The Kanzas news., 1857-08-15

The Proposed Rail Road and Mail
Route 30 Jefferson City--Letter from
Mr.. Wattles.
We have received a letter from Mr..
John O. Wattles. at Moneka. dated July 96,
1867, in which he gives some of the de-
tails of his Journey from this place to Mo-
neka. over the proposed Mail Ioute and R.
R. line spoken of by him in his speech at
the Railroad Meeting. We take the liberty
of making few extracts. He says:
..The practicability of mail route is SO
apparent and so much needed by the people
along the route that I paid more attention
to the railroad project than that of the mail
route The country from Emporia to Hamp-
den, down the Neosho thirty miles, is
as well adapted TO railroad construction as
can be found in any part of the country.
On arriving at Ottumwa the
enterprising people, learning of the proposed
project, called meeting, entered into the
spirit of the thing and appointed commit
tee to accompany me to help strsey the
route towards Hyatt
From OttumBa he. went to Hampden a
distance of eight miles. He describes the
Neosho valley between the two places as
being in every particular adapted to the
building of Railroad. At Hampden a
very interesting meeting was held, the peo-
pie taking hold of the project with enthusi-
asm. Mr.. Ella was appointed to accompany
Mr. Wattles as far as Hyatt and continue
the horseback survey"
"From this point taking line due east
to Jefferson City, we strike Fountain, Hyatt,
Keokuk, Moneka in Kanzas, and Butler,
Clinton and Versailles in Missouri, making
tier of towns almost in right line from
Emporia to Jefferson City-suficiently so,
at any rate, for all practical purposes.
"From Hampden to Fountain, about half
way to Hyatt, we found the country very
smooth and more than usually level for a
prairie country equal, should think,
to the most favorable portions of Illinois
The timber of the Neosho is still near, and
the various creeks crossed will furnish no
inconsiderable amount.
s'Hyatt is distant from Hampden about
90 miles. We arrived there after noon and
found friend Arny-and that is sufficient to
tell you that we 1ound great heart to ap-
preciate and strong hand to execute
a meeting of the citizens was called and
the subject thoroughly discussed, and de-
termination expressed to assist in putting
through not only the Post Route but the
Railroad. A committee of three was ap-
pointed to confer with other communities
on the route and to prepare and circulate a
Memorial to Congress. Another committee
of three was also appointed TO stake out a
road from Hyatt to Moneka which should
be the proposed mail route.
''It was also recommended that the yari-
Gus towns alongsthe route send delegates to
Convention to be held at Butler, Bates
county, Missouri, and Moneka, Kanzas, on
| the ist. Wednesday in September next, to
take effective steps to carry forward this
movement.
GA committee has been sent from Mo-
neka towards Jefferson city to take a cursory
survey of the country and converse with
the people along the route and interest them
in the general movement. As it equally
interests them, pecuniarily and intellectu-
ally, it is thought that they will 90 heart
and hand into the measure and thus secure
speedy completion of the enterprise.
ssShould the various towns and settle
ments along this line take efficient measures
and run roads from and to each other, agi-
tate the subject, and get up general inter-
est all along the line, there is no good rea-
son why Mail Route should not be estab-
road within three years.
Yours for Progression,
JOHN o. .WATTLES.