The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1859-01-13

y. ". NO88l8, Editor.
BaflrOoA Intercsss Of WaPe1lo
County. 9 @-r
We publish elsewhere the can for a Rail-
ro&d Convention of the Citizens of the Des
loines Valley to be held at Oskaloosa on the
10th Of the present month. From what we
tearn from the Press of the Valley and other
wise, We have every reason to expect that
This Convention will be numerously attended,
end that twill exert an influence upon the
<ory important, but just now somewhat COM
plicated question Of railroads, so far at
lesst ~ this region is concerned. .2 B..
So important at least, do we regard the
oskaloosa meeting, that we strongly urge
upon our citizens the propiety Of taking
measures to insure fair representation from
This City and County, and to that end sug-
gest that meeting be held at the Court
House on Saturday, the 18th inst, at o
clock. p. NJ, to discuss the subject and
choose delegates. If the suggestion is APP
proved o. manifest it BY turning out to the
meeling. '.'1@ d. .g"%.-@..a
Hh quite apparent tixt oar County occu-
pr . most commanding position in reference
70 most Of the railroad projects in the south
anput Of the State, and its wuice, II it can be
pronounced and It's influence welded united
y, can aud must exert controlling influence
upua n the projects now in contemplation.
We have in the first place, the Burlington
Road projected through the county east and
west. This road is completed to Batavia,
near the county fine, to which place the cars
commenced running regularly on yesterday.
TO Agency City the grading is finished and
the work Of laying the rails is going on brisk
" with the view Of opening the road to the
last named place ID few weeks. It is re-
ported TINT a large torce is at work between
Agency and 0ttumwa. The next project in
which this county is deeply interested is the
Keckuk 4 Des Moines, or the Valley Road,
. project which is destined to take the place
Of the Scheme Of the River improvement.
40 miles to Bentonspert has sometime been
In operation, and it ia rumored that recent
change in its ownership win result in the
adoption Of measures to insure the speedy
extension Of the road into and through the
county. The route Of this road, II has al.
ways been understood, will be along the rive,
through the heart Of the county from the
South east to the North west corner . dis.
tance ofsoms 80 miles. Side issues and inter
ests are combining to it 4 different
direction. So. .-....
The N. NJ. Elk. from the terminus ofthat
road at the Snte line, through Bloomfield t.
ottumwa and hence northward, is anothe,
and very important project to this county
and to the State. As in case of the Keokuk
Road, 50 in this, the conflicting interests o.
points east and west of us, are seeking to di
vert this road from the route through the
center of the county through counties cas-,
and west of us, which, if they have no othe,
effect, tend to divide and weaken the influ
ence which Iowa might exert upon the early
completion Of the read to the State line
which must necessarily be done before i
can do any body this side. Of the line any
good. ..
Tho above 80 bona-fide projects, the frs
in an advanced stage Of completion to the
heart Of the county, the second extend
into an adjoining county, and the third ad
vanced as far as the organization of a compa
ny, preliminary survey Of the route through
to Ottumwa, the endorsement on the part o
the Directors Of the Mo. Company Of tn.
Ottumwa route, and : large amount
of county and private subscription awaiting
the completion of tho road to the State lin.
It the right point to be applied to its vigorou.
construction. -..,.......
In view Of the above facts, we repeat tina
It seems to Us to be matter of vital impor
lance to this G mnt-, agree upon raj
road policy by Whit :. the best interests o
the whole county m ay be advanced, and tn
fhct that the present seeming conflict of in
terests and diversity Of views renders any
agreement in reference to the matter difficult
md doubtful, does not in the least detrac
from its importance. By pulling II together
in the adoption and carrying out Of policy
beneficial to the whole, almost every town
ship in the county may have arsilrcad pass
ing through it, and the people Of the county,
besides the vast influence which 80 many
roads connecting here would exert upon on,
wealth and prosperity, would have at there
very doors railroad furnishing direct access
to al the markets east and south, which it is
desirable to reach. But what can we expect
to do IS county, if one portion ofour people
are trying to defeat the junction.in the coun
II Of three roads entirely, and to divert ont
of t6em into another county west or east O
1s. 81. @3aagHr.t Is. ...s-..s bower
We hope the Oskaloosa convention vii
settle the question - We think thought to b.
settled, 1t least so far Is it can be settled by
. railroad meeting. At any rate we shall
await its action as patiently as we can, ur
ging the appointment of large delegation