The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1869-12-02
%Atf From the Clinton Age.
AN IMPORTANT RAILROAD
DIS PROJECT.
AN OPEN LETTER.

TO Alexander Mitchell Esq, president
Of the y. ". IL. II. 20.
Dear sir:-Having resided in Iowa
when there was not foot of railroad
within its limits, and having watched
with interest the progress OF the differ
ent railroad enterprises which have
served to so rapidly develop the re-
sources of the State, and believing that
the managers of the great North West.
cru road do not consider their mission
in Iowa at an end, | beg leave to call
your attention, and through you that of
tho company of which you are the hon
.Ored President, to rail road project of
magnitude equal to the Iowa Division
of your road, and one that may possibly
commend itself to railroad manager Of
yO0r 6agacity and experience.
The railroad system of Iowa j. in its
earliest infancy. There would be no
wisdom in doubling that the next ten
years will far exceed the past ten, in
the number of miles of road which will
be constructed in the State. Iowa con-
tains 50, 0Oo,OO0 acres of tillable land
The present year only about 6, l09,oH
acres were under cultivation, and in
1865 the State produced 765O6575 bush
els corn. Is, -, 300 bushels wheat, lS,-
densely populated as Ohio, Indiana or
Illinois, an experienced railroad man
may approximate to the niles of road
which will be required to annually
move the surplus crops. Ohio has one
mile OF railroad for every eleven square
miles of territory; Indiana has one for
'every thirteen; Illinois one for every
eixteen; and Iowa has but one mile for
every thirty nine! The population of
Ohio Is 1850, 900, Indiana |, 15) 900, Hi
-nois ! $50, 900, and Iowa | $50, 900. With
the exhibition made by these three
States, may it not be said with safety
that the railroad system of Iowa is in
its infancy?
The North Western road has the adj
vantage of reaching Iowa in less mum
Aser of miles than any other road run.
.niEg out of Chicago. That she will
take advantage Of her good fortune it
this respect, and reach out into the
State after the rich harvests which
await her touch, can hardly be doubted
When her enterprising directory con
clude to extend her lines in the State, i
may not be out of place to call their at
mention to the following project:
Start from the city of Clinton and rul
direct to Upton the county seat of &c
lar county-thus tapping the best farm
ing lands OF Scott county, and passing
through the center of Cedar county
the most highly cultivated county il
the. State, thence through densely
populated section to Iowa City, the for
mer State Capital and the county seat o
Johnson county. Here the line WOULD
cross the Chicago, Rock Island and Pa
cific road; and | admit cohnec
ton ut Iowa City is not practicable un.
less the difference is sufficiently tavnra-
ble to this project to secure the co opera
tion and friendly feeling of the Iowa
City people. Fortunately this differ
encc Is largely IN favofof the new rolte.
The distance from Chicago to Iowa City
by the G., II. |. & j. r. II. is 237 iii lies
while by the proposed route by Clinton
It would be only .0i miies--or u saving
to the Iowa City people Of 33 miles,
The whole distance from Clnten'to Iowa
City (66 miles, would be thros.i d see
ton of country without rai4=sad G,cili-
ties, but rich and able, and, doubtless
willing 10 assist very materially in tia
construction of such ~ enterprise.
Tiier continue u. rough the centre of
IoWacohnty, to Montezuma, the county
seat of Poweshiek county, thence bear
ing little south Of west to pel!a,
couhty. This entire distance is an Old
settled portion of the State, and the
route - such a one as the people would
be enthusiastic over, doubtless subscrib-
lag MberalIy towards the undertaking.
- lO miles from Brooklyn,
lcr nearest station on the G. II. I. d =.
Z. r., which il also the nearest point
he line suggested would be to the
Rock Island road, after leaving Iowa
,ity. FeJla Is the wealthiest town Gifts
opulnti0n in the State, and Marion
oussty with It's p, 40 thriving, prosper
Us nlknLi,onts would find in this pro-
ctcd route tha way to reach the east
n market with all It's surplus propuce.
ut Pella il nss tho hes MoiHes valley
,ad, w. Which route it finds mn eastern
ltlet to Otfunlwa no miles thence 10y
q Burlington & Missouri River II. II.
Burlington 10 milesl and thence by
. Chicago, burlington and Quincy
al I110 miles Or distance OF 325
jai tHIlicago. 10 interest the peo-
.Us.A *1gftv sy1n I'LL ftH