Knoxville journal. [volume] (Knoxville, Iowa) 1874-1986, 1875-04-22
KNOXVILLE.
A Capital ToWn-Prospective
Interests.
Possibilities Of a
Wider Social and Intel
Iectuai Horizon.
Indomitabie Newspapers.

Jnuef the above fufl-face heading
we find in the Daily Chicago Com
merciM Advertiser of the nth inst, a
CHEEKY and truthful pen-sketch of
our city, present and prospective
condition, business, ETC., by the Wes-
tern Editor, whose visit to Knoxville
we mentioned two or three weeks
since. 1t takes welcome place in our
columns as an outside view. We
invite careful perusal, OF the first
four paragraphs, which confirm our
oft-repeated utterances relative to
to the value of "A railroad to Knox
vile and the entire country west of
the river" which Is truthfully said
to be I" beyond computation" "Of
all classes" says the editor, they
tthe fsrners) are to be most benefit
ted.n
RNoxyILLE
is the capital of Marion county, and
one OF the best interior towns in
southern Iowa. 1t Is a live and pros
porous city, Notwithstanding its re-
moteness from the railway. Three
things have given 1t consequence:
1t has one of the most beautiful and
productive tributary regions around
it that / have anywhere found in
this great State. 1T il the official
metropolis Of the county, and is
brim full of prime business men.
Then, too, it has
PROSPECTIVE INTERESTS
that give it unusual significance.
Its coal depsoits are second to none
in the State either as to quantity or
quality. The veins are from four to
eight feet i'm thickness and underlie
the county for many miles in either
direction. A Railroad known as
the Abba, Knoxville & Des Moines
Railroad is partially completed from
Abba TO this point, and PROPOSE
tion is now before the people for its
completion to Knoxville the present
year, and | have not doubt Of its
consummatien. Ii II shail fail for
want OF the amount required Of this
city and region, the citizens of town
and country alike will be undeserving
Of 20 fair heritage, as Knoxville
may become when it has secured II
railway communication with the
outside world. The value Of rail-
road to Knoxville, and the entire
country west of the river, Is
BEYOND COMPUTATION.
In material value no one can pretend
to estimate its advantages alike 10
town and country. But high above
all questions Of material gain is the
stimulus it will give to social and
intellectual life. 1T will take away
the provincial or local cast In which
every isolated community is to come
extent fashioned. 1t gives broader
scope to the thoughts, aims and pur-
purposes of daily life by the easier
and quicker contact it affords with
the men and methods of the cosnop-
olitan life that is growing up along
the railway lines Of the world. This
contact will quicken the thought,
and enlarge the sympathies, and
warm the better impulses Of the in
dividual and the community, while
il gives grander possibilities to both
In every relation.
THE CITY,
with its population OF two thousand
souls, its seven churches, its academy,
schools, newspapers, banks, mills
and commercial life, will have doub-
led in every essential element OF
prosperity before the expiration OF
its first half dozen years Of railway
life. The benefits that will accrue To
the agriculture Of the neighboring
country will be strangeky in cOatrdst
with tue indifference ac1sich naa,,y Of Tie
surrounding farmers erhibh toma,d
this great project. OfaH ctdsses d'ey
are 10 be most bs,setfaed, both In
material values and the higher and
cheaper methods of farming which
come OF cheap and quick transporta-
ton beginning at home. The saving
of time and material expenditure
will, In single year, repay all the
ex pense they are reasonably asked to
make for the road. The
COMMERCIAL
life Of the town is active and thrify,
consideJng It's isolation from the
com merciai world outside. ! have
rarely found buster or better group
OF business men. L. Baker, gen.
tleman OF OF good business qualities,
from Ohio. Is leading drug ner-
chant ar,d hae 4 hno full stock Oi