St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-02-10
St. Charles City. Iowa, Feb. 10, 1859.
Great Railroad Movement.

oItot
In IL columns to-day will be found
a report of the proceedings of a Rail
road Convention held at Oskaloosa, in
Malnaska county. This project is des-
tined to have an important beneficial
influence upon the interests of the
of the upper Cedar Valley, and
the operations Of the company organ
lied at Oskaloosa will be watched by
the citizens of this part of the State
with no ordinary solicitudc.
1t was not until lately we were
aware that the st. Louis people were
so DESTROYS of securing the trade OF
central Iowa, and we were surprised
to learn that they already have a rail-
road built and in operation l6S miles
within a short distance of the Iowa
linc-and pointing directly to the
heart of the State. This is called the
North Missouri Railroad, and is about
800 miles in length. 1t is to touch
the State line at the South East corner
of Appanoose county.
BY extending the line, as proposed,
through that county, Monroe, Mahas-
ka, Powcshiek, Tama and Blackhawk
counties, to Cedar Falls, q distance OF
about 14O miles, a connection is made
with the Cedar Falls and Minnesota
Road in Iowa, and the Minneapolis &
Cedar Valley Road in Minnesota, thus
connecting st. Louis with st. Paul.
This is a noble enterprise and wor
thy to enlist all the aid, sympathics
and energies of the inhabitants Of
Central Iowa. Nothing can be of sc
much service in opening up and max
ing available the vast, but now almos,
dormant, resources of the interior por
tons of our State as this.
The question naturally a~rises-llow
can the Road be built? We answer
By the enterprise of our people anC
by State aid. The next Legislature
will undoubtedly make some provision
for the aid of our Railroads, and i
assistance is granted to any, mos.
assuredly it will be given to this grea'
thoroughfarc of the interior.
In view of the rapidly increasing
trade letwecn st. Louis and st. Paul
this Railroad route, leading direct,
from one city to the other, must be
regarded as of the utmost importance
By it q communication between the
two points will be kept open the veal
round ; whereas by the River route
owing follow water, shoals and rapids
and by ice in winter, the communica
ton is INSTRUCTED a large portion o
the time and is always uncertain.
1t was but recently that the value
and importance of the trade Of North
ern Iowa and Southern Minnesot;
were known to our Southern neigh
bors; but to every observing min'
| the Importance of this trade is now
indicated by the efforts which are be
ing put forth by so many different
Railroad interests to secure it. Ii
| addition to the McGrcgor, and thu
four land grant Railroads of Iowa, al
of which lead into the Cedar Valley
we find there are several others look
ing for the business of this portion o
country. Among the different move
mcnts Of this kind, we may mention
that an effort is making to consolidate
the lines of Railroads from keokul
via Columbus and Iowa City, touching
the Cedar River at Cedar Rapids, an'
thence to be extended mp the valley.
At Cedar Falls this route, with al
the Eastern Roads falling into it, vii
intcrscct with the St. Louis rout
above named, and proceed upon on
track to st. Paul, passing through tn
most delightful and fertile country til
eye of man ever behold.
Imagination cannot realize the vas
change that will be wrought in til
condition of this country when thes
great Railroad enterprises shall b
finally completed. That they will b
completed, and that speedily, there j
no mannc of doubt. Then shall tn
wilderness blossom as the rose, an
this valley of the beautiful Cedar Ri'
er, where nature has so lavishly pc
formed her perfect handiwork, an
where we would fain believe was Ii
Gated the original Garden of Edel
again bloom in Elysian beauty an
once more become the Paradise {
mortals here below.