Ottumwa weekly courier. (Ottumwa, Wapello County, Iowa) 1872-1899, 1878-05-29
EDITORIAL CORRESPONDENCE
Our New Railroad Project Full Of
Bright Promise


CEDAR RApIDs,I IA, May %, VS..
DEAR CoURIER:-In the mutations
and progress of this world there Is no
place for an idle man. The onward
march is a continuous one, and cities,
counties, states, nations and individu-
ais either sweep along by their indus
try and energy apace in the race, or
like a wooden milestone, they stand
stationary, serving their purpose of
marking geographical limit for a
time, and soon, by decay, pass out of
recognition even for such purpose.
Speaking more particularly of cities,
with special reference to those in the
young and growing giant ofthe Union,
the great Northwest, the order of
things we have referred to is especial
ly applicable. These cities may be
aptly likened to the trees i'm the young
and growing forests of Iowa. The
trees that make the most rapid strides
in growth in the beginning and sue
coed in shooting upward to the sun
light of heaven above their fellows,
are in most advantageous, position
to drink in the elements of growth,
while the tree beneath is shut out
comparatively from the vivifying in
fiuence of the suns rays and is DOOM
ed to a contracted, stunted growth.
In some degree the growth and posi-
ton of our cities of the West are fair
ly likened to the growth of the forest
trees. The battle especially however,
never ends with our cities; no people
can ever with any safety adopt the
idea that effort is no longer needed.
The march must be continuous; there
must ever be wide-awake, untiring
energy; growth and activity are in
separable in all nature.
But we did not start out to write a
homily upon the material progress of
western cities. The thought became
fuppermost in our mind as we sat
down to write in this beautiful, pros
porous, magnificent city of Iowa, as
explanatory of why we are here and
for what purpose.
AS the readers of the COURIER
know, meeting of the Directory Of
the Cedar Rapids, Sigourney & OF
tumwa Railway Co. was appointed to
be held at this place, Friday evening,
oath inst, and that a large delegation
of citizens of Ottumwa left on Friday
noon to attend that meeting, and
where they expected also to meet the
Hon. j. M. Cary, General Solicitor of
the Milwaukee 4 st. Paul r. r.. Co.,
who, in company with Gen. Hedrick
and others, had on Wednesday of last
week, set out from Ottumwa to trav-
el by carriage to Cedar Rapids over
the line of the contemplated new
railroad. Our party arrived about
O'Clock p. M, and repaired at once tc
the Grand Hotel where Gen. III. and
party had taken quarters. Ameetine
of the Directory was at once had in
the spacious and elegant dining hal
of the hotel. Unfortunately Keokui
county proved to be unrepresented
A letter, however, from G. d. Wood
in, Esq, of Sigourney, stated tha
after he had gone to the depot in hi
town to come on, he received mes
, sage which made his stay in Sigourne,
absolutely necessary. Upon the organ
. ization of the Board Senator Bows
, Unexpectedly to everybody, resigned
! after making quite lengthy speech
Director O'Harra followed Bows ant
rendered his resignation also. Thi
y move brought about an adjournmen
of the Board for the evening to 1
!, a. M, the next day, that the situation
might be thoroughly canvassed.
At the meeting of the Board i'm tn
morning it was decided, among othe
things, to hold apublic citizens meet
ing in the Opera House at 3 o'clock.
= At the appointed hour very fai
audience was assembled, comprising
> as we were informed, goodly mum
Der of the leading, solid men of Ceda
Rapids. The meeting was addresses
:. by Gen. Hedrick and your correspon
dent from Ottumwa, and by Judg
> Hubbard, Gen. Winslow, Senate
= Dows and Mr.. Craft, of Cedar Rapids
While there was some diversity G
: opinion expressed by the speaker
from Cedar Rapids, the final result Q
the meeting was most happy, and
4 resolution of Judge Hubbard, declar
I ing that the people of Cedar Rapid
l were in favor Of voting a two pc
I cent tax in aid of the Cedar Rapids
Sigourney & Ottumwa Railway Co.
was carried without dissenting voice
y Following the public meeting tn
Board of Directors had another meet
ing, at which the designations of Di
rectors BOWS and O'Harra We're &C
cepted and the following named citi
zens of Cedar Rapids We're chosen t,
fill the vacancies, viz DIR. Il. l.. Mans
1 field and Capt. M. A. Higley. Tn
Board also passed resolutions yer,
! complimentary to the Hon. J. NJ. Ca
ry, the General Solicitor of the Mil
l waukee 4 st. Paul r. r.. Co., for hav
ing SO kindly come down among u
to examine our project and for tn
very frank and satisfactory name
i'm which he had declared the object
, and intentions of his company. TIL
2 resolutions also declared that the Di
rectory of the Cedar Rapids, Sigour
ney 4 Ottumwa Railway Compan,
were greatly pleased with the genera
plan proposed by Mr.. Cary and unan
, imously approved and accepted, in .
general way, his propositions, subjec
of course to final and definite agree
ment, such as should be entered int
at future and proper time.
We have given only very brie
outline of what has been done, ant
yet all the important matters we hav'
related. AS this article is already
long enough, in conclusion we viii
simply say that the appearances arr
) very flattering. We are abundantly
satisfied that the people of Cedar Rap
ids are heart and soul with us, and 81
are the people all along the line, ant
further, that such unity and harmony
are assured as will enable us to d.
what we mast do to induce the Mil
waukee & st. Paul Co. to take hold O
our enterprise. Of course it is to b.
remembered that in SO great an enter
prise we must expect to meet will
troubles; we will have obstacles t,
overcome; it would be folly, it would
be wrong for us to say that certainty
is assured; in the nature of things i
, never can be in such enterprises; ou