Daily Iowa State Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1859, 1858-09-14
THE RAILROAD QUESTION.


Messrs EDnoRs: So far as | have been
able to learn, the merchants are rejoiced to
see the recent manifestations OF yourselves
and brother editors in favor Of the railroad
interests of this city since they are OF the
opinion that, unless m.thng Of this kind
is done, Davenport will soon sink into the
insignifcance Of a mere Railroad station
Our very life blood, as it were, is being
drawn from US by the r-seeing and ener-
getic fnanciers of Chicago. We are driven
from our position at Camanche, De Witt and
north ward, and have about lost our hold on
Upton, Cedar Rapids. and the balance Of
the Cedar Valley. This, together with the
consolidation of the Chicago and Rock Isl
and with the Mississippi and Missouri Rail
road. which had. seemingly, the influence
to divide the trade of this immediate dis
trict, leaves US almost helpless and deserted,
end compels us to put forth redoubled ener-
gies in order to reclaim the trade we never
should have lost
There is no instance where city of any
Importance has been reared by the infu-
ence Of one road running directly through
it. 1t may. and undoubtedly does, add to
the convenience and ease OF the neighbor
hood, but it is of but little Importance in
commercial point of view, unless there are
branches diverging through the richer por-
tions of the interior. thereby concentrating
the wealth and products of vast region at
one point for barter and trade.
Position without energy is as useless as
energy without position, but the two to-
gether in their fullest sense, will build q
metropolis which the world itself would be
proud Of. We do not claim to be a point
for New York or st. Louis, but we do
claim that if We manage properly, We will
be second Chicago. And the fact is, there
is no intelligent person to be found but will
readily give a positive affirmative to such a
sentiment. We are situated upon the south
eastern boundary of the peninsula. formed
by the Mississippi, and one of the richest re-
gions of the State, and at the only natural
point for an eastern outlet, making it almost
inevitable that upon the ground we occupy
must be placed the "Queen City Of Iowa."
Shall We sit idle, and procrastinate the day
in which to make ourselves Independent,
and our city rank as first in Importance in
the STATED
1t has been the current of opinion for the
last two years, that it was only necessary
for US to have the NJ. d NJ. road pushed
through to the Missouri river, that this
would of itself give us steady growth and
prosperous trade, but such sentiments,in in our
opinion. were nothing more nor less than a
fallacy, founded on false reasoning. It would
have added cubit to Chicago, while it
would have left US as we now are, in our
cradle
While we fully appreciate the benefits
and Importance of the Western road, we
must say that our position as first clRss
city depends on a north western branch
We want road by the way of Upton to
Cedar Rapids, so that the trade and produce
can come directly from the whole Cedar
Valley without change of cars to this point.
The whole of this country is aching for an
outlet, and you can rest assured that if the
means of transportation are opened up, the
wealth of that thickly settled and fertile
valley, will at once be poured into our
midst. This will at once give us An impet-
us; will give us such decided advantage
over our northern and southern neighbors,
that it will no longer be question "who
shall be greatest" Then instead of Musca-
tine being barrier to us, it will contribute
to our growth. Under such circumstances
the facilities at this point will command the
trade along the whole of the Osca!oosa
route, as we'll as by the way Of Iowa City.
With all the foregoing considerations, to-
gether with the prospect Of road directly
north to Dubuque, by the way of De Witt
and Maquoketa, will settle the question of
Importance decidedly in our favor. We will
then not only retain the capital We now
have, but it will pour in from all directions;
for the trader who will share his fortune
with US under euch circumstance will feel
assured that he is resting on a solid fouuda-
tion. and that success will be in proportion
to the proper use of the means which would
be so abundant.
We say then to one and all, use your in
fiuence and means to secure the speedy
erection Of the Cedar Valley Railroad, and
all these things shall be added unto you.