User talk:MarkWHowe/sandbox

Isaac Bridgman Howe was the original Superintendent of the Iowa Division of the Chicago & NorthWestern Railroad when it was created in 1864 by the Great Consolidation Of the Galena and Chicago Union Railroad with the Chicago Iowa & Nebraska and Cedar Rapids & Missouri River railroads in Clinton Iowa. In 1867, Howe's Iowa Division completed the road from the Mississippi bridge at Clinton to the Omaha steam ferry at Council Bluffs Iowa. This connection from Chicago to Council Bluffs without transfer, was the first such connection with the Union Pacific's First Transcontinental Railroad building west from Omaha.

Early history Isaac Bridgman Howe was born in Norwich Vermont 27 June 1827. He was the 6th of 7 siblings, born to Abijah and Martha How of old New England stock. The oldest was Theoda, then Asa, Martha, Sophia, Hannah, Isaac, and Miraette, nickname Nett. Isaac went by IB professionally and Ike to his friends and family.

Abijah's family were a number of generations in Essex County, Mass., just north of Boston, from Ipswich to Boxford. A parcel of farmland in Norwich Vermont was left to Abijah by his father Asa. He settled there and completed his education across the river at Dartmouth. His field was civil engineering which became a family tradition. Son Asa also went to Dartmouth in civil engineering and his son Malverd Abijah went to Norwich and became a noted professor of engineering at Harvard and in Indiana. Asa received an additional degree in medicine but never had much of a career in either medicine or engineering. In retirement he was an adjunct professor in Civil Engineering at Norwich University. Strangely Ike made a very successful career of civil engineering without ever getting a higher education.

In 1834 the family moved up the turnpike from Norwich to Northfield where they continued to be primarily farmers. Altho’ Ike was an adventuresome child growing up, at some point in his late teens he spent two years teaching school. But when the Vermont Central Railroad came through town Ike was completely taken by that adventure and pulled up stakes to work on the VC&Canada for the next 12 years (1848-’60). This was a time when railroading was new to the west. Roads were building in many directions and very profitable for those smart enough to take advantage of the technology as well as lucky enough with timing.

In 1846 there had been a violent railroad worker strike in Bolton, between Montpelier and Burlington, because the Irish laborers had not been paid in 2 months. The Central had run out of money. Troops from the Vermont Guard finally put down the riot, but it was 3 years before the Central got going again. This gave their Rutland competitors time to catch up. Both roads got to Burlington by the end of that year. In 1849, as a young 21 year old railroad worker with his older brother Asa, Ike wrote from the Vermont Central railhead at Bolton, to sister Sophia.*

By 1856 Ike was Roadmaster for the Vermont Central/Vermont & Canada railroad and was becoming close friends with John C Gault, his Master of Transportation. In 5 years they would be shaping history in Iowa; it was not likely Ike was going to be a farmer but he didn’t know it yet.

During this period Ike was using his very creative engineering mind to design various inventions for use on the rapidly evolving railroads. One of these was a method for joining rails together so that when a heavy train passed over, the two ends wouldn't flex up-and-down against each other destroying themselves in the process. His "Howe Chair" was described by railroad men of the time as a 'fish joint', and his patent was immediately sought after. He manufactured many for-sale and licensed his patent to others for building their own.

Sometime about 1858 Ike met the daughter of the owner of a local mill north of town. The place was called Northfield Falls but became known as Gouldsville after her family; she was Hannah Rebecca Gould. Her father was James Gould. Through 1859 Ike courted her and they were married in September. Before the marriage Ike decided he would build her a house which was completed about the same time they were married. It was a beautiful house at #8 Highland St. and it still is. His father-in-law James meanwhile sold out his mill to his brother Joseph and began to participate in Ike's many successful enterprises.

Both before and during the short time they enjoyed their marital bliss in their new house Ike was busy. He had been elected to represent the town of Northfield in the state capital in Montpelier for 3 terms during 1857-58. In one election it was printed in the news that he had the largest vote in Northfield history. Another project, he re-engineered the basement of the local Congregational Church to create a meeting hall. This was something of an engineering marvel as he split the church in the middle, expanded it lengthwise, and put it back together again with a new meeting hall underneath. His deal with the church was that the meeting hall would be his personal property but the church would have use of it when he didn’t have it committed. That ended up being forever when he left town for the west. This incredible feat showed his engineering skills knew no bounds, soon proved when he built a railroad across the state of Iowa. Meanwhile as years went by the parishioners forgot how the meeting hall under the church had happened. They only knew it was called Howes Hall, didn't know it was spelled Howe's, and needed to contact his descendants in 1949 to quitclaim ownership.

Dr. Edward H. Williams was three years older than Ike and raised in a similar nearby Vermont village,. He was trained as both a medical doctor and a civil railroad engineer. Because at about age 18 he had had something lodged in his lung he suffered from asthma and went into medicine to avoid the rigors of his first love, railroading. At some point in the early 1850s he found himself in Northfield practicing medicine where his brother-in-law Dr. Samuel Thayer was a well known village physician and physician for the railroad. He became very good friends with Ike and Gault, since they were each excited by all things engineering and loved railroading. We are told that Dr. Williams quit medicine and went off to working railroads when one day while in Northfield he coughed up a small thistle and his health returned completely. From 1856 to 1859 he did well managing railroads when finally in 1859 he became Asst. Supt. of the Galena & Chicago Union railroad in Illinois.

Suddenly in 1861 Ike left Northfield for a big new job in Clinton Iowa on the west side of the Mississippi River. At that time Vermont was the west and Iowa was pretty much the frontier for New Englanders. We can now begin to see clearly the opportunities he and his friends saw to cause such a sudden departure from Northfield. Following the financial panic of 1857 there was a flurry of activity by the railroad companies. The Vermont Central was frequently in financial difficulties and we must assume Ike and Gault would be getting enticement from Dr. Williams in the west. The opportunities were certainly there and the three friends jumped at the chance.

