The miners' express. (Dubuque, Iowa) 1849-1854, 1853-09-14
TIE IMPROVEMENT OF THE RAP
IDS

i IDS.
/ We have noticed Of late many paragraphs i
our exchanges relative TO the improvement Q
the Rapids of the Mississippi and much ha
| appeared calculated TO leave erroneous impress
ions on the mind of the public, relative to ,h
measures which have been taken TO make in
dicious expenditure of the appropriation, mad
by Congress for that purpose.
Under a former appropriation, long time ago
surveys were made Of both Rapids, and a 81 s,t,l
was adopted for general improvement Of tn,
whole, under the supposition that the polio,
which induced partial appropriation at tn,
time, would be found SO beneficial as to induc.
successive appropriations until The work of i'm
provement should be completed.
Under this system, begisning was made
the appropriation was expended, and resul
attained IN no way commensurate with the ex.
pectations Of the community. Very little gooo
was effected, for the work was commenced will
the anticipation that more money would be ap-
propr'ated to finish it. The operations were to,
generally distributed to secure any decided benefi
at any One place, with the means then at com
mand, and the dissatisfaction of the public ha.
been since expressed in no measured terms
The executive agents have been made TO bea
all the censure, though perfectly innocent, of tn,
causes which produced The effect.
The present Appropriation o! $1,000 is to.
tally inadequate 10 defray The expenses of a gen
eral improvement of these Rapids |. is mere
drop in the bucket. But cursory glance al
the extent and nature of the distractions viii
convince any one of this fact
This appropriation has been placed under the
direction of the WarDepartment, and by regu
lation of this Department, the subject has been
submitted to the consideration of three OF the
most experienced Engineers in the service, one
of whom is Col. S. II Long of the Typograph
ical Engineers, who certainly ranks high
amongst the most scientific and skilful Engi
neers of the age. His mechanical skill and
inventive genius are too we'll known 10 require
commendation, and in perseverance of purpose
and indefatigabe zeal, he has no superior
Under Col. Loag's direction, as Superinten-
dent of Western River improvements the work
has been placed by the Secretary of War, and
ne has taken the measures which he thinks best
calculated to subserve the public interest He
has employed one of his own corps to make sur
veys for the purpose of ascertaining the extent
ficult passes. To aid him in this duty, one oil
the most experienced Pilots on the Upper Rap
ids has been employed; who, with perscvering
industry, has used every exertion to point out
minute surveys and notes have been taken OF
the same, by the officer employed for the pur-
pose; and when chart Of the results shall be
submitted, Col. Long will then decide wha,
tract.
These operations require skill, judgment and
nice calculation. A cursory glance will moi
enable the most experienced, TO decide on the
matter. What is to be done, should be done
thoroughly, and it is far better that the work or
one, two. three difficult passes should be com
pletcd and made free for the safe passage Of
boats, than that the whole should be but com
menced, and left, after the appropriation shall be
expended, in but little better condition than il
was found.
When the decision of Col. Long has beer
made, the supervision of the work, at the Lowe
Rapids, will be placed under Major Floyd, ant
that of the Upper, under Capt. Barney, under
whose directions the contractors will operate =
These gentlemen are known to the communit,
here, and we believe are equal to their tasks.