The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1847-09-30
IMPROVEMENT OF THE RAPIDS.

AMTNON EM EN- VI TIE NAPIDSs
A, a meeting held at the Court House in
Carthage. Hancock county, AIllinois. for the
purpose Of considering proposed improve
ment Of the Rupids On the Mississippi river,
Con. H. STEVENS Of Warsaw was called TO
the Chair, md Hon. ID. Greenleaf Of Car l,ag &C
was appointed Secretary. q. Edmunds, Jr.,
OF Nauvon was called upon and addressed the
meeting briefly. stating the ditliculsie. to
navigation BY reason Of said Rapids, and sta
Ting the plan proposed by Company now
being organized for the purpose OF improv.
in. said Rapids, to he called the Des Moincs
Rapids Improvement Company" together
with the probable expense. &c.
Aud on motion, it was Resolved. That the
President appoint committee Of three to
draft resolutions expressive Of the sense OF
the meeting.
The President appointed u. r. Chittcndcn,
of Warsaw. q. w. Moscley and G.. Ed.
munds, Jr., Of Nauvoo, such committee, and
IN motion the Pre-. ident was added TO said
committee -said committee reported tho fol.
lowing resolutions To witt
Whereas the Rapids in the Mississippi
River called The Des Moines, or Lower Rap.
ids seriously obs'ruct the navigation Of said
River in low water. and great losses OF time
and property arc occasioned thereby.
Therefore be it Resolved, That il is abso-
lately necessary and The country demand.
that some improvement should be made in
the navigation thereof. That the future
prospects, to very great extern. Of the en-.
tire Western Illinois and Wisconsin and all
OF Iowa 'lepc"d upon such improvement.
Resolved. That in our opinion such i'm.
provemcnt should be made by means Of u ca.
nal extending from The foot Of said Rapids
or below to some point at the head-and ,;,at
u canal is the most etfsc,ual permanent and
practicable mode o: making such improve
mcnt.
Resolved. That we believe the most expc-
dient plan Cor building such canal is by
wall ia the River at a given distance from
the shore, sufficient for steamboats, to pas,
and repns-. and excava,ing a, the upper end
to get sufficient depth Of water and con,inu.
ing that hence unit! sufficient depth of water
is had to lock down, then tn lock down--kcep.
ing sutiicicn, depth for navigation and soon
until the whole distance is gained.
Resolved. That VIC believe there is fall
OF over y feet in IL miles, with uniform
rock bottom and an abundance of rock in The
bank nil the way to make the wall or locks,
aud that Of The best Of lime rock.
Resolved. That manifest destiny has de.
creed that such improvement shall sooncr or
later be made, and We believe the sooner i, !.
done the better IT will be for the ceuntr,
and tor tie persons making such improve.
ment, TINT the present trade on said river
woa'd at reasonable toll. (say one.third the
present expense and trouble of crossing said
Rnpids) Will pa, To any company who should
make such Improvement more than ) per cen,
On the entire cost thercof-and that such
trade j. rapidly increasing.
Resolved, That the benefit 10 be derived
from the Hydraulic power To be created BIZ
the construction Of such cana would be far
beyond ans ether in the United States.
Resolved. Tha, We tho citizens OF Han.
cock county. Illinois, do hereby ca Il upon the
capitalists Of the E,s, and the Government 10
turn their attention to this matter. That we
deem it the duty Of the general government,
to make snch Improvement. and iha, VIC be-
lie.e, it the capitalist OF the east would bu,
turn their attention TO this matter, suficen,
10 ascertain its real merits. that said Rapid.
would no, long remain in their present state
We only ask thai this matte. may he exam.
med aud understood, having full confidence
in the result; Ut such examination.
Resolved, That the proceedings of ,h;.
meeting be published in the Warsaw Signal.
North. Western Advertiser and 81. Louis Re-
publican. and all other papers favorable to
such improvement.
II. STEVENS. Chm'n.
ID. GgEEXLEAr, Sec'y.