CHAPTER VI.
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RAILROADS AND MOTOR LINES.
RAILROAD MEETINGS—WORTHINGTON AND SIOUX FALLS
R.R.—CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL R.R.—BURLINGTON, CEDAR RAPIDS AND
NORTHERN R.R.—ILLINOIS CENTRAL R.R.—WILLMAR AND SIOUX FALLS R.R.—SOUTH
SIOUX FALLS RAILROAD AND RAPID TRANSIT—SOUTH DAKOTA RAPID TRANSIT AND RAILWAY
CO.—SIOUX FALLS, YANKTON AND SOUTHWESTERN RAILWAY—SCHEDULE OF DISTANCES FROM
SIOUX FALLS TO RAILROAD STATIONS IN THIS COUNTY AND OTHER IMPORTANT
POINTS—ALTITUDES.
Early in the history of the
settlement of Minnehaha county, her enterprising citizens, especially those
residing at Sioux Falls, were engaged in projects to obtain railroad connections
with the outside world.
The people of the little village of Sioux Falls
recognized the advantages of its location and were filled with great
expectations that at some time in the near future a prosperous city would
rapidly spring up on the banks of the Sioux. To hasten the time when this
should be accomplished, nothing promised greater results than securing railroad
connections.
On Monday evening, August 20, 1874, with only a few
hours notice, a large assembly convened at Allen’s hall in Sioux Falls to
consider the question of offering some inducement for the building of a railroad
into town. Right here, at the first railroad meeting ever held within the
boundaries of Minnehaha county the people were told that if Sioux Falls was ever
to be anything but a village, railroad facilities must be secured; and this
statement has been made with great earnestness at every railroad meeting held
since then, whenever steps were being taken to secure a new line of road.
Meetings of this character usually result in passing a resolution at least, and
this meeting resolved as follows: “That the town of Sioux Falls and
Minnehaha county will donate to the first railroad that is completed to this
place fifty thousand dollars, provided said road reaches Sioux Falls by the
first day of November, 1876.” From information received in reference to
this meeting we know that some of those present thought that November 1, 1876,
was the latest day Sioux Falls could get along without a railroad, and others
thought that it was as early a date as the funds could be secured.
From this time on, the people never let the railroad
question rest, and all sorts of projects and schemes were devised to get a
railroad; and the town was exceedingly fortunate in having among its early
settlers some of the most energetic, enterprising and capable men that ever
settled in a new country.
On the 2d day of November, 1875, a large and
enthusiastic crowd of people gathered at Allen’s hall to consider an offer
that had been made to the people of Minnehaha county by the Sioux City and
Pembina railroad company to build a railroad to Sioux Falls and have it in
operation by the 1st day of November, 1876, upon the condition that Minnehaha
county would raise $100,000 in aid of the project.
Resolutions were passed to the effect that the interest
of Minnehaha county demanded a railroad, and that the citizens would do all in
their power to aid any company to build a road to Sioux Falls; also that
immediate steps be taken to organize a local company, survey a route, open stock
books and solicit subscriptions along the line of survey. A committee was
appointed to institute the necessary proceedings to this end, consisting of M.L.
Wood, E.A. Sherman, Joseph Roberts, Newton Clark, R.F. Pettigrew, J.D. Cameron
and Melvin Grigsby. The committee met the day following, and after
reviewing the situation it was decided “to organize a railroad company to be
known as the Sioux Falls Railroad Company,” having for its object the building
of a railroad, with one of its termini at Yankton and the other at a point on
the eastern boundary of Dakota in the town of Valley Springs. M. Grigsby
was appointed to draft the articles of incorporation, and on November 10, the
organization was perfected. The company consisted of M. Grigsby, E.A.
Sherman, R.F. Pettigrew, A.F. Shaw, Joseph Roberts, M.L. Wood and J.D. Cameron,
who at once caused a survey to be made of the line.
Another railroad meeting of the citizens of Minnehaha
county was held in Sioux Falls on the 22d day of January, 1876, and although the
expression was unanimous in favor of aiding any railroad company in building
into Sioux Falls, still, the general opinion was that $50,000 would be as much
as the county could afford to donate. During the month of March, 1876, the
Worthington and Sioux Falls railroad company was organized at St. Paul, with the
view of making a connection with the road to be built by the Sioux Falls
company, and this company proceeded to build a railroad from Worthington in the
direction of Sioux Falls, completing its line to Luverne during the fall of
1877.
At the citizen’s meeting held September 5, 1877, in
Sioux Falls, some of the officials of the Sioux City and St. Paul and St. Paul
and Sioux City Railroad company made the following proposition: “If the
citizens of Minnehaha county will vote us aid to the amount of $25,000, and the
village of Sioux Falls will vote us an additional amount of $10,000, we will
build and equip a railroad to Sioux Falls on or before October 1, 1878.”
On the 28th day of September, 1877, Horace Thompson of St. Paul, president of
the Worthington and Sioux Falls Railroad Co., addressed a letter to the
commissioners of Minnehaha county, proposing to build that line of road into
Sioux Falls by the first day of October, 1878, if certain conditions contained
in the letter were complied with. He required that the County of Minnehaha
should raise $25,000 in aid of the road, and said in this communication that he
made this proposition with the expectation that Sioux Falls would raise an
additional sum of $10,000, and that the company controlling the charter to the
Minnesota line would turn over to the Worthington and Sioux Falls company its
charters, surveys, right of way, deeds, or releases of the whole line, including
land at terminus in Sioux Falls for depot and side tracks, free from all
expense. This communication was received by the county board on October 1,
and on that day the board decided to submit to the election of the county the
question of bonding the county in the sum of $25,000 in aid of the road, as
proposed, the bonds to run twenty years, with interest at ten per cent., and not
to be issued by the board until Sioux Falls had raised $10,000 for the same
purpose. The question was submitted at the general election in November,
and resulted adversely to the issuance of the bonds, the vote standing 304 for,
and 492 against.
After this defeat, the proposition made by the
Worthington and Sioux Falls company was modified, and a proposition was
submitted to the people of Sioux Falls, offering to build a road into Sioux
Falls before the 1st day of November, 1878, provided they would raise $20,000 in
aid of the road, and comply with the conditions first proposed in reference to
the right of way and depot grounds. The citizens of Sioux Falls by this
time were determined that the road being built west from Worthington and then
completed and in operation to Luverne, should be extended with the greatest
possible dispatch to Sioux Falls. Fifty-two citizens of Sioux Falls
petitioned the board to trustees of the village to submit the question of
bonding the village for this purpose, in the sum of $20,000, to the electors of
the village, and a meeting of the village council was called for December 15, to
consider the propriety of so doing.
When the meeting convened, President Howard and
Trustees Sherman, VanEps and Phillips were present, Trustee Callender absent.
A motion was made to grant the request of the petitioners, which received an
unanimous vote, and the election was called for January 15, 1878. The
result of this election was 102 votes for and three against bonding.
At a special meeting of the village board held March
29, 1878, the bonds voted by the corporation were signed by C.K. Howard,
president, and C.O. Natesta, clerk, and put into the hands of the village
treasurer to be turned over to the Sioux Falls Railroad company at the proper
time. The bonds having been issued, the Sioux Falls company was merged into the
Worthington and Sioux Falls Railroad company, and the extension of its line
secured.