Ike’s new bride Annie was sadly left behind in Northfield with her parents. Rail was making travel easier and families were taking advantage; Annie’s sister Harriett’s family lived in Janesville and the parents frequently visited and eventually settled there. When the Gould clan weren't visiting family in Janesville or elsewhere, they all stayed in the Highland St. house Ike had built for his bride. For now she would wait to see how Ike’s ‘temporary’ job in the west worked out. For many years to come Northfield would be considered their home.

Railroads had been building westward from Chicago toward the Mississippi. Recently the new town of Clinton had been renamed from its original name of New York and a bridge had begun building there from Illinois across the river to Iowa. While the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad was working its way from Chicago to the Mississippi River on the Fulton Illinois side of the river, businessmen on the Iowa side had created the town of Clinton with a land company to sell real estate and a railroad to make sure the city was a success. For every share of railroad stock, shareholders would get a share of land company stock. Clinton was now beginning to show some life as a railroad terminus unlike the original town of Lyons two miles to the north.

The Iowa railroads at Clinton were the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska/CI&N and the Cedar Rapids & Missouri River/CR&MR. The CI&N had been laying rail to Cedar Rapids for several years while the CR&MR was a more recent venture to build the rest of the way to Council Bluffs. The CI&N bridge from Fulton to Little Rock Island on the Illinois side included a steam ferry operation to get trains the rest of the way across the river to Clinton on the Iowa side. Except for a pending lawsuit by riverboat companies against railroad bridges obstructing navigation, they could now begin building the rest of the bridge as well as more miles of Road. Much of this was designed for gaining government land grants and charters and these outfits had many of the same stockholders, including noted New York railroad promoters Thomas Clark Durant and John Insley Blair. Durant of the Union Pacific had recently committed to building a transcontinental railroad to the west coast from Omaha opposite Council Bluffs in Iowa. Blair had many plans but this one was connecting to Omaha via Council Bluffs. It was Blair’s plan that the Northfield trio was to preempt.

Ike arrived in Clinton on 24 May 1861. That same day the first casualty fell in the coming rebellion, when Col. Ellworth of the New York Zouaves was killed removing a Confederate flag from a building in Virginia. Ike wrote: “The Stars and Stripes are floating at half mast in front of the hotel. May God have mercy on Virginian secessionists when those New York Firemen get hold of them, for the "Zouaves" and Illinois men will have none.“ When Ike arrived in Clinton Major Charles Bodfish was the railroad Supt. with Col. Milo Smith as his Chief Engineer. Previously Milo Smith had done engineering with the G&CU but since 1855 he had been alternately Supt. and Chief Engineer building the CI&N railroad from Clinton to Cedar Rapids plus beginning the Mississippi bridge. When Ike took over as Asst. Supt. and Engineer, Milo stepped away to lead the 26th Iowa Infantry Regiment to war.

Ike was now living without his wife in the Iowa Central House hotel. This building was the first 3 story brick building in Clinton and perhaps Iowa. It was being run by William Rogers, a friend and innkeeper from Northfield. He continued living there for several years, even after Annie joined him, indicating how temporary he considered his employment.

It would seem that Ike’s responsibility for the entire Road and Bridges, from the Mississippi River across Iowa as far as the road went was a pretty quick promotion for a newcomer. There was a lot more to that story. On the east side of the Mississippi the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad was looking for a way to expand across the Mississippi into Iowa. From there they had plans for crossing Iowa to Council Bluffs opposite Omaha Nebraska, where there were already plans for building a transcontinental railroad across the country. In order to accomplish this they would need to acquire the roads already built, and it just happened that Ike's good friends from Northfield, Dr. Williams and John Gault were already running the Galena railroad. No surprise that the three met together in Chicago as IB Howe made his way to Clinton. It took very little time from when Ike arrived there and when he suddenly found himself running things in Iowa. On 23Jun1861 Ike wrote: “I shall not be surprised if the Road is leased to Galena & Chicago Union RR as they want it & need it very much.” The following year the Galena notified the CI & N. and CR & MR railroads that they were being leased to the Galena by official published proclamation: “Chicago, August 1st, 1862 - You are hereby notified that the Roads on which you are employed have been leased to the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad Company from and after this date. Mr. I.B. Howe has been appointed Assistant Superintendent of the Bridge and Ferry at Clinton and the Roads west, and will exercise a special supervision over the operating and maintaining of the line.” Signed EB Talcott. Furthermore that “IB Howe Esquire be and hereby is appointed "Superintendent of the Cedar Rapids and Missouri River Railroad" under such terms and conditions as he shall make from time to time with the Galena & Chicago Union Company." And by the end of the year a letter was published to other railroads: “Clinton, December 20, 1862. - Dear Sir: Please send Annual Passes for 1863, for John Bertram, President Horace Williams, General Agent C I & NRR L.B. Crocker, President W.W. Walker, Chief Eng'r I.B. Howe, Sup't CR & MR RR The Roads above-named now form a part of the Galena & Chicago Union Railroad Line, and the Passes you will receive from that company will be good over these roads. Respectfully Yours, I.B. Howe, Sup't [Note: WW Walker was Blair’s civil engineer and indicates Blair was still involved to some degree.]

So now the Galena had control of Ike’s Iowa railroads but the “war of the rebellion” continued. Abijah was staying with Sophia in Massachusetts but Ike still considered Northfield home and thought of his railroading in Iowa as temporary.

• http://iagenweb.org/clinton/people/howe/letters1862.html

< March of 1862

In early 1862 Ike was requested as an expert witness in a famous trial of the time regarding the “Cawood Patent infringement.” Ike had developed a reputation as an expert in the new evolving railroad technology and innovation, particularly since his ‘rail chair’ invention was specifically for rail joints that prevent damage.

