Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1854-01-06
2 MUSCATINE JoUFNAI---J NUARY g. 1854

RY 6, 1854.
and first buyer, without changing the price
paid by the eastern consumer. Let W
prove this.
A barrel of pork weighs $50 pounds,
which includes barrel, salt and brine !; the
salt being purchased in New York, must
consequently incur the. expense of freight
age both ways; barrels cost in this city
81 so each, while in New York they could be
procured for ST.; packing there can be done
1t much less cost than here, for at the
least calculation labor is 33 l.3 per cont.
cheaper; smoking ham and curing bacon
can be done with that per centage less cost
than here; a portion of the hog Is waste,
or of but little account with Us, while in
New York it would be quite an important
item.
When the pork is packed, it must remain
stored away in warehouses two months,
causing interest upon the cash paid for both
pork and packing, to be made out of the
producer or purchaser; before it can be got
to market, it must be handled four times,
making an expenseof three different freights,
three MARRIAGES, four drayages, three COM
missions for receiving and forwarding at
each place, risks Of insurance upon the
river and sea, and voyage from here to
New York Of 60 days, making an additional
;utarosk ~ vconov ocd d:Ea-o~.o ~e -
change. Then there 10 the cooperage and
heading Of barrels, LEAKAGE o: brine, sub.
jecting the pork to rust and spoil, which
happened last season to several merchants
in tewn. All this goes to show that the
frozen hog, sent from Muscatine to New
York in from three to Eve days, taxing on
an average 200 pounds to hog-ths same
amount ss packed in barrels-will make a
difference to the shipper Of at tie least call
culation, double the amount of the railroad
charge, all things considered; all this hold
to be incontrovertible. and challenge sue
cessful contradiction.
l could take wheat and other staple pro-
ductions of Iowa, and in the same manner
show that An eastern market is by far the
most advantageous to our people, but it
would be encroaching too much upon your
generosity. .of9 s1 @
The citizens of St. Louis are confident Of
these facts, and with true self defence spirit,
they are laboring to prevent 50 extensive an
encroachnent upon their business mnrts.
Her people are already building a road from
Port Byron to Warsaw, thus proving con-
clusively that she fears our eastern railroad
connections, when placed BY the side of a
frozen stream.
Now, Messrs. Editors, don't you know
that if the M. and M. Co. held the same
views relative to the Southern trade that
you DO, they would not construct the Osk.-
loosa road? Why, if your assertions are
based upon facts, we never can have that
road built. And for what reason? Simply
because there could be no southern connec.
ton in the winter, and tho vast quantities
of produce received here must be piled up
in warehouses until the opening OF naviga-
ton. To avoid this is just the reason the
farmers in the interior are making such
piaiseworthy efforts to build railroads. The
fact is, the Oskaloosa road will not be n
profitable investment without an eastern
connection, and that they propose to make
by running road from this city to inters ect
with the avenport and Iowa City rond Mt
Moscow. 1t has been the intention of the
NJ. and NJ. Co. from the moment they pro-
jccted the d. and l. O. railroad, to con.
struct branch to Oskaloosa ria Of Musca-
tine, for without such road reaching far
into the rich and fertile interior, their road
would be anything but paying one.
The people are deceived by the idea that
if railroad is constructed running through
their town or city, it must necessarily be
beneficial to their interests. They cannot
see how railroads will or can ever prove in
furious. This is a point of some Importance,
and now let US examine it for a moment.
If We remain in our present condition,
without railroad west, all or a great part
Of the produce that now comes to Muscatiue,
will still continue to; be shipped here, no
matter whether it be for an eastern or
southern market, for the reason that our
city i the most westerly point on the river;
but build one road to Oskaloosa and ano-
Their to Moscow, interesting with the Da-
venport road, and the river will be of no
consequences, except for heavy freight, for
all the produce is hurled through to Daven-
port. But am quite sanguine the .Oska-
loosa road will be built, and connecting
road east, and it behoovcs ~, as sagacious
busipess men, to prevent that road being
constructed by individuals possessing the
controlling power, with their interests all
concentrated at town jealous Of our pros
perity. So. a.t ta...,.a4 M,
But who, it is asked, will build the road?
What other company could make it pro6ta.
BILE? A company of undouhted response
bility are making arrangements to construct
road from Muscatine to Iowa City, and ]
learned yesterday from the most reliable
source, that it was their intention to have
the road completed in about one year
Now would il not be much more for their
interest TO build the Oskaloosa road than