The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-04-10

McGregor, in the county Of Clayton, Iowa, Of
the 18th of March, 1850.
Pfeliminary to the organization of the Con
vention, by the election Of permanent officers
s Hodges Of Almakee county, was calle'
to the chair, and H. "A. Wright of Crawford ap
pointed Secretary, and T. B. Twifford Of Clay
ton. appointed assistant Secretary.
On motion Of John Thomas, Of Crawford, tn,
names Of Delegates were called and Responded
to from the following counties: -
Clayton, Alinlakee, Delaware, Fayette, anC
Winneshiek, in Iowa; and Richland in Wiscon
SIM aa5sE5 s ~. e .5, II
Us On motion Of D. G. Fenton Of Crawford, the
Hon. w. "A. Terrill, Of Minnesota Territory
was admitted to seat in the Convention
g. On motion Of A. I. Jones, a committee com
posed of one from each county represented, was
appointed to report the names Of officers for the
permanent organization Of the Convention.
On motion, the Convention adjourned until
o'clock p. M.
Afternoon Session. ~
81 at 2 o'clock E. M, the Chairman called the
Convention to order when the Committee ap.
pointed at the forenoon Session to designate the
names ofpermanent officers, reported as follows:
D. G. FESToN, President; John Thomas, and
E. w. Pelton, Vice Presidents; and H. D. E.
vans, and II Baldwin, Secretaries. aaas
On motion, the report was unanimously adopt
ed. .ts ~ r.
The President addressed the Convention in
an able and effective manner, showing the i'm
portance and necessity of continuation of the
"keokuk and Dubuque Railroad to McGreg-
OF, and detailing the various and vast resources
Of commercial wealth and prosperity, which
must result from an intersection Of the same
with the Milwaukee road at Prairie du Chen;
concluding with appeal to the Convention,
recommending that concession, harmony, and
unanimity Of action, which contribute so large
" to the accomplishment Of every great enter
prise. .a 80 3r s..@
On motion, the President appointed CON-
Ilittee Of nine, to prepare a report and rcsolu-
tons expressive OF the views ofthe Convention.
consisting ofthe following gentlemen:
E. Price, H. A. Wright, Alex Nc Gregor, T.
b. Twiford, II. L. Dousman, L. B. Hodges,
B. w. Brisbois, T. Brigham, and H. w. Saw
age. #. s ~. -. ..e.
I. s. Baty, of Fayette county, offered the fol-
lowing resolution .~i~'
Resoired, That in the opinion of this Conven-
ton, the Road from Kcokuk to Dubuque, ought
TO be continued to McGregor, by way of Coles
burgh, Lodonyille, West Union, Louisville and
Monona ,..''.. =.
II. D. Evans moved to amend the said reso
luton, by striking out all after the word "Lodon-
vile, and inserting Elkader and Farmersburgh;
Whereupon, a spirited debate ensued; when, on
motion Of A. L. Jones, the resolution was laid
on the table. .''., -.
The committee appointed to prepare report,
and resolutions, submitted the following through
their chairman, E. Price:
In contemplating the necessity, importance,
and national utility, of Railroad commencing
at keokuk upon the southern border of Iowa,
and extending to Nc Gregor in the northern part
OF the State, intersecting a.terminus Of the Mil
NJ Trio d,,
~ impressed with what we regard as an indis
putable fact, that the accomplishment of such
an enterprise would open to the trade of our At
lantic cities, not only the commercial wealth of
northern Wisconsin and Iowa, but the entire
trade of Minnesota and our north. western nos.
sessions as far as the British boundary.
No part the great Valley of the Mississippi
will compare fayorably with the northern por.
tons Of Iowa and Wisconsin, and the territory
of Minnesota, in combining the qualities of Sa-
lubrity Of climate, fertility of soil, abundance of
water power, luxuriant forests, extent of miner
al resources, and inexhaustible pineries; which
isdemonstrated by the tide of emigration attract
ed by these qualities of the couatry, in numbers
hitherto unknown in the settlement of any DOR
ton Of our national domain.
Two years have not elapsed since the Terri.
tory OF Minnesota was known as little else than
the wild hunting ground of the Dakotah, who
exuitlngly proclaimed that he alone of all orr
western tribes, had preserved unscathed bv the
hand of civilization, the paternal home Of his
forefathers, and the ancient rites and customs
hereditary with them. Now, that Territory
numbers an agricultural and commercial popn.
latlon approxlnating to sixteen thousand white
inhabitants; while the northern counties of Wis
consin and Iowa are known to possess q ponuln.
ton far exceeding this in numbers, who are a.
wakened by necessity to an inquiry for new
routes and new marts for the Transportation and
consumption of the rapidly accommodating SIR
plus OF the country, independent of those remote |
sectional parts of our States hitherto munficent.
ly provided by rhe fostering care of the Gene
raj Government ls.# B.. 4- r'E' i
while we applaud the commendable zeal, per
severance, and public spirit manifested by our
fellow Citizens of Iowa, throughout the central
and more southern parts of our State, in their
iaudable endeavors to obtain from the General
Government a donation of land to aid in the
construction of the contemplated railroad from
keokuk to Dubuque, we cannot but regret that
tile great interest of the north has been overlook
ed, by hxing upon the terminating point at Du |
buque thus excluding the north from the ben
efits Of contemplated State improvement of
great magnitude, and the south from an inter
Change Of its commercial advantages
We appeal to our fellow citizens in other parts
u Lie oIdtc VI iowa, TO extend to us their aid.
In procuring from the General Government. a
donation of land to aid in the perfectine Of con-
tinHation of the road from Dubuque to Nc Greg.
or, by the most feasible route, to be determined
by a Typographical survey with reference to the
general interests of the State. 5&
We are not unmindful of the mutual benefits.
and the vast stores of commercial wealth that
Will preponderate in favor of our fellow citizens
of Milwaukee, and the northern counties Of
Wisconsin, by extending the Milwaukee railroad
to Prairie du Chen. point designated by the
Hon. Asa Whitney, as being upon the most
practicable route for locating the Atlantic and
Pacific railroad, urged in his memorial to Con.
gress upon that subject.
Prairie du Chen is situated upon high, heal
thy and commanding prairie, that stretches a.
long the waters Of the Mississippi for distance
Of nine miles, varying in width from one to one
and 2 half miles, while along its southern bor-
der flow the navigablc waters Of the Wisconsin.
For many years the General Government re-
garded it as the most healthy, commanding and
eligible depot Tor distributing the military Stores
the military post Of Fort Crawford.
Let the wand Of enterprise, guided by our
eastern capitalists, direct the development ofits