The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-09-23

r. r. MEETING IN ST.. LOUISA meet
ing of the leading merchants of st. Douis,
and of delegates from Iowa, was held at that
place Wednesday, to consider the subject of
railroad connection with this State. Our
friend Leighton spoke in behalf of the Des-
Moines Valley road. We find his remarks in
the Democrat:
At the conclusion of Colonel fuckers re-
marks, Colonel Leighton was introduced as
the representative of the DesMoines Valley
railroad. He said, as an Iowa man, he could
cordially support all roailroad enterprises that
we're designed to afford facilities to the citi-
zens of his State. He WAS once resident of
this city, and he knew the cordial and mag
netic feeling that still exists between the two
sections. Iowa wants the trade Of st. Louis.
viii st. Louis meet herr The truth is, that
the railroads in Iowa have been subsidized
by Chicago and Chicago interests. He had
got an engineer to draw a map, which would
show how Chicago had thrown out her rail
roads like iron fingers to draw in the whole
trade of the State of Iowa. 1t would be seen
however, that in the Southeast corner of the
State, there was q little red line upon the map
by which they could out flank Chicago SO that
they could bring some Of this trade down To
the Mississippi river, below the rapids, send
| it to their friends in St. Louis and receive
something in return. The first forty miles Of
this DesMoines Valley railroad already had
S52, 900 of St. Louis money in it. They were
on their last thirty miles as far as the organi
zation with which he was connected was con-
cerned. He had not come here in connec.
ton with his friend, Colonel Gillespie, and
others; neither did he come here to throw
one single obstacle in their way. He knew
that their plan was worthy of the State Of
Iowa, and worthy of assistance from the city
of St. Louis. He was for all the communicu
ton that could be afforded, but he thought
| that the DesMoines Valley road was the first
| from which they could derive any practicable
results. They had already built Que hundred
and sixteen miles of that road, and it was nov
| running to Pelia. This year they had bull,
Monroe. Like his friend, Colonel Gillespie,
he was anxious that gentlemen from St. Louis
should leave behind them for awhile their
desks and counters and come to his State. 1t
was the gem of the Union. He said this
knowingly, for he had examined the records
sent into the Land Office, from which it APP
peared that they had less waste land in Iowa
than any State in the Union. And they
would produce more per acre than any State
in the Union. His road only lacked thirty
miles Of being completed to the Capital Of
Iowa. 1t would be finished road one hun.
bred and sixty miles long, and the only one
that is not tied to Chicago; the only railroad
that says to the merchants and farmers.oi
Iowa. send your produce where you please
If Chicago is the best, they can send it there
by the way of the Toledo and Wabash road
If st. Louis is, they would not discriminate
against her, as they do in the North. BY
this road st. Louis can have the trade of the
rich and fertile valley of the DesMoines-s
valley that produces more in proportion tc
its population, he believed, than any portion
of the United States. Take, for instance
the town of Ottumwa. which last year sen
29S, 900 hogs TO market, $4,000 came to Ke
okuk, and 10000 to Chicago. Sixty or sew
enty thousand passengers went over the Bur
lington road to Chicago, and sixty or seventy
thousand we're brought to Keokuk. He diff
fered with his friend, Angel, about the grea
| Father of Waters. twas an important mode
| of communication.
( He said more which we may give to oul
readers hereafter.