The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1868-10-28
rnnpes no1sEs VALLEY ROAD.

The Chicago Railway Review has the fol
lowing appreciative notice of the Des Mcines
Valley Railroad:
The Des Monies Register states that the Dss
Mones Valley Railroad Company have placed
under contract the foundation, pling and piers
of their bridge to cross the Dos Moines River At
Market street in that city. The contractors agree
to finish their work in sixty days. Meantime ar
engagements are making for the truss. As the
Chicago road il new providing . station ON the
west side, and the Valley Road will be across
the Des Moinss, the people Of either side will
doubtless be accommodated with equal facilities
on either road.
Tho building OF this bridge signifies something
more than the accommodation Of the people OF
Des MONIES city with equal facilities on either
road" The managers Of the Valley Road are not
coutent with the local trade u the Des Mones
valley between keokuk and Des Moines-l62
miles. They are looking West ard North to new
and rich fields, to reach which, while more than
doubling tho linear miles of theirroad will quad.
ruple its ultimate revenues and its value to the
State. The original charter 10 for road to the
Minnesota State line; and surveys have been
made, and means raised for its speedy extension
to Fort Dodge This route il up the valley Of
| Walnut Greek westward to or near Abel, the cuun-
| t. seat Of Dallas county, and north along the
| course OF the North Coon River on the "divide"
| between that stream and the Dcs Mones river.
The country traversed undoubtedly has no SUI
peror in the State for richness Of SOIL supply OF
water, drainage, fuel and every requisite Of an
| sxhanstess agricultural district Very little of
this section has been improved, however, and the
| lands can now be bought at an average Of fis .
| dollars per acre; but We predict that they will be
worth twenty dollars in nv years from the COM
! peton OF the railroad. This branch of the Coon
River il capable Of supplying constant power to
an almost unlimited number Of mills and facto>
ries, whose surplus products would find their most
speedy and convenient outlet to market BY the
Valley Road. There already, on both branch
- of the stream within the limits Of thescounty
eight Touring mills, two wooden factories, and .
large number of saw mills in successful opern-
| ton.
In looking 1t the map, line up the Des Moinss
River to Port Dodge would seem tho most natural
deep cuts, fills and ex pensive bridging would add
| SO largely to the cost Of the road, without com
pensating advantages, IS to make this route i'm
practicable.
The original loss of capital in the FIRST cost Of
such road. however, is but trihe, compared to
the constantly recurring loss in its carrying ca
pacty, wear and tear of rolling stock, track ETC.
Pro6ting by their experience on the linc south of
Des Moines, the managers, wisely avoiding the
river, take this prairie route, over which the road
can be built with great economy, account of its
| straigtne.s and easy gradients. Leaving the
north boundary Of Dallas county, the line Of the
survey crosses the c. a N. w. Railway few miles
east of Jefferson, in Green county, and continues
It's course directly north to Dodge, where it Wil
intersect the Dubuque d Sioux City Road From
thai point to the State Line the road las already
said} 10 chartered, and will be speedily built,
opening up rich agricultural district hitherto
destitute Of the ADVANCES Of rail outlet for its
products to Eastern and Southern markets. The
mission Of the Des Aoinss Valley Road will new
| or be satisfactorily accomplished, however until
the line is extended through the lower tier Of
counties Of Southern Minnesota, to . connection
| 81 Mankato with the Ainnesota Valley Road.
There will then be magnificent north and south
| line from St. Paul and beyond, to Keokuk. who're
importance in the devslopnsnt u Southern Min.
nesots and Northern lows, can hardly BE- sati.
nnted.
The Dss Moines valley abounds with inexh.us.
tiblc quarriss Of coal Of excellent quality, while
At TIE same time the section Of country traversed
BY this new line 10 deficient in pine lumber for
building purposea, which will Be reached 81 St.
Paul or Minneapolis by this connection with the
Miunesota VALLEY Road. Here then, will BE- 70
ciprooAl benefit. North Of Des Moines there will
be constant d mand and consumption Of the
mineral products Of the Des Moines valley; on
the other hand, the De. Moinea valley will afford
: never failing market for the surplus timber cut
from the vast pine forests Of Upper Minnesota.
The interchange OF these products would alone
enrich the country traysfsed By this road When,
in addition, We consider tho unprecedented natu-
raj beauty and the exhaustess agricultural fsrtiI.
ity Of most Of the country on this line, the en-
thusiast will find in its futurs ample scope for in
dulging great sxpectations," which We venture
to say the sober resiity will more than justify.