• Jan 1862 http://iagenweb.org/clinton/people/howe/letters1862.html

By now it was pretty obvious to the nation that the Roads would be in a race across the country were it not for the war. The Iowa Roads were already to Marshalltown by March 1862 and continuing to build further west. A Marshalltown group was treated to a train ride to Chicago:

Until now railroads were being built all over the country as separate competing lines. It was a lucrative business where government would grant vast tracts of land to incentivize railroads because where the roads went so went prosperity. It became complicated when charters went to a road that went bankrupt or was sold. When one bought out another it could reduce competition, but on the other hand it could increase competition with another company if it wasn’t well planned. The lease of the Iowa railroads to the Galena company was a stellar example of increasing efficiency, but consolidation so far was only a temporary fix.

As Ike continued to build his roads west, the company was hampered by the war. It wasn't until 1864 that they were able to get around to pulling off a reorganization. Specifically a newly reorganized Chicago & Northwestern railroad purchased the whole enterprise making it one organization with multiple divisions. This was called The Great Consolidation. IB Howe became the Supt. of the Iowa Division which included everything from Clinton to the town of Nevada at that time. The Galena Road on the Chicago side of the river became the Galena Division with Dr. Williams as Supt. and Gault as his assistant. George L Dunlap, formerly Asst. Supt. of the Chicago, St Anthony & Fon du Lac RR, was now the Gen. Supt. for the entire consolidated railroad. The Nevada railhead was already west of Marshalltown, but by the end of the year they would have pushed the Road past Ames to Boone. The race to Council Bluffs on the Missouri River was on. [Printed letter– organization of the Great Consolidation of the C&NW and Galena RRs]

Chicago & North Western Railway, General Superintendent's Office, Chicago, June 10, 1864. General Circular. In pursuant to the General Notice issued by the President, bearing even date herewith, I hereby assume general superintendence of the several lines now forming the CHICAGO AND NORTH-WESTERN RAILWAY. The Railway will hereafter be divided into and operated as Four Divisions, designated as follows: That portion between Chicago and Fulton, and Chicago and Freeport, including the Fox River Valley and Beloit and Madison Line, will form and be known as the Galena Division. That portion between Clinton and Nevada (Io.), will form the Iowa Division. That portion between Chicago and Fort Howard will form the Wisconsin Division. That portion between Kenosha and Rockford will form the Kenosha Division. The following Officers have been appointed: EH Williams to be Superintendent and JC Gault Assistant Superintendent of the Galena Division. IB Howe Superintendent of the Iowa Division. TF Strong and AA Hobart, Assistant Superintendents of Wisconsin Division. CH Spofford Superintendent of Kenosha Division. Chas. S Tappan – General Freight Agent. Edw. P Cutter, – Acting General Ticket Agent. Benj. F Patrick, – General Passenger Agent. All Rules and Regulations, either Special or General, heretofore in effect upon the Galena or Iowa Divisions will be observed until changed or countermanded from this office. Geo. L Dunlap, General Superintendent.

So - The Great Consolidation of June 10, 1864 was a tremendous evolution in railroad organization and a great success for the Company. Politically it took on the appearance of a monopoly, but as Ike pointed out in a letter to the editor of the Chicago Tribune several years later, it unquestionably made the most sense. He referred to this new experiment as the "Iowa pool lines". I reproduce here his draft of the letter to the Tribune. We are unsure of its precise date or if it was ever actually published in the newspaper but assume it was.

As has been noted it was several years before Ike and Annie were fortunate enough to begin a family. She came West to join him in Clinton after a couple of months, but for several years they considered the move temporary. Northfield was “home” and they intended to return. Their first child Reuben died a few months before Ike left Northfield. Jimmy was born in Clinton but only lasted a few months. And Lily died just after the Great Consolidation surviving less than a year. This was all very sad but Mary would be born March of 1865 and she would survive. During the summer of '65 Annie took four-month baby Mary on a steamship across the lakes for a visit back to Northfield for the first time in four years. The days she was traveling a powerful storm hit the area. It is not clear what lake or lakes the “Buckeye” traveled but Michigan, Erie and Ontario would be between Iowa and Vermont. Ike wrote July 2nd: During that summer they were so concerned about her health and the health of the baby that she stayed in Northfield until almost winter. They considered the summer heat on the plains dangerous. Meanwhile the war came to an end and the railroad accelerated building westward at a great clip. The 27th Iowa Regiment returned to Clinton. Family members were staying in the Highland house regularly as they came and went through Northfield which they continued to think of as home. During August of ‘65 Ike wrote many letters to Northfield:

It is interesting to note that at that time the best way to travel from New England to the West was over the Great Lakes through Canada on the Grand Trunk line. Meanwhile post war the railroads are expanding rapidly and along with them the towns along the way; villages becoming towns and towns becoming cities.

27 Aug. ‘65, “You will hardly know Clinton when you get back, it has improved so much this season. It is thought that over 150 buildings will be erected here this season, and if they continue until winter, as they have gone along so far, it may reach 200! Poor Lyons is of no account now. “

It appears Ike decided to license or contract out his patents. Not sure which patents but the rail chair is the most likely. This letter is a response from “A.D. Briggs, proprietor of Patent & Builder in Maine, New Hampshire, Vermont, Massachusetts & New York.” *Oct65

Letter to Sophia 12 Jan 1866 from Clinton: “It is a dark, rainy evening and the winds are moaning sadly at the office windows, like homeless, starving human beings and now they go shrieking across the great river like famished wolves, and now they are sighing and making mournful music on their mighty harp, the telegraph wires ---sad, plaintive music like a funeral dirge! Did you ever hear the winds play on the telegraph wires? --No! --Well --you have heard it sigh through the pines --The most mournful, plaintive music you ever heard, was n't?---I have often thought of the wailing of lost souls, when listening to it. .... Hannah & family are well. They are courting a young man for Cora --he seems all well enough and if he can be satisfied with music alone, I hope he will marry her. Mattie boards with us, and goes to school some and works at home some. Net writes me but very little. I try to think that her heart is not changed although her words are few and her actions strange ---poor girl! I love her just as much as ever. I rather think I shall get a place for Asa to work, engineering on our Road, so he will be located about 200 or 250 miles west of here, and can come here frequently. It will be pleasant to have him with us while we remain here.”

