The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1859-01-05
McGREGOR, IOWA, WEDNESDAY, JANUARY s. 1855

q very few years would elapse, befor,
an army of volunteers could be raisee
on the line. amply sufficient for its pro
lection. From Lake Superior to th,
mountains, the country is almost an uu
interrupted plain, and from thence Il
the Pacific it is known that no engineer
ing obstacles present themselves
There is no deficiency of material
stone, timber and water can be readil,
procured. Neither is it probable tha
the cars, daily traversing these region,
upon elevated road beds. would NEE
with serious obstructions from tht
SHOWS; but even conceding that there
might be occasional lembarrassments, M
one will pretend to compare them viii
the difficulties against which the Cana
dian and Russian railways have to con
tend. The mean temperature at Mon
treal, is below that of any spot on the
north ,rn route. and such storms as block
up the road between st. Petersburgh and
Moscow, have never been known in
these latitudes.
But these difficulties have never de.
layed the onward progress of the Rus.
sian or Canadian. Every year new pro.
jects for still further extending their
railroads are commenced and carried
into successful operation aud have
too high an opinion of tho energy and
perseverance of my own countrymen ia
believe that cold and snow can offer any
serious obstacle, to tho accomplishment
of their purposes. Indeed. so far as
part of this line is concerned. / can
speak from my own personal knowledge.
l have travelled hundreds of miles
along it, and over the adjacent country,
and have passed both winter and sum
mer in hunting and exploring. and Meth
er the cold nor the snow ever hindered
my progress. The country contains a
larger portion of arabic soil than any
equal quantity of land on the Atlantic
border, and nearly the whole line of the
projected road could be made continu-
GUS farm. North of the forty ninth de-
gree Of latitude, fine crops Of corn are
raised, and their wheat is of 80 fine q
quality that it is eagerly sought after for
seed in the States. Even beyond the
fiftieth degree, wheat of superior
quality, together with oats. barley. and
all sorts of vegetables. are successfully
cultivated. It is highly esteemed as
grazing country. Cattle are not housed
during the winter, and herds are fire.
quently driven south, distance of from
FIVE hundred to seven hundred miles,
and there disposed of at profit, and
for less price than it would have cost
the purchasers to raise them. The salu-
brity of the climate is remark able
There are no malarious swamps, and the
journals of every exploring and survey
ing party attest their enjoyment of un-
interrupted health. a. ....
am opposed to any congressional
legislation that will embarrass the States
yhassass h; iGs lands sin IL sd
vance to gigantic monoplies. there
fore, in the bill l introduced last week,
left all Legislation to the States and Ter
ritories now in existence, and to such
others as may, from time to time, be Or
ganized on the line Of the con ntemplated
road. ...
The bill also provides way for set
Elements and roads to advance together.
BY its passage, no calls on the national
Treasury will be made, and the amount
Of land donated does not exceed ne
half of that called for in the other
bills.
No great extent of country will be
withheld from the emigrant-on the
every man will have an oppor
tunity to secure himself home, and at
the same time aid in carrying out the
true policy of the country, by con-
tributing to the defense Of it's out
posts. 9e
The bill was hastily drawn. and i.
probably defective in its details but I |
believe the general principle is the only |
rue one by which aid can constitu-
ionally be given to this great enter
,rise.
l believe that Congress should give
lie to this measure. Its passage would
timulate generous rivalry between
lifferent sections of the country. and the
esult would be Pacific railroad
trough some part of it and if the
nows. the mountains, and the cold,
revent US from reaching the Pacific as
oon as our more southern neighbors,
70 will rejoice at their success a. |,
earthly As those more directly interest.
4. |.
! notify the Senate tfat. at the proper
me. shall offer the bill which I in
oduced the other day a. substitute
'r the one now under consideration.