The Council Bluffs nonpareil. [volume] (Council Bluffs [Iowa]) 1857-1867, 1858-05-22

C.srss, = sses q ~ Ns.psssiI.
CHieAoo, Mar 9th, 1858.
Ed. Nonparei1:--The Railroad centre Of
the Great West, . far, q l can judge, con.
tinues to, move forward Il all departments
d trade, Improvements and-vice.
And, apropsssf Railroads. I should judge
from the tone Of the Council Bluffs papers,
that the people Of that section were hardly
satisfied with what they deem the "mastsrly
inactivity" Of the M. l. M. Railroad Com
pany. Nov, let us see what real cause there
is for complaint. Hardly one year ago,
Pottawattamie Comfy, and its centre, Coun-
Gil Bluffs, were on the qui prize in relation to
the location of the NJ. l. NJ. Railroad. Your
city, at that time, was at the turning point
Of its success, and long and loud was its
appeal to that Company, to secure the loca-
ton of that Road for the special benefit Of
Council Bluffs. And, sir, that appeal was
not ill-timed, for the word had gone forth
from high quarters, that point above your
place had been selected, as the Western ter
minus of the Road /; and it is well-known,
with what eargerness many aocked to that
point, and with what tenacity they chung to
it. Even your own capitalists transferred
to some extent, their interests to that point;
and the effect upon your city was anything
but salutary and cheering. y ..s...i
Then it was, the proper representations
were made to the NJ. & M. R. R. Company,
who fully considered the matter, and weighed
well all the arguments, pro and con, and
came to the conclusion that the Mosquitoe
route, should be selected, and why2 Be-
cause they held that Council Bluffs had been
their firm and reliable friend-that her
pledges of adherence were such that they
never could be broken, and finally, that she
came boldly forward, and offered to take
100000 Stock; not conditional, that it
was to be given whom tho road reached your
County, but unconditional, and to be issued
Immediately, if necessary, provided said
Road was located down the Valley of the
Musquitoe. 90.
This was the condition on which your
County offered to vote those Bonds; but sir,
the Company considering it a liberal-aye,
too liberal-o1er, themselves put in the
condition, that the Bonds should not be
called for until the Road reached the Coun-
ty, and that the proceeds of said Bonds
expended within the limits of the
County.
Now, sir, mas the Company complied with
that condition? maintain the affirmative.
The location down the Mosquitoe Valley
was made-and the Company made every
for vigorous prosecution of
work upon the Road-based upon the the
that they would at an early day
effect loan in England, of some seven
millions of dollars. We all know why these
plans were not matured-a panic seized upon
the country SO great that Roads with mill
ions of capital paid in, could not raise one
cent, to pay even their every day expenses.
Such was the condition of affairs up to last
winter, and now, when times are easing up
a little, the Company are again putting forth
all their energies to raise funds to 90 on with
work on the Road.
But further, see from N. Y. quotations,
that State of Iowa County Bonds, are worth
about 80 cents on the dollar, in that market,
and forced sale, at that. Now, notwith-
standing these untoward circumstances, the
Company is bound to 60 on with the work;
and have already, their engineering parties
in the field West of Iowa City; evincing
if they cannot negotiate their
Bonds, to put their shoulders to the wheel,
and by private means, roll Westward the
Iron Horse. While they are doing this, not
one other Road in Iowa, has "struck lick"
yet. This speaks well for the NJ. & NJ. R.
R. Company, when it is recollected that on
the line Of the other roads, every County
has come up to their assistance, nobly, while
on the line of the former, the Counties have
done very little. l venture nothing, in the
assertion, that had tho Counties between
Davenport and Des-Moines, responded
in the affirmative, to the first
call of the NJ. & NJ. Railroad Company, the
terminus of the Road, would be to-day at
Des Moines, instead of Iowa City.
A firm adherence to one project, and de-
support of one Company, through
hard times and good, will, in my opinion,
do much toward furthering the end you so
much desire; and there is but little doubt,
that if the NJ. & NJ. Railroad Company are
successful in their money matters, you will
hear, much sooner than you had reason to
expect one year ago, the whistle of the To-
motive up the Valley of the Missouri.
The strife between Council Bluffs and
rival points, in relation to the terminus of
the Road is fully settled, the battle has been
fought, and all enemies vanquished, and at
present. your place is the only point contem-
plated as terminus by the NJ. & NJ. Railroad
Company, and as we have seen the delay in
the consummation Of its plans has been una
is it not ill-timed and ungenerous
Of Council Bluffs, to give utterance to com.
plants, or send out through her press, threats
and ordinations. ..F..'
The regular meeting of the NJ. L NJ. R. R.
Company comes of sometime in june, after
which, delegation will visit your place, to
consult your interests and form plans for
tho most speedy execution of the Road to