The Worthington advance. [volume] (Worthington, Minn.) 1874-1908, 1875-12-16
RAILROADS.
FROM W0RTH1NgToN TO KEARNE1

FROM WOR7HINGT0y TO KEARNEY:
Tie Yankton Press and Dakotian
recently contained q communication
from Judge Bookings, which :bristles
with points of interest upon tile subject
Of a railroad west from this point. We
extract the following:
After careful survey of the country
we IRE of the opinion that il road COM
mencing at Worthington, on the St.
Paul and Sioux City road, thence
through Mobiles and Rock Counties,
Minnesota, thence, via Sioux Falls,
through tie counties of MinnelalIa,
Lincoln. Turner, and Yankton, to the
city of Yankton, thence through the
counties of Cedar, Knox, Antelope,
Pierce. Boon, Holt, Greeley, Howard,
Sherman, and Buffalo, in the State of
Nebraska, to Kearney, on the Union
Pacific. would combine more strength
than any other route. The entire coun-
try along the proposed route is either all
settled or would he settled within the
next three years. We have no doubt
but that every town and county along
the route would aid such an enterprise.
The line is 50 far west that it would lie
many years, if ever, before Il practical
road would be constructed further
west, giving to this route the business
Of a Very wide breadth Of country in
that direction without competition.
The writer once had Il conversation
about such Il road with one of the prin-
cipal officers of the St. Paul and Sioux
City Railroad, and lie strongly favored
such line for the reasons last men,
toned. President Drake, in his letter
to the Sioux Falls meeting, favored
the road from Worthington to Sioux
Falls, with probably the same Object in
view. 1t would he Il direct route from
the pineries of Minnesota and Wiscon-
sin to the vast prairies of Dakota and
Neb1 aska, Kansas and Colorado. The
portion from Yankton to kearney
would form the connecting links of the
Illinois Central and Dakota Southern
to the Pacific. It would, in fact, lie the
most direct line to the Pacific for all
the east and west roads from Chicago
and Milwaukee north Of the Chicago
and Northwestern Railroad, and would,
we think, receive the sympathy, encour-
agement and perhaps aid OF I'LL sucl,
lines. Having fixed on the route, only
to he varied according to circumstances,
how shall we build it? Capitalists and
railroad men will help us with it if we
show some interest in the matter; we
must make the first contribution, the
first sacrifice. And to do this let us
first complete an organization along the
line and commence the construction OF
the road from the most feasible starting
point. II the company should deter
mine to build il narrow gauge we might
almost build it within our own re.
sources. Yankton should take hold OF
this enterprise with all her might. II
our people desire to make our city /,
railroad center, now is the time to
strike. We want this line of road. 1t
will not interfere with the construction
of !. road to the Black Hills. which will
come in good time. 1t will not inter.
fere with the project of the Dakota
Southern, but be Of advantage to that
road in the extension OF it's business t.
Northern Nebraska, neither will it de-
lay the building Of a road up the Dakot;
River.
The people along the proposed line
should not Dave any jealousy ut Y:nk
toms taking the lead, for it is for 0lll
interest that all these proposed lines
should he built, and the stronger alG
wealthier orr city becomes the more slit
can do for the many railroads our grow
ing Territory will need in the near FIJI
ture. So that all things being equal, il
would be policy for our small towns t
patroniZe the Capital Us much as posi-
ble. III union there is strength. w
have no time to quarrel with othel
towns in or outside OF the Territor,
about railroads. We have enough t.
DO ut home, and have i great destin,
before us il we make 4 proper use of on
advantages Our town is beautifully
centrally and commandingly located
and as we have the start i'll the race, al
we need is to keep it. And the way tt
keep it is to aid and encourage al
younger and smaller towns around u.s.
II railroad to any Of them will not in
jure us.
All of our people who are anxious TO-
railroads should do I'LL III their powe
to encourage immigration, for I'll,
larger the immigration the sooner tI,
railroad will come, and with IL unitet
and strong effort on the part Of all, th
tide of immigration can be lar vel,
turned in this direction for 1876.
Should our views expressed in TIL
letter meet generally with the approb:,
ton OF the people along the propose,
line Of railroad, steps will ut once b
; taken to organize /: company for it
construction. The writer would b
pleased to learn the views CT any ore Il
to the feasibility of building s,lcl, road
by letter Or otherwise, and also I'll,
character Of the country from Yankto,
to kearney for railroad purposes.
W. W. BROOKINGS.
7'VEED'S ESCAPE.