Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1866-12-12

EDIToRs DEMoCRAr :-Oo the 2Oth inst,
at Galva, Henry county. H., there 10 to be
. convention Of citizens living along the
proposed line Of the Peoria and Rock Island
Railroad, to see il steps cannot be initiated
that will result in buildisg sailroad alsog
said line.
The interests Of our people-tbs: entire
interests n the city Of Davenport, are deep
ly nvo.Yed in this enterprise, but snfortu>
nately, SO far, have failed 70 bs manifested.
With such road We should have anoth-
er d~ect outlet to Chicago via the Burling>
ton 4 Quincy Railroad We should have .
direct connection With the Peunsy lvania
Central, Eastward aud, in the event Of
the building Of Of the American Central,
would, also, have another Eastern outlet.
With these connections there would be
an active competition At this point for
reights going East, and prices would be
kept down to reasonable rates. Scch q
competition would have tendency to in
duce roads in the State Of Iowa 10 seek
this point in order to avail themselves Of
this rivalry.
II woull induce manufacturers to estab>
lish themselves here, for the same reason.
Once make this point railroad center and
we shall not need 70 COAX manufacturers to
come here they viii ~ naturally gravi.
tate here as water seeks its level.
This proposed road would open up new
coal fields and occasion competition in the
article Of fuel, thus relieving the community
of the present almost intolesable one<man
monopoly. 1t would-in coal TO this MARI
ket and the wcst-6nd large and remuner-
ative business, whi!e the amount Of produce
that would, in the season Of low water in
the Mississippi river and during the winter,
seek market in the South via Peoria, that
can hardly b. estimated.
The foregoing are some Of the reasons
why our people should interest themselves
in this matter.
And now Mr.. Ed tor, is i: not pertinent to
ask why our active business men appear 20
think it 10, and that the rea.
son might a. we'll be ventilated now % At
any other time. believe this apathy ~.
suits from sheer disgust at the courss pur.
sued by our large property holders.
Whenever any measure calculated to pro.
mote the interests Of this city Is agitated,
these large real estate interests are repre-
sented by the princi pals With their hands IL
their pockets, instead Of with their coats of,
actively engaged IN working the matter up.
These large and influential interests-Da-
veupo,t. Mitchell, LcClaire, Viele, and 9th
crs that might be named, are ever and o.
ways ready and willing 70 reap oil the I'd.
vantages that may accrue through the earn
est labors ard lively enterprise Of others
willing to reap where they have not sown
but when it comes 10 taking the front, and
assuming a leading and energetic spirit,
they are not there. IL il any wonder, thcn,
ing less extensive interests-who have less
to lose and less to gain-stand back, apa-
thetic and discouraged These men are
ready, willing-nay, anxious to perform
their part--n,ore than their part-dollar for
dollar-but when they see al those repre-
scntatives Of the heaviest real estate intcr>
ess-those that Are to reap the lions share
OF the benefits to result from improvements,
stand calmly aloof can it te expected that
those Of less means and infinitely SO inter-
est, will shoulder the responsibility aud as>
sumo the entire burnt Of the battle. No; it 10
discouraging and d,shearIening t. IN aggra-
waiting degree. Like mass Of useless
flood wood in river, these dormant inter-
cs,s dam ur, dam and blockade the spirit
Of genuine enterprise. and leave it 70 exc
out. strangle and wriggle sleng when the
cntirc current ought to b sweeping boldly
and irresis.ably forward.
These are not NV views alone, but those
Of che majority Of the active, thinking, pro
gressiye men Of our city. Il Is 70 be hopes
public meeting will 10 called preparatory
to sending delegates to the 0dDss meeting.
and il is to be hoped that our largest - vol
as our smaller real estate aud business in
terests will be fully represented In this i'm
portsnt step. Let Us encourage osr friends
at Pcoris aud al others along the line. to
take hold of this new railroad enteepsise,
by joining hands with them.
EnnssPaiss.