The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1856-08-04
Cur Dubuque Correspondence.

Aaonishin9 Progress Of Dubuque Hd9nifcenL Business
Blocks in Pro Of Chnaruetion-The Nee Theatre
No Hal for the ODD TtHcies--Neo Churches, Steamboat
Inns, dc, dc.
Having made an extensive tour through the West
and Northwest, spending considerable time at St.
Louis, Chicago, Quincy Keokuk, Fort Madison, Bur
lngton, Muscatine and Davenport, arrived In this
city about two months since, and now feel unques-
tionably convinced that am in the great CONNER
cia centre OF the Northwest l am indeed surprised
at the almost total ignorance OF great part OF the
Eastern people of this the most ourishing and bust
ness city in the Northwest Buffalo and Pittsburg
being the only cities that are well represented).
THIS may sound strange to those who knew Dubuque
three years back with but I've thousand inhabitants
and contracted business; but those who SEE her
now with her sixteen thousand inhabitants, besides
q large transient population, and her extensive
wholesale and retail trade can fully realize that Du-
buques present and future prospects not only equal
but surpass every city north Of st Louis and west OF
Chcago and to make this appear to be an axiom it
is only necessary to state few facts relative to Du-
buaue and her connections with other places.
There will be built here this season not less than
sixteen hundred houses nearly all Of which will be
substantial buildings credtible t. any city; but 1t Is
due to the enterprise Of several OF the citizens that
notice two or three blocks more specifically First.
in size and COST is the Lawrence block, now being
erected by the firm Of Kinsey, David 4 Jennings,
under the auspices OF the Buffalo builders, Berry,
Platter 4 Co. This block is situated between Ninth
and Tenth streets fronting 256 feet on Main street.
and running back ll3 feet to 80 feet alley 1t will
be five stories on Main street, besides the basement,
ard six stories the alley. The main entrance to
the basement will be on Ninth street. The base
melt will contain one y00m ~ by so feet, one 90 by
so feet one 100 by so feet designed for obbing dry
goods stores. There will be twelve stores on the
first floor fiontpg 20 feet on Main street, running
back ll3 feet and the main entrance az feet IN the
clear hotel in the upper stories containing one
hundred and thirtysix chambers 70 by Ia feet, well
ventilated. On the second floor there is one room,
so by so feet SIS by so feet one 50 by 100 feet
and one so by 100 feet These rooms are Is feet in
the clear, and designed for carpet and furniture
stores. These stores will eli be completed by the
LIST of November and the whole building by Christ
mas, and when consummated will be one II not the
largest most uniform business blocks i'll America.
large hotel is building by Peter Lorimer, ESQ., OF
this city, with number OF fine stores on the drst
floor.
The Odd Fellows are building magnificent hall,
100 feet square. A theatre is being built by Smith,
McKeney & Poor, 100 by lis feet. There are
three fine churches now under contract. There are
four daily newspapers-two democratic and two re-
publican.
There are two regular daily lines of steamers to
ST. Paul, and one tri-weekly line to Winona. Du-
buuue is the terminus of the Central Illinois Rail-
road OF the Dubuque and Pacific Railroad (thirty
miles Of which will be completed this fall and to the
Missouri river in two years,) OF the Milwaukee and
Mississippi Railroad (two thirds Of which Is COM
pleted OF the st. Paul and Dubuque Railroad (pros
pective road and virtually the terminus OF the Chi
cago aud Gaena Railroad.
Taking in consideration the above facts, and the
enterprise of the citizens, can see nothing to pre-
vent Dubuque from becoming one among the first
class cities OF this Union.