The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-02-24
From the Iowa Statesman.
Rail R Dads!

From the Iowa Statesman.
Rail ROads!
Durins'my absence last week Mr.. Tom'n-
son took occasion to review the OShaloosa
Convention. and to animadvert upon its &C
ton, and, particularly, upon the part taken
in it by the Lee County delegation.
wish to state distinctly, that dissent
from Mr.. Tomlinson upon his view of this
question.
am of the opinion that,,Polk Caunty has
but little to expect or hope for from any new
rail road project and especially new one
for the purpose Of building road up the
valley Of the Des Moines where the Keok uk,
Des Moines and Minnesota r. r. Co. have
a charter and forty miles of road already
built
The only new project which I favor in
this direction is a union between the Keokuk
& Burlington roads for the purpose of push
ing road to the Capitrl
There are reasons why a road should be
built up the Valley of the Des Moines to this
City, before We have road from auy other
point.
LIST. The counties through which this road
would pass are richer and more densely pop
ulated than any other counties through which
It is contemplated to build road to this
City.
I'd A road down the Valley would afford
US Southern and an Eastern connection
we could 60 East by the NJ. & NJ. Road from
Oskaloosa, via Muscatine and Davenport, or
East from Ottumwa, via Burlington, and
South from Ottumwa by the North Missouri
road, and Southeast via Keokuk and its
Eastern connections
If Mahaska County should refuse to issue
her bonds to the NJ. & NJ. r. and divert them
to the Valley road. and Polk County should
do the same, this would make the sum of
$550,0o0 with which to grade the road
Add to this 100000 which can be raised in
Marion County, and 800, 900 which can be
raised in Jasper by submitting the question
of a loan to the NJ. & NJ, and the Valley
road at the same time, and We have the sum
of 100000
This is all tangible and the amount above
named could be raised if the Burlington and
Keokuk roads would unite, or if the Keokuk
road could make a contract with responsible
company to take this amount in county
bonds and push the road through to this city
within one and half, or two years.
The only obstacle to the early completion
Of the Valley road is the failure of the Bur
ington and Keokuk roads to unite their in
1erests in building the road from Ottumwa
t'est.
Theidea of forming new company with
capital sufficient to grade the road, and that
ne Burlington Co. will put the iron and
rolling stock on it, seems absurd unless the
ks,kuk Co. should come into the arrange
ment, which is not probable.
Ifthe B. & NJ r. r. Co. have iron and,
I'oiling stock to loan to any company, why
not assist the keokuk road. There is no
doubt but that the X, IT. ID. NJ. & NJ. road
would give first mortgage bonds to the b. &
NJ. road as readily as to any other Eastern
Co. ct being an Eastern Co. having its
office and directors with one exception in
New York;
There could be no objection to tins course
If there were no rivalry between the Burling-
ton and keokuk roads. The people up the
valley of the Des Moines and particularly in
Polk county have no disposition to have their
destinies governed and controlled by these
rival interests and difficulties between other
oints. If there can be no understanding or
arrangement between the B. & N. R.R. and
X, Fl. ID. M.& NJ. r. r., or if the Keokuk
road cannot soon make an arrangement with
some responsible company to build their
road here, say within two years, all that
We Of Polk county. have to do is to turn our
attention to the NJ. & NJ. road or to any other
that promises an early completion.
The time for predictions or preferences
for any road are over with the people of this
County.
A railroad is what we want and must have;
OF We can not get it from the point we want,
we must get it from the point we can.