Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1850-1854, 1853-06-17
Terms of Advertising.
LETTER FROM COZ. IL. II. MASON,
CHIEF ENGINEER OF THE DUBUQUE AN
Pacific RAILROAD.
Illinois Central Railroad Office.
Chicago, May 80, 1853. (

I
PAcIFIc RAILROAD.
Illinois Central Railroad Office. ,
Chicago, May 80, 1859.
! J. p. FARLEY, ESQ:
DEAR SfR: | notice by the Dubuque pa
Ipers, that the question of loaning the credit of
the county, or issuing bonds TO the amount of
100000 to aid in the construction of a
road westward from Dubuqe is soon to be
submitted TO the people for their approval or
rejection.
This is d question in which all have deep
/ interest, and theSresult should be carefully
considered The proposition is for the con-
try to take 100000 in the stock of the
road, and issue their bonds to that amount
to pay for it. The citizens Of the county
would very naturally look at this as an indi-
vidual would, and examine the subject to sec
whether it Would be a profitable and safe in
vestnent But, how is this to be done, or
what evidence is there that it will be safe
investment. Experience, the result of SINH
lar operations in places similarly situated,
would seem TO be as safe and reliable evil
dencc as could be produced, Suppose, then
we examine the question, by this test, and
take the case Of the counties in Ohio, who
/
Cleveland and Columbus road 1t is but
about two years since that road was in ope-
ration, and already some of the counties have
sold their bonds and realized some rs to 30
per cent. more than their Indebtedness. Or
to make it more plain, a county that sub
scribed 100000, has been receiving large
| dividends for two years past aud have now
disposed of their stock at a clear profit of SO
to $60,O00
But to take a case nearer home we will
stpposb that the county of Cook had taken
| 100000 to aid in the construction of the
Chicago and Galena Union Railroad. 1t is
not necessary to 90 into an argument to show
what would have been the result in this case
for all know that the Chicago and Galena
road has paid large dividends, and occasion
ally an extra dividend, and that the stock
now commands handsome premium, SO
that the county would have realized hand
some profit over and above the original in
vestment and the interest thereon. Were
the prospects of the Chicago and Gaena road
any more promising at the time it was com
menced than the Dubuque and Pacific road
is now, or is the country more favorable in an
agricultural point Of view, for the first thirty
mile west of Chicago, than it is Tor the first
thirty miles west of Dubuqe the true answer
to both of these questions would he entirely
favorable to Dubuque. So far, then, as We
can Judge from the light Of experience, the
county of Dubuque can safely make the in
Yestment, and have a reasonable prospect of
making a handsome profit from it,
But, suppose we examine a little into the
/ e 1 81, n Oh
every mile of the road it is necessary to build
temporary building, or shanty, as it is term
cd, for the accommodation of men engaged
in its construction. Each one of these be-
comes a market where the farmer can dispose
of the produce of lis farm, and by the by
would advise the farmer to lay in a good stock
of potatoes. This is ar important article i'll
the construction of Railroads, and in the in
terror of Illinois, have known rs cents per
bushel paid for them on the line of the Hi
nois G.. r.. r.. If the farmer has grain of
any kind, or beef cattle to dispose of, there is
a market for it nj his door.
If he has more oxen or horses on his farm
than he needs, there is n market for them, or
he can send them to the Railroad, and save
his 5000 a year or more, without any add
and the keeping the team and driver, and pay
ing the driver If he has timber for sale,
there is market for it, for ties or bridges
There is nothing in fact produced from a farm
but what is used in the construction of a rail
road, and the great difficulty has been in tho
interior of Illinois on the Illinois Central
Road when there has been no home market
as heretofore that the farmers have not been
prepared for the addihona consumption cau-
scd by bringing such large body of men
and teams into the country, and III some ca
ses pork beef and flour have been transported
from 20 to 80 miles for the use of the con
! tractors.
| The result of experience thus far in the in
terror Of Illinois is that all of the products Of
the farmer has nearly doubled in value since
the construction OF the road was commenced,
a very large portion of the government lands
in the immediate vicinity of the road hrs been
taken up; and although it is but about six
months since the Land Offices were open for
the entry of land, prairies are already being
dotted over with new buildings and impro-
we'd farms. 1t is not on unsafe calculation,
and experience will bear me out in saving
that the value of property within ten miles
of the road will be enhanced III value more
than the whole cost of the road within one
year after it is completed.
Your place, as. | understand it, is at this
time to extend this road about 80 miles west
of Dubuque, which is to be called the first
Division. This may or may not be merged
in ether divisions where the road is extended,
which, undoubtedly, will be nj an early day.
We will suppose it to be kept separate, that
every mile that is added TO 1t increases the
business, and consequently the value Of the
first 80 miles. There can be no doubt or at
least there is none in my own mind but what
this will be trunk road, one route to CON
tinue in a Westerly direction and another in
North West course diycrging from each
| other some 40, 80, or 60 miles west Of Du-
buoue, so that the 80 miles of road now pro
posed to be built would have the business of
two roads to pass over it. May we not in
fact safely compare this project with the Chi
cago and Gaena road, and anticipate from it