Most Kansans recognize Kansas City as “The” great economic engine on our eastern border. Westport, now part of Kansas City, outfitted wagon trains before going out on the Santa Fe and Oregon-California trails.

Thousands of travelers arrived on Kansas’ shores after disembarking from river boats at Kansas City. But Kansas City’s role as the leading economic wonder on our eastern border was certainly not assured.

St. Joseph became a formidable trade center after the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad reached there in 1859. The frontier railroad delivered the first letter for the inaugural ride of the Pony Express in 1860.

Across the Missouri River, northwest of Kansas City, the Union Pacific Railway Company, Eastern Division (UPED) established operations at Leavenworth, Kan., building westward across Kansas. Leavenworth was the first town established in Kansas and had its own aspirations toward becoming a leading center of commerce.

The Atchison and Topeka Railroad, chartered in 1859, added Atchison to the list. Butterfield’s Overland Despatch began operations from Atchison in 1865, opening the Smoky Hill Trail for commercial transportation.

Kansas City had serious commercial competition from its neighbors, especially for railroad service. The Pacific Railroad, (Missouri Pacific) built across the state of Missouri on the south side of the Missouri River to Kansas City in 1865.

At about this time Kansas City boosters realized that a rail connection to St. Louis and the east was a wonderful asset, however, the Pacific Railroad was limited to traffic south of the Missouri River. Without a bridge and a line to the north, Kansas City was cut off from the rising economic force that was developing at Chicago.

In early 1866, the UPED was rapidly building to the west toward Lawrence, Kan. Plans for construction of a bridge over the Kansas River between Kansas City and Wyandotte were being developed.

The planned connection to the Pacific Railroad underscored the need for a Missouri River bridge and a line to the north.

There was a great rivalry between Kansas City and Leavenworth, and it looked as though Leavenworth was winning the bid for a bridge over the Missouri River. Negotiations were in the works to bring the Hannibal and St. Joseph Railroad across the river at Leavenworth on a spur line from Cameron, Mo.

The deal was nearly complete when Kansas City boosters learned that J.T.K. Hayward, a director for the railroad, had deceived them. Hayward had assured the Kansas City folks that he was working in their interest, but secretly he was promoting Leavenworth’s bid.

Directors for the Hannibal and St. Joseph were meeting in Boston, Mass., to approve the spur extension to Leavenworth. When they learned of Hayward’s treachery, the Kansas City faction made a lastditch effort to turn the tide in their favor.

Gen. John W. Reid and Col. Theodore S. Case immediately started for Boston to present Kansas City’s offer to bring the spur line to them. Colo. Kersey Coates was in Washington D.C. From Kansas City, Col. Charles E. Kearney, the director of the local railroad initiative, wired Coates to travel to Boston and delay the contract until Reid and Case could get there.

When Coates arrived at the meeting, he found that the board of directors had already agreed to the terms of the contract. Fortunately, execution of the contract had been delayed over the weekend until the following Monday, June 4, 1866.

Reid and Case were carrying a little-known pre-Civil War contract that directed the Hannibal and St. Joseph to build a spur to Kansas City. With that legal ammunition in hand a weekend meeting with general manager, James F. Joy, succeeded in a postponement of the contract with Leavenworth. To gain full recognition for the old contract Kansas City was required to procure Congressional approval to bridge the Missouri River.

Timing was everything. A Congressional committee was scheduled to review a bill concerning construction of river bridges that Monday morning. Congressman Robert T. Van Horn went to the chairman of the committee prior to the morning opening,” and after some difficulty, and full explanations, got him to agree to admit an amendment for a bridge at Kansas City.”

The bill was the first item on the agenda.

Van Horn presented his amendment, and it was accepted. A representative from Leavenworth tried to attach an amendment for a bridge at Leavenworth, but he was too late. The bill had passed. Kansas City won the right to bridge the Missouri River, guaranteeing the construction of the rail connection from Cameron, Mo., and direct rail access to Chicago.

The Hannibal Bridge was completed with an opening celebration on July 3, 1869, furthering Kansas City’s position as the leading economic powerhouse. Construction of the Hannibal Bridge is a story unto itself. A story to be told next week on The Way West.

“The Cowboy,” Jim Gray is author of the book Desperate Seed: Ellsworth Kansas on the Violent Frontier, Ellsworth, KS. Contact Kansas Cowboy, 220 21st Road, Geneseo, Kan. Phone: (785) 531-2058 or kansascowboy@kans.com.