Council Bluffs bugle. [volume] (City of Council Bluffs, Iowa) 1853-1857, 1855-03-06

aseferfed me Lilf chartering the s'platte
Valley and Pacific Rail Road Compa-
N.Y." submit the following
REPORT:
1t Ia generally conceded that tie pofhan
of the Territory of Nebrhska which will first
seek organization as State, is that which
lies between the parallcls of 40 deg, and
43 deg, extending vest 10 the Rocky m0un-
Itains. Through this Territory the great
Platte River runs east and west, dividing
the country almost equally, Rising in the
Rocky Mountairs near the noted passes known
as the ssSeuth Pass" and 'Bsidgers Pass,'',
it flows through broad valley in a direct
east course for thousand miles, falling into
the Missouri a few miles below the present
: location of tho Capitol, which is situated in
about al deg, Is min. north latitude.
The valley of the Platte is well known in
the west, itbeing the great highway through
which nine tenths Of the overland emigration
passes, en- route for the Pacific. Those CON-
ing by St. Louis travel by water up the Mis-
souri, to independence, Weston, St. Joseph,
Council Bluffs, and occasionally To Sargean.
Bluffs, and uniting at thcso points with those
who come by land from the east, pursue ta2ir
way westward by conver1iHg lineS that unite
in the Platte Valley, at various points, With
. IN two hundred miles, little north of due
west lilc from the cities of Omaha, Belle
view and Florence in our infant Territory,
, Although roads can be easily constructed
over the rolling lrairles or the west, vet il is
Only upon the valley of the Platte after pass
: ng the great bend, Is miles west Of Omaha,
BellevIcw and Florence, that straight, lev
el and solid road bed eau he found, which
leads in the direct line of commerce cast
ior - 81 i ~. W..
peculiar fitness, would OF itself DO suffer MT
TO attract all travel, and railroad enterprise,
that might come within a hundred miles OF
the Platte; but there are other influences
outside of the valley that tend TO throw the
migration through the center of Nebraska
The csca. channel 0 the Sailt Lawrence and
: the Lakes exon led by railroads. and sm-
: mon 70 ID, through Chicago. Iowa City, Fort
[ Desmoincs (ihe Capitol Of Iowa by a recent
act of tho General Assembly and Council
Bluffs, the frontier ely Of HJ, and the great
daily mail Running in four horse coaches. all
tend 10 hing traye. II the va = o. Pate.
Several great Ines Of rail roa south of hese
Lakes, aud all the lcad.n5 FoA3s Which ex-
> tend them III ougA Iowa, conlerge towards
} Council B,ufs, directly east If tie great line
. Of the Platte Valley. Thr g~est=sI STAKES,
tha II sest cities, tae IA ST daA>e pors.on VI
/ our II On are directly eNsI an Near THIS
; lara5ltl cf Il dcg., AID il - hostf re natu-
. raj Ia 4 hose elem n 5aulI low yarDa n
III ceutis OF Ne5.a,Al.
a But au0,Acr great advantage 81 tn pate
= Valley. is the Coayeu.e c. L ol,rs 10 . "a j.
Is Wes w1rd. IL ,eaIs o chose -. a. llolt-
i tain passes, -. CT ne the clte-way4 % I tab,
[ "a f1rnia Ore-0s. .ni Was ain ,l,n 1t IS
tAe Lns. route and ;.ta tl,p.cd % Il - all
t ese States and Territories; AMI iti' be-
: lieyui b. your Committee, SOM or whom
S haze bee through hose r0dte5 n Tor years
intimate with those wUo traverse the Noun
toj tina. il IS ;hc Platte Valley ALONE that
r affords 70 al those western DIVISIONS any
! natural Iui easy co uhOa Way, Which VIII
co mncle taeir travel with that VI the East
ern States.
a-.---------v-- -a-.-----i------2- A-.----Aiss~s
fr m this more westerly point OF the Mis-
souri,, there is lees OF land travel than any
other route affords. There is better coa-
nected line of good water, wood, stone, coal,
soil anil grass, than can be found On any
other rsuto; and it i. far moro Inhabited,
, passing as We may through the valley, Of
the Great Sat Lake, Carson Valley, and
the tributaries of the Sacramento. This
route lies also in zone Of the earth's sur
face where the creates: variety of useful ar
ticles can be produced; where men are ca
pable of the greatest amount of endurance,
and where the greatest amour: Of popula-
ton and wealth are mos. Likely TO accumu-
late.
Although the Platte Valley Offers such
pre-emineu advantages, aid has for years
been adopted as the natural emf gran. route
across this e ntin2nt, vet It caunJt bo de-
nisd that other routes from east 70 ives, have
thar attractions, and that for years past.
commercial, financial. and political eaor;s
have beea exhausted To direct and establish
the trade and travel throu n other chana els.
Millions have been expended annually IL
transports aroun Cape Horn, and through
Cen RI! America. Extensive surveys have
been made 10 find routes for rail roads TAR
south AID north-7outes which distinguish
ell Senator has recently shown are far more
convenient to Mexico and Canada than to the
United States. Southern conventions have
been held and earnest efforts made TO secure
q route through bv FL paso, and much has
been said aud done to direct pubic atten-
ton to route leading south from Saint
Louis. BIT, relying on the wisdom and Iru-
dence of our Government and discerning
scrutiny which characterizes those engaged
in commerce and railroad enterprises, your
Committee confidently believe that the great
{ emicrant r, ute BY the Platte Vallav ~ili Ill
tinlately, not only retain its pre- eminence as
the overland route, but absorb the business
that now travels thousands Of miles Around
Southe Continent. instead OF passing di-
recty across our own country. This. your
t Committee believe will be off ,cte1 by tho
construction # Pacihe Kan hoaa. hs
suLstitution of locomotives, or lana steam
sr., at will run through AMI ASST 10
asp steamers, that ara now erected mainly
al our expense aud Sent oil to enFich ot9ef
S nar,s of The world, is the only rsnedy that
8 Will secure our commoa interests
: Thirty wears ago, Col. Leavenworlh, VINO
then commanded postin sigh, oil this To-