Chapter 34 cont. THE RAILROADS CHARTERED In a former chapter the early history of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad has been gone into quite extensively, and in Mr. Barrow's history herein published in its entirety, mention is made of the building of this first line of railroad from Chicago to Rock Island. It might be well, however, to recapitulate some of the salient points relating to the beginnings of this great transcontinental railroad. The Chicago & Rock Island Railroad Company, by special charter granted by the legislature of Illinois in 1851, was incorporated and a few months thereafter work of construction was begun and in August, 1854, the road was completed and the event was made the occasion of a grand celebration. The people of the Mississippi valley hailed the new road as a link uniting them with the outside world. On every side settlements at once began to spring up along the line and the tide of civilization moved steadily westward. Today, with its numerous connections cobwebbing the state of Iowa and other great commonwealths, the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad is a part and parcel of one of the greatest transportation systems in the world, extending from the Gulf of Mexico to the Pacific coast. In 1852 the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company was incorporated in Iowa with power to build and operate a railroad from the eastern line of the state of Iowa by way of Des Moines to Council Bluffs on the Missouri river. The Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company was organized January 1, 1853; the capital stock was $6,000,000. Each share of the par value was $100. Its franchise was for fifty years. Five percent of the stock subscribed was to be paid down and the remainder in installments of not more than twenty percent of the full amount at intervals of not less than three months. The amount of the indebtedness to be incurred was limited to $4,000,000. John A. Dix, afterward the war governor of New York, was elected president. In September, 1853, the first ground was broken for the road, of which event a full description is given on another page. The first passenger train left Davenport on the 22d of August, 1855. The litigation over the bridge rolled up an immense expense account, to such an extent as to involve the Mississippi & Missouri Railroad Company and it failed to meet its guarantees. The Chicago & Rock Island assumed the responsibility, paying interest and principal. In 1866 the Mississippi & Missouri railroad Company failed to meet the mortgages given to secure the payment of moneys borrowed and expended in its construction. Its land grant also lapsed through inability to execute its provisions. The mortgages were foreclosed and the property purchased by the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Company, of Iowa, a corporation formed under the organization of the Chicago & Rock Island Railroad Company. On the 20th of August, 1856, the Illinois and Iowa companies consolidated under the name of the Chicago, Rock Island & Pacific Railroad Company. The main line thus connected extended from Chicago to Rock Island in Illinois, and from Davenport to Kellogg, within forty miles of Des Moines, the former 181 1/2 miles, the latter 131 miles. The Oskaloosa branch extended from Wilton Junction, by way of Muscatine, to Muscatine, and was fifty miles in length. During 1867-9 the main line was extended through Des Moines to Council Bluffs, 186 additional miles, the entire line being open to traffic in June, 1869. Debbie Clough Gerischer Iowa Gen Web, Assistant CC, Scott County http://www.celticcousins.net/scott/ IAGENWEB: Special History Project: http://iagenweb.org/history/index.htm Gerischer Family Web Site: http://gerischer.rootsweb.com/