The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-07-04

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KxoKuX AND Fl DIES hoIHEs RAILROAD
This is one Of the roads which must and
will be mad. Ii must be made 10 save
she young and thriving cry of keokuk
from prrma' ure decay That city, loo.
ted rs II is. ut the foot VI the rapids on the
Mississippi. and al the natural outlet OF
the fertile valley Of the Dss Metnrs, will
ultimately be eclipsed by her rivals along
the Mississippi unless she improve the
advantages so lavishly bestowed upon her.
In thes days Of steam aud iron, il will
not do TO trust to natural advantages alone.
they must be improved or superior indus
try will win the prize.
Burlington and Muscstine are both pro-
jccting railroads into the interior oil the
State. which ar. partly graded. and which
will be completed in q short time as far a.
the Des MONIES river.
Ii il folly for the Ksokuk people to think
that the immense produce trade OF this
valley will contiaue to be dragged to Ks.
oksk by oxen, as the bulk OF II now ia,
after tie completion Of railro eds to Bur
lington snl Auscatine. They must know
that the completion Of these roads will
throw the trade of all the valley. from
Birmingham and keosauqua upwards, in
10 the hands Of their more persevering ri
walls. They Go know il. snd N wed ty
the principle Of self Preservation, they
will force road up the valley. cos, what
it may. 1t would be a good investment
for the peopls Of Ksokuk 70 give oce halt
Of their real es ate NJ bond. TO this ROAD
sa1ssF than let il fail; the remaining half
would be worth more viii the road than
the whole without it. For this reason Il .
road must be built. and keokuk is by 10
means the only loo lily VIII has deep
interest in rod up the valley; the river
towns, IN body. possess similar inter.s /.
The complttio of tao roa1s from the
4lssissippi 10 the Des No,reS vii oulld
up two towns 81 their te mli. a. tie "a.
pense OF ell the resi-. Trade will gra,i
tate toward these centres. and pass bv
other points Possessing Crater Natural ~
vsntagss. A road up shey Icy Nj equal
IKE tnis, and distribute business, along ,h-
whole line. greatly 70 the adsants-e If
the whole Immunity. Even Eddyyiile
has deep interest IA this road. Oar 10
cation is NJ doub. the best on toe r,ver
from keoauk IL RI. Des sioines, the bare
fact tina, We do more business than al,
other point IS proof enough OF th S, yes II
TeQasTcs no prophet o ioie.e-, that a rail-
road Terminating = lew mites above US,
and another few m Jrs b. low US, would
materially diminish our large circle Of
trade. But give US q Rad along the VAL
c1aai terms with other points, and We have
20 rival TO fear; The advantages which ma
ture has given rs will stiil secure our su-
prcmacy; these advantages are. a good
country Oh both sides oil the river. coming
down 70 II, and sue, an Arrangement Of
the physical fea ures oil the coua,fy AS
snakes Eidy vile the natural center. nc
cess.ble BY good roads on every side
These things, together with the superior
energy Of our business men. ars what have
given ~ such heavy trade, end they
vail yet make our village the principal
town on the river il they are properly i'm !.
proved.
But there are other interests besides
Nose Of ksokuk and the people of thi.
valley which will insure the completion OF
lhs road. Great cities TO the East and
South desire our trade. and this desire W i'll
greatly increase when they become better
ncquainted with our immense resources.
The Des Moines valley for two hun
6red miles from Keokuk, embracing =
"Trip Of country from 40 to SO miles in
vidlh. 10 unsurpassed in oil the elements
y wealth. II includes about ten thou
pand square miles. nearly every foot Of
which is 81 for cultivation, and OF fabu Gus
srGlity. Oser one hundred thousand in
Aabitants are now settled npoD it, but in
en years they will rise to one million
Aside from the produc,iven.s SIS of The soil,
he country is filled with coal of excellent
nusIlly, lime stone, and sand rock Of every
Tafisty. Gold has not ye. b.ea dicoyer-
I'd. but the substantial elem nts of com
ort, which gives to gold all its value. re
lere in rich profusion. All th ,se tn .
united with beautiful undu aied surface
md healthy climate, render the valley Of
he Des Mniues The Garden of the West
We have So far spoken OF this valley
pnly for some 600 miles above Keoknk !;
pus It does not end there It runs up into
Minnesota until j, reaches the table lands
rcund the heads OF The St. Cfox, MIME
lota and Red River: lands Of unsurpassed
eriiilty and beauty, which in a few years
sill produce surp Us fabulous to think
4. There are two oulsss t. tina, fruitful
legion; the une is down the valley Of the
llnnes0ta 10 ST. p ul, and thence east-
psrd; the other down The valley Of our
wn heantifnI river Ia ,ba c;t,.s ~ IL.