The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1851-09-24
NUMBER 3.
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 1851.
Our Ifll.ESr. .


| The Dredpe Boat has been at lenrth com
pleted. After several experimental trials, i, ha
been found fully adequate to the purposes of it
construction. A contract has been entered int
with the builder, Mr.. Abel Hawley, for the ex
cavation of the channel, for which its construc
contract entire in our number of yesterday
Thus far SO good; ana we say to Mr.. Hawley
success to him in his undertaking; for let the
result be to him as it may, the completion of
this magnificent Improvement will be hailed as
amongst the most auspicious events known to
the history of our rapidly improving city. We
feel happy in being able to speak titus to our
readers but still more SO, when we look around
and contemplate the other and equally import
ant improvements in contemplation for our
benefit. Indeed, our position as an infant town
is of the most elevating and cheering character
None in the West occupies a more flattering
position. With large and fertile region of
country running far West and North of us, and
rapidly filling up with hardy and industrious
population, we must become the grand reservoir
into which all its abundance will flow; and as
a consequence, the soul and centre Of all the
trade of the Upper and Western country. And
why' Because the great Central Road will
constitute US the outlet to all the produce and
travel that may seek the Eastern and European
markets. Agents from dealers abroad will be
sent out to buy up our wheat, corn and pork,
and our fransnortation aud cop,n,;sr;on bouses
will become the repositories Of all the staple
products of our SOIL
We must become the main channel through
the medium of which this whole region of coun-
try is to be drained of its abundant productions,
and by which it must be supplied with its cor.
responding demands. Who can contemplate
these inevitable results, without feeling the i'm
portance of our position, and the greatness of
our future. Nor is this all. We perceive
by the st. Louis papers, that movement is on
foot in that place, which has for its object the
Improvement of the rapids, SO as to remove all
impediment to continuous and uninterrupted
navigation of the river. Few projects could be
of greater moment to the interests CT the North
cilities that could be desired to reach the east
ern market, we are here offered all the advan-
tages that the highest natural facilities can af-
ford to reach the southern market Open up
the Mississippi to continuous and unintorrupt-
ed navigation, and you offer safe conduct to
al classes of steamers, and invite a competition
commensurate with the demands of trade The
result of all this will be, that the southern mar
ket may be reached at any point at the lowest
rates known to steamboat navigation. We
serious consideration for our own sake, but es-
pecially for her own. The importance of the
trade On the Upper Mississippi must become of
incalculable importance to her; and, unless
as will insure continuous and uninterrupted ma
vigation, and thereby relieve the producer, as
well as the consumer, of the unusual expendi-
ture to be incurred by communication with the
southern market, she must naturally expect that
the eastern market will get the preference, even
in southern productions. Much has already
been expended in surveys, nappings, and sound
ings of these rapids, with a view to such I'M
provement as is at present contemplated. An
appropriation of $4,000 by the General Go
has been swallowed up to but little or
no purpose, and the improvement partially de-
clared impractcable. No such opinion, how
ever, is at this time entertained. Its entire
feasibility being admitted by all, we hope that
the subject may not be now dropped, until
tangible is accomplished.