Sioux Falls was now sure of a railroad, and her people
watched the approach of the iron rail with great pleasure, and every issue of
the local newspapers announced the progress that was being made. It
reached Valley Springs the first of June, and on Monday, the 4th day of June,
the company opened its office at that place for business. Brandon, the
next station, was reached on the 15th day of July, although considerable grading
had been done on the line west of that place. On Thursday, August 1, 1878,
the first rain with passengers in charge of Peter Becker, conductor, reached
Sioux Falls between twelve and 1 o’clock in the afternoon, to be accurate,
12:40. A few gentlemen from Sioux Falls met this train at Brandon and
decorated the engine with flags and streamers, and when the train reached it
destination it was greeted by a band of music, led by T.H. Brown, and the cheers
and shouts of a large assemblage of people.
It is easy to imagine something of the feeling
pervading the people on this occasion, after having so long and so diligently
labored for railroad facilities to find at last the work had been accomplished,
and their ears could hear the whistle of a locomotive, and their eyes see a
train of cars in Sioux Falls.
The writer was in Eau Claire, Wisconsin, on the 11th
day of September, 1870, when the first railroad train came into that city.
It was a great day, and the people for miles around decided to make the most of
it. Thousands of people were in attendance, and when the train approached
bands of music played, cannons boomed, and the crowd set up a mighty shout.
A few rods form the depot a large, well-dressed woman sat in a two-seated
carriage with a driver in front, and the spirited horses attached to her
carriage became frightened and commenced to run, when she shouted “let them
run, let them run, I have been in the west sixteen years, and this is the first
time I have seen the cars.”
The first passenger fare established to St. Paul was
$9.75, to Sioux City via Worthington, $6.20. Freight rates to St. Paul
were as follows:
First-class
$1.00 per hundred pounds
Second-class $.90 per
hundred pounds
Third-class
$.70 per hundred pounds
Fourth-class $.60
per hundred pounds
Lumber
$60 per car
Wheat
$.30 cents per bushel
The trains from St. Paul arrived at 11:45 A.M., and
departed at 1:15 P.M. During August and September following, the company
erected depot buildings, engine house, and an elevator with a capacity of 60,000
bushel.
The Worthington and Sioux Falls line was extended to
Salem in McCook county during the fall of 1879, and was eventually absorbed by
the Chicago, St. Paul, Minneapolis and Omaha Railroad Company.
THE CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL RAILROAD.
Having secured one railroad, the enterprising business
men of Sioux Falls set about the securing of other lines into the city.
During the latter part of the year 1878, the Sioux City
and Pembina railroad had completed it line to Beloit, and, like all railroad
corporations, wanted a donation for the people residing along the line as it
proceeded to build. It proposed to build to Sioux Falls during the year
1879, provided an appropriation should be made by her people for that purpose.
At this time the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul company was building west from
McGregor, and was getting its line within hailing distance, and although the
proposed route entered Dakota south of Minnehaha county, it was thought
advisable to made the attempt to divert it from its course and secure its
extension to Sioux Falls.
A railroad company was organized at Sioux Falls called
the Sioux Falls and Red River company, and had for its initial object the
securing of the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul line of road. This
corporation consisted of B.F. Campbell, M.Grigsby, Wm. VanEps, C.K. Howard, J.M.
Washburn, A. Gale, E.W. Caldwell, H. Callender, N.E. Phillips and T.H. Brown of
Sioux Falls, and W.J. Sibbison and R.S. Alexander of Dell Rapids.
As soon as incorporated, the company conferred with the
management of the C., M. and St. P.R.R. Co., in reference to securing that line
of road, but after brief negotiations it was found impossible to divert it from
its proposed route, or to secure any assurance that it would build a branch line
to Sioux Falls.
During the early part of 1879, the Pembina company
manifested a disposition to build to Sioux Falls, but at the same time it wanted
a donation, and submitted to the people at different times, propositions for
extending its line to Sioux Falls, and promised to have the road in operation
before January 1, 1880.
On the 26th day of July, it finally proposed that it
would do so if Sioux Falls would donate depot grounds and secure the right of
way from Canton. This offer was promptly accepted and the right of way
secured, and on the 18th day of December, 1879, the first train over this road
arrived in Sioux Falls. During the month of October, 1879, the Sioux City
and Pembina, and Dakota Southern railroad companies consolidated, and on the
first day of April, 1880, the Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul company absorbed
it into its railroad system.
Another road, the Southern Minnesota, during 1879 was
rapidly coming west through southern Minnesota and it was thought desirable that
this road should build down the valley of the Sioux to Sioux Falls. It was
not very greedy in its demand for a donation for building to Sioux Falls, but
asked that depot grounds in the village and the right of way for ten miles north
of the corporation limits be given. This proposition was accepted, and the road
secured and completed into Sioux Falls in 1881, and was soon absorbed by the
Chicago, Milwaukee and St. Paul Railroad Company.
BURLINGTON, CEDAR RAPIDS AND NORTHERN RAILROAD.
As early as the 13th day of August, 1884, P.P. Peck,
then one of the aldermen of Sioux Falls, asked the city council, “to
appropriate $500 to make a permanent survey of a line of railroad from Sioux
Falls east to a point in Osceola or Lyon counties, Iowa, to intersect with the
Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern railroad.” This was done by an
unanimous vote, and a warrant ordered drawn in the sum of $100, “to pay the
incidental expenses of such survey.” A few months later a warrant was
drawn for $400 to defray the expenses of the survey that had been made.
The foregoing is the first record the writer has been
able to find of any attempt made to get the Burlington line of road into Sioux
Falls.
During 1885 the subject was discussed, but no definite
action taken.
At the railroad meeting held in Sioux Falls January 2,
1886, the Burlington, Cedar Rapids and Northern Railroad Company made a
proposition to extend its line to Sioux Falls during the year 1886. To do
this it required that a fund of $80,000 be raised by the people residing along
the proposed route from Ellsworth to Sioux Falls, and that the right of way and
depot grounds be donated. Previous to this, the Sioux Falls, Iowa and
Northern Railroad Company had been formed, and the final result of this meeting
was to pass a resolution as follows: “Resolved, that it is taken to be
the sense of the meeting that the officers of the Sioux Falls, Iowa and Northern
railroad be requested to draw a guarantee of the proposition here submitted by
President Ives, and present the same to the people of Sioux Falls for their
signature, and that the chairman of this meeting appoint a committee of five for
that purpose.” This meeting was well attended and those present were in
a mood to promise almost anything to secure this road, in fact, some of them
said, “Sioux Falls could not prosper without it.” An agreement was
drawn up and signed by the committee on the part of Sioux Falls, and by
President Ives on the part of the railroad company to carry into effect the
proposition as first made. It was estimated that Sioux Falls would have to
raise $50,000 of the $80,000 asked for, and the contract was made accordingly.
On the 11th day of January, 1886, the city council
convened in special session to consider a petition that had been circulated and
largely signed, asking the council to levy a tax on all the taxable property in
the city, sufficiently large to raise $50,000, or else submit to the people the
question of bonding the city in that sum to secure the building of this road to
Sioux Falls.
