The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-11-30

western cities, made up from every state IN the
Union, besides large proportion representing
nearly every other nation on the globe. The
amount of capital in St. Louis ia, at the least cal
culation equal to slo0 to 81 in Burlington YET,
TO raise $4,000 to build Plank Road 10 in.
crease the trade and build up the surrounding
country Of the city Of Burlington, was the work
of bat single day, while, IN So. LOUIS the
amount for a similar object, could scarcely Nave
been raised at all
But we need not 60 40 far from home for an
example The same fact is strikingly illustrated
here in our own town. when compared wish our
sister towns, La Sale and Peru. Tho population
of tho three places, as far "a nativity ia concerned
is exactly the same. Their business men, nerth
ants, and mechanics hail from the came countries
and many from the same cities and towns IN the
east, with ours and yet, it is a notorious fact
that there is more enterprise in half dozen men
in Peru than in the whole Of Ottawa puttogether.
Humiliating as this acknowledgement may be to
our intelligent citizens, it is nevertheless a fact
at our lethargy with astonishment.
The population Of Peru i, little cyeshaIf that
of Ottawa and yet, besides successfully compel
ing with her immediate rival La Sale and all her
advantages she is quietly extending her inilu-
ence over large sections Of country, and drawing
its wheat, corn, pork, &c, from us, and arousing
an interest in her favor almost in the very su
burbs Of our own town. To facilitate the settle
ment, and to secure the trade Of large and fer
tile tract Of country her enterprise liberality and
nntirng energy has been the means Of construct.
ing a Plank Rord from there to Grand de Tour
In Ogle county, distance of some 40 miles and
with :he same object in view she is moving
with giants force in the construction Of the Pe.
ru and Rock Island Railroad, thus esa bishing for
herself throughout our country name and fame
which Ottawa can never attain unless she arous
es without delay, from her prssen, state Of iuact
witty. Such spirlt pervadIng the people, will
build up any town-it attract. capitalists, and
like vast whirlpool it sweeps to one common
centre, everything which can be brought within
its influence.
In Ottawa every thing ia the reverse A. the
present time, persons living eight or ten miles
from town, 6nd it almost If not quite impossible
to come hero to do their ordinary trading, much
less 10 haul to our market Their produce. Owing
TO this very fact, large portion Of the Big Yer
million country, Upper Indian Creek, and all Of
those heavy settlements around Paw Paw, Ross
and Shabene's Groves and the new settlement ra
pidly being made between here and Troy Grove,
are during large portion of,he year, compelled
to 60 from six to ten miles farther TO market.
Not because they prefer other markets to ours,
or cannot get the articles they want here but be
canse they find it utterly impossible, during wet
and muddy weather, to come to our town. These
are facts with which every man in Ottawa i. as
familiar As he is with his own family affairs and
We all feel and deplore this state Of things But
were'there this day petition carried around town
to aid the farmers Of any of the above named se..
Elements to open permsaent road by which thoy
could come, at all seasons Of the year. to our mar
ket, we doubt whether enough could be raised to
pay man for carrying, it round. Orwere there
book, opened flor subscriptions to Plank Road
from here to Paw Paw Grove, we doubt whether
500 worth Of stock would DO taken, though all
are ready to admit that the stock would not only
be profitable but that its tendency would bs
greatly to enhance the price:of real estate here
to facilitate the settlement OF the land, along IT'S
line and permanently open to this town a channel
which would secure to our merchant, and mechan
les the trade Of number ef the most extensive
and nourshing settlements in tho state whose
produce and trade alone are sufficient to build up
a city
Why, then, are We doing around our liresidcS
when such weighty interests as these demand our
immediate action
Aurora ia not iasersible to tho Importance of
the trade Of these settlements And while Peru
and la Sale are quietly reaching out their potent
arms towards them from the west, Aurora is pa
wing The way for then, from the east, while otta-
wa lies sleeping within her eyebonnd limit,
pinch'ng her picaynes with misers fondns.s
ana whining oyer the dullnsss Of the tines
ltis true We have few men who are willing
to lend their means in the prosecution Of good
work. but they are not those who eau WELD suf
feient amount Of influence with capitalists to er-
feet any great benefit to the place Our heavic,,
capitalists, those to whom the world look to move
IN these matters. are inactive. And, though they
admit the Importance Of action, md with word
and smile encourage it, their influence s agains,
II; for, tho fact that they are not in the work
Themselves, prevents other capitalists from cngag
ing in Il. They will ask youIhow you can expect
them to engage in work which your own bust.
meas men are afraid ID souchi
We do hope something will DO dom tb. winter
In this matter We must either aid the farmers
along the ssss road 10 improve i, SO as to render
u pas'abls, or form company for tho con.