The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1853-09-15
For the Ga-otte.
DAVENPORT-ITS FUTURE.

nected their destiny with that of the place
at the head Of this article, no inquiry can bt
started invested with more interest thai
l"utat is the future Of Dareaport?"
Certain great, controlling circumstances
make and unmake places, and let me endeay.
or to answer the interrogatory above pro
pounded with constant reference to these
In the first place, to some extent, we ought
to consider the almost unparalleled Jeauty
of this locality-confessedly one of the
loveliest and most attractive spots the eye
| Of man ever beheld. Situated at the foot
! of the upper rapids, it is laved on the south
by the waters of the noblest river ON the
surface of the globe.
| In within less than four months from this
time, we will be in direct railroad connection
with the great cities of the Lakes, and Of
the Atlantic sea-board Think of it for a
moment;-a continuous and unbrokcn
railroad connection between the Mississippi
and Atlantic connection which will
place Davenport within 60 hours ride of
the emporium of the western continent. 1t
appears now to be almost universally con-
ceded that this is the only feasible bridge
point on the upper Mississippi
, Despite all that has been, or can be said
to the contrary, we hno,c that this is prac-
ticable and profitable enterprise; and that
the Incorporators of the Mississippi Bridge
Company, embracing such men as Gov.
Matteson, Farnam, Sheffield, Judd and their
associates, are acting with characteristic
good faith when they assure us that they
contemplate the immediate construction OF
an arcAmay over the Mississippi at this place
over which at no distant day is destined,
without much doubt, to pass the trade and
commerce of the world! But more on this
point hereafter. Now then consider the
unprecedented growth and development of
the state Of Iowa, in all the departments OF
civilization.
| Lately born into the Confederacy, with
the vgor of youth in her limbs, and the blush
of health glowing upon her cheeks, she al
ready ranks amongst the fairest and most
promising States of the sisterhood.
Contemplate her situation as the geo.
graphical center of the Union Cor nearly so)
washed on the east by the 'Father of Wa
ters,' on the west, by its scarcely less noble
rival, the great Missouri. Look at its vast
praires already thickly tenanted, and rapidly
settling up to repletion by hardy and in
dustrious population; its salubrious climate
its we'll watered soil Of prodigal and un.
bounded fertility, make it, indeed, "a lane
flowing with milk and honey
The NJ. g. M. Railroad, which our distin.
guished fellow citizen, Ant. LeClaire, Esq.
SO triumphantly commenced on last Thursday
proposes to pierce and traverse the richest
portions of Central Iowa, and to pour into
the lap of our beautiful city the riches and
commerce of the Cedar, the iowa, the nns
Moines and Missouri valleys.
What an auspicious era in the history O.
our State, County and City, was the actua
and bona fde commencement on the lstlnst.
of the Railroad which will shortly connec
topether, with band of iron, the most ma
iestic streams on the face Of the globe.
Auspicious, because many of us Gas you
Mr.. Sanders, amongst the others) have
been hoping and toiling for this great worl
for wears, under circumstances which woul'
have sunk with dependency any but thu
stoutest hearts, unnerved and unstrung an!
but the strongest arms, and which woul'
have overcome anything but the most do9ge'
and obstinate perseverance.
Auspicious, because the clouds whici
: hung so darkly and loweringly over us have
been cleared away, and the sun of prosper
ty is now brightly, steadily and glorious.
shining down upon us!
Auspicious, because this Railroad which
reposes so deep in our hearts, is at Length
removed from the foggy regions OF doub
and contingency, and reduced to certainty
doubly certain,-for we have men at the
head of this work whose whole Railroad his
tory attests that they know no such thing
as fail.
Mr.. Farnam and his associates have
solemnly agreed and undertaken to ''put this
work through from the word "go,' ant
they'll do it too, or else shamefully outrage
and libel their entire antecedent Railroad
history. And we ought especially to con
gratulatc ourselves, that in this day wher
the fertile soil of general prosperity is shoot
inp up on all hands, fungos, ephemeral
mushroom and ROTTEN organizations-or
oanizations which have no where under
heavens sswide hollowness" a"local hablta
ton or a name,' companies that cannot ever
nav their hands their first months wages
that we have secured for our work compa
nv of undoubted reliability, and who are
omnipotent to the successful and speedy
completion of every project they undertake
or assume.
Nor is this all. am neither ''prophe
nor the son of one" but ! desire just her,
and now to make prediction which if tel
wears do not witness its fulflment, please
) write me down an ass in all your books
The project of National Iron Highway t