This is the only time we know of where Ike got Asa a job. With Asa’s propensity for not keeping employment very long we might wonder how he did. Marshalltown is about 150mi and Boone/ Ames are about 200 so 250 is now about Carroll where the road turns south to Council Bluffs. By the end of 1866 the railhead was past Denison and within the final 70 miles of the goal at Council Bluffs.

While building a railroad across the state was a very lucrative business, building stations and side tracks were expenses that might be reduced by getting the local towns to contribute since it would mean prosperity to them. In the first example Ike may have been already involved with the LeGrand stone quarry, just east of Marshall. We cannot say for sure, but perhaps Ike knew the quarry would pay for the building and make money for the railroad because the LeGrand Quarry in question was owned by I.B. Howe together with a partner George Kirby. The resulting station built by Kirby & Howe is still there and while it is no longer a station was rebuilt as an attractive building, recently sold as a residence. An added argument he alludes to indirectly is that this station, which he wants for his quarry, will also compete with John Insley Blair and his railroad depot. Blair and his group was one of the most powerful forces in railroading. The opportunity to take away business from Blair would be an aspect particularly appealing to Dunlap and the corporate officers.

• Apr66“Are there any objections to establishing a flag station at Le Grand Quarry if the Quarry Co. will furnish station buildings, agent etc. free of expense to the railway co.? ... I suppose the Le Grand people would favor a regular station and would do their business there rather than at Mr. Blair's Le Grand depot. Being about half way between Marshall and Orford [Montour] it would divide the distance very well”

The second example was regarding a sidetrack and station between Ames and Boone a few years later. One of the most dreaded disasters of heavy freight trains is a runaway. If the train gets too much speed going down a long grade, such as between Ames and Boone, and the brakemen are not quick enough applying brakes to all the cars, there comes a tipping point where nothing can be done but pray. If there is a curve along the run, the train rolls off the track. A sidetrack, or siding, was where they could ‘set out a part of the train’ to lighten the load. This letter is about negotiation. They desperately need the side track now, but if they have already installed the siding, their bargaining position is compromised for the station. To Geo Dunlap, Genl. Supt. 6 May 1868 “The people of New Philadelphia are urging us to establish a station there -- The people about two miles west of New Philadelphia are also asking for a station. We are offered all the land we want for station purposes, at both places, and a promise of other “material aid”, if required. A side track is greatly needed, now, between Ames & Boone. The fourteen miles run and heavy grades between the two stations make it very bad now that we have so many heavy trains. I think a track should be put in immediately, and I wish you would decide upon the location and direct me what negotiations to make. New Philadelphia is about 2 ¾ miles west of Ames, and at the top of the College Farm grade. This point would accommodate College Farm and be of great advantage to heavy freight trains going west, as they could run to the top of the hill and set out a part of the train when necessary. You will notice on profile that this grade is similar to Corn River grade and being on a curve and a long hill it is one of the worst places we have and now governs (??) all trains. 2 l/2 or 2 miles further west would better divide the distance between Ames & Boone and when the country becomes “settled up” it may as well accommodate the public. You may think it best to locate a station at Philadelphia, now, and when the country between there & Boone becomes developed, establish another station between Pha. & Boone. I submit the following proposition: - Establish the station, now, at whichever point you think best, and I will engage to furnish the necessary depot grounds and a depot as good as Belle Plaine, or Colo, without any expense to the R’y Co.----- If you object to asking the inhabitants to contribute for this object, I will require nothing from them, excepting land - and this, without a station will amount to a trifling sum for them to give. If this offer is accepted and my “venture” pays more than it costs I will divide the profits in such manner as you may direct - give lots to officers & employees - catholic churches - or expend the proceeds in ballasting! ---- or new iron!! One thing is certain - we must have a side track between Ames & Boone, immediately, and after a side track is in, we cannot get the natives to give us any land, as they will feel sure that a side-track will lead to a station. “ *

Elkhorn Club & the Excursion to the 100th meridian. Oct. 1866 During the fall of 1866 Thomas "Doc" Durant of Union Pacific fame organized a public relations event to show the world what wondrous feats of engineering his Union Pacific Railroad had performed in building a Pacific Railroad westward from Omaha to the 100th meridian. The 1862 Railroad Act chose that particular longitude as a marker which would allow them to continue on to a junction with the Central Pacific railroad building East from Sacramento.

Dignitaries from all parts of civilization were invited but particularly railroad officials and politicians who needed to be impressed. Durant was constantly in need of investors and funding and reaching this objective needed publicity.  

The event was widely publicized as the “Excursion to the 100th Meridian" and was a lavish celebration of their progress including sumptuous feasts, staged Indian raids, Buffalo shoots and even a staged Prairie fire. Silas Seymour, the Consulting Engineer for the Union Pacific wrote extensively on the subject of the Union Pacific and the Excursion. The Chicago Northwestern Railroad was closely associated with the Union Pacific since they were both building westward and had similar political and financial issues. While the UP were the hosts of the event, the CNW contingent played a large role in it’s organization. While the rest of the participants traveled from the east to St. Joseph, and then by riverboat up the Missouri River to Omaha, the Chicago Northwestern group already had rail to Denison Iowa, within the final 70 miles to Council Bluffs saving two days of the journey. Silas Seymour wrote:

“That portion of the party which had crossed the State of Iowa by land, including Mr. Perry H. Smith, the Vice-President, and Mr. George L. Dunlap, the General Superintendent of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad, Messrs. Turner, Ayer, Bowen, Crerer, and several others from Chicago, with the most important addition of Professor Kinsley, the justly celebrated caterist of Chicago, and a strong detachment of his assistants, having re-joined the party in the morning, were assigned to quarters on the Railroad Company's steamer Elkhorn, which lay at the landing immediately across the bows of the steamer Denver.”

