Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-03-08
chicago and 81. Louis Markets.

is much better for them than the St.
Louis" We presume we are included
among the number, who are thus accused
of attempting to create this impression
which we are told by the Register is err
In speaking of the St. Louis
and Chicago markets, we said that pro-
duce bore better price in the latter place,
as general thing. Now we did not
suppose any one would understand us to
say that this was the case every hour,
day and week in the year. We spoke
in reference TO year, or which is still
farer and safer time to take as basis of
calculation a number of years. We
made our calculations from the Patent
Office report for ls4s, which the Regis
ter admits bears us out in our conclusion.
to-wit: that Chicago is the best market.
But the truth is, our main reason used at
the time, in urging connection with the
East, was that such connection would
throw our products into the New York
and Boston markets, where we were sure
of good prices, and not into the Chicago
market. Let the Register take two or
four years, and make calculation, and
not nine months, when some kinds of
produce range higher in St. Louis than
they have for years, and then if il is
found that we are wrong, as regards the
comparison between Chicago and Saint
Louis, we will give it up and acknowl-
edge that we were mistaken We also
argued in favor of connection with the
East, because we already have good
water communication from Keokuk to
the South, and will when the Des Moines
improvement, is completed, have water
connection with Keokuk, and thus from
this to the Southern market. These two
routes will give us. as all must see, a
choice of markets; and we will as mat
ter of course, always 60 where we can
do best.
Every one knows that the greater the
competition the better the price. If then,
by the Eastern route, we bring New
York and Boston produce dealers in
competition with Saint Louis and New
Orleans dealers. who cannot see that our
people will be largely the gamers. AT
the time we pened the article which has
awakened some interest on the subject of
building plank roads in southern Iowa,
and seems to have added fuel to the
flame of jealousy unfortunately existing
between Keokuk and Burlington, we
had no intention Of injuring either place.
The object was to benefit the people of
the Valley. We spoke of striking the
Mississippi river at Burlington. because
we saw her people actually engaged in
building plank road up this way, and
also saw the people of Illinois moving in
the matter of building rail road from
the Mississippi 20 the Illinois river
While on the other hand we beheld Keo-
kuk reposing in security, relying on her
natural advantages-(we adopt the senti-
ments of writer in the Register add
to this the impression which is pretty
general in the Valley, that Keokuk is
opposed 10 the improvement OF the Des
Mones river, and no one can be al all
surprised that we should begin to suspect
that Keokuk wished TO prosper at our
expense, to fatten on our substance and
enterprise.
The people of the Valley have not
forgotten yet, that when DR.. Hoover, of
Keokuk, in a very able article called
public attention to the importance of
building plank road from Keokuk to Fl.
Des Mnines, through the columns Of the
Courier sometime since. that the people
of Keokuk, nor their papers thought it
of sufficient importance to respond TO, or
notice the article; and was it not quite
natural that we, and they, thought it use-
less, and waste of time to call upon her
again. They had no evidence 10 believe
that Keokuk was aroused from her Rip
Fan WinkIe slulnber. We therefore
spoke of connecting with place that
was at work--wide awake and active,
and from which we had every reason to
believe we should have response.
The people of this county have, in a
large mass meeting resolved, and sent il
ont to the world, "that it was our interest
to connect, by plank roads, rail roads &c.
with Keokuk, Burlington and Musca-
tine''--this we believed then--this we
believe now. How did Keokuk respond
to that resolution?-one of her papers,
at least, did by ridicule-by throwing
cold water on the project. We have, as