Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1859-02-17

~ ~ASVNS u WIS Sisy' VIC sSeSo shSA
grant u lard BY the government to aid in
ths construction Of railroads 10 Nebraska
vill probably be made BY the present Con
grsss. The bill for this purpose provides
5es The grant Of every alternate section Of
lssd for ssvsn sections in width on each
eide Of said roads. to aid 10 the construc.
lien d - railroad from some eligible
poies On the west bank of the Missouri
sissr, north Of the Platte river, 30 a. to
essases ~ nearly - practicable with the
bsslinstss and Missouri river and the
Aississippi and Missouri river railroads,
sAsses into and along the valley Of the
ss'd Plasss river, via New Fort Kearney,
70 the western boundary Of the said Ter
sieesy; A railroad from some eligible
Poiat 90 the Missouri river between the
Kaosas line and the mouth OF the Platte
river, running westwardly to istersect the
hsst nsmsd road at or near New Fort
Kssrney; And railroad from some eligi
be point on the Missouri river, at or near
The mouth Of the Sioux river, so a. TO con.
eset - nearly a. practicable with the Du.
buque and Sioux City railroad, thence to
and up and along :he Niobrarah river, or
any other eligible route, to ir,ersect with
he frst named road At or near Fort Lar.
amie."
The roads proposed to be aided by this
bill are Of great Importance, forming, rs
they do, links in the great chain which is
sooner or later to connect the Atlantic
and Pacific States BY continuous lines Of
railroads; and it is, therefore, with much
pleasure that We learn from Mr.. Moxr.
coAERY's letter that there are good res
sons for believing that the bill will be en-.
acted into > lsv BY the present Congress.
The feasibility Of the construction of
railroad from Sioux City to and up the
valley Of the Runsing Water or Niobra.
rah river has been fully established BY
careful surveys Of the country, and exam
snssion Of it, resources. The Niobrarah
valley, according to the most reliable in
formation, contains much fne asricul.u
ss' lands, and 10 we'll supplied with tim
Der, coal, rock, gravel, and other materi
s's necessary in the construction Of rail
road, and which, when the road is built.
nsks it profitable. The great number Of
railroads il lows and Minnesota which
srs tending towards the South Pass in the
Rocky mountains in their progress to the
valleys Of the Pacific, make it pre.emi
nently necessary that there should be =
main trunk west Of the Missouri river Up
on which oil could unite. In the State of
Minnesota there is the Root River Valley
road, the Winons and St, Peters road, she
st. Paul ard Southwestern road ard in
the State Of Iowa the Dubuque and Sioux
City. the Iowa Air Linz, the Te,e dss Mort
Valley, the Dubuque and Northwestern
railroads oil tending towards the Niobra.
rsh valley. Each OF these roads have an
eastern connection by which, with their
branches, al parts of tie country can be
reached and accommodated. Alter cross.
inC the Missouri river the wants Of the
country do not demand that these roads
should maintain their identity, but the in.
serests Of oil would he enhanced by unit,
Ing aud seeking the slopes of the Pacific
on the same trunk, where branches could
again be constructed to meet the wants of
the coussry. The roads above named by
uniting west Of the Missouri river near the
parallel Of ~ degrees Of north latitude,
snd using the same track to the head wa
ssss Of the Sweet Water river could there
unite with the track upon which are cen.
tered the Mississippi and Missouri, the
Burlington and Missouri, Hannibal and
It. Joseph, and other roads which will
form . confluence in the valley Of the
Platte. Here too, in oil probability, the
roads leaving the Missouri still farther
south would form connection with the
grand trunk which would be the common
property Of railroads converging from all
parts Of the Union, and upon which the
commodities Of the North and the South
she East ard the West, could seek the best
markets.
To accomplish this, however, aid must
b received from the Govern men.; and in
no manner can the government give more
s9ectual assistance, and at the same time
without making direct appropriation,
than BY grant Of lands as contemplated
IN the bill spoken Of. Until . railroad
trsverses the almost illimitable plains west
Of the Missouri river, their vast wealth Of
soil and mineral will lie undistnrbed, and
their usefulness remain beyond the reach
Of man; and until the iron horse pene
tssies the defiles Of the Rocky mountains
Tie wide extended pinsres that cover their
slopes will remain unavailable. Let Con.
gress pass An act endowing these several
roads with grant Of land, and it will be
but few years until the country ives, Of
the Missouri river will be in the enjoyment
Of oil those blessings that accompany the
construction Of railroads.