The council referred the petition to the finance
committee, with instruction to report at the next meeting, and then adjourned
until the next day. On the 12th day of January the committee reported,
recommending the council to submit the question of bonding the city in the sum
of $50,000 in aid of the road, to the electors of Sioux Falls, and that the
election be held on the 9th of February, 1886.
The council at once passed a resolution calling the
election, as recommended by the committee. Within a day or two after this
action had been taken, it was discovered that $50,000 would not be sufficient to
meet the obligations assumed by the citizens committee, and a public meeting was
held to take the subject into consideration.
At this meeting it was thought advisable to raise
$60,000, as it would require at least $10,000 to get the right of way and depot
grounds in Minnehaha county. A resolution was passed, requesting the city
council to submit the question of bonding the city in the sum of $60,000 to a
vote of the people. In a called session on the 20th day of January, the
city council rescinded its former action in the matter, and ordered the question
submitted to a vote of the people on the 16th day of February, 1886, in
accordance with the terms of the resolution adopted at the citizens’ meeting.
The election was held and resulted in there being 709
votes cast, of which 671 were in favor of issuing bonds, and 38 against.
On the 26th day of February the vote was canvassed and
the bonds ordered issued—120 in number, of $500 each, at 7 per cent, interest,
to become due in twenty years. On the 12th day of May the city council
directed the mayor and clerk to sign the bonds and deposit them in the Minnehaha
National Bank. This issue of bonds was at a later date destroyed, owing to
some informalities, and on the 9th day of March, 1887, a new issue of bonds was
made in the same amount, to run for twenty years from date.
The road was completed into Sioux Falls on the 26th day
of October, 1886, J.W. Boyce driving the last spike at 11 o’clock A.M., and
the ringing of church bells and blowing of steam whistles announced to the
people that the B., C.R.&N. railroad was completed. A freight train
arrived that day over the road, and the following day, at 3 o’clock P.M., a
passenger train left for Ellsworth, to connect with the through train from
Watertown, and on the 1st day of November, 1886, regular passenger trains
commenced running.
In securing the right of way through the county, and in
getting the other towns along the line to Ellsworth to donate their
proportionate share, required not a little work on the part of Sioux Falls.
Thomas H. Brown did a good deal of this work, and is entitled to a large share
of the credit in obtaining this line of road.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL RAILROAD.
On the 26th day of April, 1887, a public meeting was
held at Cherokee, Iowa, to take action in the matter of inducing the Illinois
Central Railroad Company to build a branch to Sioux Falls. It was a
well-attended meeting of the business men of Cherokee, and they were alive to
the advantages the city would secure by the building of this road. A
committee was appointed to confer with the officials of the road, and to set
before them the advantages that Cherokee had over all other towns on the line as
a terminus of a branch road to Sioux Falls. The committee had also
instruction to confer with the people of Sioux Falls, and get them interested in
the enterprise.
This may be said to be the initial step that culminated
in securing to Sioux Falls a connection with the Illinois Central, although the
citizens of Sioux Falls had before this taken some action in the same direction.
About four o’clock in the afternoon of Thursday, May
12, 1887, a delegation of twenty-two gentlemen arrived in Sioux Falls in the
interest of the proposed railroad from Cherokee. This delegation was made
up of business men from Cherokee, Primgar, Sheldon and Rock Rapids. They
were expected to arrive the next day, but the citizens were ready for them, and
dodgers were at once circulated, calling the business men to assemble at the
Cataract house that evening to confer with the delegation regarding the
projected railroad connection.
Representatives of all the various interests in the
city responded to the call, and the visitors were assured that nothing would
please the people of Sioux Falls more, than to secure the railroad connection
they desired.
Just prior to this time, it had been intimated in
railroad circles that the Illinois Central had a project to extend its road from
Fort Dodge to Sioux Falls, and from whatever point this road commenced to build
through northwestern Iowa, the people of Sioux Falls were determined to offer
such inducements as to secure the connection. R.F. Pettigrew, A. Beveridge,
C.E. McKinney, E.A. Sherman and Major E.G. Smith were appointed on the part of
Sioux Falls to act with the delegations present from the several localities,
with instructions to do everything possible to secure the road.
The delegations returned home the next day, and
reported they had been enthusiastically received all along the line, and that
the people were alive to the importance of energetic, concerted action, if they
were to secure the road from Cherokee to Sioux Falls.
Sioux Falls had been fixed upon by the Central, as the
ultimate terminus of the proposed branch, and whether it was to commence at Fort
Dodge, Tara, Manson, or Cherokee, (although her citizens preferred it should be
at Cherokee) she was reasonably certain of the connection.
On the 22d day of May, 1887, the officials of the
Illinois Central visited Cherokee, and the advantages and feasibility of the
route from Cherokee to Sioux Falls were so strongly presented to them by the
people of that enterprising city, that they secured an order directing Division
Superintendent Gilleas to make a survey of the route at once.
On Wednesday, June 1, 1887, D.C. Rice of Sioux Falls,
who had been summoned to Cherokee, returned home and reported that the route had
been divided into three surveying districts—one from Cherokee to Sheldon, one
from Sheldon west, and one from Sioux Falls east; that he had charge of the one
from Sioux Falls, and had received instructions to push his work with all
possible vigor, and that he would commence the next day.
June 2, 1887, Superintendent Gilleas was in Sioux
Falls, and he said the survey would be completed over the entire route within
two weeks. On Wednesday, July 11, he again visited Sioux Falls,
accompanied by Wm. J. Knight, attorney of the Illinois Central railroad, and it
was soon known that they came with authority to contract for the building of the
road from Cherokee to Sioux Falls before January 1, 1888. As usual on
occasions like this, a meeting was held at the Cataract house in the evening.
It was largely attended by representative business men, and without any delay
Mr. Knight made the following proposition: “The Illinois Central will at
once commence grading and have its line from Cherokee to Sioux Falls in
operation by January 1, 1888, if the city of Sioux Falls will secure it depot
grounds and the right of way thereto from the corporation limits.” The
proposition was accompanied with a statement that the depot ground wanted by the
company was a strip of land 300 feet wide and about 2,000 feet long, on the east
side of the river north of Eighth street, between the river bank and the Omaha
track, and that the company desired the right of way to the packing house,
polishing works and quarries, and sufficient ground for stock yard and
roundhouse purposes.
Before this, the people of Sioux Falls had agreed with
the towns east, through which the road was to be built, that Sioux Falls would
secure the right of way in Minnehaha county. After the proposition had
been submitted by Mr. Knight, it was discussed fully by those present and
finally submitted to a vote, and it was unanimously decided to accept the
proposition. A committee was then appointed, consisting of R.F. Pettigrew,
C.E. McKinney, E.G. Smith, E.A. Sherman and C.O. Bailey, to obtain a guaranty
that the agreement would be carried out, and to arrange with the company in
reference to all matters contained in its proposition.
Although this project of building the road from
Cherokee to Sioux Falls was being carried on by the Illinois Central company,
still it could not do it directly, as its charter obtained from the State of
Illinois did not permit it to construct any railroad lines outside of the state,
but it could acquire possession of railroads by purchase or consolidation.
