The Denison review. [volume] (Denison, Iowa) 1867-current, 1898-11-18
EDITORIAL COLUMN
The Greater Denison.

The Greater Denison.
For many years, in fact since the
days when the Boyer was navigable
stream, Denison has not enjoyed
boom. We who have lived here many
years have watched it grow from tiny
village to beautiful little city, but all
during this time its growth has been
purely natural and based upon such
solid and conservative conditions that
failures have been practically unknown.
We do not want boom now. 1t is .ap-
parent however, that with the coming
of two new railroad lines and with the
general wave of prosperity which has
reached Denison as 1t has all the rest
of the United States since the explosion
of the silver craze, that we are about to
enjoy a season of unprecedented
growth. From information at hand it
appears certain that the new North
western line will be in operation before
a year has passed, and that it will be
not merely small branch feeder but
one of the main lines of traffic between
Omaha and Minneapolis. The North
western is railroad which never does
things by halves. 1t is stated upon
apparently good authority that this road
intends building a large new depot at
the foot of Main street aud that this
will be the head of the division for the
new branch. This in itself means the
addition of several hundred to the pop
ulation of our city. 1t means not only
that number of employees and their
families WILDE located here but that
new business enterprises will be open
ed up and with them an accompanying
increase in population.
The coming Of the Illinois Central is
of no less Importance. The location
of Denison will make it natural
freight division for that road to say the
least. The fact that we already have
q furnishing city and that the North
Western will be strongly entrenched
here will make the Central anxious to
secure full share of the Denison
business. This they can do if they
should place their depot within reason
able distance from the business portion
or the city, and especially should they
make this freight division. The COM
ing of these roads will settle the coun-
ty seat question if such ever existed, as
Denison will be the most accessible
point in the county and will require the
least mileage to reach it.
The increased mileage in the county
will materially assist in the payment
Of our county taxes and should lessen
the levy upon our people to consider
able extent. Some of the old shacks of
building which are now doing service
as stores and Offices, 1.-THE REVIEW of
flee is among the number and we hope
to have a substantial Office building be-
fore very long if our subscribers remain
faithful to the Great and Only,) should
be replaced by brick buildings. Per-
manent improvements should be made
upon our streets. One of the crying
needs is for q sewage system and one
OF the FIRST things which should be done
is to build sewer from Main street
down to the valley which would drain
all the business portion and make it
possible for us to have we'll paved
street to the depot wherever it may be
located. The business men should in
sist upon this as we verify believe that
the amount lost annually by our mer.
chants owing to the almost impossible
condition of our roads, amounts tt
thousands of dollars.
We have spoken thus hopefully Of
Denison and its future, and all this
and more may be accomplished if the
people of our city do not get their heads
turned and if they continue to act witt
the broad spirit of public-mindednes
which has always characterized them
What should the people do? In the
first place it is mighty easy to kill the
goose that lays the golden egg. We
can by our course either invite or repe
new corners. We can hold our proper
ty at such fancy figures that purchasers
and intended residents will go else
where, while we hold on to our vacant
lots until the time is past when any
body wants them. We can get the idea
into our heads that railroads are sc
many birds to be plucked, and the
birds" will fly to other climes.
We believe the time has come for the
establishment of a business mems as.
ISOLATION, not for the purpose of
booming but for the purpose of look
ing after the interests Of the commun-
ity, of encouraging and furnishing in