Dubuque in 1849

POWERS, BUSH, MANGOLD, MASON, HEBE, LANGWORTHY, WILSON, SMITH, DYER, WAPLES, DICKINSON

Posted By: Cheryl Locher Moonen (email)
Date: 1/4/2019 at 20:34:30

The Miner's Express, Wednesday, Dec 19, 1849, Dubuque, IA Page 2

Dubuque in 1849

As the busiest season for the year 1849, is now drawn to a close, it have thought it not inappropriate to refer briefly to what has been done in the way of improvements during the year, at the same time attempt to give some idea of the present condition to the town in reference to mercantile and mechanical operations.

Since the commencement of the present year from eighty to one hundred brick buildings have been erected, including dwelling houses and stores, many of them large structures, and all of them such as to do credit to the proprietors, and to form ornaments to the town. Main Street where the principal business is transacted, have been greatly improved, and made to assume an appearance totally different from that presented at the commencement of the season.

Many of the dilapidated wooden structures by which it was defaced, have given place to elegant brick buildings, which have been finished in a style appropriate to their location. Among these may be mentioned the brick Stores erected by Messrs. Powers, Bush, Mangold, Mason, Hebe, Langworthy, and others, and above all the commodious "Globe Building" by Wilson & Smith, on the corner of Main & Fifth Streets. This building contains three large Store rooms upon the lower floor, and in the second and third stores a large of pleasant and commodious rooms for Offices &c. Among the dwellings erected upon Main Street, may be mentioned that the Hon. J. J. Dyer, Judge of U. S. District Court. This elegant mansion, finished in a style of architecture that does credit to our City and State, is situated upon an elevation at the upper part of town, and is seen to great advantage when approaching from the opposite side of the river.

Improvements in the other streets are equally creditable to the enterprise that most towns of the same size, and may be summed up as follows:

There are twenty-two stores containing a general assortment of Dry Goods, clothing, groceries, and &c., with stocks varying from ten to eighty thousand dollars; one large wholesale and retail Hardware Store; two Drug Stores; two Auction and Commission merchants, one Book Store; eight Fruit and Provision Stores; one Boot and Shoe Store; two Tin-Ware-Manufactures; three Bakeries; one large Manufacturer of Confectionery; seven mater Builders; seven master Bricklayers; six Plasterer; four Painters; two master Stone Masons; one Marble worker; two saddle and Harness Manufacturers, seven Boot and Shoe Manufacturers; nine Tailor Shops; three Milliners and Dressmakers; three Jeweler's and Watch Makers; six Cabinet and Chair manufactures; five Blacksmith's Shops; three Carriage and Wagon Manufacturers; two Gun Smiths; three Cooper Shops; five Butcheries; one Soap and Candle factory; two Livery Stables.

There are two large Steam Flouring Mills, which, when in active operation, are able to make over two-hundred barrels a flour a day. There is also a Steam Saw-Mill, with two runs of saws.

There are three newspaper and Job Printing Offices, from which are issued four weekly newspapers; two Whig and two Democratic; one of the latter in the German language.

There are some eight to ten Hotels and public Boarding Houses, besides a large number of private boarding establishments. Two of the Hotels, the "City Hotel" and the "Waples House," are large and elegant four stories buildings, and afford to the traveling public the most ample and agreeable accommodations. "Dickinson's Temperance House," recently opened on Fourth Street, is fitted up in elegant style by the Proprietor, and offers the best of accommodation to transient or permanent boarders. The "Farmers House" and the "American," "Washington" and "New York" Houses are worthy of patronage.

The learned Professions are well represented in our City, both to as numbers and ability. There are eleven Physicians, of various systems of practice; one Dentist; seventeen Lawyers; and thirteen Preachers of the Gospel.

The Churches are; one Episcopalian; one Methodist; one Roman Catholic; one Congregational; one Baptist; one German Congregational; and one German Methodist.

The Roman Catholics have laid the foundation for a large Cathedral on Main Street, between Sixth and Seventh, which, when completed, will be one of the most magnificent buildings in the Western country. The cost is estimated at something over $100,000. It will probably be finished during the coming years. The Episcopalian are having erected a neat brick edifice on Locust Street. It is the Gothic style of Architecture, and when completed, it will be a beautiful ornament in the city. The cost is estimated at some $5,000. The Methodist Society has made arrangements to erect, during the coming year, a much larger church than the one they now occupy, to be located on Main Street, near the upper part of town. It is to be built of brick and in a style of which will do credit to the city. The Congregational Church edifice has been very much enlarged during the past summer, so as to accommodate a very large auditory, and a large Lecture Room built in the rear, and the whole furnished in a most comfortable and elegant style.

The offices of the General Government located at Dubuque, are, the office of Surveyor General of the District composed of the States of Iowa and Wisconsin, in which some eight or ten clerks are employed, at salaries from eight to twelve hundred dollars each, and a patronage of from of fifty to seventy-five thousand dollars is annually dispensed. The Receiver's and Register Office of the Northern Land District of the State of Iowa, and the Office of the Judge of the U. S. District Court.

The Free Mason's have a Lodge and Charter. The Odd Fellows, three subordinate of Lodgers, (Two English and one German) and an Encampment. The Sons of Temperance and Division.

The above brief, and doubtless very imperfect, sketch of the business of Dubuque, will give some idea of the prosperous conditions in which she closes the year 1849. Her population is something near four thousand, and is rapidly increasing. A dozen years ago, a small cluster of Miner's shanties, hastily erected but for temporary occupation, was all there was of Dubuque. The first brick building was erected in the year 1836, and only within the last three or four years has she put on the appearance of permanent prosperity and rapid growth.

She now has many things to contend with, and many obstacles to overcome in her onward progress, which call loudly for enterprise and energy on the part of her citizens. But that enterprise and energy, with the assistance of the natural advantages she possesses will overcome them. Her harbor will soon be made what the business of the town demands; and railroads will speedily open to her their magic communication with Eastern cities, and bring to her the exhaustless productions of western plains.

Dubuque is already the largest town of the State and has her peculiar location upon the Upper Mississippi, her salubrious climate, and above all, her wealth and resources of the surrounding country, hold out to her the promise that she will ever continue in advance of her sister Cities of Iowa.