St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1858-08-26

Feficing anu telegraph line, l4l 76l l,2C6
Machine shop, depot build
ings, wood and water sta
tons aud other fixtures, l6215O l53
ROLLING stock, AIS, ,130 "ql5
Easl,.eefihs eApen 'es ,agts., etc. 10000 loo
Total cost uf construction - -
and equipments, ssOs7, ,pS7 s27 800
Above 100000 acres of land have
Deen uvnatcu by cong, ,v.s =. ..;l ~
the construction of your road, which
even at the very low price of seven
dollars and a quarter per acre, will
its equipments.
The line of the route passes through
a well watered country, blessed with
a most healthful climate, wholly free
from fever and ague, and from those
bilious diseases SO prevalent in the
more southern parts of the great basin
of the Mississippi. From Minneapolis
to the Big Woods" near Northteld,
the soil is usually dark loan of good
quality, resting on subsoil of sand
or loose gravel. Thence to the south
ern terminus a rich vegetable mould,
or deep calcarcous loan, on clay
subsoil is met with, presenting tract
of country unsurpassed for agricultur-
al purposes. Though the line from
Faribault southwark, generally trav-
erses a prairie country, yet, as it runs
near Straight and Cedar Rivers the
supply of timber is not deficient, a
good growth of oak, elm, walnut, ma
pie, Eastwood, etc, being found in the
valleys of these rivers.
To be satisfied that the large guam
tity of rolling stock provided for in
the foregoing estimate, will be re-
quired, it is only necessary to consider
the connections of this road, and the
rich agricultural region through which
it passes. From st. Anthony and
Minneapolis, it's northern terminus,
the Minnesota and Pacific Rail Road
proceeds westward to Breckenridge,
1876 miles, with Branch northwest
ward to Pembina, above 420 miles in
length. The Southern Minnesota Rail
Road passing up the valley of the Min
ncsota River to Mankato, and thence
to the Missouri river, intersects your
road at Mendoza, the head of naviga-
ton of the Mississippi below the Falls
of st. Anthony. At, or near Owatonna,
it is intersected by the Transit Rail.
road running westward from the Mis-.
sissippi to the Big Sioux River These
being Land Grant Roads, will be built
immediately and will all be valuable
tributaries to your road. From the
southern terminus on the Iowa State
Line outlets to the Mississippi, and
thence to the great Lakes, Canadas
and the Eastern and Southern States
will be furnished byroads to McGregor
Dubuque, and Clinton, towns on the
| Mississippi opposite the terminus Of
railroads already in operation from
Milwaukee and Chicago a
BY these three lines the distanc,
from ST. Paul to Chicago does not diff
fer much, being from 45S to 470 nilcs
Milwaukee is the nearest eligible har
Dor on the Lakes for the shipment o
heavy agricultural products, from tn,
country drained by your road, being
29O miles distant, by rail, from you
southern terminus. In summer, trav
elers and light freight, passing owe
your road to and from the East, car
effect an important saving in time anc
distance, by taking the route to Prairie
du Chen, and thence in an almos
straight line by Milwaukee, Grand Ha
ven and Fort Huron, whence either b,
Niagara or Buffalo direct communica
ton is made with the Eastern an,
Northeastern States, while the Crane
Trunk Rail Road leads thence to Que
bee, via Toronto and Montreal, there
, by connecting Minnesota with the en-
. tire Railroad system of Canada. a
: all seasons connection can be mad