Weekly hawk-eye and telegraph. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1855-1857, 1855-07-18

would certainly add to the prosperity of
Burlington, while it would take the wind
out of the sails of our Keokuk neighbors.
The "Gate' would then be of very little
consequence, as there would be more than
one
This road is to be built along the river
bank, has no grade above twenty feet to
the mile. Read the communication and
let us Know what you think of the pro-
ject.
Warsaw and Rockfork Railroad,
This road when completed from below
the rapids to the Burlington and Peo-
ria Railroad must be one of the best pay
ing roads in the United States. 1t will
have most wealthy and populous district
to sustain it. Warsaw the Southern ter
minus is a, fast growing business place
with population of some 5000 inhabi-
tants. Alexandria immediately opposite
at the junction of the Mississippi and
Des Moines rivers, is thriving town, and
does very extensive wholesale trade with
Northern Missouri and Iowa, south of the
Des Moines River. Keokuk three miles
above the mouth of the Des Moines River,
has population of between 5000 and
5000 inhabitants and does the largest
wholesale trade in Iowa.
Nauvoo at the head of the rapids on the
Illinois side has a population of about
$500 inhabitants, and Montrose on the
Iowa side of the Mississippi and just op-
posite Nauvoo has about 800 inhabitants.
Fort Madison about midway between
Keokuk and Burlington on the West side
of the Mississippi river also, has about
$500 inhabitants and is engaged in a very
extended aud lucrative manufacturing and
mercantile business of the retail character.
Pontoosuc on the Illinois side six miles
up the river from Madison is also the GEN.
ire of considerable mercantile traffic and
has some 400 inhabitants.
There can be no doupt that the trade
and travel Of those several places would of
themselves be sufficient to make the War
saw and Rockford Railroad, from Warsaw
to its junction with the Burlington and
Peoria R. r. a good paying road, but all
that support would not be mere than one
quarter of the business that would be
thrown on this road by the Rapids of the
Mississippi River It is believed that the
besiness thrown Oh this road by the rapids
would be of the value of 100000 every
year. No one who has not visited Keo-
kuk Of late years, can realize the immense
number of passengers and the vast amount
of freight which are continually landed
there to be carried and "lightered" around
and over the rapids.
Burlingtonis in fact deeply interested
in the construction of this road. 1t will
make her virtually the head of the Rapids;
it will enable her merchants to ship their
produce to the lower Mississippi several
weeks later and earlier each year, as the
Mississippi is always open much sooner in
the Spring, and keeps open later in the
Fall below the rapids than above them; and
it will enable them to obviate to large
extent the difficulties they now encounter
in getting their goods and groceries from
St. Louis and New Orleans, when the pas
sage over the rapids is difficult
But more especially is Burlington con-
cerned in building this road to thwart the
move Keokuk is making to cut off her
trade from the back country. Keokuk is
laboring hard to have Railroad built on
the west side of the Mississippi to Mon
trose, or perhaps to Fort Maison, and
from there via Mt. Pleasant to Columbus
city, and at the latter place to connect with
the Muscatine Railroad. Should Keokuk
succeed in getting through this project,
she must invade not only the business of
Burlington, but also of the Burlington &
Missouri River Railroad, east of Mt. Pleas
ant most considerably, inasmuch as the
people Of Mount Pleasant and the country
west would by that route have an caste n
Railroad connection with the advantage
of the Railroad bridge over the Mississip-
pi at Rock Island to cross on during all
weather and all seasons of the year.
Keokuk through the active efforts of
her travelling agents has succeeded in get
ting up quite feeling in Henry County
for her anti-Burlington Railroad project,
and has induced the Judge of that Coun-
ty to order an election to authorize that
county tosubscribe 100000 in bonds to
help construct the road.
TT. Madison has thus far refused to
have anything to do with the selfish
project of keokuk, being desirous to Sc
cure her eastern connection by the way of
the Warren & Rockford and Burlington
L Peoria Railroads, but should any mis-
fortune occur to delay her eastern con-
nection as she desires it, she may be driv-
en- to unite her destinies with the Keokuk
project.
Burlington has heretofore displayed a
most glorious spirit Of enterprise and wis
dom in pushing on her Railroad schemes
east and west, aud she would do well now
to expend little more of her influence
and capital in helping to bring to speedy
completion the portion of the Warsaw 4
Rockford Railroad so far as the same lies
between Warren and oppsite Burlington.
Owing to the favorable. location Of the
ground on the east band of the Mississip.
RI, and the large amount Of stock already
secured, to aid in the construction Of the
Warsaw 4 Rockford Railroad, that road
with the assistance Of Burlington can be
built to point opposite Burlington before
the keokuk project can be fa rly started
and if it is built or fairly started upon
with energy, the Keokuk project viii ne
cessarily fail. ~
NEBRASKA ITEMs.-We learn from the
Nebraska City News that the crops in tha,
territory LOOK remarkably we'll.
The same paper also says petitions an
circulated and pretty generally signed