DUBUQUE-FORT CLARK MILITARY ROAD

DUBUQUE-FORT CLARK MILITARY ROAD. In 1850 during the administration of MAYOR J. Hannibal EMERSON a group of citizens petitioned Congress for a military road to be constructed between Dubuque and Fort Clark on the Des Moines River.

"The undersigned citizens of Dubuque and the adjoining counties most respectfully solicit and earnestly request our honorable mem- bers of Congress to obtain of the War Department the establish- ment of a military road, commencing at Dubuque and terminating at Fort Clark (Fort Dodge) on the Des Moines river:

M. M. Hayden, J. H. Emerson, J. M. Marsh, George M. Henry, Henry S. Hetherington, William Donnellan, Peter Waples, Charles Bogy, L. D. Randall, J. Sprague, Charles Corkeiy, Timothy Fan- ning, E. D. Turner, S. R. West, C. H. Booth, F. V. Goodrich, E. Langworthy, Owen Smith, I. E. Wootton, B. J. O'Halloran, Michael Nolan, Patrick Byrne, J. J. E. Norman, W. J. Sullivan, William Roche, Francis Mangold, J- L. Langworthy, A. H. Miller, Michael O'Brien, John Palmer, J. P. Farley, Jacob Christman, A. Linn and Dennis A. Mahony."

The object of this petition was, by opening such a road, to secure to Dubuque the trade at Fort Clark and other points on the upper Des Moines river ; that Fort previously had obtained all its supplies from Keokuk, which was distant 280 miles ; Dubuque was distant only 180 miles. J. J. Abert of the topographical engineers, said: "By the Nicollet map the distance from Dubuque to Fort Clark is about 180 miles, and the distance from Fort Clark to the mouth of the Des Moines about 300 miles. This last distance is represented as the usual traveled distance with supplies, making the difference between the routes — both are land routes — of about 120 miles, the route from Dubuque being that much shorter. This fact gives to the Dubuque route great advantages. The only difference deserving of notice is that to arrive at Dubuque, the Mississippi has to be ascended about 200 miles; but as this distance during the season when supplies are forwarded can be passed by steamboats, it reduces a comparison of the difference on this account between the routes to 200 miles of steamboat navigation and 120 miles of land carriage. This fact also gives to the Dubuque route great advantages. Under all circumstances, therefore, the Dubuque route is much to be pre- ferred and the making of a road on this route would cost but little more than half for a road on the other route."