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Audubon County |
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Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon Counties
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Every community has to undergo a greater or less amount of annoyance, in order to obtain its railways. While the policy of our national government has, for the most part, been prudent and wise in its granting wild lands to the aid of railroad construction, yet it has not been without its abuses, which in some instances has amounted to no less than high-handed robbery. In 1866, what was known as the "Mississippi and Missouri River Railway Company" was given a grant of land by Congress, for the purpose of constructing a railroad across the State, which was to pass through Audubon County. This company failed to meet with the stipulated requirements and claimed to have gone into bankruptcy, whereupon the Rock Island & Pacific Company bought them out (?) and got an additional grant from Congress for the same purpose. The lands granted them in this county amounted to 163,000 acres, most of which was choice soil, having been selected by the company. However, many would-be settlers did not believe this company could hold such lands as they had not fully complied with the law in regard to their surveys and other stipulations. So these settlers "squatted" on these lands, the same as they would have done on government lands where grants had not been given. About 150 such settlers located in Audubon County, and commenced to open up farms, but the money power of rich railroad corporations prevailed in Congress as against actual settlers, and the government officers were ordered to eject the unfortunate "squatters" from these lands. All but about a dozen of these settlers finally gave up, but these refused to go and some violent measures had to be resorted to, including he pulling down of houses and other improvements, in order to gain possession of the lands claimed for the railroad company. Among such lands was the tract upon which now stands the town of Audubon, the original claimer of which finally compromised by taking a lot in the plat upon which his house had been built. When the Rock Island Company built its Audubon branch from Atlantic, in 1878, its constructors had to survey and grade through a corn-field which covered the principal part of the present town. Hence it will be seen that the county has paid well for its railroad advantages; yet the advent of these roads developed the country as nothing else could possibly have done. The Rock Island & Pacific Company provided a splendid outlet over its main line, via Atlantic, for all produce grown in the south-half of the county, so rich in agricultural wealth; but it still remained for capital to develop the northern portion of the county. Consequently, in addition to the Audubon branch of the Rock Island Road, which is twenty-six miles in length, there was still a good field for a northern outlet, via Manning and Carroll, at which latter place was the main line of the Chicago & Northwestern Road. The Audubon & Carroll branch of the Chicago & Northwestern Railway built its line to the former named town in the early part of 1882 without expense to the tax payer. This gave the county seat a new boom, as it greatly reduced freight rates to and from the east. Large grain elevators, corn cribs, etc., were built at once upon the depot grounds and are still potent factors in the commercial interests of Audubon. With the view of giving the reader a more comprehensive view of Audubon County, the following table is shown, the same having been carefully compiled in 1887 -- one year's crop: |
| PRODUCT. | NO OF CARS. | VALUE. |
|---|---|---|
| Corn | 3,500 | $525,000 |
| Oats | 800 | 160,000 |
| Barley | 93 | 26,040 |
| Rye | 101 | 64,320 |
| Wheat | 123 | 43,050 |
| Timothy | 12 | 19,200 |
| Cattle and hogs | 967 (Per car, $950) | 918,650 |
| ------------ | ||
| Total | $1,756,260 |
| Prev. <=== Continue Reading ===> Next Transcribed by Cheryl Siebrass September, 2014 from "Biographical History of Shelby and Audubon Counties", Chicago: W. S. Dunbar & Co., 1889, pp. 663-664. |
