Demoine courier., 1854-09-14
'ecial Correspondence of the Chicago Press.
Notes by the Way.
RAILROADS IN !OWA

RAILROADS IN !OWA
Iowa CRY. aug 1854.
MsssRs. EDlroRs.-By Kindness
of Mr.. Dey, of this plsSe. resident
Engineer Of the Mississippi aud Missouri
Railroad. | have been able to obtain some
definite and reliable information concern.
ing Railroads in Iowa. /, is easy to
obtain information enough concerning
these matters from almos, any one, bu,
the difficulty is tina, very many locate
roads wherever sell ~in,eres, Dictates
The following may be relied on, and
more than this is not reliable. as the
roads have been located only so far as
stated in this letter.
There are three divisions of the
Mississippi and Missouri road, viz: first,
second and third.
The Davenport and Iowa is the first
division and will run ultimately to
Council Bluffs. II is located 10 Fort
I)es Moines. running through the south.
ern cornerof Scott county, thence through
the northern line of Muscatine, via Mos.
COW, thence through Johnson TO Iowa
City, thence through Iowa county, eight
miles north of the southern line, aad six
south OF Marengo; thence bearing north
through Poweshiek, thence west through
Jasper, via Newton. thence southwest, to
TT. Des Moines in Polk county. The
heavies, grading on this road is through
Jasper county. January LIST it will be
in running order from Davenport. to Iowa
City. One survey has been made from
Fort DIS Moines TO Kanesvil'e and the
Bluffs. Mr.. Dey, who had command of
the CORPS, brought back wi h him some
sketches of the country, The most inter
estIDg OF which was one repre- senting
Kanesville among the bluffs, with a road
leading TO it, and tie teams OF the CON
pany in the foreground. The scenery
is truly grand and imposing, and arouses
the spiri, of enterprise and adventure as
one gazes lisllessly upon il. Another
was a scene IN Nebraska, from a high
poin. on the Iowa side Of The Missouri
Mr.. Dey crossed oser and explored the
Platte some distance and he %pronounees
the general appearance Of the country
and the soil. far superior to lha, east OF
the Missouri. He found The Indians
very friendly and only disposed o "take"
clothing curing the cold weather. Two
persons were stripped by them and left
to the mercy of the cold. The expedi
ton started in September and returned
by the 20,h of November.
The Musca,ine and Oskaloosa is the
second. 1t is located to Oskaloosa has
300 men at work, and il under contract
TO fredonia. This road will probably
run to the mouth ofihe Platte. Ii is not,
at any rate, the intention to run it 10
Council Bluffs. From Muscaiine il runs
southwest TO Columbia City, in Louisa
county; thence ives, through Louisa and
Washington, via the own Of w asbiugion.
thence through Keokuk. six miles north
OF the southern county line, thence 10
Oskaloosa, in Mahaska courty.
The Muscaline aud Cedar Rapias
branch is the third division of The M. e.
NJ. road. l, is under contract from
Musca,lGe 10 Moscow, and will be com
pletec by abe frat of May next. The
M. & M. Company is composed prin
cipally of stock holders in the Chicago
and<Rock Island Railroad.
u The Burlington and Missouri, a con.
~nection of the Northern Cross and
Military Tract road to Aurora. 1t is
controlled by the Michigan Central Rail.
road. 1t is located and under conirac,
TO Ouumwa, running north of west
through Des Moines and Henry counties.
via the towns Of Hartford and Noun,
Pleasant, thence to Fairfield, in Jefferson
county, thence to Ottumwa, in Wapello.
Ii will probably run thence to the mouth
Of the Platte. nearly through The centre
of The counties of Monroe, Lucas, Clarke,
Union, Adams. Montgomery and Mills.
II is built by the Michigan Central Com
pany. We thus have three lines ives,
from the Mississippi, all coEverging to
nearly the same point. 1t is now, how.
ever, considered n well settled fac, that
ff,etn miles of rich country on each side
OF a railroad track is suiic;en, for its
support. Ii such Is the case, Iowa can
support more railroads than have We,
been located or talked Of.
Another road is in contemplation from
Du Buque west. VIVA, steps have been
or will be taken with regard to it, l have