The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1851-08-15
The Progress Of Evansville.

are turning 10 Evansville, it is neither van:-
ty in Us to saw, nor in other citizens OF the
place to think. For several years Evansville
has been growing rapidly; improvements have
in that brief period Of time rendered the city
almost unacceptable to those who have not
seen il within that time till lately. A long
and beautiful wharf, one Of the handsomest
10 the West has taken the place Of The high
and steep banks which three years ago made
Evansville present an unseemly appearance
from the river. The grading of this wharf
has made aIl the buildings then on the front
street, one story deeper. Many of the prom
inent streets have been graded, and there are
now streets where at that time there were
none-and houses thickIy sprinklcd over the
then fields, and large brick buildings occupy
ing the places OF rugged wooden tenements.
The growth Of the place has indeed been
rapid, and with its progress, has been pro-
poriionate increase of the city's commerce and
general business, till now Evansville has as
E sumed q prominent place among the second
class cities of the West, add in the passage
of few years, is bound TO take her position
among the first cities o. the Wes', as from
her commerce she may already be consid-
cred.
But raIid as this growth has been and is
continuing. and prominent as Evansville now
stands for her size and business, these are not
the only things which attract attention at this
time 10 her. Ii is fact, that ere long Ev-
ansyile promises to be the great outlet
through which the principal trade and travel
from the rich Wabash Valley, and a large
portion Of the interior Of the State, and even
much Of that of the lakes, must seek the Ohio
river, and through il the South. This city
is already the depot in great measure for
the Wabash Valley, but the Wabash river
is only navigible certain periods, and we shall
never recognize the full value Of the Wabash
commerce and travel till we. are connected
with the country by permanent improvements
These improvements are now in rapid conrst
. of erection, and in little over one year, Ev
ansvile will be connected by Canal ant
Railroad with the richest portion and urges
towns of the Wabash Valley.
The great Wabash and Erie Canal, one o
the longest artificial channels Of commerct
in the world, and probably the longest cana
running from the lakes at the north through
the richest sections Of Ohio and Indiana and
interesting the Miami Canal in Ohio. and
various other improvements which will vast
ly increase the Importance oil this great work
and reaching the Ohio river at Evansville
is fast approaching It's completion. The las:
lettings have been given out and il is bound
to be completed within year from the Gem
ing Fall. We need not speak Of the advan.
tages, the immense advantages. which will
accrue to this city by the completion of the
Wabash and Erie Canal. Great as is the
business already oflhe completed portion o.
the Canal, it will prove but a small matter il
comparison to the business of the whole
Canal, On its completion. Yet this Canal has
already built up fourishing towns along III
route, and through its whole course dltiuset
healthy life into every town it touches
The emptying of its immense commerce into
Evansville, or the making Of this city tn,
southern depot of one ofthe most magnifcen
improvements Of the age, will bring with /
advantages to this place which we think bu
few Of even our own citizens can realize
United to the natural commercial advan
tlges of Evansville, we believe the Wabash
and Erie Canal alone would make a grea
city Of this place, and in doing that it would
accomplish no more than other canals have
done for other cities. The Board of Trustees
of the Canal were so impressed during late
visit with the commercial advantages of Ev
ansvile and their effects upon the business o
this Canal, that they concluded to make ;
BASIN one mile long at this city to better &C
eommodate the business. If we were to at
tempt an enumeration of the advantages des
tined to accrue TO our city from this Canal
we should mention prominently that Of open
ING immense mines Of coal and iron in thi
neishborhood to our use at small expense o
cost. an un6oubtei result Of which must b.
the founding among US Of what we mos
want-large manufactures. But We leav
this portion Of our subject.
We have now an elegant railroad almos
completed to Princeton, over twenty-six miles
built in the most substantial manner, an
which without doubt will in short lime b
continued TO Vincennes, and the whole i'm
provement thus speedily completed TO the Wa
bash river. When the whole line is finished
and we are brought in connection with lndi
annapolis, the focus of Indiana Railroads
the effect of this great improvement upo
Evansville may be somewhat Judged by tn
effect Of the Madison and Indianapolis Rail
road upon the former city, which it has almos
built up. The energy and enterprise OF ou