Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1863-11-20


al craftsmanship upon the enduring interests
of our State, and his name will ever be held
in grateful remembrance in connection with
the history ofthese trying times.
a Few Words of Friendly Counsel.
We, the people Of Muscatine, have been
long accustomed to boast of the superior
commercial advantages and heavy trade in
pork, wheat, &C. We all know that for the
general purposes of trade Muscatine is a
nice little spot. We know that we can
beat any town in the West with correspond
ing number of inhabitants, in the way of
business. But can we not do more? May
not the bounds of our commerce be enlarged
May not our city in:rease its business capac-
ity? May not our population be increased by
immigration? Let us see. If a gentleman
with some capital to invest, who wishes to
live easy and take life in good-natured way,
visits Muscatine, his first inquiry is for
hotel. He is shown to either of our best, and
which, by the way, are as good as the best
of their class, but of what capacity? A Ca
pacious, first-class hotel is indicative to the
stranger of the prosperity and wealth Of a
place. Our neighboring city Of Davenport
has fame from Portland to San Francisco,
created by the largest and best kept hotel
west of Chicago. It's very reputation carries
to that city hundreds of men of wealth and
leisure who would never visit the place with
out it. Our people have yet to learn that in
the long run of travel first-class public
house is better pecuniary investment than
smaller house. The size and business of a
place must be large enough to warrant the
erection of such house. To start new
town by the construction of a mammoth
hotel, we are aware is poor investment. No
man can long succeed in business who is un-
able to compete with his more enterprising
neighbor.
No merchant can succeed without adver-
tising, neither can any city, particularly in
the growing West The best advertisement
fer city or town, aside from its business, is
its hotels.
The business of this city imperatively re-
quires that our principal streets should either
be macadamized or planked. Mulberry, Sd
street from Mulberry to Chestnut, I'd street,
Iowa Avenue (from the river to Sd street, at
lsast,) and Water street, should all be so
fixed that in wet weather . wagon load Of
wheat or corn that comes distance Of fifteen
miles on country roads, need not be stalled
right in the heart of town. 1t is not an un-
frequent occurrence that, when the roads in
the country are very passable, our principal
streets sre utterly impossible The most
permanent improvement upon these streets
would be 10 macademize them. If stone
cannot be had then let them be we'll planked.
A stranger with family of children wish
es to locate. One Of his first inquiries is, as
to the character Of its public schools. If
one town presents better educational advan-
tages than another and other things being
equal only, the town with the best schools
will be selected for a home. Our schools are
not what they should be. Too many children
are crowded into too few houses, and are not
properly classified.
Manufactures should be encouraged. Our
people should encourage home industry, else
they cannot reap its return benefits and ad.
vantages. If our merchants will patronize
foreign establishments, in the purchase of
such implements, wares and fabrics as might
and can be manufactured in and around our
City, they must expect that our laboring men
will seek other places in which to ply their
vocations. Home manufactures and mechan-
ics should be encouraged. If reapers, mow-
ers. plows threshers, woolen goods or any,
thing else can be made as cheap here as
elsewhere, freight included, let our people aid
in their manufacture. @
Railroads are excellent in their way, but
for short tboroughfares well maintained wag-
on roads are better for all concerned. Not
many years ago railroad from the other side
Of the river to Galesburg was projected. Had
the money that was expended in surveying
and blowing that road been expended upon .
good macadamized or p:snked road from the
river bank to the bluff opposite this city, it
would have been returned to US with interest
thousand fold. A good road, such as we
have named across the river bottom, could be
built BY the merchants of this city by the
profits OF the increased trade. 1t would be
worth more to our city than any railroad We
can project. 1t is . work that should be
commenced very soon or very early the com.
ing Spring. 81,