The Kansas herald of freedom., 1856-12-13
Kansas Valley Railroad


At a meeting held in or;,s.
Kansas, ON the 9th day of Decembe,
1856, to consider the subject Of a rail
road connection between the Nilsson;
river and the interior of Kansas G.
). T. PonERor was called to the eh.;r
and J. NJ. WlseHrrL appointed see1.
tary.
After few remarks from the chair.
man, the meeting was addresses u
/! Col. George S. Parke, of Parkv;n!
No.. In explanation of the prosnaa.
of the Parkyille and Burlington rs;t
road. He stated that general coos.I.
had always indicated the bluffs NJ.
the mouth of the Kansas river as ~
starting point of a Pacific RailrosS
and the site of a great commerce.
city. The precise location of rs.
town must be determined by Cow
centration of the main railway In
of the far west. Kansas must hara
railroad to Chicago. and the Graz
river country presents the best praetie
able route for that road. 1t is
gion of great fertility, and with slo,s,
all pointing towards the mouth Of n.
Kansas river. 1t is evident that ~.
railroad interests must naturally tpns
this way. Sufficient local subscr;n
tions can be obtained on this route u
grade the road. The rest must be al.
tanned from the East. In apother
year, the Burlington railroad will
reach the tributary waters of the Mis-.
souri, river, and the people of western
Missouri are greatly encouraged with
the idea of a line which shall efiert
junction with it. He considereI
western Missouri as greatly superior
in fertility to the most of Illinois
and the fact that eastern Kansas is the
last remaining region of the West
really desirable for emigration, must
stimulate the investment of capital IA
degree hitherto unprecedented.
/ Col. Parke took his seat amidst
demonstrations of applause. and Ma.
jor Barnes, by invitation, made few
remarks, endorsing the views of the
last speaker, and called out Gov. Rob-
inson, of Kansas. The latterrequest.
ed to know of Col. Park whether il
were possible to bridge the Missouri
at any point within his knowledge
Col. Parke replied that he. knew of No
point except the bluff opposite Quin.
daro and Parkville. From those
bluffs he thought bridge might be
suspended, as the channel of the rive
was narrow and deep.
Gov. Robinson briefly concurred IN
the views which had been expressed
The vicinity of the confluence of tle
Missouri and Kansas rivers, is in con-
nection with the best region of the
West and the great cities of the East
A railroad is needed to place the Kan
sas valley in communication with the
East-and one link in that road is a
line from Quindaro up that valley,
giving easy access to the various towns
on the Kansas river. The stock for
this road as far as Lawrence can be
sold the ensuing winter, and the road
itself constructed within year. The
people of Kansas should cooperate
with those of western Missouri, in or.
der to obtain continuous line. The
Missouri river can be bridged at Quin-
daro-thus securing for it eehcen-
tration of railroads that will insure its
growth. By this route, goods can he
carried from Boston to San Francisco
without the delay and expense of fer
riage. The river at this point is not
over six hundred feet in width, and
the bluff so high that steamboats, can
pass under bridge without difficulty.
These roads once built, and such 4
bridge constructed, all the roads in
this region, connecting the East and
the West, the North and the South,
must tend to this point; and the Kan
sas Valley Railroad will be the com
mencement of the Pacific Railroad in
Kansas.
On motion of DIR. II. o. Hall, of
New York, a committee of FIVE Was
appointed to correspond with various
parties ON the subject On this mo-
ton, Gen. Pomeroy said that the Kan
sas river was unfit for navigation-we
must have railroad to give commn-
nication with the country. This road
constructed to Lawrence will be a
good beginning for the Pacific Rail-
road though he had not much faith
in getting aid from Congress. The
people are smart enough to build this
short road without public aid. he
wished to see a railroad TO Chicago
and one to ST. Louis, that we might
have a healthful competition in this
way as In other business.
Col. Parke alluded to the fact that
at first the citizens Of Kansas City
had co-operated with those of Park
vile, but of late had changed the route
of their road to Liberty. The route
of the Keokuk and Kansas City road
was through a region too poor to aid
in constructing it. It must depend
entirely on eastern capital. A sigRlh-
cant call has lately appeared in the
Platte Argus, for meeting at Weston
on the 9th inst, at which Judge Le-
compile was expected to preside, to
consider the propriety of a road from
] Lecompton to Leayenworth, and .
branch to connect with the Hannibal
and St. Joseph railroad. Such road
must run diagonally across the Slopes
and be attended with great expense.
The corresponding committee ap-
pointed was as follows Gov. G. ROB-
inson, Lawrence a Guthrie, Gum
daro; S. G. Pomrey, Lawrence Dr.
Fl. G. Hall, New York; Otis Webb,
Ney Bedford, Mass.
Resotped, That the interests OF Kan