The weekly north Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1857-1867, 1865-03-08

Railroads. ' "' Al'''
Nessrs. Editors I'm calling the atten.
ton Of your readers to the following re-.
marks, hope that the subject will be duly
| appreciated. The ideas generally entertain.
ed in relation to railroads are so various,
and based on so great variety Of circum-
stances, that they are very apt to be
fallacious. In connection with the future
condition Of McGregor, there exists with
many persons the vague hope that the
inevitable introduction Of several different
lines will not materially affect their pros.
perry. Of those persons it may very
properly be said that they sadly deceive
themselves and shut their eyes to the results
Of experience and common sense. No one
will deny that McGregor has acquired
considerable degree Of importance as place
Of business, and that although decline,
if not already perceptible in her retail trade,
will soon take place, she will continue, to
some extent, to possess advantages in job
bling and wholesale transactions. It will
be wise, however, to look to other results
which are rapidly approaching and which,
in much shorter period than many people
are aware Of, will be fully developed. An
examination Of the sources whence Nc
Gregor has hitherto derived her support,
and the changes about to be produced by
the introduction Of Railroads, win throw
much light upon the subject. BY far the
largest portion of the traffic which has
hitherto come to McGregor BY common
teams, has been from the West and North.
west. Forty miles Of railroad has already
intercepted considerable business. What
will be the effect when this road shall be ex.
tended to the state line, with an important
branch from Postville through the western
counties, aud the whole shall be conducted
by the Milwaukee & Pr. du Chen Co.,
whose interests will be identified. not with
those Of South McGregor, but on the con.
trary with such arrangements As viii lead
to her ultimate ruin, unless some equally
powerful competing interest can be intro.
duced to counteract the monopoly which is
aimed at, and evident, in all that is going
on at the present time! Suppose that the
McGregor Western was completed to Aus.
tin, on the Cedar River, and there connect
ed with the Cedar Valley Railroad, running
Southvard from st. Paul; that 5 branch
from Postv,lle, through West. Union and
St. Charles, was carried to the western
boundary Of the state suppose farther
that the Milwaukee & Pr. du Chen CON-
pany were to construct Railroad westward
from GAINESVILLE, extending it to the Missis.
sippi, bridge the river at point between
Dubuque and the mouth Of Turkey River.
ascend that stream to Export, and thence
by the Volga, to tap the remainder Of the
fertile country which has hitherto sought
McGregor IS market. All this and more !
is contemplated as soon as the state of the |
nation permits. It should be understood,
also, that although the present managers of
the McGregor Western r. r have adopted |
prices for transportation which their neces.
sites, rather than sound policy, have dicta.
ted, there will be an entire change when
the receipts Of long line Of railroad will |
enable the company to regulate their tariff |
SO as to command all the business not within |
thirty miles Of McGregor In tho mean
time all possible inducements will be offered |
to draw the travel and trade away from this |
city. Already frst class hotel is estab-
lished at Upper Prairie du Chen, and |
facilities, including bridge, will continue
t. be provided for the purpose Of attracting |
country merchants to that place or TO Mil
waukee.
The remedy for these evils can only be
found in competition. To introduce this, |
effectua!ly, MoGregor must look to Chicago.
A railroad Of 81 miles in extent, to Mineral |
Point, would form continuous line, by the
Illinois Central and Galena Railroads, but
of what avail would such railroad prove
unless extending into the interior Of North.
ern Iowa1 And of what uso to apply to
the citizens of Chicago. unless their mer.
chants can be shown conclusively that it is
practicable to select route from McGregor,
and construct railroad, which can eyentu.
ally lead of larger proportion Of the pro.
ducts of the country by way Of that place,
than all the efforts Of the Pr. du Chen
interest can secure. That such result is
practicable, independently Of any nso in.
pentions, | am ready to prove, and If the
citizens Of McGregor are sufficiently alive
to their own interest to take the necessary
measures for this purpose, will point out
to them how this is to be done.
Yours respectfully,
gaza RICHARD p. MoRaAH.
Times Correspondencs.
9TH Iowa CAV, BROWNSVILLE, Ark
February llth, 1865.
Eds. Times The following is the