The north Iowa times. [volume] (M'Gregor [i.e. McGregor], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-02-06

e." " .1.s :. 4. M,GREGoR, FRIDAY, FEB. 6, 1851

! 1t affords US pleasure to give thefollow-
ing interesting letter, place in our col.
umns. 1t is from G. E. Woodward ESQ
Civil Engineer of the McGregor. St. Pc
ters and Missouri r. r. The readers OF
the TIxEs will peruse it with great in
terest. mals. ... ,g3ht" -f.. "#
From the Milwaukee Sentinel.
Rail Roads in Iowa. Western Connec-
tions Of the Nil. & Miss. r. r.
la.. MosoSA, CLAYTON Co., IowA,)
uH.lG g". November, Is, 1856.
MsssRs. EDIroRs:-Beyond the Missis-
sippi, and opposite the Western terminus
OF the Milwaukee and Miss. r. R. there
lies section of country that is destined
to exert a great influence on the future in
teres.s of Milwaukee. OF its character,
capacities and the project for developing
its vast resources. Ipropose to give you
ageneral idea. g,i Ibe-~. :. -
On the end of June last company was
formed under the name Of Nc Gregor, st.
Peters, and Missouri River Railroad, for
the purpose of constructing Railroad
from McGregor "a point oppsite the ter
minus of the NJ. Il NJ. R. R. land to run
as near due west course as was found
practicable. On the 7th of July the sur
veys were commenced and have been
since completed one hundred and forty
miles into the interior, the result of which
shows . first class route of the most feast.
bic character. Leaving the Mississippi
through the valley of Bloody Run, and
following that stream to its source, we at
tain the summit level with q maximum
grade Of the Mil. & Miss. Railroad ~'a
Thirteen miles from the Mississippi is
found the highest elevation, and for up
wards of one hundred miles beyond the
surface of the country is very uniform
The facility with which the summit level
is attained, is not equslled by any road
leaving the Mississippi on the Iowa side,
and from thence westward, no difficulty
OF serious character presents ITSELF
West of the Summit, and beyond Turkey
River, the line compares favorably with
the Western Division Of NJ. u NJ. R. r.
it can be constructed as cheaply, and
operated as proitably as any portion OF
that road, provided it is as well superin-
/ tended. -.1 % sE"aEt4 ..E sr1
The capacity of the country for sup
porting a railroad is unbounded; it is, per-
haps, the richest, most productive, and
most beautiful section Of country in, the
whole Northwest consisting mostly OF
rolling prairies, with large bodies Of tim
ber in the valleys of the streams and small
er groves scattered about. Timber is
very plenty for fifty miles back; then
grows scarcer and the prairies increase in
lsize; they are, however. well watered with
fine springs and streams. The valley OF
the Cedar is, perhaps, unequalled for
beauty and fertility of soil. know of no
place that presents SO many temptations
to the emigrant, or that promises SO rich
ly to reward his toll. .R4.a.- @r
J. Northern Iowa is well settled for 100
miles from the Mississippi and with that
most enterprising class of people. the
farmers of New England and New York;
log houses are seldom seen-generally
frame houses of good substantial char
aeter, and fences Of the nine rail sort
The greatest difficulty under which the
people, back from the river, labor, is the
want OF pine-lumber; nearly every house
is built OF equal proportions Of oak, black
walnut and bass wood. .,...- ..,. t.....
I A daily line of four-horse post coaches,
of the Frink and Walker stamp, run 95
miles along the surveyed line Of road, and
the amount of tea,ning outstrips the palmv
days of the Mil. d Watertown plank
road. ...un ......t ...,.,. ..-. -
On the subject of railroad, the peor
pie of Northern Iowa are ''up and dress
ed" there is nothing in which they take
more interest at the present time. except
Republican principles. and on this point
Northern Iowa is all right.
The opening of the Mil & Miss. R. r.
to Prairie du Chen is ail event looked for.
ward to with great interest and impatience
by all this section of country. MILwAu.
KEE will then become their, leading mar.
ket, as supplies Of every description can
be obtained there more advantageously
than at any other point on the Mississip.
pi River. The single item of lumber viii
be demanded in large quantities and Mil
waukee must supply that demand. The
RATED lumber of the Mississippi is not de.
livcred on the river at as low a rate a,
clear lumber from Milwaukee can be laid
down in Prairie du Chen. And as South.
ern Iowa relies on Chicago for all her sup
plies of this article, SO Northern lows
, must look to Milwaukee.
AS a feeder to the Mil. 4 Miss. R. R
this route cannot be too highly estimated
the Mississippi river is nothing in com
|, parison to it. Southern Minnesota mus
be reached in shorter and more reliabl,
, manner, and to accomplish that end sur
! vey is being made Of the Northern lows
Railroad, branch of the McGregor roat
having its terminus at Mankato, on the St
! Peters River. These two routes will full,
develope the unequalled resources of thi
most beautiful region, and pour into tn
: lap Of Milwaukee an untold wealth whicl
she would Go we'll to be looking after.
Yours truly,
: 3 na ENGINEER.