The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1850-12-21
Central Rail Road.


The State will hardly undertake its consumma
tion--some company or corporation must do it,
The people want the road. and will have it, and
they will demand TO have it completed in the
shortcst time consistent with the best interests of
! the country, and on the best route.
! This section of the state is deeply interesteds
the undertaking The road must come to, but
will not stop at the Illinois river. 1t will be car
red to Galena and perhaps to Chicago hm9N
cross the rirer How and where shall it cross
Shall it cross n, Peru. We do not well see how
this can he dome To facilitate the business Of
the road, there must be a bridge over the river
on which the cars eau pass. A bridge at Peoria
will greatly otstruct and Interfere with navisa.
ton.
Much has been said in the Peru papers about
the distractions To nay.ltIon caused BY the
bridge ut Peoria Iii strenuously contended by
those editors that the state has no power or right
TO authorize the erection If brd 20 the Hi
nois river so as to impede or obstruct navigation.
We presume the writers Of those articles have
looked carefully into this matter, and formed
correct Judgment. The crossing then, should be
above Peru; perhaps i, would be at La Sale, as
there is comparatively small amount Of naviga-
ton above that point A bridge can probably
be constructed at La Sale, Utica, or Ottawa
II Is vastly important to secure all the advantag-
cs OF the rail road aud also to preserve tie navi.
Cation 81 the Illinois unrestricted.
We would, ofcOurse, be glad TO have the cross.
ing at Ottawa, but do not expect it, unless it will
best subserve the great public interests.
One thing however, seems certain; If The
State has no power to build bridge the Hi.
nss, 20 rs TO impede navigation some other point
above Peru, should be selected for the crossing
We do not propose now to enter into discussion
Of this subject. We have only desired to call at.
tention to it, so that the proper Investigations and
inquiries may he made. While we shall fairly
and earnestly contend for all our local aiyautag-
es and interests, We shall not expect the good Of
the public generally to be sacrificed for the all.
vantages Of any particular locality, not even for
the benefit Of our Own hvorite Ottawa.
We like the tone of this communication. Though
We are disposed, without proposing to discuss the
subject to attach much weight to the constitution.
al objection to the bridging navieable streams vet
We do not rely on that objection to attract at:cn-
ton to Ottawa the natural point for the central
railroad to the Illinois river Our reliance is
more on the hct that the natural superiority Of
Ottawa over all other points, must be self evil
the trouble t, look at map and inform himself
on the subject.
The objection to crossing at Peru or La Sale
besides that arising from the obstruction of nayi-
CATION, is that the nature of the locality is such
as TO render the construction of bridge of the
strength, safety and dimensions needed, impossi
bic, or at ieas, an undertaking involving such an
expense as to render it out of the question.
Asto crossing at PEORIA We presume it is hard
ly thought Of Unjust be apparent that no bridge
fit for train Of cars can be constructed there and
yet anything like the free navigation of the river
be kept up. Our state will not be so foolish A.
to place new distractions in the way Of the nav
iSation of the Illinois, SO long at least as there
shall be no greater necessity for it than exists at
present
And the objection to Peoria applies with equal
force TO any point south OF Peru. The road, it is
then settled, must cross at Peru, or near there.
/ Now, men who have looked at the ground,
know that Utica or in fact any place on the I'LL
nos river from mile or two west of Ottawa to
Peru, would afford a very little better crossing
place than there is at Peru or La Sale
Wc must, then, come up as far as Ottawa to
find good crossing place. Here there are high,
solid, rock banks on both sides, and bu, few
hundred feet from bank to bank. While bridge
at Peru or La Sale would cost at least half a
million, and then not be safc--fiftecn or twenty
! thousand dollars would build an excellent bridge
at Ottawa.
But, it is objected, the law making the grant Of
lands to the state to build this road requires tia,
it shall terminate at La Sale, and it is not policy
to ask change Of the law. We grant it would
be worse than bad policy to bring this matter n.
gain before Congress. and no change of the law
is asked or needed. 1t is true the law requires
that the road shall terminate at La Sale, bu,
does 1t thence follow that the road must there
cross The riuerf Was it intended to preclude the
state from all exercise Of choice or discretion in
fixing upon the crossing place, and confne it to
n point Immediately opposite La Sale and Meth.
or n rod to the right nor left This will hardly
be pretended. II, liz determining the route from
Bloomington to La Sale it shall be found much
cheaper and more feasible to cross the river at
| Ottawa and thence proceeded down on the north
side to the terminus, surely there is nothing in
the grant TO prevent the exercise of such sound
discretion in locating the road
! From La Sale, the route could then be extend.
cd to Galena, as the law eontemplates, and anoth.
er branch 10 carried of, via Ottawa, to Chicago
And il the people Of Chicago, and Of the State
are wise. they will SEQ that this /, the route dcta.
ted by their bsst interests. Suppose the plan
succeeds, which We have been astopshed to see
broached in Chicago. Of branching off from the
main trunk Of the road at Shelbyyili or some
point far south Of here, and running in direct
line to Chicago. How long will i, be before the
Southern Michigan Rail Road will be connected
with this Chicsgo branch' And then where will
tChicago be, on the great route from Buffalo, DC.
to Carol Where would DO tho state policy Of
such divsioni
We have but glanced at this subject, and shal
resume it hereafter.
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