The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1855-12-05
PrsEress ana Condition OF the low q
Railroaas.

Many OF our readers feel deep interest
in the progress of the various railroads in
process Of construction in our State, and
We presume We could not nll . column to
better purpose than in posting them up on
the present condition of these roads just AZ
Winter is about TO set in.
The Keokuk and Fort Des Moines Road in
which our City has taken the deepest interest
hiss been q long time before the s'public eye'
and about six months ago q contract was
made for grading the Road from this place
to Bentonsport, . distance OF some forty
miles. Since that time the Contractors have
been constantly as work, though somewhat
retarded by sickness in the Fall, and their
monthly estimates Of labor done range from
Eve thousand to ten thousand dollars per
month. A number Of miles of grading has
been completed, and preparations are in pro-
gress for extending operations to the neigh
borhood of Pennington, and to continue
work on the line Of the road during the
winter.
The Contractors are men Of means, energy
and experience, and arrangements have been
made by the Company which it is thong hit
will enable them to meet the regular monthly
estimates, and furnish the Iron for having
the track during the coming year.
The Keokuk, Mt. Pleasant and Musca-
tine road-was brought prominently into
public notice only during the past Summer.
growing interest is manifested on the par,
OF our citizens as well rs those interested
along the line, and the energy Of the officers
OF the Company has enabled them to secure
liberal subscription in its favor in St.
Louis as we'll as at home.
The Contract let in the Summer for the
construction Of the road around the Rapids
TO Montrose has been prosecuted with energy,
and the work is still progressing with force
of some sixty hands.
1t Is expected that the road will be in ope-
ration from this place to Montrose early in
the Summer, and in the meantime SURVEYS
will be completed and arrangements made to
continue the work with all convenient dis
patch towards Mt. Pleasant.
The Fl. Madison and Bloomfield Road has
not made rs much noise in the world re-
Gently as it did sometime ago, and We believe
that the work thereon has Stacked of in like
proportion. A considerable amount Of work
has been done towards grading the road be-
tween Fl. Madison and West Point, but we
are not very well posted as to its present
condition or prospects for the future
The Burlington and Missouri River Rail
road, which according to the proclamation of
various papers along the line was to have
been completed TO Ottumwa a year ago, is
still progressing slowly. A large portion of
the grade has been completed between Bur-
hngton and Mt. Pleasant, and ties and iron
for part Of the track are on hand. The
present calculation is TO complete the road
and have the cars running to Mt. Please nj
during next season.
The Air Line road which comes next in
our progress north, has experienced quite q
revival recently, and has now two hundred
hands employed on the Iowa side, as we'll as
large force on the Illinois side Of the Mis-
sissippi. The route we understand is not as
Yet permanently located through Iowa, and
at present there seems to be some question
as 10 whether it will pass through Brighton
or Washington. If the road projected from
Muscatine, should continue on through
Washington TO Oskaloosa, it would seem
that the policy OF the Air Line would be TO
60 through Brighton which would be an ex-
cellent route and would avoid the ruinous
competition which must result between two
roads over the same route. From presen,
indications, it would seem that the Air Line
rs bound to 60 ahead at eli events, and it be-
comes all those interested to put forth their
best efforts to get Gin the bill.'
On the road from Muscatine through
Washington, west, considerable grading has
been done, and work is still progressing un-
der the management of farman & Co.
The road from, Davenport to Muscatine
was opened on the Goth, as we noticed at the
time.
And the road from Davenport to Iowa
City i: is expected will be opened this month.
preparations being already in progress for a
grand celebration Mt Iowa City on the oc-
casion.
The Free State men gave the Slave
holders, by their new Constitution, till the
4th Of July to remove their property"
The Shareholders seem to think it better
policy to removcthe Free State men Of Kan
sss forthwith, and so all Western Missouri is
arming for the war Of determination. And
We have little question that the citizens Of