Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-07-21
THE DES MONIES COURIER.
Our Chances for the Pacific
Rnil Road.


. Rail Road.
Iowa occupies, more nearly than any
other State of the Union, tho geograph-
ical centre of the confederacy, and any
single naticnal work, undertaken with a
view to accommodate all interests, and
harmonise all sections, cannot fail TO
touch her at some point. Tha. point
we naturally believe TO be Burlington,
BY this we do not mean to say that the
work win be commenced al this city, bu,
that the travel and trade of the road will
pass through this place. In other words
we believe that the Pacific road will DO
an extension Of the Burlington and Mis-.
souri, road westward from the mouth oil
the Platte to San Francisco. And for
these reasons. We are on q straight
line with Philadelphia and New York,
furnishing shorter route from the Mis-.
sissippi TO those cities than any other
point, and in the course of a short time
we shall be in connection with them by
a straight, line of railroad. The grea.
States Of Ohio, Pennsylvania, and New
Y ork will be with US from the force oil
interest. All New England, Michigan,
and northern Illinois and northern Inai-
ana will also be with US for the same
reason; and may we not coun, upon
Kentucky, Maryland, Virginia and Del
aware upon the same grounds, as fur
nishing them the most direct connection
with the Pacificl Even Charleston, in
South Carolina, and Mobile, Alabama,
are situated nearer 10 us than PhilaGel-
phia or New York, and with railroad
facilities, which are rapidly progressing
norihward and westward from those
places, they could reach the Pacific
sooner, if distance and time be an OBJ
jec. with them, than their grea, rivals ut
at the north. For the mutual accommo-
dation, then, of the grea, majority Of
the country. Burlington is certainly the
compromise poins-the grand centre
where shall be concentrated the trade
and travel destined for the Pacific road.
Situated no nearly as we are 10 the nor
thern boundary Of Missouri, which is
the compromise line between The slave
and the free States, il is fair to presume
that all sectional claims. when they
come to be adjusted, will be settled in
accordance with the motives and the
policy which have ever governed in such
cases. The South, when compelled,
from weakness of numbers, TO abandon
a southern route, will next look TO the
most Southerly route through The free
States, which would be the Burlington
and Missouri river rail road, while the
north, finding vs. perfectly central to its
largest population, could have no hest.
fancy in readily asserting 10 such an ar
rangement
In view of these considerations, which
we deem most reasonable, how great
and tempting is the prize held out to our
people along the line of our western
road, and how incumbens the duty upon
every ore 10 aid in It's construction. Let
the energies of no one flag in this great
and good work. Let no one remain
from the ballot box on the first Monday
in August-but let every man consider
himself committee specially appointed
to wait upon his neighbors and invite
them to the polls where, .hey have so
much a, stake. There are men now
living among us. with locks silyered DER
with age, who viii ye. live TO see long
trains OF carsSwi,h California passengers
whirling through the prairies between
Burlington and the Missouri. and thence
by an iron track 10 the Pacific, If we
are but true to ourselves. and stand up
to the county loans.-Basrlngton Tel
egrdph.