St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-04-23
St. Charles, Iowa, April %, 1857.
The MCGreg0r Railroad.

prizes that are to pass through, or find
their terminus in our beautiful City,
the one in which we are perhaps the
most deeply interested is that which
is destined to connect us with the Mis-
sissippi River at McGregor, and with
the grand avenue of East and West
trade and travel through Milwaukee,
Gram Haven, Detroit and Niagara to
New York or Boston. A glance at
the Map shows us that the McGregor,
St. Peters and Missouri River Railroad
is but continuation of the great CEN
trail trunk line leading from the Allan
tic Ocean westward, nearly or quite on
the forty-third parallel of latitude, the
greatest departure from which does
not exceed twenty-five miles. With
a sure and steady step this enterprise
is progressing westward; but short
time will elapse ere the iron horse will
wake the echoes of the Cedar Valley,
and the iron rails bind us fast friends
with the cities of the Lake and the At
lantic seaboard The North Iowa link
of the Pacific Railroad, will soon be
under construction. Backed up and
endorsed by the successful companies
that have proceeded US, and who are
so Immediately interested in carrying
out this project, there can be no doubt
but what the McGregor Railroad will
be built, and that, too, in the most ex-
peditious manner.
Let us now examine more particu-
larry into the surveys and proposed
routes of the McGregor Railroad. The
true policy of any Railroad Company,
is to select at first, line that will for
ever prevent any rival project from
cutting off or injuring their business
A road must be built and a route de-
termined Oh that shall have no superb
or in distance, grades or curvatures;
a road that can be constructed and op-
Grated in the most economical manner.
Such must be the road, and such will
be the project in which men of enter
prise and capital will embark.
With these principles in view we
come out at once as an advocate for
the straight line and the light grades
We are in favor of having the Nc
Gregor Road constructed on the cheap
est and most direct line. We know,
and nature tells the mind of the dull
lest comprehension, plainly and unmis-
takably, where that line should be. 1t
does not require an Engineers skill to
condemn the surveyed line. The map
at once shows that it is fifteen miles
the longest, which, at the average cost
OF western roads, amounts to S375,-
600. And an examination of the
country in the neighborhood of the
crossings Of Turkey River, shows a
difference, at low calculation, of
100000 more. Here, then is differ
ence Of S775,0O0 in favor Of the route
through Fort Atkinson, which will be
SO much cash saved, fifteen miles in
distance, and the disposal of all the
heavy grades between Postville and
West Union 1t will also make al
hours difference in the time Of Express
passenger trains, and some three hours
In heavy freight trains. To this section
of country this is great item. Time
and steam, and wear and tear of ma.
chlnery, extra distances and heavy
grades, have got to be paid for. The
commerce of the magnificent valleys of
the Cedar, Shell Rock and Des Moines
must pay tribute to all this, which is
of no small consideration. 1t is desi-
rable to understand ourselves on these
points. We have neither the time to
wait nor the money to spend on un-
wieldy and Improbable routes; nor do
we lack that faith in the McGregor
Company as to suppose they honestly
entertain the idea Of constructing their
road on any route but that which shall
be finally determined upon as compri-
sing the most advantages, and which
will efectually prevent the construc-
ton of any rival roads. That route
we fully believe lies along the Militia
~ Ridge, crosses the Turkey River
near Fort Atkinson, and sweeps on
Westward, through our own favored
City.
Among other projects that are con-
templated to dcvelope the resources of
our section, that of the St. Charles and
Fort Dodge Railroad presents decided
advantages, and the saving of forty
seven miles in distance between Fort
Dodge via St. Charles and Lake Mich
lgan. This is an item worth thinking
about. The building of such a road
would draw off the business of the Du-
buque and Pacific Railroad west of
Fort Dodge, and give to St. Charles
McGregor and Milwaukee the full ad.
vanta9es of their superior geographic !
cal position. 1t is a hard thing to get
over natural point and those who
have resided in tho 1unc4 on. l4l =