The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-01-05
NUMBER T6


BY the repart of the Engineer of the Monon-
G 'hala company, made in January 1913, we
arm thai, using his own language, the clocks
and Dams composing that improvement zen
JOY no superior advantages in point If location
and are moi eren based upon rock foundation" "
i-excep, in "a single specified instance; while
onrs are all based upon rock foundation. And
we learn further, from the Report OF the Presi
dent of that company, of January, 1851, that
during the period Of more than six years,
that had then elapsed, "since your heir) nav-
gaInn was rompleted, it has been subjected to
the scvprest tests of floods and ice Without suf
fer'ng any material injury, or requiring any ex
'ranrdlnary repairs, and is now in good order,
mus giving the strongest demonstration Of the
strength and durability of the work" May not
we, then, taking their experience, with work
not founded on rock, as ours is so unded, cal
cniate, with reasonable degrea &c onafsdnase,
up the durability ofours, when il shall be
camp'eted'"
AS to Influence Of the Improvement, upon
the present and future destiny Of the Des Moines
Valley, the following language is held
Still another pc,int than those already allud
ed to, which the completion Of the works at
Bonapart and Bentonsport serves 10 illustrate,
deserves to he mentioned here, to wit the pleas
ing scene Of renewed life and animation thrown
into those places, and which can not fail to be
observed by every one visiting them, as pre-
vailing there, IN strong contrast with the con
dtion of things at other points where nothing
has been done. Already, in addition to the
extensive mills (among the most valuable in
Ipwa) of Messrs Allender & Co., and J. A
i Brown, at Bentonsport, above referred to, a
large and extensive brick building has been
erected the present season, by the mill owners
at the point first named to be used as wooden
rnanufactory; while that put up last year at
BentonspnTt, by Messrs Green d Brothers
and which is also costly and highly valuable
buildrg-to be used as paper mandatory
the only one yet butt for that purpose any where
west of the Missssippi-is now in full tide Of
successful experiment.
The enterprise of Messrs Meek g. Sons, and
Mcssrs. Green & Brothers, in thus leading of
as Pioneers, in the manufacturing business on
our beautiful river, is commendable, and entities
them TO the thanks of the people. Their efforts
are the first infant steps, the mere faint glim-
merng of the foreshadow of what. at some fl
ture, and no very remote day either, with water
power created at intervals of but few miles
all along the Des Moines, by the erection OF
dams like those at Bonaparte and Bentonsport
may be confidently predicted of the future of its
noble valley-a valley, than which there is not
perhaps, in the wide world one more capable
when its almost incalcuiable resources, of un
in its whole length and breadth,) and inexh aus
tible bed OF coal, shall come to be fairly ent
fully developcd-of sustaining in affiuence, and
surrounded by all the comforts and luxuries o.
life, teeming population.
Then will the almost disheartening stagna
ton which now--for the want of an outlet fo
its products, and the absence of any considera
BILE maufacturing pawer-pervades this u1f gnif
cent valley, be changed, as if by the magician I
wand into one of unsurpassed activity; then viii
the dropping villages, some Of which sem now
as if struggling for existence, be converted into
busy, beautiful towns, like the hundreds brough
into being, from like causes, throughout all New
England, New York, Ohio, and other States
then will the farmer, artisan, and every class o
men, find Just reward for the enterprise ant
energy which they may put forth in their va
; lious pursuits in life; and then viii labor ant
honest industry, no longer ask favor al
adequate compensation for employment, which
is now sometimes sought in vain! This is NJ
flncy sketch--nn mere idle, glowing picture
drawn simply to please tn" Imagination; but tn
TRUTH, as the undersigned believe, sincerel,
and earnestly, it will develop itself within les
than twenty years from the day when these
lines are written"
Shall the work be competed or abandoned
is the Interrogation Of the Report, 10 His Ex
cellency, the Goyernor =:
"In the possible event of failure TO con
summate satisfactory arrangement under thl
proposition Of Messrs. Page u Bacon, it will b
rur the Representatives of the people, fres
n whether or not provision should be made, i
advance, for obtaining from the people Of low;
if they are willing to give il, the credit Of th
State, or her endorsement Of the same-ratlie
than that it should be pcrntted to prove a
entire failure.
She has now, beyond dispute, million acre
0 Of land applicable to the great object mentioned
which, it held in reserve, and sold at their al
tual value, would probably, in the end, pay ft
the Improvement twice over; besides work al
0 rea y done upon it to the amount of $4,000
and to suffer it now, in this state Of Things
with solid and perfectly reliable foundation o
! which to rest, and So much progress made in i
c,nsruction--to 60 down to ruin and deca,
would be impoli'ic, and unwse in the last de
n gree; nay, a permanent di>credit TO the Stat
So at least it seems TO the unders igned, wit
.he views entertained by them in regard 20 til
. high importance of the work. The Des Moins
River Improvement is the only public work IL
Jung Sa,e OF Iowa has yet undertaken.
will be, if carried to comp'e.ion her gre
"A work, MS long as she remains member of o,
glorious Union, time itself lasts. Railroad
may be built, and will be built, rapidly whe
once commenced-which vii, le ere long; ar
by the score in after yesrs-probably with
VI this 10Th century; possibly before The half
what remains of it shall have passed away
And when So bnIl', they VIII be productive
n"ble benefits to he people, and advance, wi
giant s'rd s, the wealth aud power Of the Stat
N Yet, build many Railroads as we may, Il
Ds M"ncs River Improvement, once .faishe
from the n7ou'h Of the River to Fart Brs Mon
- WILL we rTre at, remain f'r' vrr lnwa's GaEi
WnRR, occupying the position which 'hc gre
- Hudson and Elr canal d res TO New York, al
the Baltimore and Ohio canal 10 Maryland.
Passing diagonaliy ilirou-h h The STATE, fully faI
hundred mites. and by lis centre, where h
= fu ure Capitol will be reared, and her create
inland town grow rp ar' und it, upon the boso
: of the beautiful Dee Noiues, when once ne rm
: ner'y impr we'd for uninterrupted navigatio
e. :, "a is contemplated, will lat to the "Crc