St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1857-10-15
New Railroad Project.
WArEnvlLLE, Alamakee Co., Iowa,
Sept. 10Th, 1857.


MEssRs. EpIroRs :--Considcrablc at
fention is now being directed by rail-
road men towards the Valley of Paint
Greek, as a means of extending the
Milwaukee g. Mississippi Railroad
through Northern Iowa and Southern
Minnesota, a recent examination o.
which, shows route one third better
in work. grades and curvature, than
any route heretofore examined. 1t is
desirable that connection should be
saade with the Land Grant Road run
ming up the Cedar River to st. Paul,
commonly known as General Shields
Road which road, from its easy con-
struction and large donations of land,
will probably be completed at an early
day indeed it promises to be com
pieted the first Of any OF the Land
Grant Roads in Minnesota. 1t is but
ll6 miles in length, has been survey
ed and finally located, has a cash sub
scription of $25O,OO0 from the ablcst
men in the Territory, of which 10 per
cent. has been paid in, has u grant of
land Of 5000 acres per mile, all of
which has been selected and lies i'm
mediately along the line of the road,
and comprises some of the choicest
land in the garden of Minnesota /; it,
has also an interest in the Grant to
the Minnesota Valley Road, which is
to be located Immediately on the final
location of that road-in fact, its f.
nancial position and future prospects
are of the most flattering character,
and no one can doubt even in these
tight times, but that it will surely and
speedily BIB built. The distance from
Prairie du Chen to the southern tcrmi-
nus of the Land Grant Road is IS
miles by the way Of Paint Creek
Valley, which is on nearly an air line,
and consequently the shortest route to
the Northwest, as we'll as one-third
the cheapest and easiest that has been
found leading westward from Prairie
du Chen.
The object of this last new enter
prise is TO construct road that will
connect Milwaukee with St. Paul, and
Milwaukee with the Missouri river
In building SO miles, the former object
is attained, and by building a branch Of
125 miles, the latter will be accom-
plished-or in other words, if 2l3
miles of railroad are built, connections
are had with Land Grant Roads which
run to the places above named.
The mouth of Paint Creek is four miles
above Prairie du Chen, and opposite
the upper end of the prairie on which
it is situated. At this point occurs
the greatest contraction in the Missis-
sippi River below ST. Paul, its width
being but 2, 400 feet below this point,
it widens into numerous channels,
and averages mile and half wide.
BY the Paint Creek Valley route, the
Northwestern country is developed,
a connection is had with the entire
network of railways with which Min
nesota is soon to be covered, and the
& Mississippi Road insured
her share of the trade OF that rich
and beautiful country. The magniti
cent Plateau on which Prairie du CHEN
Is situated is the place to do business,
and there will centre that system OF
ALWAYS which is destined to connect
he Missouri and Minnesota rivers
With Milwaukee. The preliminary
urveys of the Paint Creek Valley pro
ect are now being made, commencing
{ Johnson's Port at the mouth OF
faint Creek and running through the
villag es of Watcrville,
yaukon, County seat of Alamakcc
cunty, Decorrah or Frankville, New
RECON, &c, to Otranto, the terminus
the Land Graht Road, thence
lrough Albert Lea and Blue Earth
ity to Mankato at the great bend OF
e St. Peters or Minnesota River.
At about fifty miles from the Missis-
Dpi branch road is projected, run
ng through Fort Atkinson or St.
Gorge, Jacksonville. North Wash
,ton, st. Charles City, county seat