St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-06-25
Mlistsllanu.
From the Chckasaw County Republican.
Milwaukee and Mississippi Railroad.

Mr.. EDToR: 1t is presumable that
the people of Northern Iowa are moi
so much interested in any other con
templated Railroad, as that of the
above named. Not that they would
too lightly estimate the grand inhu-
ence and commercial benefits of any
road that will touch any part of Chick
asaw and adjoining counties; but
there is a very special Importance that
connects with this great east and west
steam and, doubtless, lightning thorough
fare.
There will be no other commercial
avenue as this road, from all Northern
Iowa, to the eastern markets. Hence,
new, rising region like ours, so i'm
mediately interested, should not in
dulgc a moments indifference in the
premises If there is a section in any
part Of the great west that possesses
more natural resources to demand and
sustain railroads, it has been my mis-
fortune not to see the favored spot.
And do claim to have seen no small
portion of the Mississippi Valley;
having travelled, in the last twenty
five years, about sixty thousand miles.
! am well versed in the natural resourc-
es of the great Illinois State; and am
convinced that whenever an equal
measure of capital and labor shall be
made to bear on this portion of the
land, it will be really superior to boast
ed suckerdom. / do not make the de-
claration in an invidious way, but
from an honest conviction of the fact.
In the first place, the entire soil of
our whole State is as fertile as the
best of Illinois except the small breaks
along some of our streams. In the
next place, there is no product of the
soil that is not more abundant here
than can be produced there, with the
single exception of corn; but accord
ing to official statistics Iowa did about
as well as Illinois in that article, in
'55; and opine she rather excelled
in the corn line last year, as travelled
considerably in both states. Lastly, if
genius, energy and ambition have any
influence i'll making great and
wealthy State, l am sure Iowa can
cvnIparo fayurabfy with ""y ofi i.~. -:.,
ter states.
With due Difference to the friends
who have surveyed and continued to
advocate the route for this railroad
through West Union and Bradford, we
must say, that tie route for that road
lies on the Ridge from Monona to or
near Fort Atkinson, thence through,
or near Jacksonville, in Chickasaw,
and then the most direct route to st.
Charles and Clear Lake.
The reasons why his is THE route
are:
First 1t is the Mortea route by from
ten to fifteen miles, and this is one of
the controlling considerations in fixing
and sustaining railroad.
Secondly, According to the opinion
of those whose opinion should have an
important weight in the case, this
route will be 800, 900 cheaper than the
route through Clermont, West Union
and Bradford and if three-fourths of
a million of dollars is not a weighty
item in such a new country as ours,
in the name of reason what is of any
weight in the matter. These two rca-
sons are the first in the minds Of rail
road builders, and they, and all others
in the case, will permit us
to call their attention ~ the facts.
While we throw out these declara-
tions, we challenge all concerned, i'll
they have the least doubt in their cor
rectness, to test it by careful survey.
More anon. J. II. D.