St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-08-14
Letter from Illinois,
Correspondence of the Republican Intelligencer.
ROCKFORD, August 2, 1855.

all. Knowing your region we'll, from
having twice visited and examined it,
and a very great number of the inhabi-
tants Of your town being old acquain-
tances and former neighbors of mine
hereabouts, I read your paper as un-
derstandingly and with almost as much
interest as if was living in sight of
your editorial room. The Intelligencer
is now, and henceforth will be, fixed
fact" in the events and history of st.
Charles, and Floyd County. Long
may it wave, and "here's to it's welfare
and prosperity" Success to Floyd
county, with its rich soil, delightful
prairies, abundant groves, and lovely,
sparkling streams. Good luck and
bountiful rewards to its Industrious
and enterprising settlers, many and
many of whom were known to me here
in the sucker State, in days of auld
lang syne," and can be safely vouched
for as of the right sort for establishing
and sustaining the institutions Of reli-
gion, liberty, civilization and order, in
the new land of their adoption.
The copies of your paper received by
me were speedily distributed and read
by eager eyes. People here consider
the Cedar Valley the very heart and
center of the land of PROMISE" and
are always ready with open eyes and
listening ears to read and hear every
thing that is written, printed or said
about it. Each person having a copy
of the paper will be required to "pass
| it round" until its contents are pretty
generally read and treasured up. A
newspaper must ever be among the
earliest institutions F" of thriving
and attractive locality, and will do
more towards building up places and
calling settlers around, than could be
effected by any other influence. 1t
goes to distant States, and falls under
the eyes of hundreds and thousands of
people who are thus informed of the
existence Of the country in which the
paper is printed and learn the facts
concerning its soil, position, and re-
sources. 1t is true index of the
character of the country, and Of the
intelligence and enterprise of its peo-
pie. There is nothing like the news
paper to promote the interests and aid
the progress Of country
Having been myself one of the ear
Hest settlers Of new country, coming
here as | did when log cabins were few
and far between, and edifces Of frame,
brick and stone were "no where" l
am able to speak as by book on these
subjects. have seen the whole thing
practically worked out. l feel sure
that utter the words of truth and So
berness when l declare that, without
newspapers, the West could never
have had railroads-stop all it's news
papers, and the progress Of the West
would receive sudden and most dis.
astrous check.
For my own part it has been a rule
with me for years to send off our local
papers to hundreds of persons in dis.
tant States. Many others here have
done the like, and the consequences
have certainly been most imp ortant
and beneficial
find in your columns an account
of the Railroad Convention Proceed
ings at West Union, Iowa. Having
been myself present at that meeting,
could see that the delegates were wide
awake, intelligent and earnest, and
fully determined to have the engine on
the track and the train in motion. And
SO it is to be. Coming events cast
their shadows before" and the railroad
is bound to come. And not only the
road contemplated by the West Union
Convention, but still another and no
less important one. You are of course
aware that several lines have already
been built across the State Of Illinois,
striking the Mississippi at various
points opposite the Iowa shore, and
that others are progressing and others
yet are chartered and to be built, run
ming in the same direction. Now the
companies building these roads are
well aware of the Importance of Iowa
connections and Iowa trade, and feel
very anxious to secure large share
thereof They understand, too, the ad-
vantages that must speedily result
from the traffic, transportation and
travel to and from the Cedar valley,
and the necessity Of putting in early
if they would be ahead of vigilant and
active competitors. Knowing these
things, each lis eager for the first
! chance To string along their IRON thread