Press and daily Dakotaian. (Yankton, Dakota Territory [S.D.]) 1880-1889, 1888-05-31
OMAHA g. MISSOURI RIVER.

New Proiect-Erom Omaha via Sioux
City, Xankton. Bismarck, and Fort
Ruford TO the Canadian Pacific,
Omaha Herald. May 20: The recent
discussion by members OF the union club
OF the old project--a railroad leading
from Omaha to the northwest--brings
very viyiily to mind this many times
projected, oftrepeated, and continuously
neglected railroad.
The road projected year ago by
some OF o1r local capitalists, connecting
Omaha and YanktoD, seems to have been
given up by it's projectors, and the
manner OF its abandonment leads TO the
inference that their scheme was based
wholly on an expected subsidy from
Omaha or Douglas county and this fail
ing to materialrze, the road was aban-
doned by its projectors.
The trouble in ell the suggested
schemes for this northwest passage
(Which. historically and geographically
should be water route) appears to
have resulted from the want of q thor
onghly comprehensive and we'll digested
plan for the location and building oi
such road and its branches. For 9
projected road to secure the assistance
OF capital, it must be made clear that the
business Of the country requires it's CON.
strucsion; that it can be bniit at rea.
| sonsble COST, and that when built its
grades shall be such ss to render
1t certain that NO other line
can be built into the same
territory having superior location or
grades, SO as to take away its business By
being able to handle its freight snd pas
senger traffic at q less cost per mile. A
road witn an average grade of forty feet
70 the mile, and exceptional grades Of
eighty or ninety feet. uan never success
fully compete With 6 road having grades
OF but ten or twslve feet to the miie
with DO exception, or higher grades. Sc
far none of the proposed northwestern
| roads have been planned to meet these
conditiops--they have all been contem-
plated building across the drainage and
over the roughest district west OF the
Missouri.
AR suggested by one of the members
OF the Union club, tie best way to se-
cure the construction Of the road would
be to make il an object for one OF the old
roads to take hold Of She enterprise AND
build is. Tue inducement of $1,000, ,0eO
mentioned in the same document, might
not be sufficient, but it would be we'll Il
offer il to Mr.. Holdrege Of the Burling
Dc Missouri and thus test the matter
The Burlington & Missouri could better
take hold Of it than any other line, un
less it be the Northwestern; but on 40
count OF the number OF short roads own
ed by the Northwestern and the MiIwau
kee in Dakota east OF the Missouri river
is would be more certainly to the inter.
est OF Omaha to have the road built b,
the Burlington & Missouri.
The Importance OF the proposed roat
| to Omaha cannot be questioned.
built, much OF the business OF the Ca
nsdian Pacific, the Manitoba and in
Northern Pacific, now sent by way O
st. Panl would find its way east an,
south over the proposed road through
The city, while all western Dakota woul,
abandon Chicago for the more import
ant city o. Gmsha.
It is now suggested tothe gentlemen
OF the union club that they adopt o
their line, and endeaver to have built
q road up the west bank of the Missouri
river, the starting point or southerl
terminus to be Omaha, and its northern
, objective an intersection with the Mani
!; toba road east Of Fort Bufoyd and ulti
. mately via the Mouse river to connec
i tion with the Canadian Paoifio road q
Regina or Moose jew. Isthis suggss
ton should be favorable considered, ther
for branches or fe,eaers,, that the valle,
. OF each OF the western tributaries OF ia
, the Missouri give locations, with th
!, same uniformly low gra1en, and whs
4 built will completely occupy the terri
I. tory.
!. With sueh g system built and j