Sioux City register. [volume] (Sioux City, Iowa) 1858-1871, 1864-10-29

toso on the maple, striking me valley OF
the Missouri river At a point city miles
due south Of here, intending then 10 build
road northward TO Sioux City. While the
lands granted for building the road will
lay from 80 to so miles north of tho pro.
posed road, and Congress very properly
fixed the minimum price of the remaining
alternate sections in The limits Of the grant
At double the price Of other public domain
in consideration Of their increased value
BY the vicinity Of the road-and it scarcely
conports with justice to sell these lands q.
such rates, and afterwards 10 take away
that which gave them value. -s.E.
There can be 20 controversy but tha.
the said Railroad nigh. have been per.
mitted With advantage to itself and tho
public to have varied their line within
some reasonable limit, and your petitioner
would humbly pray that such amendment
may be made to the aforesaid acts Is
shall con6ns tbem to RESPONSIBLE deriva-
ton from their former location; and
although you may not please the railroad
in ito corporate capacity, nevertheless
you will b acting only 10 good faith to
the people Of this region Of country.
r. In relation to the branch Of tho Pacific
road. the former legislation va. everything
that citizen Of this country could desire,
30 far a. location was concerned. Leaving
tho Missouri river At point opposite to
Sioux City and connecting with the main
line nsasths lOl degree Of Longitude. Thi.
route has been characterized - imprac,i.
cable from the nature of the country, but
Jour petitioner know tho reverse, having
accompanied = train Of loaded wagons
from here to the Platte, striking i. ..
about the lol degree, ssd going as near
. straight line a. desirable. No obstacles
were found which heavy loaded teams
could not surmouu., aud she character Of
the soil for the whole distance, with the
exception Of thirty or forty miles, was we'll
adapted to growing grass, and no doub,
oil cultivated products suitable to the la.i,
tude, and with timber it il better supplied
than the country between Fort Dodge and
Sioux City, 80 that i. is certainty tina. no
obstacle interposes to the building Of such
q road, except such - are incident to
building roads in Iowa.
Now the U. s. Laws for 1868, page
1863, Sec. II, Of Act amending Pacific r.
R. Bill, ~ quoted 10 quoted in Sioux City
Journal. reads: -
" Sec. II. And be It further enacted,
That whenever line Of railroad shall Do
completed through tho State Of Iowa or
Minnesota to Sioux City, such company
now organized, or may hereafter 10 or,
gained under the laws Of Iowa. Minnesot.
Dakota or Nebraska, a. the President of
the United Sts,es by i,s request may des.
igna'e or approve for that purpose shall
construct End operate line Of railroad
and telegraph from Sioux City upon the
most direc: and practicable route 10 such
point on, aud 50 as to connect with the
Iowa branch of the Union Pacific Rail.
road from Omaha, or the Union Pacific
Railroad a. each company may select. and
on the same terms aud conditions a. are
provided in this act and the sct to which
this IS an amendment for the construction
OF the said Union L Pacifit Railroad and
telegraph line and branches, and said
company shall complete the same ut the
rate Of 6fty miles per rear.
And provided further, That If a rail.
road should not be completed to Sioux
City across Iowa or Minnesota within
eighteen months from the date Of this act.
then said company designated by the Pro.
sident rs aforesaid. may comm nce, con.
t'Ine and complete the construction Of
said branch as contemplated by tho pro-
visions Of this act"
This permits, after the lapse of eighteen
months. company 10 build a road from
Sioux City BY the most direct and prao.i
cable ROUTE" &c. The result Of this will be
that railroad will DO bull. from via Sioux
City southwark on the east bank Of the
Missouri, to . point near where the Dubu.
que l. Sioux City Railroad strikes its
valley; also, near the Same place, the
Chicago, Iowa l. Nebraska R. R. emerees
into the Missouri bottom, so that sixty or
seventy miles Of this Pacific Railroad will
be built in Iowa, rusning north and south
over level bottom where the cos. of 4
road bed will be = minimum then 10
cross the river, and in distance of twenty
or thirty miles connect with the Omaha
branch Of the Pacific railroad, thus utterly
defeating the original intent Of Congress
to make two points Of departure from tho
western border Of Iowa in this grea. enter.
prise. For il the above assumption Of
future events are correct, il will make tho
two crossings Of the Missouri river no.
more than twenty Or .hiny miles apart
one at Omaha and another obtained by
designing men from the libsrali.y Of Con.
gress, intent on other and greater interests
no. half hours journey dist.n.
There are citizens here. but think the,