Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-03-11
The Railroad Question i'm Ma
haska County.

We learn from the Oskaloosa Times that
Judge Rhinehart is about to submit two
to the voters of Mahaska, touch
ing the issue of the county bonds to the NJ. &
NJ. X. r. One is to rcscind all subscriptions
heretofore voted to the Company, and the
other to extend the time for the completion of
the road, in accordance with an agreement
made between the County Judge and Gen
Dix. last month. The election is to take
place on the 9th Of April. The Times opposes
the former and favors the latter proposition,
as We think all the people Of Mahaska county
who understand their interests will do at the
polls. The issue before them is a railroad
or no railroad, and it ought not to take them
long to decide which alternative to accept 1t
seems that the opposition does not come so
much from the friends of the rival projects as
srom those who arc opposed to the county
granting aid to any railroad whatever. They
admit that the Muscatins road has fairer pros
poets, and can be constructed sooner, than
any other road projected through the county,
but hesitate to extend to it the required aid.
The condition of Mahaska county two years
hence without railroad, and with no imme-
date prospect of one, should be considered by
every citizen when he casts his vote on this
question, and we doubt not it will be well
considered. We are glad to see the papers Of
Os.aloosa earnestly and ably advocating the
railroad interest, and spreading light on the
subject before the people. A full and fair
discussion will result in the triumph of the
extension proposition
We find in the Times a well.written COM
munication from John Baker, farmer Of
Mahaska county, in which the superior
advantages of the Muscatine over the Burling-
ton road are truthfully and ably set forth.
After abiding to the advantage of shipping
stock eastward over the NJ. l. NJ r. r. by the
great bridge at Rock Island, he thus refers to
! other advantages Of the railroad:
81 repeat, it takes but little common sense
to see which road will be most to our interest.
But some are opposed to all roads--say they
will not be benefited in proportion to their
taxes; but assert that, when you are taxed
five dollars for the Muscatinc road, YOU have
ten dollars put in your pocket to pay it with
Every farmer annually buys from one to two
barrels of salt, at cost of 81 so per barrel
There would be saving of - on each barrel
and 50 cents on each hog. These savings
alone would almost double the amount of his
taxes, to say nothing about lumber, groceries,
and many other things in like proportion
Again, it will surely enhance the value of our
farms. Some are foolish enough to think il
will only benefit Oskaloosa; but, so far is this
| from being true, that it will benefit her less
| than the more remote parts of the county, in
proportion. Oskaloosa, in size, may be con.
| sidered finished-already too large for the
county but have road direct to Chicago
and st. Louis, and Oskaloosa is at once q
great railroad point, and farmers from all
sections will seek homes, not in Oskaloosa OF
| its snvirOns, but in the interior of the county
| where the best farms will be, because better
stock privileges can be had hence, it will
equalize property all over the county. am
greatly surprised to see any farmer take q
stand against the Muscatine road, or be mis-
led by few persons on the Desmoines, who
would ruin the county, because they, perhaps
| have spite at OskaloOsa. do not own one
| foot of land in or near town, but would not
miss this road for one-fourth of what dc
possess. Let it be known that 800 hands
| would be atwork on this road, in this county
within the next forty days, and it would give
new impulse to everything. Every farmc,
would begin to brighten up, and make new
improvements; spectators would sell; oul
wild lands would then become cultivated, and
increase the valuation of property two-fold
The interest of these bonds would not be q
fy-speck.
81 have said this much because l am q
farmer and stock-man, and, as such, claim
right to promote our interests"