Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1851-01-08
For the Reporter.
ssThe Railroad QuestiOn''--Mus-
CatinC.

Il The evidence which has been heretofore furnish
ed or the hostility ofthe town of Muscainc to the
protected railroads in Iowa, has been conclusive
overwhelming, and onfessed; but their proyerbia
i opposition having proved unavaing, policy has
quite recently, coerced them into prcessed friend
ship for these roads. A long article in the last
.Enquirer' of that place in disparagement of the
late able report of Mr. Morgan, VIII attract the atten
ton of railroad men, in and out OF the General As
sembly, as il clearly discloses the aim of their
tangled diplomacy in reference to the Davenport and
Council Bluffs road. Stripped of all verbiage, the
proposition amounts to ths-ihdt Muscotine must be
made the Mississippi terminus of the great east and
rest road. II aih great interests OF interior Iowa
can be made forever subservient to the town Of
Muscatlnc the road may be built but otherwise;
and hence the origin Of their recent game Of duplic
ity, to enlist the supposed interests OF Washington,
Keokuk and Mahaska counties, in favor of divert
ing this great work from its original course and Of
bringing into direct rivalry with the Dubuque and
keokuk railroad SOUTH with the Burlington and Fort
Des Moines road, and with the MISSISSIPPI and Dcs
Moines rivers. In fact, the undisguised PROPOSE
lions advanced, IN the article alluded to, that
.'Muscatine is TO be the present terminus OF the
roadp' that tits to cross the Iowa river below the
month of Cedar!!' that il is TO be sthe Muscatine
and tuscaloosa rairoad,.r' that athe division from
Muscatine to tuscaloosa is frs. TO be bntr, and that
connection with the Chicago road is to be obtain
ed by means OF sea ferry beiween Masculine and Rock
Aldnd'"r' What glorious combination of absurd
ities-reguiar Muscatne- snls-have we here with
which TO honey fuye the discreet citizens Of Wash
ington, keokuk and Mahaska counties! No won
der that ssunatics" dsport themse Ives in "dreams
upon such ssmoonshine.D
But in all seriousness, let US consider this mat
ter. The two great controlling considerations, with
statesmen and citizens, in favor Of this east and
west r,ilroad, in CO inection with the other road
north and south, arefirst, Its influence in promo
ting the settlement and prosperity those portions
Of the intssior Of dur sssss WuseE are sspO,e from
her navisable waters, and secondly, the facilities
which it would Afford to population or reaching
an eastern market by connecting with the Rock Is
land and other roads tending eastward.
4 Now, how are these cardinal purposes 10 be &C
complished by this distractng project OF the towI
OF Muscatine9 The Dubuque and Keokuk rail roa,
which will certainly he built through washingto,
traffic Of Louisa, Washington, Henry, Keokuk an.
Mahaska, that would seek any railroad and all thd
trade which would not go to the Mississippi or De.
MONIES rivers, ,conld be required to support tha
road. BY taking the east and west road down Their,
them these facilities unnecessarily and unwisel,
multiplied, and thetwo roads are brought INTO ruin
GUS competition with each other. And this is no
ALL The Burlington and Fort Des Moines railroa,
will ultimately he constructed through Henry, JET
ferson and Mahaska, and thus three railroads, an,
two navigable rivers would be presented in ryalr,
for the 'raie Of . district Of country some Aixt,
miles in diameter, while, BY the very operation, tn
, great interior north Of them would be deprived o
J any improvements Whatever! But in the mind of
Musca,ine loeician, all this injustice to the peop
Of the remote interior--all this multiplication
extraordinary facilities within small section al
ready highly iayored--ail this piing up Of unneces
sary and rivsl works-are 10 be amply compensate,
ny the astonishing feat of establishing ferry
from Muscatine to Rock Island with the magnifcen
privilege of double transhipment, and the crown