To avoid this inhibition, the Cherokee and Dakota, a construction company, was
incorporated, composed of prominent officials of the Illinois Central.
On Tuesday, July 12, 1887, a large delegation came over
from Rock Rapids for the purpose of seeing what could be done in reference to
the right of way nine miles in length, in Minnesota. This delegation
wanted Sioux Falls to take care of it, as they had all they could do at Rock
Rapids, having to procure thirty-two miles of right of way in Lyon county
besides depot grounds. The result of this conference was an agreement that
Sioux Falls should obtain the right of way in Minnesota.
The following Thursday prominent officials of the
Illinois Central came to Sioux Falls and informed the people just what was
wanted to settle the question whether the road would be built or not. Some
of the requirements it was impossible to perform, and soon after, E.A. Sherman
and R.F. Pettigrew went to Dubuque to confer further with the railroad
officials, and obtain, if possible, such modifications of the contract as would
enable the people of Sioux Falls to enter into it, feeling assured that they
could perform the obligations assumed.
In this mission they were successful, and Mr. Sherman
returned to Sioux Falls. On Tuesday, July 26, 1887, he started out with a
contract of guaranty to obtain the signatures of the business men of the city,
and the amount they would be individually responsible for if the road was built
in 1887. The city had bonded for $60,000 in building the B., C.R. and N.
railroad, and had promised the Willmar and Sioux Falls company $60,000 more, and
it looked like a big job to secure $40,000 for this road, and it was probable
that it could not be obtained for a less sum.
Mr. Sherman put in a good day’s work, and at night
had $30,000 subscribed. Thirteen men had subscribed $1,000 each, and
thirty-four men $500 each. The next day he increased the guaranty to
$42,250, and then telegraphed the officials of the Illinois Central that the
guaranty was completed in accordance with the Dubuque agreement. Thursday
evening a public meeting was held, but it was only necessary as a ratification
meeting, and it is safe to say that a Sioux Falls audience was never in a
happier mood. A committee was appointed to secure the right of way,
consisting of E.A. Sherman, R.F. Pettigrew, C.E. McKinney, H.M. Avery and R.G.
Parmley.
On Saturday, July 30, 1887, the guaranty was accepted
by the railroad officials, and the grading of the road let, to be completed
within sixty days, and the people of Sioux Falls retired that night assured of
another connection with a great railroad system.
E.A. Sherman, R.F. Pettigrew and R.G. Parmley went into
Minnesota to secure the right of way, in fact, all along the line as far as
Sioux Falls was to obtain it, and one of the committee reported that when they
were all together they could always secure it. Pettigrew and Sherman would
get the men into their barns and Parmley would go into their houses and by his
bland smiles, winning deportment and entertaining songs would so please the
ladies that when they came to the point of contracting for the amount that
should be paid, they always found the wives more liberal than the husbands.
On the 12th day of August, 1887, this committee reported that they had secured
the right of way through Minnesota, except for a short distance over the
property of two nonresidents, and that in so doing, had contracted to pay
$6,400.
The first iron rail laid on this road was on Monday,
September 26, 1887, at Cherokee, Iowa.
Monday, December 19, 1887, was a cold day, but nearly
five hundred men with two hundred teams were approaching the terminus of the
Illinois Central in the city of Sioux Falls, laying the iron rail as they
advanced, and the whole city was ready for a burst of enthusiasm when the last
spike should be driven. At just 11:30 o’clock, P.M., everything was
ready, when Mayor Norton, wielding the sledge with a few well directed blows,
sent the last spike home, and the whole city was soon made aware by the great
commotion that followed that Sioux Falls had an air line railroad connection
with Chicago.
It had been previously arranged that a banquet should
be given the officials of the Illinois Central when the road was completed, and
the evening of the 19th day of December had been fixed upon as the time, and as
Governor L.K. Church was to be in the city on that day, it was made a dual
affair in honor of the officials and his excellency. At midnight Mayor
Norton appeared at the banquet room with the railroad officials, and as the
governor and other invited guests were present all sat down to one of the most
elegant spreads Sioux Falls had ever given. E.W. Caldwell was toastmaster,
and called on Governor Church to welcome the Central to Dakota, which he did in
a splendid speech. This was followed by speeches form D.R. bailey and Major E.G.
Smith on the part of Sioux Falls. General Manager Jeffries then made the
speech of the occasion, and eloquently asserted that notwithstanding a majority
of the stock and bonds of this company was held by foreigners it was American to
the core. Speeches from F.R. Aikens, C.H. Winsor and E.G. Wright followed,
and the gathering dispersed after having given three cheers and a tiger for the
Queen City.
On Thursday, December 22, $30,000 was paid out in Sioux
Falls to the laborers on the new line of road.
Freight trains commenced running on this road in
January, 1888. A Cherokee accommodation train was put on April 2, and a
regular passenger train June 3, 1888.
It only remains to add that Sioux Falls fulfilled all
the obligations entered into by her citizens to secure this road, and that the
city council issued the warrants of the city in the sum of $43,329.52, to pay
for the right of way and depot grounds.
WILLMAR AND SIOUX FALLS RAILROAD.
On the 18th day of February, 1886, several business men
of Pipestone visited Sioux Falls to work up the interest among her people in
building a railroad to be known as the Willmar and Sioux Falls railroad.
They registered at the Cataract House and then called upon some of the most
prominent business men in the city, extolling the enterprise they had in hand as
only men can do who want a railroad. In the evening a meeting was held in
one of the sample rooms at the Cataract House and the project discussed in all
its phases. E.A. Sherman was chairman of the meeting, and before it
adjourned it was decided unanimously to make a move to obtain the road, and
Andrew Beveridge, C.L. Norton and Cyrus Walts were appointed a committee to act
for the city. A day or two after this meeting a local company was
organized as the Willmar and Sioux Falls Railroad Company, with $2,000,000
capital to build the line, and among the directors elected were E.A. Sherman and
H.T. Corson of Sioux Falls. On March 11, 1886, articles of incorporation
were filed with the secretary of state of Minnesota, and on April 6, the local
company ordered a preliminary survey to be made.
On Tuesday, July 20, 1886, a mass meeting was held in
Sioux Falls to get an expression of the citizens and to see what could be done
to secure the road. The meeting was quite largely attended, and resulted
in passing a resolution guaranteeing $50,000 and the right of way for the line
in Minnehaha county to the Manitoba Railway Company, if the company would build
the road into Sioux Falls.
After this time, during the year 1886, conferences were
held in St. Paul with the Manitoba management by prominent citizens of Sioux
Falls for the purpose of obtaining, if possible, the assurance that the road
would come to Sioux Falls. Nothing of a definite character was
accomplished, although he people at this end of the line were doing everything
they could to aid in the project.
On the 8th day of January, 1887, it was reported that
the surveying party was west of Willmar, and coming west, and on the 7th day of
March, that the survey had been completed to Pipestone. March 24, the
surveyors arrived in Sioux Falls, having completed the survey of the entire
line.
