The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-03-06

From . New York Correspondent.
New York,
February Cd, 81.

From New York Correspondent.
New York,
February Cd, 81. |
DEAR SIR Il am pleased to learn that
the Milwaukee l. Mississippi Rail Road is
to be extended West Of Prairie du Chen
into Iowa and Minnesota, by the McGrc
gor, st. Peters l. Missouri River r. r..
and that Milwaukee and the East are to be
thus connected with St. Charles and Man
kato-two among the many favorably
located and thriving villages Of the
West. m.a---...--.--. -....-. ......
Do you remember as school boy, not
many years ago, tracing the Map Of the
United States to find upon the outer verge
the Military and Indian Trading Post of
Prairie du Chen, and then running your
finger upon crooked line to the Falls of
St. Anthony-the jumping of place p
Did you dare to suppose that you could
live long enough to become resident of.
and live in thriving city or village.
hundreds Of miles West of either Of these
points, while the settlement of the
country East of these places was deemed
impossible for a century or two? Where
could the people be brought from to popu-
late such an extensive region of country I?
Could Europe spare her proportion .
Certainly our New England States could
not fill up Michigan, much less overrun
Indiana, Illinois and Wisconsin, and
stretch beyond the noble Mississippi into.
and cover Iowa and Minnesota, and still
cry for room in Nebraska and Kansas -
Yet this is so. Ohio and all the West is
peopled by our own Anglo Saxon races
who have carried with them the indomi-
table energy and perseverance of their
race; born and educated to settle New
Lands, subdue and cultivate the earth,
build School Houses, Churches, Villages
and Rail Roads, make improvements, and
carry civilization and the Mechanic arts
into every part Of this continent This
is the history Of the race. and may be
traced from the first Western emigration
from Massachusetts, to the savage wilds
of Connecticut in Puritan times.
"Westward the Star of Empire wends its way"
What has caused this rapid settlement
oflate years? Why can Young America
so far outstrip his ancestors Why can
the present generation settle continent
in the same period of time that was
once required to populate county? l
nswer--that modern invention has given
us the Steam Engine and Rail Roads, and
all the people say go Ahead" Rail
Roads then have opened and given access
to the Western Wilds, they create a
market near each mans farm for his sur
plus produce, they encourage him to dig
and plough, fence land, build houses,
Mills, Warehouses, Villages and Cities,
they bring more laborers to do likewise,
they bring trade and commerce in the
products of the land, they annihila.e time
and space, and bring the ends of the
earth together. Iowa is now easier of
access to this City. than was the centre of
the State of New York 90 years ago
Then the heavy numbering slow coach
took Its passengers after three days and
three nights of hard toll, from Cayusa
Lake to the Hudson, as the stage bills ex-
pressed l., Gin time to cross the rive,."
Where can we now go in three days
and three nights? TO the magnificent
prairies in the centre of Iowa with ease
and comfort. When your Railroad is
completed l suppose we can reach the
Missouri in the same time and then Iowa
will soon become an old State, and the
tide of emigration will be to the new
States and Territories West of Nebraska
and Kansas. 1t seems like vision, but
il is sober reality.
As ! have had some experience in these
matters, suppose that few hints about
your Rail Road would be of interest, and
l shall jot few of them down for your
use; if you already know it all, drop the
paper into the stove when you light the
fire tomorrow morning and say nothing.
LIST. The Route. AS I have had the
pleasure, during recent visit to Iowa. of
a ride over that most beautiful of prairie
lands, viz from McGregor to Clear Lake,
and have scanned the ground with an eye
to this subject, ! will say that no where
upon the earth's surface is there more
eligible site in every respect than from the
Mississippi River at or near Prairie du
Chen, and the country West in an almost
direct line, than this and therefore no
improvement can be suggested in this res.
pect boss