Burlington hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1845-185?, 1851-10-16

We make the following extract from the re-
port Of Col. Morgan, the Engineer of the Peoria
Railroad to the Board of Directors at their late
meeting at Knoxville:
Nv surveys have enabled me 10 demonstrate
the fact that route exists from the Illinois riv-
e- to the Mississippi. possessing the character
istics of the IN 1st nerfect lines. No grade ex-
ceefs % feet to the mile, and no curative exists
which viii ia tie ieas. diminish the maNimpm
effects atsainable on any other railroad. It Is
susceptible of being constructed alta very mod
crate cost under ladicio,s management. and its re-
sources under these circumstances must be i'm
mense The amoant Of traffic that is ready to
seek its way over il the moment it snal be put in
operation. can olly be appreciated BY those who
know the pro ltlctiveaess, the condition, and ca
pabities Of this garden of Illinois, or By those
who are familiar with the creative powers and
wide spread influence OF railroads constructed tn
the direction ana manner taat shall meet most
elfaetnaslv the wants OF tae comm nifty. Upon
good 7 rail train with two hundred tons of
| freight could be conveyed from Burlington to
/ Peoria in eight hours, at expense of Si0o dol
/ lars--aliowing the company 100 per cent profit
/ and to cover all contingencies. Taa charge on
/ bas'e of waeat wo iii be three cents, and all
/ osher freight in pronorhoa. Coal which is now
/ worth l6 cents in arlington. could nc delivered
/ from Knox comfy or the kiekapoo valley foe five
| cents. A passenger at cost not eyceedin. two
| dollars. could pass over the Who'll. line of road in
| less than fon hours, and everV imaginable pro-
! duction would paw the cost of Transportation
! No doubt could be entertained under these cir
cnmssances Of an extraordinary influx and senar-
| al increase of population as will as the rapid
| growth OF every kind of Improvement. 1t is
| now established as a fact beyond controversy
even in countries OF far inferior natural resources,
that the deduction OF half in the price of trans
| portatiol, eventually swe.ls the amount of bust
/ mess foar-sod. Hence it is reasonable to infer
that an advance in the value OF real estate would
| be in the same proportion. The belt of country
in Illinois which win find TINS railroad available,
contains at least 1000 square miles, three-fonrths
of which is no where exceeded in fertility aud
other advantages. Unier such circumstances no
doubt can be entertained that the Peoria and
Ouaawka Railroad will yield great profits to
those engaged in it. 1t must not however be for
COTTON that other lines OF ralroa! are projected
in order TO draw OF or share in the same advan-
tage. Under the adoption of unnatural grades, and
| the effect OF tardy progress on the part of this
company, such an event might be appreheniei-
the railroad that offers the greatest facilities must
command the trade. l. Is an immense boon TO
contend for. The tendency of commerce iseast-
ward and this beng provided for in connection
with the Peoria and Q iuawka railroad, three
| qlarters of the business OF the whole IN iitary
| tract viii eventually come under its influence
/ Not oaly will the best line towards the Atlantic
cities attract the business of the south. bat dis
| tricss west oe the Mississippi VIII come within
she sphere of its inf lence. the immense regions
| along the Des Moines Valley, the very heart OF
Iowa, will receive its MERCHANDISE and OCCASION
/ alv poar in its products upou this important
| route. II is not exravagant to assume that the
efforts 70 extend railroad facilities even farther
| south by the Hannibal Railroad, may in the
/ same way result in opening communication and
| in contributing to swell the resources of this en-
terprise. 1t is ONLY 2S miles east from Peoria to
the line Of the Illinois Central Railroad. the
/ distance from Knoxville through Peoria TO the
| Indiana State line is 15S miles. From Gales
| bnrgh BY the Rock Island AMI Southern Mchi-
| gan railroad 1t is 16s niles to the same line at a
| more northern point and although nearer to
/ Lake Michigan and Chicago, the numerous lines
/ OF railroad now in progress through Ohio and
Indiana, viii offer an outlet equally advantageous
| for the object of the ,any. The superior fa-
cilities also of reaching st Louis or Giro in the
winter season by this route are quite apparent
1 To secure however beyond the reach Of comne-
/ t,tion the legitimate sources of business claimed
| for this Railroad from Peoria to Burlington, the
utmost economy as well as the most efficient plan
must be resorted to in the construction Of the
work Deprive ii OF the degree of perfection |
have sought 10 give it, and It would be by no
means surprising to see its business directed into
other channels. There is another element which
| 1t is desirable to consider in relation 10 its sue
cessfnl operation; economy of time. Ii this
railroad could be completed to the Mississippi
sooner than any other line now in progress, it
will give character to the undertaking il not a
permanent direction to great amount of hnsi-
ness. The more energy there may be used to
promote its rapid construction, the more conf
dence Will the public imhbe in reference to it
consequently larger amount OF means will be
rendered available, would not advise precipi-
tate means, but feel convinced that the more
rapidly the work progresses, the more strength
is gained by the company.