The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-02-02

sihly intended 70 30 ealooEiAls - eene - toe
psblication yesterday. Wsdoa't cAoess 70
farther it, and will defer it publication till
some one assumes the responsibility fit
WHAT DO You THINK ADouf rff-We mean
the statements and snggestions IN this article
which appears edisorialg in he Fort Dodgs
North Nsa. They are nothing Of much con-
sideration. The North. Fea should apply IL
Arguments not only to Keokuk, but to the
people Of Fort Dodge, and that section OF
the State, melting thorn to hearty co-ope
ration in the enterprise Of bringing their 80.
ton into railroad Donnection with keokuk.
II il the Valley rid thasfs spoken OF, and
the North, We'd says:
1.-THE eyes Of the people Of Northwsstera
Iowa are nov turned anxiously toward this
Road. This is the only Railroad in the
State, that il entirely under the control o.
"Mr. Kilbourne, Gen. Reid, Mr.. Leigh.
TN. and Geo. Williams are the actave men Of
The Road. and arc devctine their entire en-
ers;es 10 its extension up iSs De- Moines
Valley. There is not another tract Of coun>
try in the Western States % rich in al Of the
elements that makes . desirable farming,
| mining and manufacturing country, - the
Des MONIES Valley. When this Hosd y
completed to Fort Dodge it viii open up the
choicest and most productive Valley in the
Union. We may briefly enumerase our
boundless, fertile prairies, where cattle,
horses, sheep and hogs are raised oy the tnou'
| sands facilities for farming on grand scale
with all of the best of labor saving machin>
ery our soils of unsurpassed fertility; the
bealtbfulness of our climate our vast and
;nexhaustible fields OF excellent coal, gyp-
sum. limestone, beds Of peAts, clay Tor BRICK
making. fne timber, excellent water power
sufIicieu, to propel machinery enough to man.
ufacture all Of the -four, WOOL lumber and
\ cotton used in the State:
"When we look Ut these, the boundiess re-
sources of the Des MONIES Valley, We can
hardly esti innate the immense trade that must
pass over the Valley Road when il is com
pleted to Fort Dodge, and eventually extend
ed 10 the State line. The completion Of
this Road through our immense coal, gyp'
sum, and limestone deposits to the State line
will give it a carrying trade in these minerals,
that can hardly be computed. Three milea
north of Fort Dodge the coal and gypsum
cease TO exist in quantities that will pay te
work. Dakotah and Springvale may be said
to be at the northern limit OF the limestone
lodges. The great extent of prairie country
for sixty miles above these points, must OBJ,
tain large share Of the fuel, stone, ime and
lumber BY means of the Valley hoaa, lnere
is no reason why our merchants should mol pe
able to buy goods as cheaply at keoknk, y
at Chicago, and the extension of the VALLEY
Railroad to oar place would enable the mer-
chants of all of Northwestern Iowa TO take
their choice of markets. Keokuk is much
nearer us than Chicago, and its facilities fol
wholesalng are fully equal to Chicago, being
As it is at the head of navigation for largs
boats, and in direct communication, hy watel
and Railroad, with all Of the Southern and
Eastern markets.
"a determined, energetic effort on the
part of keokuk would bring to that besutifu
City an immense amount of wholesale trade
which now goes to Chicago. We prefer
patronizing Iowa towns, to those OF Other
States, and the early extension OF the Valley
Road to this place, would open 70 keokut
the trade of almost an empire in extent and
resources. Citizens of keokuk--do you APP
preciate the upper valley, and the vital im
portance to yonr City of securing an imme
date Railroad communication with the greal
stock and grain growing regions Of the Unionl
There is no time to be lost. If keokuk neg
i ictls tut pftscut otpoitdhiSys ShtSo6o WI
soon grasp it and pour into her lap the i'm
mense trade which is growing up in this re
gion."
II The RIVER IupRoy ExESTs-Pet have
been presented to the ST. Louis County Cour
for an appropriation of twenty five thousand
dollars, and similar petition to the ST. Loui.
City Council for like amount, to meet tbs
expenses of the Rapids Improvement Con
vention. to be held in that city on the l2tl
inst. The Democrat urges that the amount
be allowed. 1t says:
i Fifty thousand dollars is quite limited
sum for the successful prosecution of the OBJ
; iect in view. 1t is considered necessary, il
the presentation of this subject to Congress
to give il q popular form-the expression o.
the united voice Of the people of the Missis
sippi Valley, and in the accomplishment Of q
design on a scale SO extensive the expensei
must OF course be large. More than hun
dred and fifty points have been invited to send
delegates, from nearly all of which the mos
favorable answers have been received. The
invitations have not only been accepted but 6
general sympathy with the movement is ar
IDENTIFY expressed. There will be not fal
from thousand representatives in attend
ance, and the convention without doubt will
prove the largest of similar character eveI
held in the West or in the entire country
Government during last fall ordered through
the War Department thorough survey o.
the Upper and Lower Rapids of the Missis-
sippi river, with the view of ascertaining the
best practical plan for the removal of the OBJ
structions to navigation which they present
That movement on the part of the nationa
authorities was an important point gained. q,
it was q recognition OF the great commercial
value Of our internal navigation in time
of peace, and, coming as it did immediate
ly after our domestic struggle, was evi
IDENTIFY an acknowledgment Of the facili,e.
the great river had afforded in wa
for the receipt and transmission of troops anc
military munitions throughout those section,
where the contest was most hercely main
: tanned. The head Of the Typographical corp
has reported in favor Of canals around thoss
mpedimeu,s as the mode best calculated Il
remedy or overcome the difficulties, and II
adequate appropriation will be asked o
/ Congress 10 cover the estimated expenses o
9 the improvement. To exhibit, therefore, tn,
concurrent views Of the people whose home,
and material interests are located and cen
. tered along the Mississippi and its tributa-
rles and their ardant desire for unimpedet
navigation on this great commercial artery o
the West, popular demonstration is requis
3 tie and eminently proper. St. Lonis is th,
. mos, central as it is the largest trade eporiun
ION the river. and il is just as appropriate
, that she should take the lead in this demon
r stra'ion and bear the greater portion of th
B pecuniary burden which it imposes.