The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1850-09-18
CITY OF DUBUQUE, IOWA, SEPTEMBER is. rs


width at five several points as permits boats to
pass each other with ease, and in all respects of
preferable navigation to the main channel of the
river, will without any doubt become, and at all
times remain the exclusive Steam Boat channel.
This is the only improvement that is free from
partiality of influence, and from other even more
serious and lasting objections The plan of
channel from the river, across existing obstruc-
tions, to the shore, may be entirely successful
IN enabling Boats to reach the landing, but must
fail of reaching the essential interests of the city,
and OF attording adequate accommodation to its
trade. The line of channel upon any practical
BILE plan of this character, must be extremely
tortuous, and perhaps teoice tracelled by all the
Boats touching at Dubuque-forming standing
objection to landing, and an ever ready and rea-
sonable excuse for not landing. Such channel
would be obviously inconvenient at first, and
this inconvenience would be the more felt, and
become the more Objectionable with every in
crease of our commerce. On the other hand
the proposed route being a straight one, and the
shortest one and enabling boats to pass, or: acuh
out changing their course, to land at any or eve
ry wharf ot'the city, not only takes away all OBJ
jections to their doing so, but makes it to their
interest in every point of view
With the earth excavated, levee of ample
dimensions may be constructed, including lat
teral dikes to receive the water from the bluffs,
that will effectually prevent the overflow, to
which a considerable area of land adjoining the
Improvement, is now annually subject. 1t is
not proposed, however, TO construct levee in
. the absence Of liberal subscriptions from
those whose lands would thus be greatly and
Immediately enhanced in value. The lands thus
protected and brought to a level with the top of
the levee, would be rendered healthy and high
ly valuable business locations Nor is it difficult
to see that such an improvement would be of
primary Importance, by thoroughly draining and
reclaiming our low, wet lands, and by bringing
the city and navi cation into that contiguity,
= without which, rapid growth and extensive COM
merce will be sought in vain
1t will be seen by the foregoing table of dis
tanccs and items of excavation, that the whole
length of the proposed channel is "a ,220 feet,
while the distance by the river, between the
same points, is ascertalned to be 25,SOO feet;
showing difference in distance in favor of the
Improvement of 800 feet. This difference
proves that there will ever be current of water
in the former, which will at all times be quicker
than the current of the river. The advantage
to the health Of the city, and its vicinity upon
both sides of the river thus arising, are too i'm
portant to be overlooked, and too vast to be esti-
mated There at low st nfU- IN
area equal at least to two hundred and fifty a.
crcs of stagnant water in the immediate neigh
borhood of Dubuque, in place of all Of which
running water will be substituted, and the caus-
es of an impure air be thus wholly and forever
removed. To make an improvement in which
the healthfulness of the city is so eminently con
suited, & which is so plainly in obedience to til,
dictates of benevolence, would be the part o
wisdom, if a steamboat were never to plough it.
To accomplish the improvement of our harbo
upon the plan now proposed, it is requisite tina
the city obtain loan Of twenty thousand dol
lars. The taxable property within the city lin
it's is estimated to amount to one million of dol
lars, at low Notwithstanding only two dol
lars on a thousand to pay the annual interest or
the whole loan. Upon the completion of the
harbor as above proposed however, it is conf
IDENTIFY believed that it's value will be increased
at least twenty-five per cent. The usual rate o
, city tax on this increase Of value in property
will more than pay six per cent interest
moiety twenty thousand dollars. Besides, the
present number of steamboat arrivals within the
. year, Counting one for such as 60 aboveSreturn,
f exceeds two hundred. Even at two hundred
with reasonable charge for wharfage, (say five
+ dollars for each landng,) the sum of one thou
sand dollars would annually accrue to the city
equal to ten per cent per annum on ten thousand
dollars. The expediency Of making the loan
| then, may not improperly be resolved into the
t question: Shall our City, three years hence, be
without harbor, and out of debt, or shall we
by creating the debt and effectually providing
for the interest out Of the proceeds of the loan
, Herewith construct harbor which all expert.
ence tends to show will be worth two hundred
and fifty thousand dollars the moment it is com.
. pleted?
Dubuque, without harbor or any ia.
cilities to overcome the want of one; at an OBJ
, jectionable distance from the bank of the rive
, and this bank separated from the man river b,
a series Of sloughs often too shallow for steam
? boats, has nevertheless derived her existence
and growth from the navigation of the Mississip
pi. With these difficulties she has had constant
ly to struggle, and by struggling she has attain
} ed to sufficient size and capital to command
J harbor of unsurpassed excellence. With no ma
vigable tributary Of the Mississippi for lon,
} distance above and below her, she occupies po
0 sition naturally calculated to command the agri
cultural trade of vast area Of highly fertl
lands. OF this advantage she can never be de
e prived, if she is awake, md a,oake in time
q Soon she will be called upon to show her CLAIM
a as the terminus Of the Rail Roads, two Of whicl
i are already feeling their way to great river
: Upon our facilities Of safe and rapid navigation
= upon our commercial prosperity and prospects
;. will depend the respectability and strength Of on
J. claim. No facility nor rapdty Of overlanA com
I inunication can render nugatory or weaken ou
/ deep interest in connection with the great high
+. Way Of sfeamboata The Mississinni forms