The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-05-11
For ths Gate City.
KEOKUK AND IT'S
ErorrE. Nav q lff6.

hEokUK. may =, 1000
In regard to the availability Of railroads as
q source of profit, We lay down two general
principles as axioms, which, we think, none
will successfully controvert They become
valuable either from the local trade they may
commands arising from the fact of reaching
to or beyond a country rich in agricultural or
mineral products, and WHICH, from the nature
of the location, cannot be- easily cut OF or
diverted from this channel, or from the de-
eirable and important connections with other
lines. Or these may be combined in such a
degree as to render the road more than ordi-
narily desirable. That the Estate Line
possess these advantages in respect to local
trade, and In its connections, we think, will
be satisfactorily shown as we proceed.
And now that we may more clearly set
forth the relations of this road to our inter
ests, and also correct any misapprehensions
which might possibly result from statements
lately made, representing that certain inter
ests were TO be consolidated westward
from Bloomfield, we wish it to be
particularly borne in mind that
the Iowa and Missouri State Line Railroad
had an identity Of its own, acquired by PRIOR
ity of legal right and years of patient labor
bestowed III It's construction. As many are
already aware, the road is to leave the Des
MONIES at Harrington, and thence by a route
as nearly as practicable upon the State line to
the Missouri river at Nebraska CITY. This
location brings it through one of the most
productive sections of the Western country.
On the North, at an average distance of thirty
to thirty-two miles, is the Burlington and
Missouri railroad and on the South there is
nothing to intervene tilfwe come to the Han
nibal and St. Joseph road. All the country
between these roads, not within their imme-
qlate influence, will be tributary to the estate
Lane 10 be assured Of the productiveness
OF this country, it needs only to be seen.
There is already a large population on the
Iowa border. On the Missouri IT is being
rapidly filled up with an enterprisng. ener.
geuc people. Townsend factories are spring.
ing up through the whole distance of the
road !raversng country thus desirable,
Tor two hundred and thirty or forty miles, We
reach Nebraska City, one of the most flour.
ishlng towns on the Missouri river Between
the roads named above it is scarcely possible
any competing line of road can ever be bnilt.
NO line OF road yet proposed or built, in that
direction, has had a better promise of an
abundant and profitable local trade. Here at
the mead OF unobstructed navigation, is the
'u heeesstfy Quiet Tor tins trade.
and here 1t can be principally collected if the
proper Efforts made. Is ii then not worth while
Tor heokuk to make some exertions toward
securing an interest in this trade, BY helping
forward an enterprise specially designed to
promote this very object?
80 intimate and apparent is the connection
OF heokuk to the interests of this road and
ITS trade, that universally. when the subject
Is presented to persons living on the line, the
question Is insnnctively asked "what will
keoknk do?' Only let the expectation
abroad IN this respect not be disappointed
and heokuk will have secured an abundant
compensation for her effort.
Some statistics in Justification of this idea
may perhaps be given in future article.