The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-02-21
Iror the Gazette.1
RAILROADS.

L IA.
sens Of u Claire, ono Of tic resolutions passed
| declares she projec, Of . Railro4a from ROCK -
| land 10 Easalle to 10 missionary" No reasons
are assigned for this declaration, which is contra
~ 70 the generally received opinions OF most m
teIliccn. men, for the last twenty years: 50,
twenty years, for have jus. reada very elaoo.
rate essay, by "a gentleman, written twenty year.
aeo. in which he demonstrates the feasibility o
this very road.
Will the author Of these resolutions show US
why this project is visionary! Iask him in ear
nest: Or il he will not write for your PAPER, vii
lie discuss the matter Al his own fireside! l
he will name time and place, after the 2Otf
inst, where he would be willing to have friend
Iy council on this all important subject, know
several persons, who take deep interest In The
success of this road, who will be glad 70 mecl
him.
1had been informed, that every r 'iroad built
in these Western States by private enterprise
or private and public enterprise united, was prot
table Most OF the OHIO Railroads are built by
county and individual subscriptions united
They are all dividend paying roads. None Of
them paw less than OF per cent. The Little
Miami Railroad, pays dividend Of ten per cent,
besides interest on s600.O0
The Mad River and Lake Erie Railroad de-
year'soperations.
The Mansfield ard Sandusky Railroad declar-
ed dividend of 6-7 per cent on its first years
operation.
The indianapolis Railroad 80 miles long, run
ming from Madison TO Indianapolis, at right ar
giles to the great thoroughfares, declares disi-
dend of Is per cent.
The Springfield and Naples R,ilroad is doing
first rate business.
The Chicago and Gaicna Railroad only 90
miles long, declares dividend of l6 per cent on
its first years. business. This road has only four
and half counties dependent on it, l. runs
through no great thoroughfarc. 1t terminates
a. no large town. Nest Of the year, il had its
depot in the prairie. Tnis road has stopped pro-
gress in the direction Of Galena, until the coun-
ties west OF il subscribe money 10 finish it. II
il be missionary. project for counties 10 take
stock in Railroads., it will be some time, before
the town Of lie Claire becomes depot for a
Railroad, which, when finished, will be ninsty
miles from il, and the river connecting the depo.
and II abroad frozen over from four to six months
in the year.
This Chicago and Galcna road has not stop
ped in its progress down Fox River towards the
of the Rock Island and Lasaiie r Ill
road. /, is under contract to be finished in July
next 10. Aurora. Engineers are now surveying
a continuation of it, from Aurora tothe teruIina-
ton Of the Illinois and Michigan Canal, dis
lance Of only So miles. TIE whole Of this will
be pa, under contrac, this season.
Nav will the author of the resolutions tell Us
which is the most visionary, to build Railroad,
through fertile country, Us level as the first
twenty-five miles of the Chicago and Galena
Raiload, for its whole distance 60 miles, and
thustake our produce 10 market at all seasons Of
The rear, or 10 expect, thar we can make lie
Claise the depot Of a road ninety miles distant!
End, thar all these roads 10 which refer,
DO agood business, pay handsome profit on The
ros'; and that the country which ~ dependent on
mos! of these roads, does not produce more pro-
ducs, which will be dependent on il, than the
Rock Island and LasalIo road.
Forming my opinions from the cost and bust
nessand profits Of other roads similarly situated,
having no more country TO depend on them,
had concluded, that this Railroad must pay nj
eastas much dividend as the Chicago and GiIe-
na Railroad, and had concluded, that il would
be srst rate baslness for the county to give her
bondi to the road at par to secure its construc-
the author Of the resolutions enlighten me.
I know, that Illinois failed in her grand
scheme Of Internal improvements, but this fail
ure was owing to her log-roliag extravaganza,
to ,hefaithlessness Of her public servants, and to
her want of knowledge, prudence and discretion
in the management Of her affairs. While her
folly should teach us wisdom, il should not deter
US from embarking in an enterprise which is JUS
tilted by all experience, and which mus, result
in great permanent benefit to the country.
Many merchants fail in business: II is an eve
ry day occurrence: Should that deter other per-
sons from the business Of merchandise! Nay,
the very men who fail, learn wisdom from mis-
fortune, and successfully prosecute the same
calling afterward.
A RAILROAD MAN.
The editor Of a newspaper actually re-
turned from California BY the last steamer