Wisconsin tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1847-1854, 1853-10-06
" ESTERN RAILROADS.
CHICAGO, August 1853.


!
CHICAGO, August 1853.
Oquawka, few miles ab,ve Burlington
J is to be connected with the Burlington anc
Peoria Railroad bv branch of FIVE miles
1t is fourishing town, the county seat
and finely located on the river at the north
end of high and narrow prairie Dav
export and Rock Island, which by the way
is just no island at all, are two beautiful
places opposite one another, the former
containing about 5000 inhabitants, the
latter about $500 Davenport has gained
of late Oh its neighbor, although, as a pat
riotic islander a negro, informed me, it's
mostly Dutch and them kind of tixins ~
1t is said that the Germans are fast gain
ing the upper hand there Here is to ter
inmate the Rock Island Railroad. A Pa
cifc line is projected west TO Council Bluff
and the place is reckoned fine one for
bridging the Mississippi. The river is
however, but little narrower than at Ful
ton, further up, and the banks are not Sc
high as at that place or Quincy. Fulton
! is to be connected with Chicago by a branch
from the Galena and Chicago road, begin
ming thirty miles west of that city, and
crossing the line of the Illinois Central
at Dixon this is now constructing. 1t is
proposed to bridge the river, with view
to which, in the enthusiastic language OF
the papers, nature would seem o have ar
ranged everything, and to carry a road
from Lyons west to Missouri by way OF
Iowa City This is the only ultra Miss
issippi road, except the St. Louis, upon
part between Lyons and Iowa City is un
der contract, aud going forward with en-
ergy
To obviate the difficulty arising from
the scarcity of labor-a very serious one
with all these western roads-the compa-
ny have sent "a agent to Europe to pro-
cure them. By this meaps they expect
to accomplish the settlement of a large
number of emigrants in Iowa, along the
line of their road
At Savanna terminates the St Charles
and Savanna air line from Chicago, now
said to be organized. This also, there is
a talk of extending westward from a point
opposite, called Sabula. Northward goes
a branch to Galena, which offers the short
est route between that place and Chicago.
about 80 miles an extension is project
ed from Galena northwest, from which the
City of Lead expects great things. The
line between Savanna and Galena passes
over the old track of the Illinois Central
partly completed, but given up on adopt
ing the Freeport route.
The situation IF Galena is poor one
seven miles up the Fever rivera small
Al
siderable extent. The name of the river
the inhabitants contend, has done their
city great honor, gaining a sickly reputa
ton for place as healthy as any among
the Green mountains It's small size has
probably done more in affording very
| inadequate outlet for the lead and agricul
tural products 1t is, as l saw it, con
| temptible stream, winding about among
fine bluffs, but unspeakably dirty, and Dor
dered with two wide ribands of mud or
which pigs were disporting and cows rend
ering themselves filthy. The town is 10
Gated on a narrow plain on both sides o
the river, and fanked by bluffs hundred
and two hundred feet high; the house!
have pushed themselves tight up agains
them, and one or two have been crowded
up on them The town north of the riv
er is the business parton the south sid
there are not many houses. They stretcl
eastwardly between the bluffs, along th'
ravines where the town twists about ant
accommodates itself to circumstances II
curious way Indeed the air OF tn
place, except little strip along the river
is as if they had had an earthquake tha
gave things a violent wrench. There rs
beautiful view from the bluff on the north
towards the back country, aud over th
river and the city, the tops of whose ssee
piles are below your feet. The whole iea'
region is tangled knot of hills From
Galena to Dubuque, is as if an ant shouit
cross the teeth of mill-saw longitudinal
Iva fearful alteration of hill and hollow
the toughest road in the western country
The Illinois Central road is working 1t
way along towards Dubuque Thirty fv
miles of it out of Freeport are expected
to be done this fall, and the whole distanc
to the river at Dubuque next spring. Du
buque, too, has its western road thirt
miles of it ere now surveying and cont
dently expected to be soon completed. an
an extension towards the Pacific Is regaI
ded as manifest destiny. Dubuque ha
now about four thousand inhabitants.
is thriving place and beautiful ont
surrounded by hills The harbor is poo
aud it's eastern railroad connections wi
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