The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1869-02-25
OTrUMwA, Iowa, Feb. 20, 1869.
DEAR SIR:


DEAR Sir:
At mass meeting of
citizens of Ottumwa and Wapello
county, held at the Court House, in
this city. on the 23d ult., for the pur.
pose of considering measures to aid
in the contemplated extension of the
Muscatine branch Of the c., X. l. l.
.kR., from w ashington via Ottum-
wa and Cameron, to Leavenworth,
Kansas. the following resolutions
were-adopsed:
Resolved, That we the citizens of
Ottumwa and Wapello County, Iowa,
IN mass meeting assembled, are ready
and willing to extend to said Com
pany liberal pecuniary aid in the
construction OF said proposed road !;
provided Ottumwa be made q point
upon the same.
Resolued, That, while as citizens
and tax payers we feel that we have
subscribed and donated literally and
we'll to secure the location OF tho St.
Louis l. Cedar Rapids Railroad to
Ottumwa, yet we have not exhausted
either our ability or liberality, and
in the future, as in the past, we will
be found aiding any railroad onter-
prise which, like the one referred to,
promises sub tantial benefits to our
county and town.
Resolued, That committee
be appointed to correspond with
parties interested along the contem.
plated route, and make arrangements
tor convention, ut an early day, to
adopt such means as may appear nee
essary to secure the object in view.
The undersigned were appointed a
committee, under the above resolu-
ton, and having had correspondence,
or personal interviews with officers
of the several railroad companies in
terested in the project. and also with
parties at various points along the
proposed route, have decided to call
the convention at Taylor e. Blake's
Hall, in this city, on WEDNESDAY,, the
18th day of MARCH, next, at 10
o'clock, A. M.
That the Chicago, Rock Island l.
Pacific Railroad Co., 80 soon as they
shall have completed their main line
to Council Bluffs, which will be with
in four months, will builder that
there will be built in their interest
. branch, or extension of their road,
in south. westerly direction, to some
point on the Missouri River, is settled
beyond q doubt. Yet, it remains to
be determined what route that branch
or extension shall takc,-whether
from Des Moines City, on the main
line, or from Washington, (the pres.
cnt terminus of the Muscatine branch)
via Oskaloosa, on it's original loca-
ton; or via Fairfield and Bloomfield,
on each Of which routes . company
has recently been organized or, by
the air lane route, VIA Ottumwa, Cen.
and Cameron, Mo-, to Leav-
Kansas.
It may be considered settled be.
yond controversy that our route has.
II it's important Railroad connec.
ions; in its abundant supply of tim.
Der and coal; in its d,rectness oil line. |
md probable exemption from engin. |
,ering difficulties, decided advantages
,ver all others. Yet, these advan. |
ages, important as they are, may be |
overcome by liberal pecuniary in> |
lucements.
1t behooves us, therefore, to act |
With promptness and energy, and |
rave every county, and every town |
Ilong the proposed line fully repre-
ented in this Convention. Let
delegations come prepared to pledge |
he right Of way through their 70 |
pective counties, and such further |
means, in aid Of existing companies,
y in the organization Of q new one. |
g may appear necessary to insure |
he success of tho enterprise; and |
Ilso to impart such information as |
hey,can command with regard to |
he route and the supply of timber |
md other materials.
From the correspondence we have |
lad, VIC expect the different railroad |
interested will be well |
in the convention also |
ach town and county, from Daven-
'ort, Iowa, to Leavenworth, Kansas.
We cordially invite you to attend,
nd hope to see u full delegation from
our :icinity; and we venture the
pinion, that if all parties interestedl
will work with the energy and deter
aination which the Importance of
he subject requires, the road will be
nished within two years, and will
quail in Importance any of the great
ailway lines Of the country.
F. j. CLARK.
III. G. ANGLE,
GEO. GILLASPY,
A. II. HAMILTON,
p. G. BALLINGALL,
J. w. DIXON,
d F. W. HAWLEY,
Committee.