R. R. Promoted by Pennsylvania Railroad interests. Projected to extend from Keokuk to a connection with the Union Pacific Railroad. Chartered May, 1870. Opened to Centerville, Iowa, 85 miles, in 1871. Further extension interrupted by panic of 1873. Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw Rail¬ road. Chartered February 14, 1863. Opened to Keokuk October 14, 1868. Lease in process of execution by subsidiary line of Pennsylvania Railroad interrupted by panic of 1873. Project laid aside by Pennsylvania Railroad. Steps by which, first, the Wabash and, then, the C. B. & Q., obtained ownership of line from Keokuk to Omaha, and control of the T. P. W. Humeston & Shenandoah. Opened to Grand River April 1, 1881 ; to Shenandoah, December 17, 1882; built and operated by the Wabash and C. B. & Q. jointly. Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska. Built to Corydon, 1879; to Van Wert, 1881. Leased to Wabash for 99 years from October 1, 1880. Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw. Leased by Wabash, May 22, 1880, for 49^ years. The Wabash having thus secured control of these three roads, began to operate them as a through line December, 1882. Wabash defaulted July 1, 1884. Through operation ceased July, 1885, after 2^ years. Sherman Anti-Trust Law approved July 2, 1890. C. B. & Q. bought Humeston & Shenandoah at foreclosure in 1896. Thereafter C. B. & Q. built from Shenandoah to Hamburgh to con¬ nect with their Omaha, Kansas City, line, and ceased using the Wabash tracks from Shenandoah to Omaha. Keokuk & Western, Organized August 19, 1886, and bought the Missouri, Iowa & Nebraska at foreclosure. K. & W. was acquired by C. B. & Q. by purchase in 1899. Present Toledo, Peoria & Western was organized in March, 1887, to take over the old Toledo, Peoria & Warsaw. In 1894 joint ownership by C. B. & Q. and Pennsylvania was ar¬ ranged. The C. B. & Q. having thus control of these lines, they are nov/ operated for local traffic and are closed for through business. 15 MIDWAY SHORT LINE ROUTE statement regarding the roads From LOGANSPORT Ind., lo OMAHA, Neb. SUBMITTED TO Hon. WILLIAM G. McADOO Director General of Railroads of the United States BY THEODORE OILMAN For the Memorialists CONTENTS Letter to Hon. W. G. McAdoo, Director General The City of Logansport, Indiana The Line from Logansport to Effner on State Line 6i miles The Line from Effner to Hamilton, Illinois 224 miles The Keokuk and Hamilton Bridge The Line from Keokuk to Shenandoah 244 miles The Line from Shenandoah to Omaha, via Wabash 51 miles The Line from Shenandoah to Omaha via C. B. & Q 7