The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-11-01
rFs, a. Davenport Gasette. ]


]. ~ Subjeesofa Rail- Road from Rock l''sn4 q
tke Ninois Riser.
Ata meeting Of the citisens Of Davenport, on
Saturday evening, the e7tb instant, . comms.ee
was appointed to canvass Scott county lot ",
purpose Of receiving subscriptions 70 .ne caP'a'
stock ofthe Rock Island and La Sale Kali Road
propose to call your attention to the importance
Of the work to the interests Of Scott county, y
tie practicability and certainty OF It's comp'e'on'
and to the necessity Of immediate and energetic
action.
lst The importance Of the work 70 the com
mercial. mechanical, and tanning interests oScol'
county.-That Railroad eastward from inns
| point on the Mississippi river, opening a'fec'
channel Of trade and communication with the
great commercial marts upon the Atlantic sea
board, will be Of great benefit TO the trading IN
teresss Of your county, is too obvious, aud VIII
be too universally admitted to require any COM
ment. Its influence upon the mechanic ana
farming inere sts, may not at first De so apparent
II is plain that whatever cost Of transportation
j, paid BY the exporters Of our produce, must
come, eventually, from the pockets o. the TAR
mers. Ifnot paid in the discount upon the price
Of grain, it must be paid in the increased price o.
The articles Of merchandise bought in exchange.
It is frequently the case that when wheat CON-
mands IS to 80 cents in st. Louis, It is worth but
so cents here, owing to the cost Of transportation
over the Lower Rapids. The cost OF transport
ing your wheat from Rock Island to reru ny
railroad will not exceed 3 cents per onshe'. II
can then be taken down the Illinois river 10 81
Louis, at greatly reduced rates, the rapids being
avoided: or il can be taken on other railroads
which will then connect Peru with the Eastern
cities, and thus go directly 70 New YORK and
Philadelphia. In this way will market De
opened directly with the East and with s. Louis,
the competition in which, together with the de-
creased rates Of transportation, will raise the
price Of wheat in Scott county, at least hiteen
cents on the bushel.
But there is another view to be taken, Of this
subject Ifthis road is completed to Rock Is
land, in few years it will cross the River, and
push on westward to Iowa City, and thence to
Council Bluffs. This will make it one Of the
branches Of the great Pacific railroad, which is
now agitating the whole country. Rock Island
and Davenport will at once become great thor
oughfares-two Of the largest cities IN the west
We will then have home market, sufficient Tor
these and the adjoining counties, for many miles
around. The price Of real estate will at once be
raised two or three hundred per cent, while all
kinds Of merchandise will be cheaper than ever
before.
To the mechanics, the building OF the road will
OF itself be fruitful source Of employment and
BESIDES the construction Of tools
and preparation of ,terials OF all kinds necessa-
ry for the prosecution Of the work, building will
increase to great extent, making all kinds of
business lively and profitable. The
great interests OF the country as has been often
remarked, are TOO intimately connected TO admit
of separation That which brings prosperity to
the one, will, by the great laws Of social connec-
ton, and MUTUAL benefit, be advantageous to the
other
2. The Rock Island and La Sale Railroad can
and will be built in very few years The CAPT
tai stock, necessary for commencing operations,
is established by the Legislature at $500, OOO.-
1t will be seen BY the following estimates, that
this sum will be sufficient TO prepare the road Tor
the laying Of the rail, for the whole distance from
Rock Island to Peru, 80 miles. The estimates
are based upon the cost per mile Of the Road
from Chicago to Elgin The cost Of that road
as appears by the last report OF the chief engi
reer. made a, an advanced stage Of the work, is
a. follows:-
Grading and Bridging
Grading, including culverts, s84,7e7 II
Eridgng, 7,lT7 90
Incidental work and contingencies, 1926 SO
S95,OOo 90
Timber and Lumber for superstrueiHe.
100000 #. b. m. Of Norway zine
rails. SIS 900 90
81 900 ties, 25,eoo 90
TX, 900 II m ribbons, 1895 90
10000 do scan,ling, / ,44O 90
Turntables, road crossings and contin-
gencies, 1887 90
$4,000 90
Right Of way, 5000 90
Engineering, including cost Of old
preliminary survey, 10000 90
This was all the cost necessarily expended in
preparing the road Tor the rail; the balance to
make up 300, 900 dollars, being for iron and spike
for supersruciure, buildings and wharf, outfit of
cars and engines, depot grounds, laying track,
&c. We have, then, MS The cost Of preparing the
road from Chicago to Egin, AZ miles.
Summary.
Grazing and bridging, So, 900 90
Timber and lumber for superstruc-
ture, 10000 90
Right Of way, 5000 90
Engineering, 10000 90
Total, $4,000 90
or $500 95 cents per mile. This, for 80 miles,
the distance TO Peru, would amount to s3lO,476i
only few thousand dollars over the amount ci