, 1862-01-31
che. GtihttttE.
A RAILROAD QrEsTIOy.

a RAILROAD QUESTION.
"ShalI Two Chicago Railroads Destroy
& Each 0therf" On January 10th we pub
1i>hcd an alticlc under t1i: above caption,
stating reasons why The Ea!c7a & Chicago
Unien RAILROAD and tho Two Iowa roads
that form rally western xtension to the
Galena Air Line finished to point 40 miles
Test Of Cedar Rapids, and more than one
third Of the way across the State Of Iowa.
should be run as one road To the Missouri
River. On tue 21st instant we published
3 reply to that article from 4 gentleman
interested in the Iowa reals; and, wishing
10 encourage full discussion Of the whole
matter, we publish this morning another
article from another party IN the same IN
tercst. The object we had IN writing the
article was to show, and we think we did
show, the necessity to our city and to the
three railroads in question, that some com
promise should be made by which the
entire distance from Chicago to the Mis-
.soui could be run as one line, and that
our city and the stockholders Of the roads
should unite their energies to complete
the road to the Missouri ct the earliest pos
sible dag. We further proved that t1h-
r1re to come to some definite and equitable
arrangement, by fostering endless compcti-
ton. would inevitably ruin all three Of the
roads and render their stock permanently
worthless, as well as work 4 vast injury to
the business Of our city BY forcing the Iowa
roads, and their connections in Illinois, if
other than the Galena Air Line, to carry
trade directly by the city
The Galena Company and its managers
throwing themselves back upon their dig
nifty, have remained silent, They sup
pose themselves rich and know that the
Iowa roads are comparatively poor: and
they think that their effects will be sure to
fall into their hands by due course Of law,
OF at least that they will be able to dictate
their Owl terms 10 the Iowa roads. Our
citizens have not forgotten period in tue
history Of the Galena when this same roSsi-
CT came very near costing II It's entire value.
as an investment Weallnde, Of course, 10
the time when it woke up to the con
seriousness that the Illinois Central owned
the Inc between Frceport and Galena, rem
dering its main line "stump-tail' road ::
and the St. Charles Airline was building
road from this city directly west to the
Mississippi THIS St Charles concern sud-
denly put very large live coal upon the
back OF the Galena tortoise, and the result
was the building Of their own Airline
road from the Junction to Fulton in an in
credibW short space Of time, besides a
bonus of some six hundred thousand
dollars from the Galcna 10 put an extin-
guisher On the st. Charles Company. II
properly connected with the Iowa roads,
and they were completed to the Missouri.
The Ga1cna line would prove much the best
paying section Of the Company's property,
and it needs now only just spirit Of COM
promise, and little enterprise and energy,
10 secure this rich prize to itself But it
might loose it without one word Of remon-
STRANGE or complaint from US, were it not
for the deep interest our city has in secur-
ipg the trade from the vast country west Of
the Missouri at the earliest day possible.
Chicago, therefore, has vital interest at
stake in the settlement Of al matters Of die.
ference between these roads.
It is equally certain that the managers
ofthe Iowa roads have mistaken views in
regard to The strength Of their position
The writer whose article We published or
the 21st, ridiculcs the idea Of the Ga1ena
Comrany's buildings a bridge at Fulton AMI
connecting with other Iowa roads anel
they are ruined by the Iowa and Nebrask:
making other connections and the one Q
this morning thinks the managers of tn
Galcnu are not so unwise as to spend 1arg
amount in IN independent bridge, when
much less sum would now give them III
control Of the Iowa roads to the Missouri
These writers should remember that wit
the vast resources at the command {
such railway as the Ga1cna, if
stops current repairs for a sing]
year and otherwise exerts itself, it coul
build the Fulton Bridge and connect wit
The Dubuque Road, and no competing lin
could prevent it. True, it would be muc
cheaper, better, and wiser to control the N
braska and Cedar Rapids Road and not /
ruined and so it would have been an cas-
matter for the Company, at one time, I
have spared themselves loss Of some 81
hundred thousand dollars, III the matter
41,a G. Thn+3as A1r :.,o. bv4 +t,n,r ia >,
do it. When driven to the wall, as it m;
be, by the Nebraska: Road connecti1
with the Racine and Mississippi and Il
Mendoza roads, the Ga1ena, though too Ia
for its OWL welfare, will have ample pow,
TO efectua11y ruin the business Of the roat
that have sought other connections.
course the result will be, that all Of tller
by the violent competition that will folio,
must become entirely worthless to the
stockholders.
The vast interest which our city has
the early completion Of the Cedar Rapi
and Missouri Road. giving it the CONT
Of the overland business to the Pacific,
the golden regions about Pixies Peak, Al
Of the entire Upper Missouri country,
our only apology fer referring to this ST
icct In common with every citizen, !
have a personal interest III its proper i
justnent. The carly completion Of on
two hundred miles Of railway would sccu
10 Chicago advantages the extent Of viii
the mossenguine would scarcely dare
predict. Hthe Companies in interest ca
not arrange all differences, as before, ,
urge that each select man Of undoubt
integrity, ability and experience in railw
matters. and let them select third, 4
let their decision be religiously adhered
by all parties, Our city, the entire Nor
west, and the companies themselves, ha
Invaluable interests at stake in the spec
and satisfactory adjustment of this VII,
matter.
LAND GRANT ROADS.
Air. Stevens, the chairman Of the Judic
y Committee in the House, has report
against any compensation to railroad co
panies who have received grants Of lar
from The General Government for carryi
troops and munitions Of war.
There are some ten or twelve Of th