The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1867-07-11
Mechanicsville Correspondence.

Mechanicsville Correspondence.
MEcuANIcsvILLE, Iowa, July 4lh, 1867
lfessys. Editors:-In my former letter
I cndeavored to give you an idea rcla-
tive to the early settlement of this town,
its location, population and advantages.
now propose to notice briefly the rail-
road facilities, few of the principal pla-
ces of business, the churches, public
schools &c. The Chicago & Northwest
ern Railroad is the life of this place, in
deed, without it, the town would never
have been built beyond that degree that
constitutes western hamlet, to-wlt: A
dwelling house. black smiths shop, small
store and hotel. But fortunately for Me-
chanicsville, the c., |. Il n. X. Il. 20.
SURVEYED route through this place in
| the fail of 1855, and within two years
! from that time the road was completed
| 10 this place and the ears running there
on. More recently the road was COM
pleted by the above company to Boone,
an active business town two hundred
miles west of Clinton. About two years
ago, and subsequent to the completion
of the road to the last mentioned place,
a company was formed under the name
and style of the "Chicago and North
western hallway Company, (which pnr-
chased the entire road from Chicago to
Boone. and at once commenced the con-
struction of road from Boone to Coun-
Gil Bluffs. This road has been finished
and connects with the Union Pacific at
Omaha, of which SO much has already
been said For dozen years we have
heard that a great Pacific Railroad was
to be built, and dozen names, and a
dozen companies, and dozen routes, y
saws Tilton, of the n. Y. independent,
have been urged upon Congress as the
greatest and best means for uniting the
Atlantic and Pacific shores. This route
has been located from Omaha on the
east, running west up the valley of the
Great Platte, and thence across the
plains distance of SIT miles, to the
Black Hills, or easterly spur of the
Rocky mountains, from thence to Great
Salt Lake City, thence by the valley O.
the Humboldt river to the eastern bast
: of the Sierra Nevada mountains, where
III
$ Railroad, which is now being rapid.
$ built east from SACRAMENTO, California
/ and of which there is already completed
about one hundred miles. There wer
three hundred and five miles of the Tn
ion Pacific road completed on the first O
n January, 1867. The company repor
d that they have on hand asut1icient guam
n tity of iron, ties, &c, to finish the re
manning portion to the eastern base Q
the Rocky Mountains, 212 miles, whicl
= is under contract to be finished Sept. Isl
1867; and it is expected that the cntir
A. road will be in running order from Oma
Il Il ha to its western connection with tn
" Central Pacific by the first of January
1870. The estimated distance to be bui
, by the Union Pacific company Is l 90
\. miles. The United States governmer
II. makes donation to this company I
p. 1880 acres of land to the mile, amoun
ing to 20032 900 acres, estimated to b
worth $50 900, 900. This town being d
rectly on the line of the great thorough
~ fare between the Atlantic and Pacific
b. cannot help but improve even more RAJ
o idly than it has during the past thrt
70 20 years. If the railroad is the life of I'll
We town then we expect to see the tow
OF improve as business increases ON tt
~ ~ road, and the road itself being the gre
is, thoroughfare between the Atlantic an
ed Pacific shores Will undoubtedly soc
es take the lead and become one of the mo
popular roads III the United States. Tn
= being the chief point, we apprehend !
q fears that Mechanicsville will not a
vance because of q lack of enterprise {
the part of her business men.
:. The following facts and figures W
aI ,ai convey an idea that will at once set
on rest any mistaken conclusion that mi
nd have been formed relative to the bus
aid ness men of the town. From the boo
cir of the Railroad company L learn III
ne. the grain buyers and shippers have, d
in Gr ring the past year shipped 26l 500 bus
Ice e els Of grain, 50 ear loads Of cattle, 245 {
loads Of hogs, and 8 car loads of shee
lne 'al- During the same year there were
lch ceived !, ,567, 104 feet Of lumber, l,23l {
sy, sw4 shingles, and 304 600 lath.
0o'' In order to facilitate the greatly
!. creased grain shipping business sra