place, the country around said station being thickly settled and much business is being transacted thereat. Your petitioners would pray your honorable body that such action be had as in your power, under and by virtue of the laws of the state, asking and requiring that said company above mentioned procure and keep a telegraph operator at said station to transact such business as the public needs and may demand. All of which is respectfully submitted to you for such consideration as the same merits. Dated January 10, 1898. The complaint was taken up at once with the respondent railway company, and Mr. W. P. Brady, general agent, wrote the board substantially as follows: "I would state that Mr. G. A. Goodell, our superintendent, had an interview with many of the parties who signed the petition for telegraph facilities at this station, which you forwarded to this company under date of February 20th, last, and he advised that the majority of them expressed themselves as being satisfied with the telephone connection that had been arranged between River Junction and Lone Tree, a station six miles east of this one. "Our business is not heavy at River Junction and the present agent, who is not an operator, has been in our service for the past twenty years at that point, and should telegraph service be insisted on, it would involve his removal and the appointment of a man familiar with telegraphy. It would seem from the results of Mr. Goodell's investigation, that the majority of the residents in that vicinity are satisfied with the present telephone connection." Under date of August 11th, Mr. E. D. Porter, one of the petitioners, wrote the board that at the time the telephone was put in it was the understanding it was to be only a trial; that they had tried it and were not satisfied, and that they still asked and demanded telegraph service. On same date Mr. Eli Fountain, another petitioner, said: "As to myself, I do not have any great amount of telegraphing to do, and no telephoning, and I say give us a telegraph." The matter was the subject of further corresponderce, the petitioners still insisting on telegraph service, and on March 8, 1899, the commission, after due notice, visited River Junction for the purpose of inspecting the town and surrounding country, and hearing such statements as interested parties might wish to make concerning the case. Subsequent to the hearing at River Junction, a petition was received by the commissioners containing something over fifty signatures, and stating that: We, the undersigned residents of Kiver Junction and vicinity, hereby take pleasure in stating to your honorable body that H. B. McCullough, the present agent of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern railway, at that point, has occupied this position for a number of years, and that in our dealings with him we have found him to be an accommodating employe of the company in all respects. We also believe that the telephone service that now connects the town of River Junction with Lone Tree, affords ample facility for the transaction of all business that could be made tributary to that point at present; and we further believe we should not enjoy the same facilities for making hasty calls for physicians at Lone Tree free of charge, as we do by telephone. (Signed) WM. T. KELSO, And fifty-four others. In sending this petition to the board, a letter from the agent, Mr. McCullough, to Mr. W. P. Brady was enclosed therewith. This letter states substantially that every man in the town of River Junction except four or five had signed the petition; that Mr. John Kirkpatrick, whose name is on the petition, had bought more grain at that station than all River Junction buyers combined, and it was all bought from parties over the telephone since it was put in; that Messrs. Frank Rayner, Jones Evans and George Miller, stock buyers, use the telephone daily and are well satisfied with the service, and all say that they could not do without the 'phone; that their names would be found on petition for telegraph service, but they signed that before the telephone was put in; others signing the original petition had signed the one indorsing the present service for the same reason. Concerning the petition just quoted, Mr. E. D. Porter wrote the board saying: "We think this petition should not be taken into consideration as to the stock buyers; they are from Lone Tree, and are interested in that place and not here. All but a very few of the signatures are from men who do business no place and with no one. But one business man here signed it, that being W. T. Kelso, who is a man that is always opposed to the building up of any kind of an enterprise." River Junction is a small village in Johnson county, containing some forty inhabitants, and the ordinary business of such a town is transacted there. The railway company states that at no time has the company ever employed an operator there, although an instrument was placed there at one time to accommodate the daughter of their agent, who was learning telegraphy, and for a time, to assist her father, acted in the capacity of operator, but at no time did the fees of the office amount to more than $1.40 per month from this service. The representative of the railway company stated that at a number of small stations similar to River Junction telephone service had been established with the most gratifying results, and furnished the following list of such stations: "Waverly Junction with Waverly. Roots Siding with Clarksville. Adams with Nichols. River Junction with Lone Tree. Hills Siding with Iowa City. Cedar Valley Quarry with Plato. Martins with McCausland. Black Hawk with Davenport. While the complaint is directed toward the telephone service at River Junction, the most serious fault seems to be found with the agent and his manner of conducting the business of the company at that point. This complaint was met, to some extent at least, by the counter petition endorsing the administration of Mr. McCullough. The commissioners do not feel that they would have the right, under the circumstances in this case, to recommend the removal of the agent now employed by the railway company at River Junction. The telephone at this station is kept in the room where the agent is located, and no privacy is possible in sending messages. The agent stated, however, that he would leave the room at any time when so requested by parties desiring to use the telephone. It would seem to the board that this arrangement would hardly be a desirable one, and recommend to the railway company that the telephone he enclosed, as soon as possible, in a small booth, or room, that could be entirely closed, and made practically sound proof, in order that parties desiring to use the telephone could do so with privacy. The commissioners believe this arrangement would be for the best interests of all concerned, and bring about a more satisfactory condition of affairs at this station, and the Barlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway company is so informed. When the small room or booth is provided for telephone at River Junction, as suggested, this case will be regarded closed. DES MOINES, Iowa, August 8, 1899. (NOTE-The railway company complied with the recommendation of the board.) No. 2005-1899.. In the matter of the petition of the Chicago Great Western Railway company for permission to condemn certain lands for additional depot grounds at Oelwein. In the matter of the petition of the Chicago Great Western Railway company for permission to condemn certain lands for additional depot grounds in the city of Oelwein, state of Iowa, the board of railroad commissioners of the state of Iowa do