Bloomington herald. [volume] (Bloomington, I. T. [Iowa]) 1840-1849, 1845-11-15
THE HER AID.
ln~@MRU@rW1e 9UwAa
SATURDAY, NOVEMBER Is. 1915.
THE RAPIDS.

THE RAPIDS.
The attention of the public cannot be TOO
frequently directed 10 the importance OF an
immediate removal of these distractions to the
navigation Of our noble river. Though it will
receive dss attention at the Convention now
assembled at Memphis, and although this uni
ted expression Of the determination Of the
West 10 firmly assert her claims and demand
Justice from the General Government may be
productive Of much good, yet we fear that. 10
the multiplicity Of interests demanding the at
,eotion Of the Convention, the improvement OF
the Upper Mississippi will become seconda.
~ object. Such should by no means be the
case. To the people Of Iowa. and large por-
lion Of Wisconsin and Illinois, thsfo is no
subject of more vital importance, and we
should by no means rest satisfied with what
The Co0vention may do for Us. Indeed tho
action Of the Convention should only De the
reimbursement of the most persevering and
efficient action uponthe part Of the thousands
whose interests are involved in this matter.
The appropriation formerly made for the
improvement, Of the Mississippi, and the work
performed upon the Lower Rapids. showed
clearly the possibility Of entirely removing
these dangerous obstacles TO our inland navi-
cation. Though the early and unexpected su-
prevention Of cold weather interrupted the
work while it was progressing finely aud bid
ding fair 10 accomplish much, and although
only twenty days. labor was accomplished,
yet We believe nearly FIVE hundred perches Of
solid rock were removed-itis certain that tho
channel across the Rapids was materially im-
proved, and the pracicahli,y Of the remdsal
Of all material distractions to navigation fully
demonstrated.
Look for d momen. a. the large amount Of
northern productions, in the shape Of mineral
and produce. which already finds market at
ST. Louis and below. The expectations Of the
country bordering upon the Upper Mississippi
have more than doubled within the last three
years. The resources Of the mineral regions
are, comparatively, uadeveloped, 10 fact they
are nexhaustib!e--"the pineries" must. for
many years. furnish vast quantities Of lumber
for the southern market-and the, vast wheat
crops Of our own beautiful Iowa, and Of a large
portion of Wisconsin and Illiuois enough to
feed the whole United States--must seek
aouthern market. And lumber, mineral, and
agricultural products must all pass over the
Lower Rapids.
To what extent do these Rapids obs,yuct
tho passage Of these expor,s-amoun.ing.
yearly. to more than one million Of dollars!
Till about the first Of August there is genes-
oily sufficient water upon the rapids 10 render
navigation safe with ordinary care, and up 10
this time freigh,s are generally reasonable
But about the first Of Approximations ear
lier and sometimes la,er-,he river begins to
fsll-the passage Of the rspids becomes dan.
gerous. and the prices Of freight are more than
doubled in consequence. For about three
months Of the year boats are compelled to dis.
charge their cargo, a. the head Of the rapids,
and to "lighter" over at heavy EXPENSE
Upon a recent trip 10 St. Louis. on board the
Falcon, We were shown receipted bills a.
mounting TO three hundred dollars, for extra
expenses Of the boa, in getting owe, the rapids.
Every boat that passes over with keels in tow
pays nearly the same amount. Now out Of
whose pockets comes all this extra expense
Not on, Of those Of the owners OF the boats,
for il 10 made up TO them from their increased
prices for freight. Nor does this extra ex.
pense come out of the pockets Of the merch-
ants, buyers. and shippers of produce and
mineral. II 10, Of course. anticipated by them,
and they are forced to pay less for wha. they
buy Of the farmer and miner. 1t remains
clear. then. that all this heavy burden falls
directly upon the industrious farmers and mi.
ners. Yss-the farmers Of Iowa, who COM
plain Of "hard times" should remember that
the obstruction to the navigation Of the Mis-
sissiPpi caused by the Lower Rapids. yearly
taxes them to the amount of thousands Of dol.
lars. Every farmer who brings a load of
wheat to our market during the season Of low
ws'sr, and is inclined to complain Of our mer.
chants. should remember tina, "freights are
up" and that, when he disposes Of his wheat.
ne actually pcys tar to The Lo,ver Rapids of
foe. eight. or ten cents on erery b..shel of Oheat
ne sells. High prices for freight depress the
prices Of produce, and tax the farmers. He
who cells one hundred bushels of wheat per
year, pays tar-call it "Rapids' tax"-of
nearly lve dollars, and this must, in a wheat
exporting country like ours, bear most Oh.
presslvely and unjus.y upon our farmers
We DO hope that while Congress is modifying