The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1849-05-11

leSsrS. Edi!ors.-I have been a rssiden.
Of this county for sixteen years, during
which time have Witnessed the urganiza- .
ton Of many new Counties, out Of territory
IN which there were no inhabitants for some
time after | came here, and IN which all .
the streams, for many years past, have been
well bridged. And, although some ofthem !
have been occasionally carried away by
floods, yet they have been soon replaced,
aliordng all reasonable and necessary fact
l!tleS for crossing the same; while this old,
parent county, La Sale, has not a bridge
on any stream, except the Fox River bridge
in Ottawa and never has had, except the
one, built some twoyearS ago, at the mouth
Of Indian Creek, aud which has been car
red away, a, predicted when it was bull
! ding that it would be, by the first ice jam,
for the want Of the exercise of a little yrdc-
I ticdi CONDOR sense in II, construction.
Within our borders are Indian Creek,
! Buck Creek, Little aud Big Nermilions, aud
Covel Creek, all without Il bridge, aud in
every considerable freshet are impossible,
aud on which there are no established fer
ries. The consequence is that, during my
residence here, in addition 10 some eight or
ten valuable lives lost in attempting to ford
these streams, the citizens of the county
have suffered more damage in loss cf time
AID property for want of bridges, than it
would take TO build two Substantial aud
durable bridges over each oTthese streams,
when a thunderstorm, like those which
occurred yesterday, rendered Covcl Greek
impossible from 3 o'clork i. M.until 10 NJ.
TO day, aud myself and about a dozen 9th
erS have been delayed n day and night in
consequence; and probably twice as many
more al the other roads which cross it..
Even the ordinary sloughs are impossible
with loads, in every wet season, for want Of
bridges that might he made for five or ten
dollars piece, eXcep. in some districts,
among which will mention those under
the influence Of the Norwegians, who have
done more TO remedy this evil than any 9th.
er elias, Of men in the county; aud think
i; would be well to have Norwegian APP
pointed supervisor Of the highways in every
district in which one can be found.
Now, there /, some radical fault or error
somewhere that lies a, the bottom Of tn,
: administration OF our county affairs, which
is the cause OF our bein. some ten years be
; hind the surrounding counties in bridging
our streams; aud the object of these re.
marks is TO ascertain where il il. and If pos
sib!e to induce the people TO apply the ap
propriate remedy.
! Que thing is certain, and the records q
| the collectors books will show the fact
= our road taxes are high enough, and have
> been heretofore, IL the money had been ia
$ diciously expended, 10 have had, long er,
: this time, good bridges across all the stream,
above named, and our roads in a passabl,
e condition throughout the county but, if it
: this am mistahen,I am sure, however,
, am no',) | would then say that tax hat
1 better be laid, collected, aud judiciUusly eX
= pended, in the erection Of at least one goot
, bridge over each of the above nance
u streams, according to specific plan, draw
e by n competent engineer, md the job let Il
: the lowest responsible bidder, aud n com
Il pdcn, committee appointed TO examine an,
II see that the work was done according Il
Y the specification and contract. The money
u would not then be flung away ~ it ha
g been in the case cited on Indian Creek
II This tax would be more than saved to lii,
Z citizens OF the county IN two years.
= With regard to this radical error, as al
instance or two IN the catalogue OF errors
: allow me for the Information Of tho publ,
i TO ask you il you know or can ascertain
G how much money has been appropriated b,
ii the county to build the brdgeand ill in IN,
Z raviue within the corporation limits Of ia,
i town of Ottawa, and that between goo,
!. bridge below, and n dry road round tn,
u head OF the ravine above, distant eithe
= way, only about twenty rods. II any maj
i OF sense can point out the benefit of this ap
$ preparation to the citizens Of the county q
), La Sale, beyond that of increasing the val
II ne of some village lots IN that vicinity,