Transportation in Iowa: A Historical Summary

Transportation

in Iowa:

A Historical Summary traces the

development of transportation in Iowa from the territorial days to the mid-1980s, with special attention given to the economic and social influence transportation had on the state.

Written by Dr. Wi llia m H. T ho m pso n , Profe sor Emerit us of Iowa ta te Unive r it . th i book i the product of fi e year of r earch . It inc lude map , picture, table and other graphic explanation of tran portation' growth and innuence to upport the text.

Beginning \ ith a hi torical ketch of the settlement of Iowa, the book di cus es early road which came with the se ttlement of Iowa. The role of teamboat i also examined.

Moving to more "modern" form of transportation, the book focuse on railroads in Chapter 3. including federal and state legi lative actions taken to curb abu e carried out by the early railroad companie .

The demand for improved roads, and the resulting development of the state' massive road system are traced, again with an emphasi on federal and state legislation aimed at boo ting this growing mode of transportation.

Chronicling the early 20th century, the book uses a decade-by-decade approach to highlight important developments in transportation and their effect on the state, tracing problems and programs through both prosperity and depression. Focusing on changes in the post-World War II period , the book stresses the emergence of the four-lane highway system , technological improvements in aviation, revival of river transportation- all of which played a significa nt role in the political and economic arenas.

The final chapters di sc uss the trans it ion of transpo rtatio n from a regul a ted commercial industry to the so-ca ll ed "free marKet" era, a nd the d ras ti c changes thi s transitio n brought.

Transportation in Iowa

A Historical Summary

William H. Thompson

~ ~,...

Iowa Department of Transportation

Co pyri g ht ? 1989 by th e Iowa D e pa rtm e nt o[ Tra ns porta ti o n

A ll ri g h ts rese rved . No pa rt o f thi s book may be re produ ced in a ny form without th e written permi ss ion of the Iowa D e partm e nt of Tran s po rta ti o n.

Prin ted a nd bound in th e U nited States of A me ri ca

Library o f Co ngr ess Ca tal oging -in -Publi ca ti o n Data

Th o mpso n, Willi am H. , 1909-

Transpo rt a ti o n in Iowa : a h istorica l s umm a ry Will iam H.

Thompson.

p. cm.

Includes ind ex.

I . Tra nspo rtatio n- Iowa- Hi sto ry. I. Titl e.

HE21 3.18T4 8 1989

388' .09777 - d c20

89- 15269

ISBN 0-9623167-0-9

C IP

Dedi cati on

v

This book is dedicated to the memory of Evelyn C. Thompson , devoted wife and research associate

of the author

and to

the administrative officials of the Iowa Department of Transportation

and members of the Iowa Transportation Commission who rescued the author from a dull

and boring retirement.

Acknowledgement

vii

We wish to express our ap preciat ion for the man y hours of effo rt numerou s individuals ha ve co ntribut ed to make this history of Iowa trans portation possible. Without th ese people, the origina l manu cript could not have become the book you now have in yo ur hand s . Those peopl e include :

Elaine Allen Deke Barrett Butch Bowers Nola Mortenson Brown William Carl Burns Mary Clark Ralph Cook

Jerry Dickinson Joyce Emery Gregory Fay Patricia Hutchinso n Sam Koehler Diane Lange Diane McCauley

Richard Micha e li s Skip Nelso n Michae l S lyby Julie Taylor Ruth Vander Schaaf Richa rd Vincent Robert Whitman

We would a lso like to thank others w h o, while not nam ed, have also pla yed a rol e in th e co mpl etion of this project.

Acknowledgements

ix

The contributions of the fo ll ow in g to the publica ti o n of th e book a re gratefully acknowled ged.

Association of American R ai lroad ... . ..... . . . . ... ..... . . ..................... Was hington, D.C.

Cedar Rapids & Iowa City Rai lway Co .. . . . . ........................... . .. . .. . . Cedar R apids, Iowa Central E lectric Railfan s Association . ........ ..... .. .. .. ... . .... .. ... .. . . . ... . C hi cago, Illin ois

Des Moines International Airport ................. .. . . ... . ..... . .. . ....... . ... D es M oi nes, Iowa Dome Pipeli ne Corpora ti o n ...... . ...... .. ..... . .... . . ...... . ...... . ..... . . .. Iowa C it y, Iowa Dubuque Chamber of Co mm erce ... . ...... .. . . ........ . .. . . .......... . ....... Dubu q ue, Iowa

Hydrocarbon Tra nsp ortatio n Co ..... . . ... . ........ . . ... .. . . ... .. . ...... . ..... Omaha, Ne braska

Edward D. Meyers Coll ecti o n ... . ............ .. . . .... .. .... .... . . .. .. . . ... . . . Boo ne, Iowa

