Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1850-12-20
REPORT OF THE BOARD OF PUB
Lie WORKS.

We lay before our readers lengthy ex-
tracts from the report of the Board Of
Public Works to the Legislature, this
week, 10 the exclusion of most other
matter, satisfied that anything relating 10
the improvement Of the river, will be OF
the first interest 10 most of orr readers.
The question begins to be asked from
one end to the other Of this great valley,
with deep soliciiude and anxiety: twill
this river ever be made navigable with
the present donation!" We have re-
peatedIy been asked during the last few
months, while extensively mixing with
those Immediately interested in the I'M
provement, for our opinion as 10 The pres
cnt mode Of improvement by the Board
of Public Works, and as to the proba-
biliiy OF the work ever being completed.
We have unhesitatingly answered, that
we had no hope that the work would ever
be completed, as things have been carried
IN; aud in this opinion we are fully sus-
Timed bv the present report now before
u.s.. The report afiirms just what we
have declared for months in the columns
of the Courier, namely, that the present
mode of operations with tie immense
salaries of useless officers, would ex-
haust the means and leave the river un.
improved. 1t is useless for us to review
The past--to point out the men and the
party of men, who from the first, took
this work under their especial care, and
have managed i: up TO the present time.
Their errors and mismanagcment OF the
work has been repeatedly held up to the
people, and they have been told that
they were squandering the money, by
bungling and tardy management OF the
work. All this was attributed TO wrong
motives in us, and we were publicly said
10 be enemies 10 the work. But now
behold, you have it from the Board, that
the present mode of conducting the work
will eat up the funds and fail to complete
the work, and hence they recommend
another project. This we propose to
examine. The time for building castles
in the air to catch votes, to put this man
M and that one down, in relation to this
improvement grant, is gone by. The
people of this great valley. who have SO
much at stake, are not only restless and
anxious, but demand in tones that must
not be UNDECIDED by their servants, that
they cease to talk, and begin TO aci.-
Suffice i, TO say then, that all agree that
the present manner of conducting the
WORK, must be abandoned in order to Sc
cure success. And now we have two
modes proposed. The plan the Board
10 put il into the hards Of company,
and the Bond system. The Board seem
to take i, for granted then. that compa-
ny Of shrewd Spectators are letter quail
fled to project and complete the improve
ment, Than the men whom on account OF
their fitness, the people chose TO manage
il. And after bnngling along, and spen-
ding large share of the appropriation
below the Forks, they coolly tell The peo-
pie that they are doing but little, and
recommend the State to abandon the do
nation and improvement into the hands
OF one Of these abominable destructive
monopolies, a corporation. How could
they do this, when their party Gov. flor
'se declares himself 70 be party gov
ihunders his terrible anashemss