The weekly Ottumwa courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1857-1872, 1871-10-26
NORTH MISSOURI ROAD

NORTH MISSOURI ROAD
which was completed to Ottumwa
little moro than year ago. This
road has done much for Ottumwa in
making freights less from oil sections.
Though not as important to the
place as the others, it has done for
our merchants moro in y pecuniary
point Uf view than the other roads.
However we enjoyed healthy COM
| petition before this read was COM
pIeted. 1t has benefited Ottumwa
| in another direction. 1t hns opened
to our trado . large country South Of
us, as well as many portions OF North
ern Missouri.
UNION DEPOT.
| Material is being placed on the
ground preparatory tor tho construc-
ti0n of large Union passenger
depot, to bo used in common by oil
tho roads centering henss
| Trains now on the b. II M. and
lD.V. roads dine here, but tho accom-
modations are not what tho business
demands. The Depot Hotel how
ever, is one of the best as hotel.
The new Union depot will make this
one of the most important dining
stations in the State Of Iowa.
PROSPECTIVE.
The road operated by tho North
Missouri Company, North Of the
Missouri State line is in reality the
st. Louis and Cedar Rapids railroad,
the former Company operating it BY
lease. Now the line which the st.
Ii. & G. r. Company propose to build
from this city to Cedar Rapids, is
now to be built by the Cedar Rapids
and st. Louis r. r. Company. Thc
aid asked has been cxtendcj by the
townships through which it passes,
and within year the cars will be
running from this city to Cedar
Rapids. At tho latter place this
road will connect with the Dubuque
South western road with which it
will run in connection. This will
give our city a through road to Du-
buque. "a
There have been other projects
which have not as yet assumed
tangible shape, but of these we will
say nothing. We are writing of
those of the present and those sure
to be built.
This, the great desideratum in
manufacturing and railroading, is
found in great abundance all around
us. 1t is almost certain, too, that
this whole portion of tho Des Moines
valley is underlaid with coal There
are number of mines near to this
city, and hundreds OF thousands of
bushels are shipped from this station
annually. 1t is delivered to consul
mers at 1925 per ton.. In large
quantities 1T could be delivered at a
much lower price than that. 1t is
sold at the banks at from S1.75 to
$500 per ton.
We think we have shown that,
oTTUMwA AS A JoBBING POINT,
has better facilities than any other
town in the interior Of Iowa, and far
better than those ofmost of our river
cities. We see that our dealers may
reach all portions of Iowa, Nebraska,
Northern Missouri, Northeastern
Kansas, and Southern and Eastern
Minnesota proftably. We have al
so shown that the place is reached
from the sea board by many compet-
ing lines ofrailwsy, 80 that freights
must be low. To illustrate we will
say that goods are shipped from the
sea board cities to this plaoe at from
4b to 55 cents per hundred pounds,
which are as good rates as st. Louis
or any other western city enjoys.
| The town has enjoyed a large job
bing trade, and is at present doing as
large, if not q larger trade than any
other town in the interior OF the
State.
| Ottumwa has at present two ex-
clusively wholesale. dry goods estab-
lishments. one Wholesale grocery es-
tablishment, two leather and finding
establishments, several wholesale Ii.
quor stores, and large number of
other establishments in all depart
ments of trade, which do Wholesale
| ing and retailing combined, all doing
large business.
| In drugs the town offers every ia
cility that the larger Cities can offer
to country merchants. We will
venture to say that the establish
ment of Messrs. Taylor. Blake. Il Go.
contains at the present time as va
ried a stock, and but little smaller
than any similar one in st. Louis. 1t
is certainly larger than any other
such establishment in the river
towns. Their large building, which
is 1872 by Sc feet, four stories high
and basement-excepting q hall on
the third floor 100 by 81 feet--is com.
pletely filled with goods from cellar
to garrct, embracing stock of $780,
900. Their sales now foot up $685.
900 annually. This is a representa-
J tive establishment ts be sure, but
there are others in other branches
that do as large a business, and many
! others doing business ofover $780,
600 each. Many of our retail estab-
lishments are running as high as that.
, The trade of Messrs. Taylor, Blake 4
J Go. now extends all over Southern
and Western Iowa and Northern
, Missouri.
Merchants throughout all this re
gion, reached by our railways, will
} consult thor own interests by visit
ing our city and becoming acquaint-
} cd with our dealers. 1t is not neces-
sary TO 60 further away to purchase
} goods, when the same prices for the
i same quality of goods can bo OBJ
tanned near at homo. The difference
t in frcights alone would make very
D considerable item.
: FINE BUSINESS BUILDINGS.
al In this respect Ottumwa may
challenge comparison with any other
town not larger than this, and we
doubt If any State can show town
n of less than 10000 inhabitants hav
), ing better, or moro artistically de
b signed business buildings than thp