April 28, 1887, a meeting was held in the court house
by the citizens of Sioux Falls, for the purpose of considering a proposition
that had been made by President J.M. Spicer, which contemplated the building of
the road to Sioux Falls. It was largely attended, and the utmost
enthusiasm prevailed; and when it was known that the conditions of securing the
road were a donation of $50,000, and the right of way in Minnehaha county, it
was so good a thing that no discussion took place and the proposition was
accepted by a unanimous vote. A petition to the city council was then and
there signed by upwards of fifty taxpayers, asking the council to levy a direct
tax in aid of the road, and pledging the signers to use their best endeavors to
secure the name of every taxpayer in the city. William VanEps, W.H. Corson,
P.P. Peck, N.E. Phillips and John Sundback were appointed a committee to wait
upon the county commissioners at once, and urge them to call a special election,
and submit the question of levying a direct tax in aid of the road to the
electors of the county. A committee, consisting of M. Grigsby, C.E.
McKinney, R.F. Pettigrew, M. Gerin and J.T. Gilbert, was appointed to draw up
and circulate for signatures a guaranty to the company in sufficient amount to
secure the immediate commencement of work on the line. May 8, 1887, this
committee reported that there had been secured $48,000 upon the guaranty.
A meeting was held in Palisade township on the same day, which was largely
attended, and W.W. Coon, E. Millard and Ezra Royce were appointed a committee to
aid in securing the right of way through the township.
June 18, 1887, President Spicer came to Sioux Falls,
and upon his arrival a meeting of the citizens was called for the evening.
It was a representative gathering of the people, and when convened E.A. Sherman
stated that the people had come together to hear a report of the meeting of the
directors of the Willmar and Sioux Falls Railroad Company held at Pipestone the
day before. He said it had been determined at that meeting that the road
could not be built to Sioux Falls during the year 1887, as it was impossible to
secure the necessary ties, but that the management of the road through its
president was ready to submit a proposition to the people, which would, if
accepted, secure the road. President Spicer then came forward and
submitted the following proposition:
The Willmar and Sioux Falls Railway
Company being desirous of obtaining from the City of Sioux Falls, County of
Minnehaha, Territory of Dakota, a bonus from said city in aid of the
construction of the line of railway of said company from Willmar, Kandiyohi
county, Minnesota, to Sioux Falls, Dakota, hereby makes to said City of Sioux
Falls, the following definite proposition as heretofore mutually agreed upon:
First. The amount of such aid is
$50,000, and the right of way through Minnehaha county, Dakota, to the City of
Sioux Falls.
Second. The said amount of aid to
be paid as follows: At the time of the acceptance of this proposition the
citizens of Sioux Falls shall execute an indemnity bond to said railway company
in the amount of $50,000. Said bond to be approved by the president of
said railway company and conditioned upon the construction of said railway line
as herein proposed and the payment of the said aid as follows: At the time
of the completion of said line of railway to Sioux Falls, $50,000 in cash, with
the option on the part of the city to make said payment as follows:
$20,000 January 1, 1889; $15,000 January 1, 1890, and $15,000 January 1, 1891,
with interest thereon at the rate of 6 per cent per annum form the time when
said railway company shall have cars running to the said City of Sioux Falls.
Said right of way through Minnehaha county to the City of Sioux Falls to be
obtained at the expense of the citizens of Sioux Falls, or of Minnehaha county,
Dakota, and deeds to be placed in the hands of the said railway company on or
before September 1, 1887, and it is hereby understood and agreed that the
citizens of Sioux Falls shall fully protect and indemnify said railway company
against any cost or expense in obtaining the right of way through Minnehaha
county, Dakota, to the City of Sioux Falls.
Third. The said railway company
proposes and agrees, in consideration of said bonus, to cause to be constructed
its line of railway from Willmar, Kandiyohi county, Minnesota, to Sioux Falls,
Minnehaha county, Dakota, and to complete its line of railway and have cars
running thereon to Sioux Falls, Dakota, on or before the 1st day of January,
1889, and to grade said railway through Minnehaha county to Sioux Falls on or
before January 1, 1888.
In witness whereof said Willmar and
Sioux Falls Railway Company has on this 18th day of June, 1887, caused this
proposition to be signed by John M. Spicer, its president, and Charles C.
Goodnow, its secretary, and sealed with its corporate seal.
THE WILLMAR AND SIOUX FALLS RAILWAY COMPANY.
By John M. Spicer, President.
(Seal.)
CHARLES C. GOODNOW, Secretary.
He said that all the counties along the proposed
route in Minnesota had voted a tax and secured the right of way, except
Pipestone county, and that the people of that county would vote on the question
the following Monday. He urged the people to take prompt action in the
matter, as Sioux City on the one side, and towns west of Sioux Falls would pay
liberal bonuses to divert the road from Sioux Falls, and that Sioux City had
already offered $300,000 for the road. Other remarks were made, when R. F.
Pettigrew made a motion that the proposition submitted by accepted and the bond
given. It received a unanimous vote. A committee to secure the
guaranty was appointed, composed of John Norton, Andrew Beveridge, C.E.
McKinney, M. Gerin and J.T. Gilbert.
During the summer a good deal of speculation was
engaged in, in reference to the commencement of the work here, the location of
the depot and other matters pertaining to the road.
August 1, 1887, a large crew of men and several hundred
teams camped on the Willmar and Sioux Falls line at a point about equi-distant
from Willmar and Granite Falls, and by the 5th of September there were about one
hundred camps of graders between Willmar and Sioux Falls. September 12 it
was learned that a large force of graders had been laid off, and that there was
trouble somewhere. E.A. Sherman and R.F. Pettigrew visited St. Paul at
once and saw James J. Hill, and were not long in finding the cause of the
trouble. The Manitoba wanted depot grounds near the Omaha depot south of
Eighth street, but expected to get what land the company wanted for $25,000, but
had been asked $50,000, which sum was considered exorbitant. The result of
the interview was an order by Mr. Hill that the grading should go on, and that
the matter of depot grounds should rest until the spring of 1888, when, if
necessary, condemnation proceedings would be instituted to obtain them. At
the conclusion of the interview Mr. Hill said: “I have agreed to put my
line through to Sioux Falls, and it is going there.” This statement was
a great relief to the people of Minnehaha county, for it must be admitted that
the boomers at Sioux City had not only kept them guessing, but had given them a
great amount of hard work, and sharp work to thwart their schemes to divert the
road from its original destination.
September 20, 1887, a meeting of the directors of the
Willmar and Sioux Falls Railway Company was called at St. Paul. At this
meeting all the directors resigned and an election was held for a new board.
It was the intention to elect a director from each of the principal towns along
the road, but it resulted in retaining only President Spicer and Vice President
Sherman, the balance being made up of prominent officials of the Manitoba.
Mr. Sherman arrived home on the 22d of September, and
the next day it was known that the road had secured depot grounds in the
southwestern part of the city, but at the same time it was known that the
management still desired to obtain land near the Omaha depot for depot grounds,
if it could be obtained at a reasonable price. This it was impossible to
do, and on the 9th day of October, 1887, the depot was located where it now is.
