Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1855-05-03
WASHINGTON NEWS And GOSSIP.


getting into inextricable trouble-on takinf
measures to end in destroying, utterly destroy
ing the value Of every share of their stock
We fad evidence of this fact in the following
| article from q late number of the st. Louis
IntsLligencer:
TIE BRIDGE AT Rock IsLAND-HUGE BREAK
WATER TO BE BUILr.-We learn that the Chi
cego and Rock Island Railroad Company, be.
| sides the creation Of bridge across the Mis-
| si.sippi, al Rock Island, are preparing to build
an immense breakwa ter in the Mississippi jus,
above and adjoining the grea. centre pier en
which will swing the draw on the railroad
bridge.
This breakwater will require about SOC, 600
feet of lumber and 10000 yards of rock for liz
construction 1t is intended for the grea.
draw to rest upon when swung around; the
upper end oft for house for the draw. keep
er to reside in, and for an icebreaker and
breakwater. Its huge dimensions will defy
the storm and floods.
Ofthis undertaking, the Rock Island Repub.
ican says:
{" To most people, the idea of huge pile Of
rocks about forty feet ride and flee hundred
feet long, with house on the upper end Of it,
and lying in the middle Of tn Mississippi and
directly above an immense pier on which the
draw turns-the idea, we say, Of all this being
10 obstruction to navigation, would, to most
people seem rather absurd.
Without any regard to what the decision
OF Judge Mclean may be in relation to the
erection of this bridge the railroad company
seem determined to prosecute the work. and
are about to erect more shsnties on the north
side Of the island for laborcrs.
Z" The company probably does not want or
need any advice as to what course it sha
pursue; but to ordinary men it would have
seemed more proper to obtain the consent OF
the United States Government to pass over q
military reservation and devastate Govern.
ment property, before it appropriates all the
earth and rock on the island to railroad PUT
poses, and takes forcible possession of nearly
the entire island.
Whatever the decision Of Judge Mclean
may be, We consider the course pursued by the
railroad company, in regard to the island,
most outrageous assumption Of power, and
most wanton destruction Of property ovs1
which 1t has no control -
There is question in issue between the
General Government ard this company Il lie
now in the hands Of Judge Mclean, Of the Su-
prems Court The United States would rot
have thrown an obstacle in tho way Of The
company, unless the Government were tho.
roughly convinced that their duty to their
trust made such couIS, inperatively neces-
sary; nor even then, unless veil assured that
he courts Of law would sustain their action
The directors, however, lack business tact to
such an extent as to go on expanding the stock
holders money, in the hops of being able to
tilliy tee General Government out of i,s rights
in this controversy. This game has often be, n
essayed before, but always ending in the over.
throw, sooner or later, of the parties anxious
to butt their business brains out after this
fashion.
Tbs company in this case may rely on two
CT three fixed facts: first, that the Govern.
ment are not opposing their purposeS further
than compelled so to DO under the law; next,
that if the Supreme Court sustains the Govern
nsnt, they Ohio company will lose every dol
lar they may venture In this foolish contest
And last, that they have only to satisfy the
Government Of the propriety Of their de-.
mards and intentions, to have the latter
working in harmony with thcm-.second-
ing their tff1rts to improve the section CT
the country through which the proposed rail.
road is to pass. AS tho matter now stands,
however, it seems to us that there is little
hope that the direction Of the Chicago and
Rock Island Railroad enterprise will fail to
waste every dollar of the money Of their stock
holders in foolish contest against the Gov.
ernnent, which can only terminate in their
inglorious, eventual overthrow.
Er. Josiah :. Polk.-This gentleman, in
complaining, in the columns Of an evening
contemporary, of his recent removal from Office,
takes OCCASION to 60 out Of his way to impugn
our motives; chsrac:erizing the Star al a
1" Jesuit organ" Oar relations with Mr.. Polk
have always been so friendly as to make his
assault upon Us matter Of surprise. 1t has
set US to inquiring into the causes Of bis re-
moval, and VIC hear that it was occasioned by
variety Of Circumstances, some Of which are
as follows: frat, that lie has of late gone &C
lively into politics; next, that he has accepted
tHO oficcs under the corporation Of Washing.
ton, Of great Importance to the city's future,
charge IL hs ia compelled to do days work
for the Gensr al Government every twenty four
hours; thirdly, he has long been contentious
AID htigious man in religious matters, devot.
ing himself with heart and soul to the work Of
prosecuting and maligning q religious sect en-.
titled to as kind treatmen. at the hands Of the
Government Of the Omitted States as any other
sect; and his superiors in Office were no longer
disposed to furnish out Of the public treasury
the meas This salary of enabling him Sc
to employ himself.
The Ivorson Grass The chief of the az
ricultural branch of the Patent OEise has re.
eeiVed report from W. W. w. Bowie, q
Prince Georges county, Md, Of his expert
encs in raising the new Georgia grass-ths
Ivsrson grass-Which first came into notice by
being described and greatly praised in las,
years Patent Office (AgrioulturaD Report.
Mr. Bowie writes that he soued 1t "durinl
| the last Of October, upon kind soil, unma