The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-07-10

lime was when st. Louis controlled the
entire trade of Iowa, and down to the period
of the breaking out of the great rebellion St.
Louis was the great mart for our State, and our
business relations were of the most intimate
and satisfactory character to both parties
The construction of several railroads from
our State to Chicago, followed by the war,
and the consequent closing of the Mississippi
river as a channel of commerce, changed the
phase Of affairs very materially. Other chan
nels of trade and intercourse were opened up,
and our people were constrained to use them,
till at the present day there prevails condi-
ton of non-intercourse between the greater
portion Of Iowa and the city of St. Louis
This is not the normal condition of affairs,
notwithstanding il has become customary,
for the natural tendency of our trade, in the
present as in the past, is down stream, St.
Louisward.
The merchants of St. Louis themselves
seem to recognize this fact, and are disposed
to interfere with our newly formed habits and
: attract our trade once more in southern di-
recfion. Whether there is amongst them suf
] fcient energy, business sagacity and hberal
Z ty to wage a successful competition with
I their wide-awake rivals of Chicago, remains
4 to be seen.
OF one thing they ought to be made fully
aware. that prompt action, and the adoption
I of measures for immediate effect, are all i'm.
por,ant at the present juncture. The people
Of Iowa are ready to be wooed and won by
earnest and persevering attention, but they
will wait to be courted, and will not rush, at
Z their own cost and charges to the arms of an
( apparently Indifferent suitor. At the same
time, being somewhat imbued with the spirit
Of ''Young America they are not disposed
TO look with much favor upon old fogy delib-
erations upon measures looking to q more
intimate intercourse and union to be con-
summated in the distant and indefinite future
They prefer to see some decided, earnest,
practical indications and measures bearing di-
revtly upon "a consummation most devoutly
to be wished
Hence, they are not half satisfied with
whaA kr interest ST. Louis may manifest in
the extension of the North Missouri Railroad,
for experience has taught them that that must
be work of time; of disappointment and of
Sprotraeted delays, for want of funds to COM
&dete so stupendous a project The youthful
DAYS of Iowa must be far spent, indeed past
#and gone forever, before union for any prac-
teal purpose could be effected on that line.
$50, while we look upon it favorably and bid
4 I Il |. Il
Aoa the work for the benefit of posterity, we
can not afford to bide that distant day.
For all purposes of cheap and easy trans
portation, the Mississippi river furnishes an
&anrivaed line during nine or ten months Of
&he year between St. Louis and the borders
Eof Iowa And, during the brief portion Of
The year for which the navigation of the
Mississippi river is closed, there is already a
more direct railroad communication between
set Louis and Keokuk through Illinois than
sJy any route that can be marked out between
St Louis aud the Iowa line through the
State of Missouri. This is fact of very
treat significance, to which we beg to
#all the considerate attention of the thought
snl merchants and people of St. Louis, that
hey may fix it in their minds, that they have
slready the best and cheapest line of trans
bortation in the world between St. Louis and
Neokuk, by the Mississippi river; and that
#hev have line Of railroad in operation
through Illinois on shorter route than they
an possibly map out through the State of Mis-
ouri to the Iowa line. Then we have an ex-
client railroad, already running and paying,
> the distance of one hundred and fifteen miles,
o PeNa, in the Des Moines Valley, which, ex-
ended to Des Moines, the Capital, will inter
sect or connect with all the roads in the
tate. Work is progressing on that road,
nd the managers expect to construct from
<xelve to twenty miles of the road this sea-
On and complete it to Des Moines next
sason.
But, like all other railroad companies at
ne present time, they need means, and they
re ready to dispose of stock-fair railroad
Lock it is too-to raise the means. Now il
HE live men of st. Louis are In earnest in
heir professions of desire to renew their
Ia relations with Iowa, let them show it by
feir works. A few thousand dollars invest
p in fair enterprise will certainly secure
Ee extension of our railroad to the Capital
Iowa within eighteen months, and a liberal
.yestment on their part would shorten the
d ,riod of the completion Of this direct com
81 pnication between st. Louis and the heart
Iowa, to the Capital of the State, with lat
hl connections with the entire railroad sys,
N of Iowa.
Let the business men of st. Louis look into
is matter, and do for the project what their
n interests demsnd-send their agents up
% our State, make their business known to
people through the Iowa papers, and do
hir thing in a business way, as they have
Sys done heretofore, and they may suc-
"a in re-establishing their old relationswith
wa-
-When do ycu SO What d Invisible Z
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