The work of grading the road commenced early in the
spring of 1888, but was delayed by heavy rains during the latter part of the
spring and early summer, but on the first day of August a large force was put
on, and from that time the work was pushed with great vigor. The approach
of the force engaged in completing the road to Sioux Falls about October 20,
1888, astonished the people. It looked like a small, well equipped army.
Some of the boarding cars were three stories high; and when the people saw seven
hundred feet of track laid in just eight minutes, they were all ready to vote
for “Jim Hill” for president of the United States. The line was
completed to Sioux Falls at 4:30 o’clock, in the afternoon of October 25,
1888.
The first regular passenger train on the Willmar and
Sioux Falls railroad pulled out of the city of Sioux Falls at 8:30 A.M.,
November 1, 1888. The bridge not being completed over the Big Sioux river
near the company’s depot, temporary quarters had been provided on Eighth
street, east of the Omaha depot.
E.A. Sherman secured the right of way and depot grounds
for this road in Minnehaha county, and in doing so, labored hard to have it cost
the city as little as possible, but having done the best he could the city was
compelled to pay $77,403.65.
After the completion of the road, it was considered the
right thing by the citizens of Sioux Falls, to formally express to James J. Hill
its appreciation of what he had done for the city in giving her a connection
with the great combination lines of railroads under his management, and a time
had been fixed for so doing, but had been changed, and finally Tuesday, December
11, was settled upon for the occasion. At first the intention was to give
a reception to the railroad officials, but as time wore on the original plan was
enlarged and the business men of St. Paul, Minneapolis and towns along the line
were invited to the hospitalities of the city.
On Monday night, December 10, 1888, a train of nine
sleepers and day coaches started from St. Paul for Sioux Falls. At
different points along the line delegations got aboard the train, and when it
arrived at its destination there were 185 passengers. A few persons from
adjoining towns had also been invited, so that the guests of the city numbered
more than two hundred. It was a great disappointment to every one that
James J. Hill could not be present, but a law suit involving about two million
dollars detained him.
From the arrival of the train until its departure ten
hours later, nothing was left undone by the people of Sioux Falls to make the
occasion enjoyable of other guests and memorable in the annals of the Queen
City. The arrangements were simply perfect, the banquet elegant, and the
whole affair terminating in some admirable speeches in harmony with the
occasion.
SOUTH SIOUX FALLS RAILROAD AND RAPID TRANSIT.
The South Sioux Falls Railroad and Rapid Transit
company was incorporated in December, 1888.
The incorporators were R.F. Pettigrew, S.L. Tate, F.H.
Gerrish, C.G. Ferguson and F.W. Pettigrew. It was supposed at first that
the company intended to build a belt motor line around the city, the central
station to be located at South Sioux Falls.
January 4, 1889, the city council of Sioux Falls passed
an ordinance giving this company the right to build and operate a motor line
within the city limits, and the exclusive right to certain streets in the city,
commencing at the intersection of Eleventh street and Phillips avenue.
During the spring and early summer the road was graded
and ironed to South Sioux Falls. Two new passenger cars for this road arrived in
the city about the 10th day of May, 1889. The 18th day of June, 1889, the
first business was done on this road, over one thousand people being conveyed
from Eleventh street to Coats’ race track. A trial trip was made
Tuesday, June 25, 1889, to South Sioux Falls, all the city officials were
invited to honor the occasion with their presence.
During the summer of that year all sort of surmises
were made as to where the western terminus would be located, but the idea
prevailed quite generally that it was the eastern end of the Midland Pacific,
and would ultimately be built to Puget Sound.
In March, 1890, the name of this company was changed to
the Sioux Falls Terminal Railroad Company.
A portion of this line between the city of Sioux Falls
and South Sioux Falls is now operated by the Great Northern Railroad Company.
SOUTH DAKOTA RAPID TRANSIT AND RAILROAD COMPANY.
In June, 1889, it was
known in Sioux Falls that there was a project on foot to construct a motor line
from Sioux Falls to East Sioux Falls. The organization was perfected about the
1st of July of that year under the name of South Dakota Rapid Transit and
Railway Company. W.R. Kingsbury, R.J. Wells, C.C. Crandall, C.E. Johnson,
A.M. Crosby, J.T. Little, Jr., and S.C. French were elected directors, and they
elected Kingsbury, president, French, vice president, Johnson, treasurer and W.S.
Welliver, secretary.
An ordinance was passed by the city council of the city
of Sioux Falls on the 1st day of July, 1889, granting the right of way for this
company to build and operate a single track of its railway along and upon
certain streets in the city, commencing at the foot of Ninth street crossing the
Sioux river and thence east to the city limits. But before anything was
done at the west end of the line, the company and the owners of property on
Tenth street arranged for the building of a viaduct on that street, east of the
bridge over the tracks of the Milwaukee, Omaha and Great Northern railroads, and
the ordinance granting the right of way, was afterwards amended so as to begin
the line at the intersection of Tenth street and Phillips avenue.
About this time the Tenth street bridge was condemned,
and owing to the fact that this line was to cross the river on Tenth street, the
bridge was rebuilt in a most substantial manner.
As soon as the right of way through the city had been
secured the company proceeded to survey the route, and when it was completed on
the 1st of August, Engineer Jackson reported that the line was just six miles in
length. The building of the bridges on the line, seven in all, was
completed in November and track laying commenced on January 27, 1890.
About February 20, 1890, the contract was let for the
equipment of the road, all except the cars, for the sum of $35,000.
The motors for the electric cars arrived April 8, and
were taken to the engine house on block one in East Park addition. The
engine arrived on April 12, and the boiler—weighing 13,000 lbs.—on April 17,
1890.
About this time in the history of the electric motor
line, a disagreement arose between the city council and the company, and during
the afternoon of May 14, a special meeting of the committee on rules and
ordinances met to consider the matter.
At the time of the passage of the original ordinance
number 81, the company thought it possible that they might want to cross the
river on Tenth street, although by the terms of the ordinance it was to cross at
Ninth street. Afterwards ordinance number 102 was passed, amending
ordinance 81, giving the company the right to enter the city by way of Tenth
street across the viaduct, and the laying of a double track on the bridge, the
company to keep up the repair of the bridge roadway between the rails. At
the time this ordinance was passed, Col. J.H. Drake appeared in opposition to
it.
The meeting of the committee was called to consider an
ordinance amending ordinance number 81. Col. Drake and Wm. VanEps were
present and discussed at length the question at issue, while the company was
represented by J.W. Jones and its president W.R. Kingsbury. This proposed
amendment declared the rights and privileges granted under ordinance 81
forfeited, unless the line of railway should be wholly built and equipped for
business and in full operation within the limits of the city of Sioux Falls on
or before the 15th day of July, 1890, or within fifteen days after the Tenth
street bridge and viaduct should be completed and open to travel.
The hearing in this case ended with the promise of
President Kingsbury that the company would lay only one track over the bridge
and viaduct, and that it should be laid upon one of the sidewalks supported by
brackets if found practicable.
The committee reported this ordinance to the city
council on May 17, with a recommendation that it be referred to the city
attorney, which was accordingly done.
