The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1854-09-27
Fort Dodge, Sept 1854.
10 ne Editor Of the Miners Express:
Mr.. EDrroR-SIR:

10 ne Editor Of the Miners Express:
MR. EDiToR-SIR:
ciuzen feg leave through the columns of
your paper to speak Of a subject believe to b.
OF the greatest importance to your city a. well
as to the Middle. the North and Northwestern
parts of Iowa, also the Eastern and Western
portions Of the State.
mean Rail Road from the CITY of Dvbvcus
t. Sergnnts or Floyds Bluffs, on the Missouri,
thereby connecting the Mississippi and Missouri
Rivers and opening a more direct route from
East to West, from Chicago, To California asd
Oregon, Ivy way Of the South pass Our Eas-
tern friends have been projecting lines Of Rail
Road and improvements with the view Of re.
curing the trade Of the Western and Northern
porti"ns OF our country and have already reach.
ed the Mississippi fron the East at your place.
N"w it seems to me that no road could be made
that would more sffrctually secure the trade Of
the great West and North no road tina, would
p'y better than the proposed road from Du-
buqce TO Srrgants Bluff. from thence to tie
South Pass by way Of Fort Laramie there can
be no more direct or practicable route
Having heard the subject spoken Of, my at
tention has been directed 10 it. ha e spent
some time in exploring the country lying on .
direct line between Dubuque and Sergants
Bluff e flowing the correction Iine) 40 near %
possible varying but little from it) find that
such road would pass through the best portion
of our State, the distance from 275 to go
miles. By reference to the map Of the U. s. 1t
will be found that it is very near straight line
from Chicago TO the South Pass by way of
Dubuque, Sergants Bluffs and Fort Larimis
Would it not be we'll for the citizens Of Du.
buque well as the citizens Of the Northern
and Western portions of our State 10 direct
their attention to the practicability and advan-
tages Of ouch Rail Road.
From Dubuque to Fort Larimie it will be over
200 miles shorter than any Road heretofore
Travelled by emigrants going to California or
Oregon. From Dubuque to Sergants Bluffs no
more direct or better route for Railroad can be
found than that laid down on the maps of the
State, VIZ: from Dubuque to Delhi, in Della
ware county from thence to Independence in
Buchanan CO TO Cedar Falls in Black Hawk
co.; from that on a straight line through Grun.
dy, Hardin and w ebster counties to Fort Dodge,
on the Des Moines River a. the mouth of Lii.
zard River; from thence West through the
counties of Calhoun, Sac, Ida and Woodberrv
to Sergants Bluff on the Missouri. By this
route you pass through the centre OF the East
portion OF our State, tile counties trough
which il would pass A. well as those lying ON
each side of The whole line, cannot be surpassed
in richness Of soil in any country.
The lands on this route, West of the Des
Moines River, are not yet in market, but no
doubt they will be, during the next year, a. they
are now being surveyed The counties along
this route are now being settled rapidly.
Several large settlements have been made with.
in the last two months in the counties tetween
Fort Dodge and the Bluffs. East Of the Des
Moines River, Delaware, Buchanan, Black
Hawk, and Webster, in particular are filling Up
very fast with the best class Of settlers. In all
these counties, timber 10 good, water power 10
abundant, good Rock Limestone, Stone Coal,
and in some Of them Iron Ore, and Gypsum
lin Webster county in particularly fine springs,
pure streams, with rock and gravel bottom.
Cedar Falls inBlack Hawk CO. 10 an important
point An excellent water power at that point
makes ii one we'll Gale Ilated for extensive
manufacturing purposes. Another important
point on the proposed route is Fort Dodge, in
Webster county, on the Des Moines River.
Great Water power is there and in the imme.
date vicinity on both the Des Moines and
Lizard Rivers, there are for some distance along
the River, above and below, inc xhaus,ible quar-.
ries of gypsum Of very superior quality,
building rock, stone coal, Limestone, Cement
Clay, and the resources of Webster county gen.
orally are great. 1t has good proportion os
timber and the best Of Prairie Lind with 6ne
springs, and pure streams. fE4
West Of Fort Dndge on the route proposed ,
there are also good points all the way through,
North coon at the mouth of Cedar creek.
Townships Grove, Smiths settlement, On
Little Sioux River &c. The VALID Lakes are
about p miles from Fort Dodge. Two Lakes
Of about miles long each and abont three
fourths Of mile vide, with strip Of land be-
tween the IN Of $50 yards, sufficiently wide for
good road. These Lakes are beautiful sheets
Of water with fine sand and gravel beach, with
wall Of rock aroun them, fringed with scat
te. ing TIMER, beautiful location. About seven
miles west you reach the forks of Coon snd
CedarCreeks. Another good point, good streams,
timber, building rock and coed appearances Of
coal, excellent water power, with the best qua.
hty of Prairie. At this point within the last
three weeks about Is families have settled
principally from Jones County, There can
a few miles to the North, is Townsley 3 Grove
on Maple Greek, where large settlement 10
making.
On leaving the forks Of Coon and Cedar, BY
following deeply marked Indian trail which
win lead you 10 another important poias, called
the Smith ret,le l,ent on Little Sosx River from
thence BY county road in Woodberry county
to Sergants Bluffs. The point last named ON
Little Sioux il "a miles from the county seat Of
Woodbury. county. At that point there is
settlement of IL or % families. As our East
ern friends have but little knowledge of the
Western part Of our State, J have thought it
best to give a brief description Of it. Along
the proposed route, the impression has been
generally. that this part Of our State u a Gw
wet country destitute of timber to support Get.
Element. IT'S very erroneous impression
the country il generally high and, unduAting
and rich soil, well watered with fine streams
and numerous springs a. well AZ sufficient tim
Der to support good settlements at points an
along the whole rou,e in many part., fine ap-
pearances of stone coal ond rock and the Prai-
ries uniformly good. There can be no better
route for Rail Road E.u-A - 49, st.te--T The
country is moderately rolling. witt, devides be-
tween streams, on which road can be easily
made. The whole course is due West from
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