Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-07-23
The Cedar Valley and Minnesota
RaflrOad Again.

I RaflrOad Again.
In our article of yesterday, we named some
of the advantages we would derive from the
construction of thirty miles of Railroad from
Wilton via Tipton, to- connect with the Cedar
Valley Railroad, which will ultimately make
a direct road to st. Paul. The same advan-
tages that would give us the bulk of the
southern business from this road and from the
Dubuque and Pacific west of Cedar Falls-yiz,
that We are as near by rail as Dubuque, and
nearer than any other point in the State south
of Dubuque-would also divert here the bust
ness from any other east and west road which
itmay cross. The difference of twelve miles in
our favor over Davenport, in distance, to Iowa
City by rail now diverts to this point the
southern business of the NJ. & NJ. road west
of Wilton, and will continue to do it when
pushed farther west, and the same result will
be attained at any other intersection we may
make; and here it is proper to remark that
this southern business has grown rapidly
within the past two years, and the great bulk
of the produce received at this point during
the past year has sought market through
the south.
One important advantage, is the fact that
the'river transportation by the southern route
is available at least one month earlier in the
spring than transportation by the lake route
at time, too, when there is great desire to
send off some of the accumulations of the
winter. Another is, that during the spring,
Now Orleans is often as good market for
medium quality of -four as New York, and
can export as well, while st. Louis in the
manufacture Of flour has reputation une-
qualled by any western city, thus enabling
her to compete successfully, as she has done
this season. for the wheat of this region, and
even to keep buyers in our streets to supply
her mills, as has been done for the past four
months. Heavy goods and groceries, all will
concede, must come by the river, and the
lower the price of produce and the greater the
depression in general business, the more
important are cheap freights and water COM
munication, which alone furnish them. The
tendency has been to 20 it on the $40 STYLE
and do everything by the rail and iron horse :;
some have even gone so far as to suppose the
river would dry up. Railroad managers have
claimed that they could compete with the river,
and have tried it, and in many instances
where roads have been built and operated upon
this theory, they have done the business, and
their stockholders, too. Railroad freights, as
general thing, have been too low, and in
future they must, to pay, do the legitimate
business which seeks the road at living prices.
Pork can be shipped from this point by
water to the east in the spring, and will reach
its market before the lake is open at rate of
freight which railroads cannot compete with
There can be no doubt of the fact that this
road is of immense advantage to the city and
county of Muscatine, and also to Cedar county
Cedar is comparatively out of debt-at least,
we are not aware that she has incurred any
for railroad purposes. We have built the
road almost to her line, and if she will now
take hold of the matter, we will do our best to
help fill up the gap. We are in debt for what
we have done, but ought not to rest until this
matter is put into shape and completed-and
Cedar has the same interest.
We cannot expect much encouragement
from the Cedar Valley road, as their interest
is to carry the freight to the river at Clinton
and upon the road owned by the same parties
in Illinois, as far east as possible and so with
all the other east and west roads north, but
this road once built they cannot divert the
southern business, which could only BE done
at loss, and they will be compelled in self
defence to make liberal arrangement.
In short, We consider the building of this
short link of road would be greater guarantee
of the future growth and position of this place
as commercial point, than that of any road
which could be projected. The road is now
built from Galesburg via Peoria to Peoria
junction, and is under contract and being
built from that point to Logansport, Indana
and from thence to Toledo and the east it is
now completed
Does any one doubt that if the connection
with the Cedar Valley road was secured, the
parties interested in the eastern line would
build the forty eight miles between Galesburg
and this point without any aid from US !?
Would there be point in the State presenting
more inducements to an eastern road within
forty-eight miles of it, or greater advantages in
distance? We think not, for let this point
be so connected, and the whole business of
our Western road and division of the bust
ness of every road in the State north of us
must be the inevitable result We say, then,
that the building of this road will do more to
second the other than anything we can do,
and we again invite the attention of all inter-
ested to these statements, and hope to see some
efforts put forth to secure it at an early day