The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-06-01
TO THE PEOPLE OF DUBUQUE CoUN-

| TY
On Monday the 9th day of June next you
will be called upon 10 determine by vote whether
or not you viii! have Rail Road extending
| West from the City of Dubuque. The question is
one of the utmost Importance, and upon its prop
er decision, depends to no very limited extent
the welfare of our county. BY deciding it
afirmatively you advance your own interest,
and open up to Northern Iowa future radiant
with promise and prosperity. BY refusing to
vote the loan asked for, you virtually say th"t
you are content to live out dull existence and
trust to chance for success. You throw away
certainty for an uncertainty, and beyond all
question prefer future to present prosperity
Surely, if you believe this you cannot hesitate
how to act
Let brief history of events passed, and a
statement Of what is now doing, answer whether
we are correct or incorrect in our assertion.
No subject has more engaged the public mind
of late than that of Rail Roads Communities
and states have been agitated by its discussion
conflicting interests have been warning for a
preference-our National lie gslature has been
appealed to for aid in the grant of Public Lands,
our hopes were founded on the belief that Con-
gress would hear our prayers and denote US the
lands for which we petitioned. But our appeals
have been disregarded, and we with others have
been thrown upon our own resources. We arc
now making the effort among ourselves to see
what may be done Other counties have set us
the example They are now in advance of us
and unless by future diligence we make amends
sor past supineness, they will continue to occu-
py the advanced ground. Scott, Muscatine,
Desmoines and Lee counties are moving in the
matter. They contemplate running roads
West of us to the Missouri River, and thereby
divert and withdraw from our county her legiti-
mate commerce-commerce designed by nature
to pass through her limits and enrich US by its
wealth.
A number Of our business men Of this City
and county deeply impressed with these truths,
and desirous Of averting the poverty such
schemes must inevitably entail upon you and
them, met together for consultation. Meeting
extensive correspondence was carried on with
Eastern Capitalists to learn their views Of the
practicability and utility of Road West from
this point. When assurances were received
that these Capitalists favoured our road and
would CO operate with US in its erection-agree
ing with their correspondents in opinion, they
organized company and adopted articles of
incorporation to carry into effect their own and
their correspondents, convictions and plan, and
they now propose to their fellow citizens that
the county loan its credit to the amount! of Two
Hundred Thousand Dollars SO that this projec-
ted road may be carried forward to speedy
company that the county bonds are not to be
issued on an uncertainty Our credit as a coun-
ty is not to be used untu the most unqualified
assurance and ample security is obtained for
building the road. Then and not until then the
bonds will be placed at the disposal Of the con-
tractor who may undertake the work. This
makes the Road a certainty before any liability
is incurred by the county
That such road as is contemplated will pay
and pay well, cannot be doubted by any one
who is familiar with the monetary affairs of
such improvements in the Western county,
The time ,cas when those Roads in the West
were regarded as erperiments,- capitalists
were exceeding cautious about investing their
means in them-but that time has passed
They are no longer experiments-that they will
pay is truth abundantIv established and de-
he, nd Of oil
roads extending Westward. The first road pro.
ected toward the West, and assisting to secure
her trade, was the Baltimore and Ohio Rail
Road. 1t now starts from Baltimore and termi
mates on the West bank Of the Ohio River, at
Parkersburg. 1t has been constructed at an
immense expense. Yet it yields handsome
per cent, and il is the design Of the Company
to push the improvement still further West
The next Western Road is that from Albany to
Buffalo. When these two improvements were
first sp ,ken of, most men Of capital doubted the
wisdom of the undertaking, but few intrepid
spirits carried it forward to a speedy compile
tion now they both return to their owners a
handsome income on their outlay. Their pro-
jectors have realized more than their most SAN
guine expectations. Then in rapid succession
came the New York and Erie-the Philadelp phia
and Pittsburgh the Michigan Central and the
Michigan Southern Rail Roads-rivals, all of
which are we'll sustained Then We see the
Commercial Metropolis Of the Union holding in
their friendly grasp the fair hand of the growing
Queen City of the West. But the roads have
not stopped at Chicago. The rapid march of
emigration and civ lization Westward demand
ed further Rail Road facilities, and Chicago has
extended her hand to Dubuque. The Central
Rail Road terminates on the East bank Of the
Mississippi, opposite US. Again, a ca II is made
for road West, and will We say by our votes
that the Steam Car shall stand on the East bank
Of the Mississippi Will say to these i'm
provements I" thus far shalt thou come, and no
farther" We believe not. Let us drink in
the spirit of the age. Let US keep pace with
the progress everywhere around US manifested
Let us go forward to our high destiny. Lag not
behind, hugging antiquated objections to our
hearts-feedlng our minds on defunct theories
and exploded imaginings This food may do
for the sickIy and superstiious, but not for the
active, energetic, 90 head men of the West.
Voters of Dubuque County! you are appealed
to. Reflect! Have you ever known Rail
Road in the West to eventuate unfortunately !?
You must answer, no. Then why hesitate p
Why pause' Tarry no longer Let US go
Westward. Let us follow the star of EN-.
pire" in its course-the course it has been "ta-
king" centuries and thousands of years Will
you be appealed to in vain9 Throw not away
this golden opportunity when you vote on Mon
day, the sixth day Of June next.
= PROGRESS.
Dubuque, May 23d, 1853.
DEATH OF NAPOLEON PREpIcrED-The
| Paris correspondent of the N Y Commercia al