This group became known as the "Elkhorn Club" with George Dunlap as Pres. and Perry Smith as VP. Members included W.H. Ferry, E.B. Talcott, Capt. John B. Turner, Col. J.H. Howe, Isaac B Howe, J.C. Gault, George Pullman who produced the Pullman Palace Car, Chicago iron merchant John V. Ayer and H.M. Kinsley whose team catered the event. Notably Dr. Williams was missing since he was now Supt. of the Pennsylvania RR. Throughout the excursion Seymour notes a variety of antics, dramatics and musical acts of the Elkhorns.

"The irrepressible Elkhorns were seen and heard everywhere, adding life and exhilaration to the scene..." Early one morning, when excursionists were looking about for a means to wash up... "The famous Elkhorn Club formed in line in front of their quarters, with President Dunlap and Vice-President Smith at its head, and followed in proper order by its professional speechists, singists, cheerists, punists, jokeists, eatists, drinkists, etc., etc., marched in a body to the banks of the Platte River, where each member underwent the pleasant operation of a wholesome outward application of an element to which the inner man had, from the force of circumstances, become a comparative stranger during the few preceding days."

Before dawn one morning excursionists were "....startled from their slumbers by the most unearthly whoops and yells of the Indians, who were tramping about among the camp fires in front of the tents. All was soon explained however, when it became known that Mr. Durant himself, assisted by General Dodge and a partially standing, but more generally reclining committee of Elkhorns, had these wild denizens of the plains, under the most complete control; and were only making them dance and perform this most unique and ·savage morning serenade for their own particular amusement." "Very much to the disappointment and regret of all parties, a large number of the officers, professors, and leading spirits of the Elkhorn Club were obliged to leave soon after breakfast, in a special train for the east. " "The following dispatch was received from the Elkhorn party during the day:- "Kearny, October 25, 1866."Dr. T. C. DURANT- "Our eyes are filled with unaccustomed tears; and our hearts are bowed with grief. The Elkhorns mourn for their Fawns. "ELKHORNS." “The following reply was immediately sent:- TO THE DEPARTED ELKHORNS "The better half of all our joys Departed with the Elkhorn boys; To their memory we'll light the lamp, And dance around our prairie camp. "FAWNS."

The Chicago NW group left the excursion a day early to prepare a demonstration of their own for excursionists returning via Denison on Isaac B. Howe’s new Iowa route.

“Ample provisions have been made for those of the guests desiring to take the stage from Council Bluffs to the western terminus of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad. The Iowa stage ride will occupy but ten hours time, and the trip by rail thence to Chicago will be in Pullman's magnificent sleeping-cars. "A large number [chose] the overland route, by stage and rail.... They were met at the western end of the railroad track by the officers of the Chicago and Northwestern Railroad Company, and a delegation from the Elkhorn Club, who accompanied them to Chicago, and entertained them on the way in the most princely style.” The final 70 miles; “...to Council Bluffs without transfer.” ! During the spring of 1867 Ike was able to close the final distance to Council Bluffs. In February George Dunlap and IB were setting up for the final leg of construction. Notice that they want to ensure John I. Blair won't be able to exert any claim on the land where they intend to establish the town and station of Dunlap. They are being very careful.

13Feb’67; Dunlap to Howe: “Your favor of the 11th inst has been received and contents noted. If it is as you state, that Messrs Blair & Walker do not own the land when we propose locating at "Dunlap", and cannot set up any claim that will conflict with our interests, you are authorized to make all the necessary arrangements with Judge Dow for the proper camping out of the plan your letter indicates. I have read your letter to Mr. Turner who is chairman of our committee, and he concurs with me as to "Dunlap's" being the proper point for terminus of the Division, and he approves the suggestion of locating a town there and establishing comfortable homes for our men, thereby attaching them to the Co.'s interest and increasing their efficiency. As soon as your land arrangements are completed with the Judge, I want you to secure bricks and material for an engine house at Dunlap, and let the work be commenced in the spring as soon as the weather is suitable. And you will also secure bricks and material for an eleven stall engine house, and suitable blacksmiths and car shops at Council Bluffs to be commenced as soon as ever the post gets out enough to permit us. Do not fail to secure the spring at "Dunlap"; and I want you to fix for building the dam at Boone, below the engine house to insure a constant supply of water at the situation.”

The first two of the following railroad messages, written on small pieces of paper, are probably with Lyman P White, another Vermont native and a contractor with the railroad. A few years later he founded and was mayor of Brainerd Minnesota. I.B.Howe Chi 2 I will build the final fifty miles of track at one dollar & thirty cents (130) answer if you have received this message. [Lyman] P White (over) March – . 2 - Answered L.P.White—manager received you may have 50 miles of track from Council Bluffs east-- Howe”-

Written on torn out diary page...

1867, March 16th. Mem. of Fence Contracts Contracted with Joseph Graf to fence the Road from Marshall to State Center and from Boone 15 miles west, this season all to be completed by or before 1st of Oct. at 16 cts. per rod, except in timber land between Boone and Ogden, when price is to be 20 cts. per rod. Fence to be good, substantial legal fence – posts set 2 1/2 feet in ground and well tamped – Co. to furnish all material on cars where fence is to be built. Also pass contractor and his men, materials and provisions free to the work. Payment of 80 per cent of amount due at end of each month to be made by 15th of next succeeding month.

