The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1850-07-25
For the Gazette
IOWA RAILROADS.

| NTr. SANDERS I'll perceive by eahos'"'s -
Burlington Hawkeye and in the State ua1''s'
that their Editors have made grand anu '''P.
taut discovery They have discoverea '''a' ~
,va viii be impoverished and ruined N case son'
a,ess donates portion OF the public DOMAIN 70
the State for the purpose OF constructing @aH-
| roads from Davenport 10 Council Bluhs, ah"
from Dubuque to kcokuk. and they advise 'hs
State Legislature not to receive such donations.
That the citizens Of this vicinity may be enlyht-
cned and receive the benefit Of their advice,
/ furnish one OF the articles ID question:
! Doa CuEAP.-We look upon the donations made 10
the new states, including those proposed 10 asss.
in budding railroads, as 50 many ah IN
nj in view Of the anticipates passage y .'
Bounty Land Bill for which warrants VII cover
inc II is said fifty millions OF acres OF land. Every
one can that Ia nd will not be worth my cents ".
acre in the event Of the passage OF that b ana .nen
we nk Of the conditions of the donatons ana lnet
crcniinr influence on the state, do hope that no
IVA Legislature will ever be 80 blind % me lh.ssas
Of their Commitments as TO comply with the condition
set forth in the bill granting donation TO 'he stats
| On this subject We have much more to say
/ | would ask the friends of internal improve
ment whether they feel disposed to swallow such
reasoning, and whether they feel content 10 re-
main as they now are, without ore mile OF Rail-
|
we have tho evidence OF the prosperity Of neigh
boring States, which have adopted ilberal sys-
tenn Of internal Improvements! would give
tho gentlemen evidence that would satisfy rea-
sonable men that the State would not be endan-
cered and thus lull their fears, but am some
what suspicious that their complain, isJealausg,
and if so, all the healing balsams tina. could
apply would not remove the disease. We see
| By the tone Of these Journals that we have TO
battle for the welfare of our State; that We have
opponents where we little expected them that
the way is about being paved to crush our KALI
roads by cur own Legislature. We see tha' Il
is all importan; to send men to the Legislature
TO represent us that will stand firm, and 10y
lihera! and wise policy elevate our State 10 that
position that nature has destined her TO occupy
In all candor and kindness / would inquire oil
the Hawkeyc and Gazette, whether It would not
be TO the advantage of the State, OF the compa-
ny that may receive those lands for the purpose
Of constructing these Roads, that the alternate
sections reserved should be held at S rs or ST.
so per acre. Every man at all acquainted with
the simplest business transaction will answer,
that il would be TO the benefit oi the company
that dlaceni land should not be seld at lower
rate than the company could probably or might
feel justified and liberty TO SCI. al. without be-
ing brought into competition with Government
land a, 81 ,e5 per acre. Were the Government
alternate sections within the six miles 10 be
thrown into marke, at 81 90 or Sl,25 per acre
that price would OF course govern the market
value of the company's lands similarly located,
and every one familiar with tie Influence that
Railroads haze in advancing the price OF land in
their vicinity, must admit that those lands which
are situated within five or SIX mics Of the in-
provements will nice, with more ready sale OF
three or four dollarsper acre than land at Dis
lance Of eight twelve miles would at 4 90
per acre. We have The daily evidence Of this
hc,, as naked prairie lands within from four to
six miles of our river markets aud shipping towns
are in demand and selling a, $500 to $1,000
per acre, whilst vas, bodies Of Government land
of similar quality can be entered within len or
twelve miles of said shipping points with war.
rants, at IS to 95 cents per acre. The same re-
suits would follow in reepeci 10 the land in the
vicinity Of these Railroads, and es The bounty
warrants cannot be used in the purchase OF the
reserved Government sections, they will have
but a trifng influence the land donated or on
said Railroads, unless they may enable some 10
purchase themselves land that otherwise could
not purchase a. all and By filing up The S ate
and Bringing land into cultivation that would
otherwise remain unsod, add 10 the business OF
those Roads. And further the Hawk eye Asserts
through its issue OF the ,h ofJuly, shat i. viii
involve our state in immense debt and be IA curse
rather than blessing. This must be the case
il the Land Bounty Bill passes. Land Warrants
can then be purchased al from 90 TO 40 dollars
the settlement Of the country far as these gov
eminent owned alternate sections are concerned
will be retarded-and The grant won't sell for
enough TO grade five miles of the road''
Those opponents OF the Iowa Railroads that
are offering arguments that must puzzle The wise
to understand, in the State Gazette Of July 81
declare that the provision requiring he resorv-
ed sections TO be sold al $3.50 is unfortunate, as
that high late will retard the settlement of the
country. Inneliatel, after condemning tie
high price system and declaring tia, 1t VIII ruin
the State, they change their opinions and assert
that it is The low prices that the bounty land
will be sold at, that will be the cause of this ru
in md destruction.
In respect to the minimum price OF The reserv-
ed alternate sections, will state that ii was the
request Of the citizens OF Iowa in Convention and
through their address 10 the Senate and House
OF Representatives that they should not he sold
for less than Sc so per acre ACT.
Dlvenport, July 18th, 1850 ~~
We are glad 10 see friend F speaking cut 10.
OH this subject, as we had intended saying some.
thing relative 10 the several para graphs TO which
he refers, and were only waiting FOR lie Hawk
eye 10 spread himself upon the question as he
promised, TO adducc single argnmen, in "a
vor Of the position he has assumed 1t is true