Iowa capitol reporter. [volume] (Iowa City, Iowa) 1841-1855, 1852-06-09
IOWA CITY, WEDNESDAY. JUNE g. 1852

We take the following letter from the Wes-
tern American. 1t is a reply to charge made
by that paper against those who have had the
management of that improvement;
EDS OF THE WEsTAN AxERIcAx.
GESrLsxES The position you have a..
sumed, relative to,he Des Moines Improvment
prompts me to make few remarks in explana.
tion Of the facts in the case; and without con.
fning myself to the answer your position
would require, permit me to ask If the Board
of Puolic Works did not proceed. as soon after
their organization As the surveys and the nec-
essary locations would permit. to contract
for the completion Of the entire work from the
mouth Of the river to Ottumwa; was it not
prosecuted to the fullest extent the means At
their command would admit answer most
esnphatically i va; aud only for the decision
= ke. .sronk 1nas
r. q. " Gu - y SSssl( sSSss esftsiSly
havs hesn coMplisd with. AID the whole coun.
try would now enjoy the benefits contenpla.
ted by the original grant. The sad result Of
that decision speaks for ITSELF it crippled the
resources from which the contractors were en-
titled to monthly payments; it caused looses
and litigations to avery great extent that 9th.
erwise would not have arisen in factI may say
that owing chiefly to this contingency may be
attributed the failure in the completion Of the
work. according to the plan projected by the
first chief Engineer.
Again; the community at large. must infer
from the tone Of your editorial. that nothing
has been done to remedy the exsing state Of
things up to the present tme Quite the re-
verse, however, is the fact. By the zeal and
untiring energy Of the Co mmissiouers, the de-
cision Of the former and present Secretary Of
the Interior department has been reversed,
restoring to the Slateth origna' grantof sOO..
900 acres above the Racoon Forks. Theseveral
works at Croton. Bonaparte and Ben,onsport
wer TO be put in condition for the passage ofboats
by the opening of navigation the presentspring;
and feel confident that everything within
the power Of human agency as been done to
accomplish this object. Owing to the contin
ued high water the contract for the completion
Of the gates at Croton and Bentonsport has not
been complied with. Mr.. F. Cotton. good
substantial Whig has endeavored to the ut
most of his power to meet his engagements.
and trusts censure may be withheld where it is
not due. e....
Itis all useless to talk about corruption. hum.
bugery. and other similar terms, in connection
with this improvement. Facts are quite suffi-
cient for all practical purposes. allowing that
it was an honorable difference of opinion as
to the true construction of the Law making
the grant. Since that point is fairly determin-
ed. the main question should be its proper ap-
plication as contemp a,ed by the Law it.
self. ......
If the commissioner has neglected his du
ties; if he has not accomplished all that could
be desired. and much more than many warm
friends of the improvement had anticipated
then it is your privilege to take responsibility
which the facts in the case will not justify.
Experience has demonstrated the folly OF
undertaking work of this character without
the necessary capital to speedy completion.
Hence it is most desirable that Gen. Van Ant
werp may succeed in securing the object Of
abled TO push forward the work with vigor
and success. and 'hopes long deferred" will be
more than realised, when it will afford me a
pleasure to converse with you upon the varied
resources of the Des Moines Val cy on board
one of the many fine steamers that are destined
to traverse its waters
Most Respectfully Yours.
...... NJ. NJ. HADEN.
Rerident Eng. Des Moines Imp.