Finally the first railroad line across Iowa was completed. When the transcontinental railroad was planned in October 1863 there were four railroads planning to cross Iowa. At that time the Chicago, Iowa & Nebraska RR from Clinton was not much past Marshalltown. This congratulatory letter from William H. Ferry, former New York senator and Director of the C&NWRR establishes Ike’s Iowa division as the first to make a single connection from Chicago to Council Bluffs and Omaha.

“Chicago April 30, 1867 I.B. Howe Esq.. Dear Sir I have just read your dispatch from Honey Creek recd here at 3:30 this P.M. and feel to heartily congratulate you, that you are able to say, "We can now run trains through to Council Bluffs without transfer". This intelligence is now flying on lightning wings to all the eastern cities,- to all points, where the croakings of our friends, and the rejoicings of our enemies have made our misfortunes too well known. While enjoying the pleasure that this result is affording us, I for myself, (and I believe I express the sentiment of each one here) cannot refrain from expressing my entire satisfaction, for the persevering and unwearied attention you have given to the repairs of the road since we parted from you at Woodbine – We have been kept informed from time to time of the difficulties to be surmounted, and have constantly and anxiously watched the progress that was being made in overcoming those difficulties. As I remarked to you then – we felt it "like a question of life and death; that more than I could express to you was depending upon getting trains through at the earliest possible moment" – I am well satisfied that you fully appreciated the urgency of the occasion and the result shows that you have done all that was practicable towards accomplishing a result that was so much desired. Yours truly, Wm. H. Ferry"

This was significant for the Union Pacific building westward from Omaha since they would now be able to get their materials directly by rail rather than by wagon and steamboat from St. Joseph. New opportunities also immediately opened up for rail connections along the Missouri river. The following appears to be a proposal made the day after the announcement was made “on lightning wings”.

Telegram: St. Joseph, Mo 30 1240 pm – Isaac B. Howe C&NWRy In making our new [plan for] our road running from C. Bluffs to Kansas City without change I find it is necessary to reach Kansas City as early as five pm this will take us from C Bluffs at eight am. I am anxious to retain your connection. If you arrive sooner we shall run our No 4 through to Kansas City so even if the connection is not made by our No 2 the passengers would arrive in Kansas City the same day they arrive in C Bluffs by your time. A. L. Hopkins

[Major A.L. Hopkins, Supt. of the Kansas City, St. Joseph and Council Bluffs RR; later the Chicago, Burlington and Quincy and finally the Burlington Northern; appointed 2nd vice president of the Illinois Central RR  in Dubuque.  Hopkins, Mo named for him.]

Township of Luzerne In October of 1867 it was determined to relocate a station at "Buckeye" to an empty place in the plains midway between Blairstown and Belle Plaine. This move was a mere 2 miles to the west. The new station was named Luzerne, named by Ike for the Swiss town that he longed to visit. Sadly he never got a chance to travel to Europe because he was kept so busy on the railroad. His brother Asa spent almost 3 years in Paris studying medicine and traveling and Ike was probably more than a little envious. Buckeye no longer exists but would now be an empty place 2 miles to the east of Luzerne. It might seem strange that there would be some advantage moving a station 2 miles; plus also a number of buildings that needed moving as well. I suspect it was because the Buckeye station was run by John I Blair’s railroad group and the Chicago Northwestern company wanted any excuse to squeeze out Blair. Taking full advantage of the Luzerne station, Ike purchased and platted a new town there on 17 April 1868. We are not yet aware of how long he and Annie continued to own the town. Meanwhile there were other stations to be established and built in order to secure the business along their road.

[on two separate scraps of paper:] Green Bay 29 I.B. Howe, We have concluded substantially to build the Tipton branch. Can you make the survey and estimates at once or set somebody at it . J. H. Howe [James Henry Howe, no relation]

I.B. Howe, Will you make & forward to me plan No. 21 for Clinton Station built of Brick Slate roof, two passanger rooms, good ticket office, baggage rooms with water closet & estimate of cost. We want handsome building. J. H. Howe (confidential, say nothing)

As the decade of 1860 drew to a close much had been accomplished. The major hurdles had been navigated and now there was maintenance and infrastructure as the business of the Chicago & Northwestern as well as railroads in general continued to expand. An example of this and an example of Ike's literary talents are combined in a particularly entertaining letter he wrote to Superintendent Dunlap 26 October 1868. The rhymes kind of sneak up on you as you read. Priceless, considering who he was writing to.

“In calling your attention to the Iowa Division, permit me, here to mention the terrible condition of the 45th iron between this place and Boone. It is broken, bent and battered -the ends all crushed and tattered - the old, wrought chairs are shattered and promiscuously scattered, so the track will be impairable unless you help us soon. We should now be in condition for approaching competition and if you’re in position to fill a requisition, please send to us, immediately, 2,000 tons of iron. I trust that you’ll remember to tell each “directing member” that the long rains of November and the freezes of December play the devil with superstructures which have naught but mud to lie on. I know it’s not pleasing, on roads like these you’re leasing, to have us always teasing: but our earnings are increasing and it's cheaper paying for iron than for surgeons, priests and necks. I would guard the reputation of this “highway of the nation” - so I lay the case before you and earnestly implore you not to treat as jests or irony my talk of fearful wrecks. Respectfully yours, I.B. Howe

Litigation, poetry and sketches And of course there was litigation. It is said that Ike published a book of Railway Rhymes that was used by the railroad in the successful defense of a claim in a court battle but this book is not yet discovered. Also cartoon-like sketches depicting persons and events regarding the history of the railroad. Letters to I.B. Howe from Gen. Manager James Henry Howe in praise for the settlement of some claims and sketches we know nothing about, apparently of the Excursion of the Elkhorns to the 100th meridian. a collection of sketches made over many years. Sadly the only sketch we have is John I. Blair at St. Peter’s gate.

Personal injury litigation had not come close to reaching the fever pitch it has in recent times, but the accident reports submitted for 1868 were horrendous. Eastern Iowa had some derailment accidents because the older iron rails were beginning to deteriorate. The Western rails were newer so those accidents were of the common kind. Some accidents sound like the result of “hobos” trying to sneak a ride on a moving train.

