A major goal of that line's route was to allow exploitation of the coal fields of northeast Lucas and southern Marion counties. Among the new towns created along it were Williamson and Melcher.
This was a new sort of rail line for the south of Iowa, too. Modern equipment allowed vast amounts of earth to be moved efficiently. As a result it was nearly level, passing through deep cuts and across high fills and bridging steams with little effort. That meant that the coal hauled out of the mines on rail spurs could continue to Des Moines and elsewhere in an efficient manner.
During October of 1913, Henry Gittinger --- then editor of The Chariton Leader --- rode a Rock Island passenger car along the new route into Des Moines on a Friday afternoon, reversing his route home the next evening. Henry and his family, at the time, lived a block east of the new depot on Court Avenue, so it was a convenient trip.
The small map --- admittedly not very clear --- shows the route of the new line in green on a 1915 rail map of Iowa. Here's Henry's report from The Leader of Oct. 30, 1913:
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The writer took a day off last Friday, to ride over the new Rock Island road to Des Moines. The local train leaves Chariton at 3 p.m. and reaches Des Moines in good form in spite of obstacles and the newness of the track. It is almost like a wilderness trail all the way. It cuts through "hog backs" the entire distance, crossing numerous streams and gets no benefits of valley or ridge. This is a continuous cut and fill, but always on the level. Some of the fills are like artificial mountains and the cuts seemingly are defiles between the ranges. About all one sees is timber, timber, timber stretching out as far as the eye can scan, the fine farming country lying beyond. It certainly is a picturesque route --- and is becoming profitable, because the passenger coaches are crowded and many freights pass over the line daily. About the only level land one sees is at Williamson, in the valley of the Whitebreast at Dallas and in the Three River country.
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Owing to the recent heavy rains and the newness of the tracks, considerable difficulty is encountered and as a result trains proceed very cautiously along certain parts of the road. The ground in Marion county is porous and slides in places break off as much as 50 feet from the bank and crowd in the cuts, forming benches, which keeps the construction trains busy, as well as a steam shovel or two, clearing the track. But in spite of this, fair time is made and the track is as smooth as could be desired. In time the land will settle to permanent position, the track harden and no further difficulty will be experienced. It is going to become a great thoroughfare from the north to the south.
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At Williamson, the first station, there is a fine little station building and a store and from there to Des Moines are several elevators by the roadside. A lumber shed is being erected at Williamson and a lumberyard is on the grounds, but the town building will not commence until the town site is platted. This will make a good town because it is in one of the best farming countries in Lucas county.
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Soon Purdy, on the county line between Lucas and Marion county, is reached. The company has excavated a level place in the hill for station grounds, and a neat station house is built, but town building remains for the future.
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From here a leap is made into the hills and the forest abounds. One scans the roadside as though expecting to be startled by the warwhoop of the savage or have his eyes rest upon the tepees of primitive man. This is Marion county. Soon in passing round a curve, far off over the crests of the landscape, a great tower looms against the horizon as though it were the turrets of the feudal castle in the park of some nobleman. On nearing, it assumes the proportions and shape of the steel tower of the operating coal syndicate located there. There are fine brick engine rooms and everything is built as though the industry intended to stay.
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Out to the right of the roadstead, and some distance before the tower is reached, there are several rows of new houses, the homes for the mine workers, a considerable distance this side of the "twin city" --- Melcher and Dallas. This is the valley of the Whitebreast. The prospect is pleasing and picturesque. Large switch yards are completed at Melcher and a big elevator casts its shadow as the train rushes by. Then the engine stops suddenly and whistles --- the train jars, then backs up --- starts forward just like they do in approaching a city and finally halts at a splendid little brick depot. There is a scramble to get on and off.
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Here the prairie is dotted with houses and many more in course of erection. Improvised quarters for stores, restaurants and shops have been made out of "shacks" and several brick buildings stand out in bold relief upon the prairie --- new in construction, and streets in the business section are beginning to be defined by the lineup of habitations and business houses. This is Melcher --- a perfect counterpart, or resemblance, of the boom town of the Southwest. A business square has been laid out and some day a busy throng of traffic is expected. The train is not out of Melcher until it is in Dallas --- the old town, and the town proper, they say. Here there are many substantial and pretty homes, business houses, the school and churches. It has been a prosperous mart for many decades and proposes to hold prestige. Within the scope of the two towns and the mining camp to the southeast there is room for a city of many thousands.
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The next two places are mere stopping stations, Whitebreast and Kimball, but at Sandyille there is a good station house and the old town, two miles away, is "coming over." Some of them have got there already. Hartford, the old inland town for half a century, also has a good station building and declare they are on the boom. There you drop into the river valley and see level country until you reach Carlisle and pass up the old route to Des Moines, the commercial metropolis of the state, where wise Solons meet semi-occasionally under the golden dome and enact highway legislation --- the city in which no one need go dry.
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After a day spent at Pleasantville the return trip over the Short Line was made Saturday night. The rain beat steadily on the roof and window panes --- tapping steadily, all the distance. It was like soothing melody timed as it was by the rhythmatic clatter of the car wheels underneath. Finally, the air brakes were turned on, escaping steam hissed through the air and the station was called, "Chariton, the best town on the route." Then several on board got off --- into about six inches of mirey clay. It is understood the company will have the brick walks and plantforms finished within a few days.
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