About this time one of those little affairs occurred in
the city that usually follow in biding motor and street car lines where there
are, or are supposed to be, conflicting interests. Sunday morning, May 25,
just after midnight, there appeared to be an unusual activity in the vicinity of
Tenth street and Phillips avenue. It so happened that, owing to some
public gatherings in the city that were just breaking up, a good many people
were on the streets, and, as it was only a step out of the way to visit Tenth
street, they did so to verify the rumor that something unusual was taking place
at that point. A crowd soon gathered, and to their surprise found about
fifty persons on Tenth street engaged in laying a street car track. Mayor
Peck soon arrived, and was horrified at finding so many men breaking the
Sabbath, and expostulated with them, using some of the most approved scriptural
quotations “in accents wild,” but all to no effect. The tall form of
George Arneson was to be seen everywhere among the Sabbath breakers urging them
on. Fred Pettigrew and C.G. Ferguson appeared to be associated with
Arneson in command, and this gave the whole scheme away, for who was there but
Judge Tate, that could induce such men to work on the Sabbath. The Mayor
and City Attorney Brockway took a hack for Judge Tate’s home. They found
him asleep, or apparently so, but they aroused him, and then commenced one of
the most remarkable disquisitions upon the desecration of the Sabbath that was
ever delivered to a wicked man. Peck told him that the example he was
setting was not in keeping with his Presbyterian pretensions, and Brockway
reminded him that there would be a hereafter that was fearful to contemplate for
such men as would induce unreflecting persons like Arneson, Pettigrew and
Ferguson to break the Sabbath. The judge was awed, if not convinced, and
with a trembling hand he wrote a note and handed it to the mayor, which read as
follows: “To George Arneson, F.W. Pettigrew and Mr. Hyde:--Please to
stop work on Tenth street and level up the ground so that the work can be
renewed Monday morning. S.L. Tate.” This note was recognized as
authority by the street car force. Of course, this movement was for the
purpose of occupying the street in advance of the motor line, and the mayor,
after having stopped the street car scheme, turned his attention to the managers
of the motor line, and they agreed to do nothing on Sunday. All day Sunday
the air was full of rumors as to what would happen on Tenth street at the
beginning of the next secular day, and a good many people took an afternoon nap
on Sunday, so as to be present when the exercises commenced. About eleven
o’clock Sunday night two hundred men appeared on Tenth street between Phillips
and First avenues, armed with spokes. They were there in the interest of
the motor line. The mayor was also there with the police force augmented by
thirty specials sworn in for the occasion. The street car managers were
also present and tried to induce the mayor to disarm their opponents, but the
mayor had enlisted in the interest of peace, and while he would not disarm any
one, still, he declared he was there to see that no weapons were used by either
party in the attempt to occupy Tenth street. It was evident, however, that
he was pleased with the extensive preparations that the motor line had made to
give the public the advantage of their line upon Tenth street at as early a date
as possible. During Sunday evening the street car people had been engaged
in spiking rails onto ties and had them in readiness for laying. Just
before midnight a crowd of men started from the street car barn on Eleventh
street, with rails spiked to ties. At this demonstration large wagons of
the motor company came from Phillips avenue into Tenth street; the first was
loaded with ties, the second with rails, and the last with spikes, which were
dropped as they proceeded east on Tenth street. The motor force occupying
the line, went at the work in earnest, and in four minutes had the iron laid to
First avenue, in fifteen minutes more they had the rails spiked in place, and at
12:20 o’clock Monday morning, the motor line was running a handcar over the
line. The horse car people carried three lengths of rails spiked to ties
to First avenue, but in attempting to lay one of them in the middle of Tenth
street, it resulted in its being dropped in the gutter on one side of the
street. The collision was not much of an affair, as the force of the motor
line was so much stronger that they had only to place themselves in the path of
the street car people to prevent them accomplishing anything. After the
motor people had the track laid they proceeded to perfect the line and put it in
as good condition as possible. The street car people after being repulsed,
drew several loads of ties and rails into Tenth street between Phillips and Main
avenues, but the motor people were prepared to prevent any further attempt on
the part of the company in laying its track.
During Sunday the motor people had prepared injunction
papers against any interference by the car company in laying its track on Tenth
street, and during Sunday evening W.R. Kingsbury, J.W. Jones, W.A. Wilkes and
C.E. Johnson took an engine, went to Canton and induced Judge Aikens to return
with them, and they arrived in the city at midnight. Judge Aikens signed
the papers, and within thirty minutes they were served on Judge Tate and the
foreman of the car company—and the war for the occupation of Tenth street was
transferred to the courts.
The cause of this little scrimmage, of course, was the
desire on the part of the street car company to prevent the motor from occupying
any of the principal streets of the city. The company had an exclusive franchise
for twenty years, and had been operating its street cars at a loss, and the
managers felt that the motor was trespassing upon its rights, and that the
building of the motor line would lessen the value of the street car property.
It is only necessary to add, that in the end the matter
was amicably adjusted.
We left the ordinance limiting the time for the
completion of the motor line, when we turned aside to chronicle the Sunday war
between the two companies, in the hands of City Attorney Brockway, who reported
to the city council on May 27, that in his opinion the ordinance ought not to
pass—and the council defeated the passage of the ordinance.
On Friday, June 13, 1890, at five o’clock in the
afternoon, the first trip over the electric motor line was made. Three
trips in all were made during the evening of that day, and as this was the first
electric train that had ever been run in the state, it was quite an event.
Everything worked smoothly, and to the entire satisfaction of the management.
On Saturday, June 21, 1890, the motor line commenced
running regular trains to East Sioux Falls.
For two or three years there was considerable traffic
over this line, and during the summers it was largely patronized by picnic
parties and pleasure seekers, who invariable enjoyed the seven-mile trip between
the two cities. But the enterprise did not prove a good investment, and
after considerable struggling against adverse circumstances, it went into the
hands of a receiver, and during the summer of 1898 the rails were taken up, and
we regret to state, there is now nothing left but the bare roadbed to remind the
people that there was at one time a rapid transit railway line between the
cities of Sioux Falls and East Sioux Falls.
SIOUX FALLS, YANKTON AND SOUTHWESTERN RAILWAY.
This railroad, the last one to enter Sioux Falls, was
opened to the traveling public October 19, 1893. No railroad project ever
conceived of by a citizen of Sioux Falls, had been so constantly before the
public, as a railroad form Sioux Falls to Yankton. The files of the
newspapers in Sioux Falls for fifteen years, disclose the fact, that this
project, though dormant at times, was ready to come to the front whenever the
slightest interest in railroad building was manifest among her citizens.
At times its construction seemed assured, and then again, it would for months
appear as remote as aerial navigation.
A bill was passed by the last territorial legislature, 1889,
in aid of the construction of railroads, that was introduced and pushed through,
with nothing behind it but this project to Sioux Falls to build a road to
Yankton. The writer was sent to Bismarck by the Commercial Club of Sioux
Falls, and spent thirty days in getting this measure (with others of less
importance) through, and while there reported to R.F. Pettigrew, then president
of the club, that it seemed impossible to get the law enacted, and received in
reply a telegram which directed the writer to “stick,” that it must be done,
and strongly intimated that the writer’s residence in Sioux Falls would not be
desirable if this measure did not become a law. The law was enacted, and
before the constitution of the state was adopted, the citizens of Sioux Falls
went at this project with a determination that it should be accomplished.