Inland Waterways Journal ......... .... .. .. . . .. . .. ... . .. . . . . ... . . .. . .. .. ..... St. Loui s, Mi sso uri lone A ll eman Sieben Co ll ecti o n ....... . . . . . .... . . . ..... . . ......... .. ........ . Ames , Iowa Iowa - Illinois Gas & Electric Co .. ............... . ............................ D ave nport, Iowa Iowa State Aero na uti cs Co mmi ssio n . ............ . ... . . . ....... . .. . .. .... ..... Des M o ines, Iowa Iowa State Commerce Co mm iss io n ................... . .......... . ............ D es M o in es, Iowa Iowa State Department of Eco no mic D evelopment ....... . ...... .. . . ..... . . ..... Des M oi nes, Iowa Iowa Department of Tra nsportation ..... . . ........... . .. . . ...... . ......... . ... Ames, Iowa Iowa State Highway Patrol ...... . .. .... . ...... . ....... . . ..... .... . . .... . .. . . Des M oi nes, Iowa Iowa State Historical Soc iety ... ....... . . . . . .. . . . ... . ........................ . Des M oi nes, Iowa Iowa State Historical Soc iety . .... .. ... . . . . . . .. . .. ... .. ..... . ............. . ... Iowa C it y, Iowa Iowa State Railroad Com mi ss io n . . ......... . .. . . ...................... . ... . .. D es Moines, Iowa Iowa State Univers ity Press ...... . . .. ........... ............ . . . ........... . .. Ames, Iowa Iowa State University Special Collections ...................... . . .. .... .. .. .... Ames, Iowa

R.E.G. Davies Co ll ectio n , National Air & Space Mu se um .... ... ...... .... . ...... Was hingt o n , D.C. Ruth Jack so n Coll ection .. . . ... . . .......... ..... .. . ....... . ... . ... .. . . ... . ... Ames , Iowa

Santa Fe Pipelines System ................................. . ................. Tulsa , Ok lahoma S ioux City Pub li c Museum .............. . ................................... S io ux City, Iowa

U.S. Army Corps of E ngin ee rs ... .. . . ... . . . .. . ............ . .. .. .. .. . ........ . Rock Island, Illinoi s U.S. Army Corps of Eng in eers ............................................... Omaha , N eb raska University of Cali fornia Press ............. . ............................ . . .... Berkely, Ca li fornia University of C hi cago Press .. .. . . .. ... .... .... . . ........ . . ....... . . .. . .. .. ... C hi cago, Illinois University of Nebraska Library . ........... ... . ... . ........................... Lincoln , Nebraska University of Pennsylvan ia Press .. ...... . .. . . . .. . .. . . .. ..... . .. .. .... ...... ... Philadelphia , Pennsyl va nia

Wi ll iams Pipe lin e Compa ny .............................. .. .. . ............... Tu lsa, Oklahoma Wood River Pipeline Compa ny . ......... . ....... . ..... . . ... . ........... . . .... Wichita, Kansas

Tab le of Contents

xi

Contents

Prologue

Chapters

1

Early Transportation in Iowa Before R ai lr oads . ... ...... . .... . ........ . .. . ................. .

2

Railroad Co nstructio n a nd l nnu e nce in Iowa .. . .. . .... ..... .......... . ..... .. . . ... .. ...... .

3

Railroads a nd Pub li c Opinion ............. . ...... . .. .. . .. ..... . .. . ... . ... . .... ... .. .. ... .

4

The Movement for Good Roads . . ........... . . . .... .... ... . ......... . . . ....... . ...... .. . .

5

The Transportat ion Str uc ture o f Iowa: 1900- 1920 . . .. .. . ........... .. , . . .. . ...... . ...... .. .. .

6

Street Ra il ways and E lec tri c Inte rurb a ns to 1920

7

Transportation Poli cy a nd Opera ti ona l C ha nges in th e 1920s .. .. . .. ... ....... .. .......... . . .. .

8

The 1930s- D e press ion a nd It s Aftermath .... . . . . .. . . . . .... . .... . . . ....... .. ...... ........ .

9

World War 1\ and Post-War Yea rs, 1940- 1960 . . . .............. .... .. . .............. .. .. . . . .

10

The Transportation Indust ry in Transition - Th e 1960s .. . . ..... . .. . ....... . .......... . ... .. . .

11

C han ge, Co nfu sion and Crisi - Th e 1970s a nd 1980s .. ... . .... . .... . . . .. . ............. .. .... .

12

Deregulation a nd Tra ns portation P o li cy .I ss ues ...................... . ... .. .. . . .. . . .. ... . . .. .

Page

1 18 52 69

83 113 133 167 203 231 259 293

Epilogue

310

Index

312

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