• Jan69

As various charters were changing and railroads were bankrupting or being transferred litigation was common. In later years Ike was called upon for his testimony. Altho’ this entry was in the last few years of his life and career, he was actually only 47.

ROCKFORD, ROCK ISLAND AND ST. LOUIS Railroad Company President's Office June 25th, 1874 I.B. Howe Esq. Clinton Iowa Dear Sir -- An application has been made to the U.S. Court at Chicago, among other things, for the appointment of the receiver to manage the affairs of the Rockford Rock Island and St. Louis Railroad Company during the pendency of the suit for a foreclosure of the Mortgages. I desire to fully justify my management and for that purpose desire to get two or three competent railroad managers to examine into the present condition of the track, rolling stock etc. and give to the court in the form of affidavits the results of this investigation. Knowing your experience in such matters and believing that you would willingly do me a favor, I take the liberty of asking you to join with some two or three other railroad men in a trip over the road having that object in view. I will put the necessary car and engine under your command and see that you have every assistance to facilitate such examination and take as little as possible of your valuable time. The gross income of the road has been about $1,000,000 per year, and it is complained that too large a proportion of this has been used in expenses of operating and keeping up the road, and I desire to have your judgment as a railroad man and one who knows something of the road before I became its Manager, of its conduct in that regard -- We will want to leave Rock Island early Tuesday, June 30th for the trip. Truly yours R. R. Cable

Patents and Snowplows In January of 1869 Ike received a letter from Dr. Williams who was now the Gen. Superintendent of the Pennsylvania Railroad Company in Altoona. He begins by referring to the difficulty getting "Old Davis" passes and favors over the railroads. He then indicates that patents among railroad companies are not being honored, but goes on to mention that the pattern for a snowplow that Ike designed is being used at St. Albans, which at that time was a primary railroad entry point from Montréal and Canada. We know Ike designed many things but are not aware of him patenting a snowplow. Maybe it doesn’t matter since patents were apparently frowned on.

Messages about coal. More worry! [written on envelope, no date, from JA Head and JC Gault] Early locomotives were wood-burning and went through a lot of it! So much so that forests along the railroad routes began to disappear. In photographs of this period it is typical to see that locomotives from the west have the large funnel shaped smokestacks of a wood burner but those of the east had the cylindrical stack of the coal burner. But of course coal soon became scarce as well because of the huge demand. Like many things, the supply side just needed to catch up, with discoveries of new sources of cheaper coal. The following messages from JA Head and JC Gault are not dated but no doubt around this late 1860s period.

Whiskey Bottom and Ames Deviltry A particularly intriguing sequence of communications was regarding the wrecking and robbery of trains between Tama and Ames. This all took place between 20-26 April 1869. On the envelope Ike wrote "Whiskey Bottom and Ames Deviltry". It seems various members of the crew caught wind of the plots and passed on the information to Ike leading to a plan to catch the culprits. In the first sequence it appears it is a wrecking plot, particularly one at the Iowa river bridge, a major crossing between Tama and Marshal. When robbers are mentioned, the payroll is on board and an out of town thief has been brought in, so it begins to look like a classic train robbery. We have been unable to determine the outcome but it appears the results were favorable.

Iowa Politics- Spring of 1870 During this period railroads were constantly in battles with the government over taxes/tariffs and regulations. Government had invested heavily in railroads and now that railroads were beginning to succeed and show profits, government wanted to control them and recoup its investment. Maj. E. S. Bailey was attorney for the C. & N. W. R. R. since 1867, keeping Ike up to date on politics. The following are also excellent examples of ‘lobbying’ as used by railroads employing skilled fighters to win these battles. Hoxie is the same powerful Iowa politician Herbert Hoxie who was used by Durant advocating for the Union Pacific cause during construction of the transcontinental railroad.

Earlier communications between Hoxie and Durant show how parallel were the political objectives of the Union Pacific and the C&NW crossing Iowa.  As an example, back before the Great Consolidation, Hoxie and Durant were closely following what the future C&NW was accomplishing across Iowa. This Iowa road would ultimately connect Durant’s UP rail with Chicago and the East.

As the decade of the 1860s drew to a close, it began to appear that much of Ike's activity was shaped by his health. In fact the railroad company itself may have come to deal with him differently for precisely that reason. We are aware of frequent references to his health and occasional travel for his health. During the spring of 1870 he took a leave of absence and went to stay with the Gould family in Janesville for several weeks since it was considered a more healthful location.

It is likely he was considering leaving the company and returning to New England. There are several indications. We learn that rather than allowing Ike to leave Iowa the Chicago Northwestern brought in his friend John Watkins to take over the Iowa Division and offered Ike the position of Chief Engineer of the railroad. We do not know for certain at what point he accepted but while he was regaining his health that summer in Clinton he received letters from two of his colleagues offering their services in this new job. *july70

Also that summer, New England cousins Allen Knight and his daughter Maria came to visit. This visit was significant for several reasons. Allen's wife had just died and Annie was about to give birth to a daughter Daisy and because of Ike's health they needed the support of ‘Ria’ and her father. On this occasion Cousin Ria had an opportunity to meet Ike's nephew Malvard Tucker who she would soon marry. Cousin Malvard had a position with the U.S. Treasury Department in Washington DC.

The Iowa Midland RR The indications are that Ike's health returned to some extent, but before he was able to begin working as Chief Engineer he was given a new project. In the early 60s a road had begun building out to the Northwest from Clinton through Maquoketa to Anamosa. This line was named the Iowa Midland railroad and was planned to connect with several other roads at Cedar Rapids, but was never completed. In August C&NW president John Turner asked Ike to snoop out the situation since it had been relatively dormant for years.

