Atchison, Oskaloosa & Lawrence Railroad

From the Atchison Daily Patriot, June 3, 1869 

An election to take place on the 2d day of August, to determine the question of Atchison county subscribing one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to the capital stock of the above named railroad; in fact, the question is, shall this road be built — for if Atchison county does not do its part, and do it now, this road never will be built. Leavenworth, foreseeing what our system of railroads will accomplish, if successfully carried out, is bringing to bear every influence in her power to delay, and if possible to defeat, the building of this road, and the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe railroad. 

As is known, Jefferson county has voted one hundred and fifty thousand dollars to each of these roads, and Leavenworth has succeeded in getting up litigation over the Jefferson county bonds, hoping thereby to delay, and finally defeat, both enterprises. 

Our Leavenworth neighbors are sore pressed, and men in such straights will make desperate efforts and take any risks.

The argument they use in Jefferson county, and particularly at Oskaloosa, is, that if the bonds to both roads can be defeated, they can change the terminus of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe road from Atchison to Leavenworth, and build by Oskaloosa, and thereby save to the county one hundred and fifty thousand dollars — as they will only ask that sum — and defeat the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe road, and kill off Grasshopper Falls as a rival of Oskaloosa. And, in order to make the dose palatable, they assert that Atchison never intended to help build the Atchison, Oskaloosa and Lawrence road, but only got that up as a trick to get bonds voted for the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe road. By these means, they induced some of the people in the vicinity of Oskaloosa to join them in an effort to defeat the bonds to both roads. 

But since our county board has ordered an election in our county to aid this road the people of Jefferson county begin to see the trick on the other side, and the opposition to the bonds in Jefferson is fast giving way, and if Atchison county votes the bonds, all will be well, and both roads will go on in spite of Leavenworth. 

The Lawrence people have also been talked to by Leavenworth, and they are waiting to see what Atchison does. They promise to do as much, or more, than Atchison; and if they do the Atchison, Oskaloosa and Lawrence road can be put under contract at once, and built within the next year. 

 Shall we vote the bonds? By the terms of the subscription we issue no bonds unless the road is completed — and in my judgment we ought to vote the bonds. 

With the bonds, I believe the road can and will be speedily built, and will pay Atchison better than any of our roads. It will do us more good, because it does Leavenworth more harm, and their people see it, and hence their efforts to defeat it. 

More hereafter. 

        T. 

This story appeared in “Yesteryears” in April 1988.