Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1843-06-16
Oar 7bscssIss improvements, &c.

oar TbsCn-Xts improvements, -.
The question h as frequently been asked u.s.
-why we have not made mention OF the vsI'-
a.. ;mn.,vements which have been. and are
vet going on ia our town. Loos' say '"oy'
".,Iha Burlington and Davenport papers,
,bev are weekly noting the buildings and 9TH
!, ;moroyemeats that are going on in their res
,.c,ive towns, SO that unless ours are noted
ssrsngers Will begio TO think Burlington and
Davenport are the only places IN Iowa. Not
new store is opened there, or an old stock OF
goods replenished, but the editorial columns
Of their papers make public the fact, and as
men Of business always seek a growing. bu-
ess.place, we lose the most enterprz'ng.
liberal men, Weyconfess the truth Of their
conclusions, to some extent. but we are I'M
willing 10 shonlderthe whole complaint. We
look upon the improvements in our place with
pride and satisfaction, confidently believing
that at no very distant day, Bloomington will
outs,rip them all, and strangers will flock here
not from newspaper notices, which can be pub
lished at one place as well as another, but from
its natural advantages for trade, which must
coon spread in manner too substantial to be
effected by the newspaper articles OF jeaious'
rival places. That we may have been little
negligent in noticing the growth and onward
march Of our town, we shall net offend any
one by disputing, bit let us examine the case
a little, and see if the great error lies with US,
and if not, where it does lie; and if in exam
lining the causes which have built up und pop
ulated places possessing inferior advantages
for trade, &C., a, a rate exceeding the growth
OF our place, we should touch the feelings Of
some ct our old and most respectable and
wealthy citizens, all that we have to ask is
that it may be placed as 9 set-off" for the
neglect to "putf," to which we have plead
guilty, 10 a reasonable extent.
In the onset, that we may not be charged
with endeavoring to exculpate onrseif at The
expense of others, We will, with the hope that
it may tend, in some little degree, to effec: the
change which seems to be so much needed,
make confession. which, under other circum.
stances we would gladly avoid, and that is,
that Bloomington has not improved, or sncreas-
ed in population in proportion ,cith Burlington,
Davenport, lo,ca CITY or Dubuque nor in trade
with Burlington. 1t is true that our streets
wear stirring, business appearance, but the
quantity is less than by the nature Of our lc-
cation and Of the laws which govern trade, our
place is entitled TO-. eh
Admitting it 10 be fact that our place has
Jagged behind the others mentioned, and i, can
not be denied, is it not the duty Of all who feel
On interest 10 the welfare Of our place, to as
certain the causes, that, If il be possible, they
may be eradicated or remedied! Let Us ex-
anime and see il we can ascertain what they
ss.--s--- .'ss prem
ciple reason is the fact that very large por-
ton of the unimprovcd lots in this place, in
deed We may say almost all the valuable ones,
are in the hands Of the original proprietors,
who, having sold part Of their lots at high
prices, have accumulated wealth sufficient to
enable them to hold on'' to them until they
shall be rendered doubly valuable by the i'm
provements which others may make upon ad-
jacent lots. We know of truth that many
industrious mechanics. who were anxious to
increase their wealth by their own industry,
have remained idle and inactive, in conse-
quence Of the high prices demanded for build |
ing lots; thus is the town deprived Of the BEN
eh,s which would otherwise arise from the en-
'eTprize o. its laboring population.
What has been the case in other paces.!-
Burlington was laid out by the authority of
the general government. and its lots were pur-
chased, under pre-emp,ion, alike by the rich
and the poor. A large number fell into the
hands Of wealthy Spectator, and lay for
some years unimproved, but he falling in |
street fight, the lots were sold at fair price. |
and now contain valuable buildings.
Dubuque was laid out under the same act, |
persons holding title under the FIRST proprie. |
tors entering their tracts by presumption. I'm.
der them large tracts were thrown into the |
hands Of few. The owners Of these tracts, |
like the owners Of lots in Bloomington, tho,
that the town MUST be built up, and valued
their lots at high price. A colony of some
twenty OF thirty mechanics, some with fami-
lies, came out from Philadelphia and ,herea. |
bouts, with the intention of settling in tina,
place. Properly holders, thinking them fine
game for rich speculation, placed high es-
tima,e upon their lots, and affecting indifer.
ence as TO their. sale. But their game was
not to be caught SO easy. The colony was
about leaving the place, en- masse, when the
ssidneck ofthe property holders bent li,le.-.
They me. and concluded 10 take fair price for