hereby certify that, upon the application of the Chicago Great Western Railway company to this board, stating the desire of said company to condemn the property hereinafter more particularly described for additional depot grounds for the use of said company, the commissioners proceeded, in conformity with law, to examine into the matter of said application, and do hereby certify that, in the opinion of the board of railroad commissioners, the additional lands described in said application are necessary for the reasonable transaction of the business, present and prospective, of such railway company, to-wit: Commencing at the southwest corner of lot three (3), block three (3), in Bennett's addition to the town of Oelwein, Fayette county, Iowa, thence east to the southeast corner of said lot three (3), thence north on the east line of said lot three (3) one hundred and ten (110) feet, thence south westerly inja straight line to place of beginning, in so far as the undivided three-fourths interest held therein by D. T. Corkery, J. W. Corkery and Lizzie E. Gallagher. In witness whereof, the said board have caused this certificate to be executed and duly signed and attested by its secretary, with instructions that the same be filed with the clerk of the district court of Fayette county, state of Iowa. Done at Des Moines, Iowa, March 8, 1899. No. 2005-1899. Supplemental. In re petition of the Chicago Great Western Railway company for permission to condemn certain lands for additional depot grounds at Oelwein, Iowa. In the matter of the petition of the Chicago Great Western Railway company for permission to condemn certain lands for additional depot grounds in the city of Oelwein, state of Iowa, the board of railroad commissioners of the state of Iowa do hereby certify that upon the application of the Chicago Great Western Railway company to this board, stating the desire of said company to condemn the property, hereinafter more particularly described, for additional depot grounds, for the use of said company, the commissioners proceeded in conformity with law to examine into the matter of said application, and do hereby certify that, in the opinion of the board of railroad commissioners, the additional lands described herein being the property described in said application, are necessary for the reasonable transaction of the business, present and prospective, of such railway company, to-wit: Commencing at the southwest corner of lot three (3), block three (3), Bennett's addition to Oelwein, Fayette county, Iowa, thence east to the southeast corner of said lot three (3), thence north on the east line of said lot three (3) one hundred and ten (110) feet, thence southwesterly in a straight line to place of beginning; also, lot one (1), block four (4), in Bennett's addition to Oelwein, Fayette county, Iowa. In witness whereof the said board of railroad commissioners have caused this certificate to be executed and duly signed and attested by its secretary, with instructions that the same be filed with the clerk of the district court of Fayette county, state of Iowa. Done at Des Moines, Iowa, March 16, 1899. No. 2006-1899. In the matter of approval of an interlocking switch system on line of Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway company, at west end of drawbridge over the Mississippi river at Fort Madison, Iowa, to be used in connection with the operation of said drawbridge. Be it remembered, that the board of railroad commissioners of the state of Iowa, on the 23d day of June, 1899, inspected and examined an interlocking switch system or safety device equipped and to be operated by the Atchison, Topeka & Santa Fe Railway company, at or near Fort Madison, Iowa, at a point on the line of said railway where it approaches the drawbridge over the Mississippi river, which said drawbridge is used by said railway company for the passage of its trains over and across the Mississippi river, for the purpose of rendering it safe for engines and trains to pass over the said bridge from the west without stopping, and the board of railroad commissioners of the state of Iowa, on the 23d day of June, 1899, approved the equipment of such interlocking switch system or safety device as aforesaid; however, the speed of trains approaching and passing over the derail should not exceed twenty miles per hour. Done under the hand and seal of the board of railroad commissioners of the state of Iowa, by the secretary thereof, at the city of Des Moines, Iowa, this 1st day of July, 1899. No. 2007-1899. In re petition of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway company for permission to condemn certain lands for additional depot grounds at Estherville, Iowa. In the matter of the petition of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway company, for permission to condemn certain lands for additional depot grounds in the city of Estherville, state of Iowa, the board of railroad commissioners of the state of Iowa do hereby certify that, upon the application of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway company to this board stating the desire of said company to condemn the property hereinafter more particularly described for additional depot grounds for the use of said company, the commissioners proceeded in conformity with law to examine into the matter of said application, and do hereby certify that, in the opinion of the board of railroad commissioners, the additional lands described herein, being the property described in said application, are necessary for the reasonable transaction of the business, present and prospective, of such railway company, to-wit: Lots two (2) and three (3), in block sixty-one (61), of Estherville, Emmet county, Iowa. In witness whereof the said board of railroad commissioners have caused this certificate to be executed and duly signed and attested by its secretary, with instruction that the same be filed with the clerk of the district court of Emmet county, state of Iowa. Done at Des Moines, Iowa, July 7, 1899. No. 2008-1899. In re petition of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway company for permission to condemn certain lands for additional depot grounds at Vinton, Iowa. In the matter of the petition of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway company for permission to condemn certain lands for additional depot grounds in the city of Vinton, state of Iowa, the board of railroad commissioners of the state of Iowa do hereby certify that upon the application of the Burlington, Cedar Rapids & Northern Railway company to this board stating the desire of said company to condemn the property hereinafter more particularly described, for additional depot grounds for the use of said company, the commissioners proceeded, in conformity with law, to examine into the matter of said application, and do hereby certify that, in the opinion of the board of railroad commissioners, the additional lands described herein, being the property described in said application, are necessary for the reasonable transaction of the business, present and prospective, of such railway company, to-wit: Lots seven (7) and eight (8), in block six (6), Tilford's addition to Vinton, Benton county, Iowa. In witness whereof the said board of railroad commissioners have caused this certificate to be executed and duly signed and attested by its secretary, with instructions that the same be filed with the clerk of the district court of Benton county, state of Iowa. Done at Des Moines, Iowa, June 26, 1899. E. L. Blackmore, claiming to represent certain of the inhabitants of the town of Aplington, of Butler county, Iowa, presented to the board of railroad commis |