Hawk-eye. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa) 1843-1845, 1843-11-09

LEY a#aH H. u 1900 NJ
| About twenty miles above the upper lin
Of the Neutral Gronnd, the river entifeii
1 changes its fcatares, above il Is a dee
isluggish strsani-wit muddy bottom, be
! low il ~ y rapid stream with rocky o
grayelly. At tlsis. point there is n tremen
dous Gall oil about two miles IN length. A
the foot Of these falls or rapids. The bluff O
high Prairie is about one hundred fee,
high, at the head Of the rapids man car
stand IN y canoe and reach the top Of thu
bluff or high Prairie! Hence my reader
4 will see. that altho' the Prairie is not actn
ally lower above the rapids than it is be,
low them. vt it must be what | have be
fore described it to be, lou, fiat and ,cet
because the bed Of the river is not more
than twelve tcst below the. highest points
in the prairie. The small streams--if. they
can be called streams-have but very little
current above the rapids, while on the 9th.
or shand, the small streams below the rap.
ids arc very rapid, and the prairie is high,
rolling and dry. From The foot of these
rapids to the mouth Of tho river, the cur.
1 rent in high waterwould run on an avera ge
about eight miles an hour. The river is
much more rapid above the .Raccoon Forks
than il is below that fork. The distance
from the rapids tothe mouth Of the river
cannot be less than four hundred and sixty
miles. There are sixteen coal banks be.
TWEEN the rapids and the Raccoon Forks.
which have become visible BY the sliding in
| OF tue banks Of the river. There is a great
abundance OF good building rock on the riv.
er below the rapids. and number of beds
OF Iron ore. The timber entirely quits off
n N Il 90 ko1o L j. !
about five miles above the upper line of
the Neutral Ground. The water in tile
river is very cool and as clear as crystal
here are large quantities Of fish in the riv.
or, and they are of the best kind too; such
as, Pike, Bass, Salmon, Carp. Catfish, Buffa.
10, stone Rollers, Suckers, &C., sc. The
course of the river is from the Neutral
Grounds to the Raccron Fork alittle West
o South. it being only one hundred and
twenty-five miles from the Des MONIES.
across to the Mississippi River by the line
OF the Neutral Ground.
From the Raccoon Fork, the river runs
nearlya South East course To its mouth -
The river is navigable for Steam Boats in
the Spring Of the year 70 the mouth Of ..3ear
Greek" large fork which joins the main
river on the lower edge Of the Neutral
Ground. and fpr Keel Boats at least six
months in the year The River will aver.
age about two hundred yards in width from
the Rapids to the mou.h of the Raccoon
Fork, and il IS from two to four hundred
yards vice rom there to the mouth.
his is perhaps the best river for mills in
The Territory. |, is very susceptible of be.
ing converted into Slack Water NAVIGATION.
" II should ever be IL the interest or conyen.
fence Of the con,endlng political parties. to
leave otf their cont.ntloms aboa; men and
the SPOTS Of Office and attend 10 the bust.
ness ana interests o! the pcoplc--particuIar.
~ the people OF the west, who have been
so long, and shameiuliy neglected. Next
III Importance u Iowa. TO the removal Of The
obstruction To the navigation O. the Mi.sis
supp yer, is the Improvement of the nayi. /
CATION ~ the Des Moimes river. Its course
Is central one through the Territory. il b.
ing about one hundred and thirty five miles
from the mouth o. the Raccoon Fork to the
Missouri liv,r, and about one hundred and
sx:y'five miles to the Mississippi river 1t
flows through us fertile region of country
as was ever boI'cId by man. and the timber
aud prairie are so we'll and equally tiistrlb. |
utcd that it is susceptible Of Il very dense
population hence the necessity Of the i'm.
prevent of the Dcs MONIES river 1t needs
not the gift OF a prophe. for any one to see
that in very few years there will be an
surplus of produce in the com.
try bordering on the Des Moimes and that
then The inhabitants will say to their ser.
wants at Washington, in a tone and manner
Mt to be misunderstood, Improve THE
NAVIGATION OF THE DEs MoINEs RIVER"
And. however much il may trouble some
nf oui Legislators and SPECTATORS the fact
cannot he disguised, that in very lew
years the seat Of Government Of this -four. |
shing Territory will be removed from Iowa
City to some new City which will spring up
IS it were by magic. on the River Des
Moines
l have in this number endeavored to give
| description Of the Des Moines river. am
ully aware that my description falls far
short OF portraying the beauty and impor-
ance Of this most beautiful river in the
world. and should continue to write for
week upon this subject would then be OBJ.
iged t. leave the subject so far short OF com.
ng up to reality, that person standing up.
IN its beautiful banks, aud reading my des.
:ription would exclaim, 1.-The hall has never
,een told" In my next number shall en-.
ieavor in my imperfect manner, to give a
description Of the Raccoon Fork.
L. w. B.