Muscatine journal. [volume] (Bloomington, Iowa) 1849-185?, 1854-01-06
For the Journal.
Railroad COnncctiOnS---Stfaight Line.

signed - also. some resolutions adopted
by the citizens Il Pike and Cedar Town
ships, to both Of which wish to make few
remarks.
$50" starts of with saying "hc would be
the last person who would wilfully throw
an obstacle of oven a feathers weight in
the. way Of speedy contamination of our
pldns,' and ends by asserting that he has
not "se: down ought in malice" Believing
his assertions, we therefore come to. the
conclusion that he was ignorant of the true
interests of the railroad in general, and Of
Muscatine in particular for his whole ar
ticle, if believed, is calculated to discour-
age the friends of the road, both in Musca-
tine, and westward, and, al consequence
retard the work so soon to be commenced.
| do not believe that score of just such
men as CO., with all their influence, can
prevent the road being built from this city
to Oskaloosa, and from there westward to
the Missouri river. do not write this,
then supposing that the construction of the
road depends on what co. or myself say
concerning it, but to correct some of the
false statements, made ignorantly no doubt)
and show the fallacy of his conclusions.
So is frightened at the idea Of going to
Davenport by Moscow. He says Gall of this
trade going right straight to Davenport will
make Muscatine even a less important busi-
ness point than young Moscow will be-
would advise CO." to leave Muscatine, with
oil speed, and go to Moscow, If he believes
what he says. l cannot see the great differ
cnce to Muscatine between going to Daven-
port directly up the river, or going by way
of Moscow, a few miles further. We must
have an eastern connection. Our connec-
tion, for Mc present, must be at Rock Island,
opposite Davenport. Now to talk of going
to Rock Island by steamboat, is folly, in
this age of railroads. 1t is true wc could
run from here to Rock Island almost with
the same labor as we would ferry at Daven.
port, the loading and unloading being the
same. But we must do neither. We are
to have bridge from Davenport to Rock
Island. &C.," is impressed with the belief
that Davenport will be benefited at the ex-
pense of Muscatine. He thinks that Da-
venport will perhaps be greater place
than Moseow, and that the NJ. & M. r. r.
Co. are determined to destroy this plan
for the benefit of Davenport. Now have
no such fears. When our connection is
completed by the bridge, produce coming
from the west, will, if it be going down the
river, (and grea. amount of produce will
always 60 down the river on boats lie ship
ped at Muscatine, and that which goes east
will pass through this place, and tArou 81
Davenport also. 1t will not tarry in the lat
ter any more than the former. At Daven-
port they will hear no more of the ssscrsech''
and "whistle' than we do in Muscatlne.
The citizens of Davenport understand all
this; hence their anxiety to prevent the
road from coming to this place. They we'll
know that ten times the amount of goods
will be shipped here. that will be at Daven-
port. Nature has made it so. go, that
bend - am not afraid of ssthat bend''
being our "ruin." "That bend" places us
where we must, with our contemplated
railroads, command more trade than any of
Sour neighbors.' Even Moscow.
But s:O.' holds out the idea that a part
of the stocks taken for the division of the
road from Muscatine to Oskaloosa, will be
appropriated to construct the connection
from here to the great place, Moscow. He
says, "thus virtually and actually using
$3.50 1000 ef our money 10 make railroad
from Davenport 10 Oska!ooso.'' Now If CO."
had been "posted" on this subject, he would
have known better than to have made anv
such assertion. Not one dime of the stock
taken to build the road from here to Oska-
loosa, can be appropriated to build this con.
nection. The connection from here to
!" uoscoU' is part Of our Cedar Rapids
road. The statements IF SO" as to the
amount OF stock the different counties on
the line west will take, is incorrect, in many
respects, as am credibly Informed. Mus
catne county has $270, 700, Mahaska l60,.
900, by the county, and about $50 900
PAAI"eO SWIM ~Auu dll tuob .Os, can say
or do will not prevent them from paying
their instalments when properly called for.
From sos writing we would infer that he
supposed the railroads in Iowa were al to
be built for the especial benefit of Muscatine.
1t is subject of surprise, that, instead Of
crying out, SO, the great bcnd!' he does not
quarrel with the Almighty for suffering the
river to run any further up. Now,
ON citizen of Muscatine, and very much
desire its prosperity; but | am entirely will
ling, under the present arrangement, that
the railroad should run to Davenport and
do not see that we are injured materially by
its going by the way of the village Of Mos
cow. Muscatine has the advantage of Da-
venport in many ways; and am entirely
content that we are situated righ, on the
"great bend !" and that our road, from the
Missouri river by the way of Oskaloosa,
will cross the Mississippi, on bridge, at
Davenport.
But, Messrs. Editors, the resolutions Of
the citizens of Pike and Cedar Townships.
What shall we say of them? They are
trse. We did say to our friends in these
townships. that we had reason to believe
the road would go on straight line to
Washington, II Washington be made a