Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1884-06-19
"stalEc1eo OPPORTUNITIES"
a Railroad Needed Frsn OmshA to Ysnk
ton and the Rsasops Thsrsrnr.

Railroad Needed Frsm OnahA to Ysnk-
ton and the Reasons Thsssrnr.
The Omaha Bee Of Tuesday d,scuases 0
project in which Yankton has for years
been interested. The Bee says:
Northwestern Nebraska il being very
rapidly settled mp. The settlers are I'll
we'll 70 do and intelligent people. The
growth and development Of northeastern
Nebraska during the last two or three
years have been wonderful, and it is fast
becoming one of the richest agricultural
sections in this part Of the west. The
trade of that part OF Nebraska goes to
sioux City, Iowa, instead Of to Omaha,
where it properly belongs; and if our
business men would make any effort to
capture it they would easily tucceed.
Ono OF the hr1t things to do is 10 build
. railroad from Omaha to q point in Cedar
county, on the Missouri river, opposite
Yankton, in Dakota. This road vould
control the trade, not only of northeast.
ern Nebraska. but also OF southwestern
Dakota, which is wealthy and produce
tive agricultural region. Such a rail
road was recently contemplated by the
Union Pacific, and articles of incorpors-
ton were filed. The name of the road,
ii We remember, was the Omaha & North.
eastern railway. It was proposed to
have the business men of Omaha take
an interest in the road, and the stock
subscription books we're opened for sub.
scribers, but nobody took any stock, as
our people believed that If the road was
worth building, the Union Pacific ought
to do it without asking any assistance,
Since that time the Union Pacific has
met with competition and reveryes,
Which have caused it to suffer heavy
Losses. Consequently no steps have
been taken toward building the pro.
posed road. Whether that line will
ever be built by the Union Pacific is q
matter of considerable doubt. Had the
Union Pacific spent less money In con.
structing costly extensions for hundreds
Of miles through almost uninhabited
and non.productive regions, and paid
more attention to building up its local
trade in Nebraska by constructing more
branch lines, it would to-day have been
many millions of dollars better off, Had
it followed the example of the Burling-
ton, which has over 1000 miles of road
in the South Platte country, reaching
every important point in the south part
Of the state-and which settled up that
section by special inducements through
it's immigration department, the Union
Pacific could to day have had equally az
rich 9 field in the northern part of the
state. But it has neglected its opportu.
mites, which we are afraid are lost to it
forever. 1t has virtually done nothing
for the northern half of Nebraska.
| Notwithstanding the failure of tie
Union Pacific railroad to build its pro.
posed line to Cedar county, Omaha can
yet have such road. 1t is an enterprise
that can and ought to be carried out by
home capital, and we have no doubt that
If the proper effort is made by the right
men railroad from Omaha to point
opposite Yankton can be built within
the next two years. This is good sub
ject for the Omaha board of trade to dis
cuss at its next meeting, and if the boarc
is what such an organization ought to be
in prosperous city Of over $4,000 peo
pie, it will devise ways and means fo
starting the enterprise at an early day