The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-01-07

Missouri, country OF extraordinary pre-.
duciise power; i,h, The formation Of the
comhrv cast 0 I The Mississippi, | may say.
lst, Il is completed rem New York 10 1
IoWa CITY, iiiiy.iyc miles west OF The Mis-
slssippi and more than twelve hundred miles
from the AtIautic ocean; Cd, II strikes the
Mississippi at point central to the pop
ulation and neariv so to the territorial area
east OF the Rocky Mountains. is peculiarly
adapted, from the extremely low sum OF its
ascents and decents, to rapid and economl-
cal tran sportaton, and 18th, The popnlous.
ness ard wealth of tho district already trav.
ersed not only furnish the means Of sustain.
ing the rsilrosds which have been compile
ted IL. 81 contributing very largely 10 The
eoat!s,. nee Of tie line iuitherwest.
have glanced at this extended view OF
the srbioct fellow citizens, because would
mel have ii supposed that i has been ever.
ioo'nd Tkis is - occasion 70 enter with
any uinuteaess into Is details: but trust
some professional engineer will ere
long look into it end compare The adsanta-
ges OF the several routes from the Pacific to
the Mississippi. and also from ocean to
ocean. for am persuaded, from the exatai-
nation have been able to give il, that this
line will be found whether considered IN It's
whole extent, ur nicely from the Pacific
occan to the Mississippi decidedly the most
advantageous for the country at large, tie
only one, tia; can be constructed bg private
capital, aud the oniy one which VIII warrant
tie large expenditure insePaFahle from 50
vast work which Is 6 mated, and il ae.
pears 70 ma literally, NJ one hundreft and
sixteen millions Of diilars. Great as the
cost will be, il Is nothing for country 50
prosperous, or people so enterprising and
energetic as ours. It's nothing when con.
sidcred in connection with the productive
power OF our industry. The value 0! the
annual product Of the States interested in
this work cannot fall short Of two thou
sand millions Of dollars. One twen-
lieih part OF the value of this product for
single year would complete the connec-
ton between the two oceans. That It will
be accomplished at no very distant day,
and mninly by private capital, do not
doubt. The growth Of Nebraska, Kansas,
Utah and California will settle the question
OF construction before the political arithme-
ticians have done adding up their figures to
determine whether the work will pay prof.
is to the shareholders. We ask no aid Of
tic general government. unless it be a
grant OF public and grant, which will take
nothing from the treasury, winch, on tho
contrary will increase the revenue by
bringing new districts of country more
speedily into market, which will give the
general government the facilities iireqniFes
for the transmission Of tie mails across the
continent and for The transportation Of
troops ana munitions Of var in ease Of
emergency.
And now, fellow citizens, lei me say one
word, in conclusion, in regard 10 the road
from Davenport TO Council Bluffs, the more
immediate subject Of our thoughts-l would
say, the subject nearest TO our hearts, it /
could do 50 in justice 10 ourselves, with all
those fair faces besming upon us, bonoring
and grazing the occasion by their pres
ence. am not at this moment pre-
pared to say when the section from this
city TO TT. DesMoines will be commenced;
cut We hope and trust with the open ne of
the spring, and that we shall meet you at
ton Of another link in this great chain.--
You may be assured that no effort will be
spared by the gentlemen engaged in the
work 70 complete L to the Missouri river at
tho earliest practicable day. With your
aii, and under the lead OF the inGomliabIe
man, Mr.. Farnam) who stands in the fore
ground OF the enterprise. we DO not doubt
that We shall accomplish il, and finish also
the lines TO Oska loosa and C.. Rapids, which
are conprehended in the plan OF the Co. 4
termination Of the war in Europe, removal
Of the doubt and uncertainty, (which hang over
ali commercial enterprises, would make it
an easy task. Bat in any event, the tide Of
population and wealth, hich IS pouring in
to your State, andt the abundance with which
industry, in all its branches, IS rewarded
here, viii soon give an impetus 10 the work,
which will make it, in a great degree, indie
pendent Of external aid and carry It on 10 a
speedy termination. This is my deliberate
conviction; and. ia this confidence. ! not
only congratulate you on the successful
past, but Oh the certain future. IF this i'm.
Gortant enterprise.
lag. hnWhS ujs lengths suHis OF ascehts and dsseents
equaed lengths Of the several pored for
raioadt0 the Pscihc.Pags l97, vol l. Explorations &c