Daily Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1854-1855, 1855-02-13
From the Chicago Democratic Press.
THE ROCK ISLAND BRIDGE.

WIS etected upon tue islou', fuu WIS w
cupiedas amilitary post until 1888 When
the necessity for its occupancy BY United
States troops no longer e~isteditwas aban- /
doned, and with the exception OF irac- /
tional quarter section granted by Lon
geese TO Col. Davenport, aud u small .por-
tion Of the Island, opposite Moline, occu'
pied by "squsttcrs," the whole oft, consls-
ting u between 500 and 1000 acres, has
been lying entirely unproductve-as vaiae-
less and even more 80 than II Il had Deeh
sunk beneath the waters OF the Mississippi. t
Upon the books OF the Land Department,
at Washington, il stands recorded as
Military Reservation But SO lar rs re-
lates 20 the uses which Milit ~ Reserva-
ton is ordinarily subjected TO, il Is just OF as
! much value to the United States as the
| same numbes Of acres would be in the CEN
| tire of Grand Prairie in Southern Illinois
90 much and no more. The Indians have
retired before advancing civilization far to
the North and West of Rock Island.
Fort Smelling. on the Mississippi, snd For:
| i.eayenworth on the Missouri, now answer
the purpose which Fort Armstrong, on Rock
leland, once did. There is no probability
that the latter will ever be rebuilt and again
occupied by military forces. The United
States have no further use for 1t, and It
ought to have been put in market and sold
twenty years ago.
| The completion of the Chicago and Rock
Island road to the Mississippi. and the Com
mencement Of the Mississippi and Missouri
road, which is but continuation Of the for
mer, created necessity for bridging the
Mississippi. Rock Island seemed to have
been placed in the great river with special
reference to this line OF road. IL was na-
ture's language for a bridge, as plain as
though it had been written out there IN
great Roman capitals. Conceiving the ju-
rsdicton of the State over the Island satii
cient to justify it, the Illinois Legislature
two years ago granted charter to COM
pany to construct railway bridge across
the Mississippi at that point, empowering
the company to grade across the Island and
lay down railway track.
i The 60 npany expected opposition, but
went To work, believing thatit would prove
futile. The extension OF a line OF railroad
from the Southern terminus OF Lake Mich-
gan across the Mississippi, thence 10 Goun-
Gil Bluffs or the Missouri, and thence to
San Francisco and Pugets Sound, it was
| well known would arouse hostiities and.
] iealousies in ambitious cities south OF its
/ line But the company knew they had
law on their side, and while they were pre-
pared for annoyances from the above sour
ces, they had no fears for the final result -
They went to work. For more than
twelve months have they prosecuted the
Herculean undertaking Huge piers have
arisen from the bosom OF the Mississippi,
and ere long series Of arc g, would have
spanned il torevermore. The looked-tor
opposition came. First, the press of st.
Louis sounded the tocsin Of war. Then
the chamber of Commerce AMI the Com
mon Council of that city took the matter in
hand There was a tremendous ground
swell for awhile. Couriers were started of
post-haste to sue out injunctions against
the the company. The matter was tried
both in Iowa and Illinois, but had to b, Civ
en- up The step was premature, st.
Louis was foiled but she m adilted an attack
from different point.
| Various sections of the South had long
been struggling to become the starting
| point for a railroad to the Pacific. St.
Louis, herself, had an ambition Of this kind
TO gratfy-so had Memphis, and Vicksburg,
New Orleans and Galveston. But while
all save St. Louis were intent mainly upon
the railroad. that city was actuated in her
hostility to the bridge at Rock Island chief
| " BY considerations respecting her com.
merce with Iowa and Minnesota, Western
Illinois and Wisconsin, which the bridge
woul aid greatly TO Gu. off and urn towards
a rival city Failing in her efforts to put a
stop to this constru elton single-handed. she
| undertook to combine the Southern cities
before mentioned, and through them the en-
tire South, in opposition to it, and to re-
move the contest to Washington. Fortu-
| nately for st. Louis, the Secretary of War
was but too ready to throw all the power
and influence of his position in opposition to
the bridge. | A man of most violent prejud-
sand with all those prejulices actively
arrayed against everything pertaining TO in
terests north of Mason and Dixon's line, he
entered con amore into the conspiracy to
stifie and beat down Northern rights and
Northern sovereignties.
First the Secretary Of War issued his
| warrant TO the U. s. Marshall fer the Dis
trict of Illinois commanding him to clear
everybody off the Island, to demolish the
shanties Of the laborers, and 10 re- place the
grading which had been completed. But
the Marshall is prudent man and before
proceeding to carry into effect the mandate
of the fiery Secretary, took counsel on the
subject, and learning that he would .proba
bly, become responsible for damages, de-
clincd to proceed any further than to serve
written notice Of the warrant upon the par
ties.
| Not to be foiled however, through a want
ofnerve or a prudent regard on the part of
the Marshall for eping safe from the
clutches of the law, the Secretary OF War
instituted two suits for damages against the
company. and these suits have been trans
ferred from Springfield 10 Washington,
where motion for an injunction to r strain
4 continuance Of the work until they are