Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1853-12-30

100000 in available bonds, towards tn
construction of the Muscatne and Cskaloos,
road, and that it will most probably b,
carried.
With regard to depot at Moscow, v,
have only to say that n railroad from tha
place to Muscatins would probably bring
here at least portion o: that produce which
might otherwise be all taken by railroad tc
Davcnport--ani if extended through to Co.
dar Rapids, We would get about all.
! Fo. tie Joursl.
MEssGs. EDIroRs: Perhaps the people oil
Muscatinc have occasion to rejoice over the
cheering intelligence received last week.
relative to our long talked o railroads. =
AZ this late hour would be the last person
that would wilfully throw an obstacle OF
even feathers weight in the way of q spec
dy consummation of our plans. iiut this
project invoicing so large an amount of
money, has been conceived on too grand a
scale to warrant us in rushing into it head
long and without knowing what will be the
| final result. Trusting, then, that our PEG.
| pie still possess that same character for eau
| tiousness and deliberate GOODNESS, which.
through all the railroad excitement has
| characterized their actions, beg leave to
submit through your columns a few thou hts
for their consideration.
Early lass Spring the NJ. & NJ. r. r. Co.
by its agents, Farnam and others made the
following proposition to the people of Mus
catine, viz i: That if the counties of Musca.
tine, Washington, Keokuk and Mahaska
would raise one third of the amount required
to construct q railroad from this city west
to Oskaloosa, the Company furnishing two
thirds, would build the road. This propo-
sition being to certain extent accepted, an
attempt was made to raise the amount. re-
! CURED.
| Under this agreement these four counties
were to raise $500, 200, and with commend
able exertion some Of them have done all
that was in their power. The result shows
that the utmost amount that GIN be raised,
either by county bonds or voluntary sub
scription, is about 100000. which allows
S;200, 900 for the bonds of Muscatine coup-
ty and city, and $50, 900 for private SUBJ
scrption; Keokuk it was supposed would
vote for loan of 100000; Mahaska ha
voted 100000, and promises to raise S50,-
900 more by individual subscription; Wash
ington will vote nothing, making the sun
total $500, 600.
Now the meeting is over and what is the
result? 1t is exactly this and nothing more,
that the NJ. & NJ. Co. will build the road
just so far rs the money we raise will pay
one-third of the cost as proposed. In this
case Mahaska will refuse to issue hc' $780,
900 worth Of bonds, and her citizens will
neglect to raise the $4,000 by private sub
scription. kcokuk has not yet voted upon
the question of issuing bonds, neither will
she without sufficient evidence to convince
her the road will run through that county :;
thus making another deduction of sl0O, 900
from the sum total. Washi gton county
has voted as much as she is able for the
construction of another road, which is as
sure of being built as most any road in the
State, and which she considered would b.
,he most profitable investment of her funds
Now that same road, as projected, will ben
eht heokui county rs much il not more
than it will Washington; and haye but little
doubts that at this late hour she will refuse
to aid in the construction Of the Oskaoosa
road. Be that Us it may, without the road
will reach Keokuk she will certainly remain
inactive.
Deducting, then, the $250,00O for the
counties of Mahaska and Keokuk and it
leaves Muscatine with It's $3.50, 900 to build
one third of the road from here to WASH
ington. The distance to Washington is
forty miles, and reckoning the cost of the
road at the smallest possible estimate,
which cannot be less than $25, 900 per mile,
and we find that it will bring US far short
of even Washington, and that the western
terminous of our road will be in the swamps
or in the middle of some open prairie.
But, says one, it will he for the interest
of the Railroad Company to complete the
road with their own funds. Granted and
will it not be equally as much for their in
terest to furnish means for the construction
of the whole line? But admitting the first
objection to be obviated by willingness on
the part of the Company to complete the
road, and providing Mahasia and Keokuk
furnish the amount as stated, the Company
is obliged to give US a BONUS of 100000.
Certainly small sum, and do not say they
will mt be thus generous, but if they are,
they must have an important object in
view and now let US see what that objection
is. 1t is quite plain.
The NJ. NJ. Co. is determined to have an
eastern connection from this city, and that
connection will be by branch running from
Museatine to Moscow, ntersecting with the
Davenport and Iowa City road, thus virtually
and actually using s250,000 Of our money Il
make railroad from Darenpori 10 Oskaloosa.
L,.tlI II