The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1856-12-20


CITY ~ DAvENR00F
sArUaDAY MoANsr0, Dec. .. sess.
n lssk lslAaA 1Elaes.
The rood people Of d, Louis ere sgsil
becoaiae saeasy relative to the briAe'
scsubs ~ Mississippi u this point TIE,
here. periodical attacks Of an iaaamma,osJ
rhesmatism on the subject OF THE gres
s,,ac,are, generally ecsarring, however. On
the occasion Of some water craft through
bad pilosses bamping the piers Of the bridge
Al prsssss, The ssssck has come upon theu
When above ssd below he bridge ars 6elda
Of ice, which msy not be removed By the
srest Archjsec, for months TO come Blu,
the d. Leafs people are looking shead
,arther than they generally do, and doubt.
lee. ssc intent upon having tho Railroad
bridge disappear with the ice bridge. The
following appears in The Republican:
We are resucsted to sa, tina. there will
BE- . meeting At noon Tomorrow at the Mer-
chants' Exchange. 10 relation 10 the bridge
=, Rock Island, and the distinctions formed
By il to the navigation OF the Upper Aissis
sippi. Merchants, rirermen, and all Others
Interested in procuring its removal, are re-
ouested 10 attend Matters Of Importance,
touching this subject, will be submitted lcr
consideration.
Il has mol been know until recently, that
the Mississippi river was established a. an
institution for the especial benefit OF ST.
Louis, aad that she consequently claims ex-
elusive jsrssdictioa over j, from ST. Paul to
the Cali Ii ID true. oil know that whaiesci
Importance belongs TO ST. Louis, has been
derived from the trade and c0maserce of this
great river and its tributaries, and therefore
j, is human nature, or corporation nature
that she should regard them with Jealous
eye. But there are doubts in some quarter
whether. while she Is permitted to grow ans
fatsea with our best good wishes on the ad
vaatages OF these great arteries OF trade ana
travel. she ought u be considered the sois
director and arbitrator Of the enterprise o
other regions, calculated to make up fo'
them sOsne OF the Deficiencies they expert
ence through the ~aIs Of just such tri6ata
RES to their wealth rs 81. Louis enjoys
There 10 vast region Of county, and com
binalion Of great Interests, which seem e
regard railroad bridge across the Aissis'
sippi At this point % Of vital Importance
To secure this. the outlay Of tens Of thou
sssds OF dollars has been cheerfully made
and the grea, object attained in the form o
. nagaiticent structure. alike monumen
TO Tie skill and enterprise Of man. Careful
in erecting this bridge to avoid as Tar as pos
sihle 10 any manner interfering with othe
Important interests, all reasonable precau
ton was used 70 prevent this structure b.
coming an impeachment to navigation. BIZ
accidents occurred after il was built, an
one resulted in the partial destruction Of tn
bridge BY ERE, with The loss of steamer
In view Of this and the loud complaints Q
steam boatmen, such alteration was made il
The channel piers. thst now nothing but IN
pardonable carelessness can well prodsc,
az accident.
Nothing but unreasonable, selfish preju
dice. can now object TO this bridge on the
part Of s,eamboatmen So far as 81. Louis
i concerned, there is deeper cause which
called oui the notice above than mere pre-.
judice, or any real belief tina, this bridge
is serious obstruction TO aavgation. This
mar be found truly limned in the following
article On the suojee, from the Chicago Dan
Pres:
The Mississippi River has been mainly
instrumental in building up the city Of st.
Louis. /, is great, noble stream, worthy
the admiration of our neighbors Of the
Mcsnd City. But great rs ii is-iarge as may
he the conmerce which Aoats upon its bo.
con, il is high time for the people of 81
Louis to und erstand that Il IL not the only
great interes, of the country. Railroads have
barely penetrated Iowa. II u but yesterday
that lie 6rst locomotive was transported
across The Mississippi. The new modes O
doing business-the change in the direction
OF trade, and the opening Of new business
relations consequent upon the introduction
of this new agency. are all yet 10 state O.
~asesaled transition. But notwithstanding
this fact, the people cf Iowa are alread,
more deeply interested, because more *
tepsiyely and more certainly benefited, il
the lines Of road which have reached thei
Stste from the eastward, than they are il
the uississippi. When these lines shal
have reached the western boundary Of tha
great State, and time sufficient shall hav
eiapsel TO perfect the necessary changes
then the relative interest Of the people il
the roads and the river will show an i'm
mense preponderance in favor of Tie for
mef.
desires the trade OF lows. Unwilling to ex
pend money in building roacs to that State
she seeks TO coeree the people of Iowa Il
look TO her for marke., BY throwing ever,
obstacle in the way of those whose enter
prise il opening up other and more reliabl;
channeis OF trade TO their very doors. Thi
il the policy Of ST. Louis While the Mis-
siseipp has been instrumental in building
No that city, II has ruined the enterprise 0
her people They rely upon her natural re.
sources for future prosperity, or if they put
forth an effort. il 10 not TO open new aven
ues through which TO invite large com.
nercs, but TO throw obstacles in the way Of
otker commercial. centers, whose people
are fully imbued with the spirit Of the
tiaoo.
Ne are getting heartily tired ofthese pet.
" aapoy snces 10 which ST. Louis 10 sub.
jectinR those interested in the Rock Island
braee. II she proposes any efficient action
q ~, Why not enter upon it At onces Why
this continued beating Of drums and march
ins and countermsrching Of forces, but no
64hfi There are tribunals OF last resort, be-
fore which this question may Be settled st
once and forever. Why not 20 before such
1 tribunal, and abide the consequences.-
The fact 10, ST. Louis dare not do %. She
knows full we'll that the courts are bound to
respect the rights Of railroads a. well ~ Of
rivers-tbat in deciding question Of this
character, the old presidents which we're
iaid aown, before the Introduction OF rail.
roads. respecting nsvgsbls wa,sr.coursss.
will NOT be binding, but that new rules ofds-
cision corresponding with the new facts viii
g,vsrn. And knowing this, she confines her
action to outside movements, hoping there
BY 10 delay the progress Of similar strue
lures to tie Rock Island bridge II those 9TH
er points 90 the Mississippi At which the ne
ceseisies Of trade and irsvel demand them.
We are not 81 presumptuous a. 10 advise
n n A NJ.