The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1852-02-11
NUMBER %.

G. R.Wcst, Jacob Christman,
G. II. Booth, A. Linn,
F. V. Goodrich, Dennis Mahoney.
+ Langworthy,
DUBuQuE, Iowa, Dec. 90, 1850.
My DEAR GENERAL Enclosed, please
find petition relating to 4 military road from
this place to Fort Clark, on the Des Moines
river.
We are indebted to you for the location OF
the fort, and hope you may be able to open a
road so desirable to both the interests of the
country through which it passes, alike TO the
government in furnishing the necessary SUP,
plies. As it now requires hauling by land from
keokuk distance Of two hundred and eighty
miles, while from Dubuque it would be only one
hundred and eighty miles, as You will see by
referring to the S. F. range, in which the ne W
fort is located. Marsh tells me the Lizard fork
of the Des Moines, is in range % W., S. SO
north.
The trade of the upper Des Moines is of
more Importance to Dubuque than score of
railroads to keokuk Gin my opinion)
1t is unnecessary for me to say more on this
subject, others will most likely write touc hing
the Importance of the road, &c.
Most respectfully your obedient servant
M. NJ. HAYDEN.
To General w. Jones, Washington City.
Washington, Jan 7, 1851.
SIR: have the honor to acknowledge your
direction to report upon letter Of the 9th inst,
from the Honorable G. w. Jones and the Hon.
orable A. G. Dodge, of the United States Sem
ate.
The object of this letter, and of its several
enclosures, is to have military road from
Dubuque, the Mississippi, to Fort CLARK,
on the Lizard fork of the Des Moines.
The best map we have of that country is the
one compiled tn this office from the results of
Nicollet's expedition. and will be found printed
with Nicollet's report, as Senate Document 537,
I'd session, Goth Congress.
By this map the distance from DubuUue to
Fort Clark is about one hundred and eighty
miles, and the distance from Fort Clark to the
mouth of the Des Moines about three hundre
miles.
This last distance is represented as the usual
travelled distance with supplies, making the
difference between the two routes--both are
land routes-of about one hundred and twenty
miles; the route from Dubuque being that
much shorter. This fact gives 10 the Dubuque
route great advantages.
The only difference deserving of notice is
thatto arrive at Dubuque, the Mississippi has
t. be assembled about two hundred miles but
this distance during the season when supplies
are forwarded can be passed by steamboats,, it
reduces comparison of the difference on this
account between the routes to two hundred
miles of steamboat nav CATION and one hundred
and twenty miles of land carriage. This fact
also gives to the Dubuque route great advanta.
ges.
Under all circumstances, therefore, the Du
buque route is much to be preferred, and the
making of road on this route would cost but
little more than half for road ON the other
route.
Moreover, from general information, for we
have no survey of the route, il is believed that
the ground from Dubuque to Fort Clark is very
favorable for road and in addition to the
great saving in distance, it would cost much less
per mile than the other route from Keokuk =
On all these accounts, if a road be made from
either point, it is recommended to be made from
Dubuque TO Fort Clark
1t is not in my power to give an estimate Of the
probable cost of the road, as the essential pre-
lminary step of survey has not been made,
nor is there any existing appropriation which
could be applied to either the survey or making
Of the road.
1t, is, therefore respectfully suggested that
an appropriation, say of two thousand dollars,
be made for the survey, location and making
OF military road from Dubuque to Fort
Clark,
Respectfully, sir, your
Obedient Servant,
]. J. ALERT,