The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-02-04
ADDITIONAL DEVELOPMENTS.

'uiH'is aiu Pcople oI tHc oGtt, upon tile suo
ject of our proposed railroad grants, the estate
Gazette published at Burlington, has remained
very passive, until the 2lst inst, when we fnt
that large and respectable Journal, laboring un
der more than two mortal columns of editorial
to prove that our people have for over five years
been chasing shadow, in asking Congress FOL
lands TO assist in constructing a railroad from
Dub uque to Keokuk, and from Davenport tc
Council Bluffs, and that this shado,o, mast now
give place TO substance in the shape of three
grand Railroads, travcrsing the State from Eas
to West. One from Burlington, through the
Dcsmoincs Valley to the Missouri one from
Davenport 10 the Missouri; and one from Du
buque to the mouth of the Big Boo (Sioux)-
In this plan, the Morgan prctcrt of parallels i.
forgotten, as the Burlington road would run par
allel with the Dcsmones Improvement, and il
near proximity to, and parallel with the Daven
port road along the Desmoines. A lengthy ant
labored argumen, is presented, to establish tina
it would be greatly for the interest of all sections
of the State, and Burlington in particular, tt
abandon the old plan, for the new one. New
things, however feebly presented, are generally
seductive creatures; but in this instance, we
apprehcnd it will require more than the collec
tive wisdom Of Burlington, to pursuade the
people of this State, that they are to be bene.
fited by such change. 1t is contended thai
this new scheme, when once carried into effect
would accommodate the wants of the present
and prospective population Of the State, much
better than the old If it is our interest to con-
struct railroads, subject to the demands and ex-
igencies of those who are unborn to reverse
the old rule, by making railroads the pre- -requi-
site for settlement and production, in place OF
settlement and production the inducement fol
railroads and -four behests in whatever schemes
we may devise and submit to Congress, are to
be religiously observed, then may we without
prejudice to any interest, admit that no improve
might in some particulars, and at some time du-
ring its progress, have been improved upon. This
concession can neither increase the chances of
the new scheme, or lessen the merits of the old
versing the State from North to South, and East
to West, which would prove an effectual sub
sttute for the expensive and dangerous naviga-
ton of the Mississippi in low water, and would
accommodate the wants and interests of the
present and prospective population of the State
1t has been before the people for five years, and
has received their repeated sanction in Mass
meetings, State Conventions and the General
Assembly. Indeed, there can be no question
but what it commands the support of at least
eighttenths of the population of the entire
State. While this new scheme proposes to
merge the old plan into the new, those who
suggest it, know, that the very enormity of their
request will Kill it, and every other project fol-
improving the State. Such munifccnt be.
quest as is here asked for, has never been gran
ted, nor has it ever before been asked from Con-
gress. Such a work, would traverse nearly two
thousand miles of country, the larger portion OF
which, is wild unsettled and unsurveycd
country; would cost probably from forty to sixty
millions of dollars; and would require from fif-
teen to twenty years for its construction. And
this is asked for. by the inhabitants of small
City, down the river, in behalf of Sta'e, con-
Meeting with the wilderness on the West, and
containing population of less than two hun
dred thousand inhabitants. The very extravi-
gance of this request viii, and ought to prove
its ruin, for there would be as little justice in a
national sense, in granting such a request, as
there is in common sense, in asking it.
But it may be thought strange, when we as
sert, that we do not believe the Burlington in.
is held out for three roads, in order to divert pub
lie attention from the old plan and concentrate
it upon the new one and when the current of
public sentiment is fairly turned, it will either
be found imprnetieabie, to obtain anything fur
thcr for the State, than an appropriation either
of money, or lands, for improving the Missis-
sippi Rapids, or through an arch system Of d.
plomacy, grant for constructing but one road
through the State, from the East to the West,
will be made aud that will be secured for Bur-
lngton. This seems to us, to be the most ra-
tona conclusion which can be drawn from the
plots and Vaccinations of Burlington AS an
evidence of it, let us extract few lines from
the article in the Gazette. In speaking of the
three grand railroad lines, starting from Bur-
lngton, Davenport and Dubuque, and traversing
the State West, the Gazette says:
ssOf the three West lines the Burlin ston
would probably be the frs. completed, being
9TH ba g..
ward as rapidly the settlement OF the several
sections created demand"
The road from Burlington marx, must he the
first buiit, and the others ,cou'd be pushed for
acard as fast the settlement Of the seUcrai sec
tions created a demand. The road once con
s'ructcd from Burlington, through the Des-
moines Valley, to the Missouri, and of course
this would supersede the necessity of road
from Davenport, as they would necessarily run
parallel and in close proximity, for great por-
ton Of the distance. And as we in DUBUQUE.
must acait for settlement to create q demand
from tie Big Siour, of course we would have
no for our road, for the next half century.
Here is the sehoie grand scheme of our may
unanimous friends below. Do you see anything
green brother Gaz tic
The BALL CONTINUES TO oR,Il!-NlSETy
ONE THOUSAND DOLLARS stock t. the Burng-
ton and Missouri River Rail Road Company
were taken in cur city y, st.rday. THE ROAD
WILL BE BUILT NOW, LAND OR No LAND. The
citizens of Burlington will it, and whether
Congress acts or not, the WORK WILL Pro-
GREss.-Buriington Teieyrnph
Well come now, as you have the matter entire
ly under the control Of your s.wil'' and can
build it without any iand from Congress, sup
pose ycu at once settle all disputes and restore
harmony among the people, by Withdrawing
your pretenslons 1t would be but simple ak
ercise of magnanilnity and christian charity, for