The Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul Railroad
Company now control all the railroad lines passing
through Clayton County.
Iowa and Minnesota Division - This road
was bgunn in 1857, under the name of the McGregor,
St. Peters & Missouri Railroad. John Thompson, of
Elkader, was President. In 1862 the McGregor Western
Railroad Company was formed, which bought out the
road, and extended it as far as Calmar. The Chicago,
Milwaukee & St. Paul purchased a controlling
interest in 1864. The road passes through North
McGregor, Beulah Junction, where it connects with the
Elkader branch, Monona, Luana, and leaves Clayton
County in the middle of the northern line of Grand
Meadow Township.
Dubuque Division - This division was
originally built by the Chicago, Clinton, Dubuque
& Minnesota Railroad Company, and passes along
the river on the eastern boundary of the cunty,
passing the stations of Turkey River, Guttenberg,
Clayton, McGregor and North McGregor.
The Volga Branch of the Dubuque Division
was built in 1871, and runs from Turkey River to
Wadena, having in Clayton County the stations of
Elkport, Littleport, Mederille, Osborne and Volga
City.
Racine & Southwestern Division - The
Davenport line of this division passes through the
southwestern part of the cunty, having stations at
Edgewood and Strawberry Point (Enfield).
Iowa Eastern - This road was finished as far as
Elkader in 1875, and did a fair business till April,
1876, when a large amount of track was washed out by
a violent storm. This track was never rebuilt; so
Elkader was left about three miles from the end of
the road. Judge Williams, as President of the road,
continued to operate it until April, 1882, in the
meantime trying in vain to raise the money to extend
it to some important terminal point. It was finally
disposed of to the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul
Railroad Company, who changed its name to the Elkader
Branch of the Chicago, Milwaukee & St. Paul.