Buchanan County bulletin and guardian. (Independence, Iowa) 1866-1869, 1867-04-19
AN IMPORTANT Project.

wv INV "cSSS kSruSu NW Sos'sAuSssSu
Of the projected Mascatine. Upton and Ana
mosa Railroad, as certain, or as scarcely
probable. We have net deemed il ad
visable to raise false hopes in the breasts Of
4 our cisisens, By expressing confidence in .
project which seemed to exhibit only spas
medic signs Of vitality. Il was repeatedly
announced, last year, thai. work WAS in
progress on the road, and that the
prospects for its early completion were
nastcring, but we could not avoid feeling Of
distrust. We hope the corporation is
sound financially, and that the road viii
reach early completion, in which case its
extension up the Wapsie valley through
Qussqueson and Independence, would be
only question Of time.
A new connection, however, as link in q
great chain Of railroads to unite 81, Louis
and St. Paul, is now suggested BY the Dav.
export Gazette.
If straight line he drawn on map from
81. Paul to 81. Louis, il will pass directly
through Independence, 50 that il an air
line railroad were constructed to connect
the two points, Independence would newt
ably become one of its stations. We are
thus naturally on the most direc, route, and
the Question becomes pertinent whether the
most direct is the most feasible. The carr
full examination Of . map viii necessi,a,e
an Affirmative answer, so far, as least, as
~ IL :.
Cd. Letus suppose Davenport connected
With St. Louis by line of ROAD running
through Galesburg and Jackson, H., and
Oskaloosa with the same city, via the pro.
posed iowa Central, and the North Mis-
sour roads. The route from Davenport
would be forty miles shorter than that from
Oskaloosa. Now the distance from Oska>
loosa TO the Minnesota line in Mitchell
county, At the proposed poin, of junction
with the Minnesota Central is only ten
miles less than from Davenport, by way of
Anamosa, Quasqueton, Independence. Fair
bank &c. Thus ST. Paul would be brought
81 least thirty miles nearer St. Louis by the
Davenport than by the Iowa Central route
Davenport has bridge across the Nissis-
sippi, and one Al ST. Louis is rapidly build
ing, so that there need be no breaking bulk
between St. Paul and St. Louis by that
route. The North Missouri road crosses
the Missouri River at St. Charles. and IN.
Ill bridge is built a. that poiat, the delay,
expense and irritation of a ferry must be ex.
rerienced. Again the Davenport route
would pass through one OF the riches, por
tons Of Illinois, and could not fail OF secur>
ing s6ne local patronage. 1t would paw,
from the very start. II we now examine
the routes from Davenport, aud from oska-
loosa % the Minnesota line, we shall Cad
the natural obstacles to be overcome in the
eonstructicn Of a road, much less in the
fcsner than in the latter. The Oskaloosa
foate crosses the iowa river, and both
branches Of the Cedar: the Davenpor,
rcute, only the wspsie and it. small upper
branches. The importance Of this fact
msst Be very evident, when ~e take il,o &C.
couns, rot only the cost of bridg ing, but the
greas danger from Hoods in the larger
streams. A road up the Wapeie Valley
could probably be built more eheaply than
10 almost any other portion of tie State
hsa natural railroad rous,, comparatively
level and free from dangerous river cross
ings. Certainly ro more productive coun.
Try than would thus be traversed, can be
found anywhere. Thus, in uhsteses ligb, We
viev il, the superiority Of the Davenport
route over Tie Iowa Ceasral, cannot fad to
be apparent 70 the thoughtful mind. ~
wedo nos say thii in hostility to the Iowa
Central. The early construction of that
ruzd syery much to be desired; but wers
both roads now completed, We do not hest
tate TO Grm that the Davenport road would
successfully compete with the Central for AL
ihrsagh freight and passengers from
81. Pssl to st. Louis. 1t would certainly
secure larger local patronage. Let both be
built-eomPsfitio would prevent exloriion
bat By eli means let the business men, far
ners, and eitizens Of every class along tie
proposed Davenport route, awake to lively
interest in . project, which, although now
10 its incipiency, needs only 10 be properly
presented 70 capitalists and al others in
serestel, to insure the most favorable con
saerati- y.
There ~ however, natural order 10 this
vcrk. The construction Of the Illinois link
nus b positively insured, before any Sc
noas atiemps viii be made to continue the
soad % The wsPsie Valley. The advansa.
ees Of connection With Davenport alone,
viii not be 90 APPARENT as to excite much
enthusiasm ia the construction Of . roai
along the wspsie but With the surety Of .
direct road 10 ST. Louis, and connection
vith The Minnesota Central, Buchanan, Bre.
nsr, cbicksssv, Floyd aud Mitchell. coun-
tiss would doubtless tGra their whole ener>
gies 70 the work aa4
IL Davenport casssss Is advocating the
seq project With IN Intelligence and force
which ought 10 stir up the business men Of
sbas city - : full appreciation Of their inter
ests, A little vitality there viii do more
good than great stir up this way. Isdced,
anless Davenport put her shoulder 10 the
wheel, it viii Ne worse than aseIess for US to
bssous enthusiastic over ~ ent spnse
sAich, without Der assistance, must prove
Numerical mAl
-H For the Ba!iet.n.
AK 1g1AaE sUERaAeE.
The Scrfptrol SIDE. Ia i
8 ~.