E.A. Sherman in particular, devoted a good deal of time to the matter,
organizing a company and endeavoring to enlist capital in the East, and at one
time it seemed as though he would be successful. But it was decreed
otherwise, and all hope of aid through any legislation after the adoption of the
constitution was at an end. On the 27th day of September, 1892, some of
the foremost citizens of Sioux Falls met at the request of Senator Pettigrew,
“to consider a matter of public interest,” and when the meeting was
organized, he stated that the time had come when a railroad could be built to
Yankton upon certain conditions. The conditions were stated, and the
meeting promptly decided that the requirements were reasonable, and proceeded at
once to pledge that the city of Sioux Falls should perform all that was required
of her people. This much having been accomplished, the Sioux Falls,
Yankton, and Southwestern Railway company was organized, with Senator Pettigrew
as president. On the 31st day of October, the Argus-Leader announced that
the grading contracts had been let by Senator Pettigrew. From this time
on, the work progressed rapidly. On August 15, 1893, the first passengers
came from Lennox to Sioux Falls on a construction train. As the road
approached completion, the Jobbers and Manufacturers Association of Sioux Falls
decided that the road should be opened in due form, and proceeded to arrange for
an excursion to the Queen City from all points on the line, and Monday, October
19, 1893, was the day fixed upon.
The train left Yankton at 8:20 A.M., consisting of six
coaches, and arrived in Sioux Falls at 11 o’clock sharp, having made the
runoff sixty-two miles in two hours and forty minutes. The train was in
charge of Conductor August Burr and Engineer C.N. Oram. Upon the arrival
of the train at the corner of Eleventh street and Phillips avenue, nearly 700
people disembarked from the cars, and a procession, headed by the Sioux Falls
band, the city council and reception committee, was soon formed, and all falling
in line marched down Phillips avenue to Eight street and thence up Main avenue
to the council chamber, where the visitors were received and welcomed by C.A.
Jewett, president of the Jobbers Association. Mayor Peck followed in a
speech of welcome on the part of the city. The Yankton fire department,
accompanied by the K.P. band of Yankton, were among the excursionists, having
received an invitation from the fire department of Sioux Falls to honor the
occasion with their presence.
The banquet in the evening was the finest ever given in
the city. The Press of the 20th of October said: “Germania hall
shone resplendent last night. The banquet hall with its decorations, its
lights, its beauty and the attending brains, made a gem that scintillated in the
breast of the metropolis of the Dakotas never before equaled, and long to be
remembered. The management of the celebration had turned over the entire
management and arrangement of the spread to the Ladies’ Industrial Society and
the St. Agnes Guild of the Episcopal church. Royally the ladies did their
duty. The two societies had for assistants thirty-five young ladies of
this city, who, under the supervision of captains, did the service at the tables
in a manner to do credit to Delmonico’s finest. Stout’s orchestra
occupied the stage and furnished music throughout the entire programme.
Seven tables were tastefully arranged with palms and flowers. Banquet
lamps and boundary ribbons of colors to match were used to divide the tables in
sections. Over each section a bevy of young ladies, costumed in the same
colors as the decorations, gave the guests constant attention. Everything
was the perfection of order. Every section had distinctive arrangement of
plate and decoration. Two hundred and seventy-five covers were laid.
The service was solid silver, and at each cover was a rose boutenniere.
E.W. Caldwell was toastmaster, and Captain W.H. Stoddard, William Blatt, Esq.,
of Yankton, W.H. Wait of Lennox, Melvin Grigsby, E.A. Sherman, J. Tomlinson,
Jr., Herbert L. Greene, H.H. Keith of Sioux Falls and Judge George W. Roberts,
Otto Peemiller and W.B. Wilcox of Yankton responded to the toasts. The
speeches were all admirable, but the gem of the evening was the address of Mr.
Wilcox. Mr. Tomlinson in closing his response to the toast “Sioux Fall
and Her Business as a Jobbing and Manufacturing Center: said: “And
further, I want to pay my respects to one man who more than any other has made
possible the occasion tonight. A man, who day and night, can always be
found pushing, working and accomplishing for Sioux Falls, a man who differed
with him in politics, but who every man in Sioux Falls should be ready and is
ready to honor as her most energetic and worthy citizen, the Honorable R.F.
Pettigrew.” During the construction of the road, Jacob Schaetzel, Jr.,
acted as disbursing agent, and furnished for publication the following list of
the stations and their distance from Sioux Falls: Byron, 10 miles; Lennox,
17 miles; Davis, 26 miles; Viborg, 33 1/3 miles; Irene, 41 miles; Volin, 50
miles; Yankton, 62 miles. On Monday, October 23, regular trains, both
passenger and freight, commenced running over this line under the management of
the Great Northern.
Right here the subject of railroads is dismissed, and
although nothing is expected in a work like this but a record of the past, the
writer cannot forego the pleasure of predicting that in the near future other
railroad enterprises will originate in Sioux Falls, become accomplished facts,
and bring additional prosperity to the city and the country tributary thereto.
SCHEDULE OF DISTANCES FROM SIOUX FALLS TO RAILROAD
STATIONS IN THIS COUNTY AND OTHER IMPORTANT POINTS.
CHICAGO, ST. PAUL, MINNEAPOLIS AND OMAHA.
From Sioux Falls, going east, to Brandon 8.6 miles, to
Valley Springs 15.1 miles, to St. Paul 240 miles; going west, to Ellis 6.6
miles, to Hartford 14.2 miles, to Humboldt 20.9 miles.
CHICAGO, MILWAUKEE AND ST. PAUL.
From Sioux Falls, going north, to Renner 6 miles,
Baltic 13.6 miles, Dell Rapids 20 miles, Egan34.2 miles, Flandreau 40,6 miles;
going south, to Harrisburg 9 miles, Canton 20 miles, Elk Point 69.7 miles, Sioux
City 91.5 miles.
ILLINOIS CENTRAL
From Sioux Falls to East Sioux Falls 6.7 miles, Rowena
9.3 miles, Ben Clare 13.4 miles, Chicago 547 miles.
GREAT NORTHERN.
From Sioux Falls, going north, to Corson 11 miles,
Garretson 19 miles, Sherman 22 miles, St. Paul 249 miles; going south, to
Yankton 63 miles.
BURLINGTON, CEDAR RAPIDS AND NORTHERN.
From Sioux Falls to Chicago 554 miles.
ELEVATION OF STATIONS.
Sioux Falls at Omaha depot 1,397 feet
Sioux Falls at Milwaukee depot 1,395 feet
Sioux Falls at Burlington depot 1,400 feet
Sioux Falls at Great Northern depot 1,420 feet
Brandon 1,319 feet
Corson 1,362 feet
Garretson 1,457 feet
Sherman 1,396 feet
Dell Rapids 1,485 feet
Hartford 1,564 feet
Valley Springs 1,392 feet
ELEVATION OF THE BIG SIOUX RIVER.
Low water mark near Dell Rapids 1,485 feet
Low water mark above the falls, Sioux Falls 1,380 feet
Low water mark near Brandon 1,281 feet
Low water mark Sioux City 1,098 feet