Chicago, August 9, 1870 I desire to get some facts about the condition and prospects of the Midland R. R. a road running from Clinton through Lyons, Maquoketa and Anamosa, (NW of Clinton) and I shall be obliged, if you will give me, what information you may have, or be able to obtain upon the following points. 1 st What has been done about the organization of the Company, who are in it, and about the location, building and operating the road. 2d Where have they got their means? 3d How much iron have they and who did they get it from? 4th What relation have they with a road to Chicago or Milwaukie? 5th Who represents and helps them in New York? Add to this whatever other information you think of value to us, or which we should know at your early convenience. Yours very truly, John B. Turner

We can get a sense for Ike’s response from scrawled pencil notes at the bottom of the second sheet below the text of the message. The notes appear to correspond with the numbered questions. Note that there is no mention of Col William Shaw of Anamosa, but several political connections.

Dr. E.M. Davis; Directing between Cl--& Mo. river-- Judge Porter of Elkorn V.P.; Senator Atkins of Ida Co.; Wright of Ssnuk? Stock Subscrip Cl. To Anamosa about $200,000; Sub. rent of Anamosa better than this-- Purchase of Iron & ties by L.E. Hinkley to reach to Anamosa-- Same organization – Prest.]

By November a telegram from Dunlap let Ike know that he would be taking charge of the Midland.

Western Union telegrams for I.B. Howe, 5th Ave. Chicago 12 [Nov] I.B. Howe - Do not go until we see you tomorrow morning. If matters go as we have every reason to expect & hope they will we shall depend upon you to assume charge of the Midland and attend to its building & operation. - Geo. L. Dunlap Chicago 27 [Nov]

And another letter to Col. William Tuckerman Shaw of the Midland advising that he was delegating to his Chief Engineer the job of supervising the remaining construction. So from this point on the Iowa Midland would be completed as part of the C&NW. IB Howe would be acting as its Supt. while at the same time Chief Engineer of the C&NW. *nov70

Col. Shaw was a longtime resident and leading citizen of Anamosa. He was a driving force in connecting the Dubuque & South Western railway to Anamosa from Farley in 1857. He also at some point connected this line with Marion on the outskirts of Cedar Rapids. By 1870 he was pushing ahead with the Midland trying to finish the connection with Anamosa. During the war Col. Shaw led the 14th Iowa volunteers into several battles. While he had the respect of his men, his brusque and overbearing manners were not appreciated by his commanders. After the bloody battle of Shiloh there is indication he was cashiered and perhaps even imprisoned for criticizing three union generals. Considering how abruptly Dunlap removed the Midland project from his control and gave it to Ike, it would be fascinating to know how the two got along. We don't know that but we do know they got the job done. By the end of summer Ike wrote to Cousin George Peabody inviting him to take a ride. While some of the construction of the Midland from Clinton is not clear, 72 miles is a significant amount of the distance. The Anamosa branch connection from Clinton was finally completed by November 1871 when Ike wrote:

Bridge building Following the war and Great Consolidation the remainder of the Mississippi bridge was completed and opened to trains on 1 January 1865. Prior to a Supreme Court decision in 1862 there had been lawsuits by the riverboats against railroad bridges as hazarding navigation. Fascinating that Jefferson Davis had represented steamboats against Lincoln who successfully represented railroads. An interesting look into the construction of the Clinton bridge is in the following letter asking for Ike's judgment on the builders.

SAINT PAUL AND CHICAGO RAILWAY. Chief Engineer's Office of the Minnesota Railway Construction Company, Minneapolis, Minn. August 4, 1870 I.B. Howe Esq., Chief Engr. Dear Sir I have been informed that 8 spans of the Iron bridge at Clinton were built as follows: 2 spans by S. B. Boomer 2 “ “ Keystone Bridge Co. 2 “ “ Detroit Bridge works and 2 “ “ Kellogg, Clarke and Co. all of the same length and to the same specifications. I would deem it a great favor if you would write me which of these spans you prefer and if not too much trouble please write me your reasons for the same. An early reply will oblige. Yours truly, D.C. Shepard, Chf Eng. This may have got Ike thinking seriously about the future of bridge building and more specifically about the future of iron bridges. During the winter of 1870 he was investigating the bridge building industry. He realized the value of iron bridges but was concerned that the timing was not right yet for iron to be affordable by cash-strapped railroads. His letter from Onslow Stearns gives an indication that he might have been considering a move back to New England and taking up a new enterprise. This was at the same time Abijah was in his final year of life.

J Gregory Smith's advice on iron bridges was positive. The wooden Harlow Bridge near Northfield is particularly significant since in Dec 1867 it had burned completely from an engine’s ember, pointing out the need for iron bridges.  This became a notorious disaster three days later when a commuter train bringing construction crews to repair it, plunged into the ravine killing 15 and maiming many. *dec70

Charles Kellogg was a well regarded bridge builder from Buffalo with a long history of building railroad bridges, including a section of the Mississippi Bridge at Clinton. This letter shows Ike interested in purchasing stock in his company and goes along with his interest in building railroad bridges. Kellogg concludes with: "...you have got onto one of those railroads that have but one end to them and that is the end you commenced on and you cannot find a place to stop. And probably there will never be but the one end until you reach the Pacific and you will then want a bridge to the Sandwich Islands and I will be there to build it for you." *jan71

As the new decade of 1870 began, Ike buried both his father and father-in-law. At some point he made the decision to create a monument for the cemetery. He designed it and had it cut. This monument stands adjacent to the tall spire for governor Paine and is a striking edifice in Northfield's Elmwood cemetery. The Gould plot is nearby looking stately and grand, and again nearby is the plot of Asa and Ann which are as plain and simple as Ike's is grand. Which seems to match the personality of that brother. At this point he was using the letterhead of the Iowa Midland Railway of which he was Supt. — Preceding unsigned comment added by MarkWHowe (talk • contribs) 23:56, 25 April 2024 (UTC)