The Davenport daily gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1856-1869, 1857-09-22
9osk lsland Bridge Case.

. -
aesk Island Bridge Case.
We have already Published .omc II the
testimony in the suit OF the steamer Lille
Afton against the Rock Island Bridge CO.
but tie question i of ~ much importance
a. the Railroad and other Interest,". If the
country, and more especially to the people
Il this city, where the Bridge is located.
'aaf We feel portion &c our ,,'uars could
not be better occupied than BY the publca-
ton 81 additional testimony in this case.
now on trial at Chicago. We give some II
tins testimony on our next page. The OBJ
Ject OF those engaged in the prosecution ri
this case, and cf their hackers, il no, merely
to recover the assumed los. involved in the
destruction Of the F,ic Alton by lire u, the
Bridge, nor in addition 10 this to secure th,
removal Of the magnificent work Il ART
spanning the Mississippi at this point but
u 10 establish the legal principle, that no
bridge shall be- erected across this river UNI
lee II he structure dispensing with piers.
and IN no possible manner directly di.coa.-
aoasss, TO the slightest extent, the steam.
bat interests. There are some eight or
tengreat enterprises, connected with import
ant railroad interests, and through them
With the interests of vas, region of coun.
try, awaiting the decision in rhi, Rridg,
Gaze. But we have in previous articles -ai,
enough On this phase of the subject
The testimony offered by the Plaintiff.
We mean that not touching directly ula,
the burning Of the Ellie Alton. hut bear
lne UPON the Bridge and it, connection will
river navigation, wa. To prove that the
Bridge ~ n serious obstruction 20 this nayi
cation, and should therefore be- removed
OF very materially altered, There was no
difficulty in getting amy amount or ,estilno.
ny TO this effect among sttamboatm,a.
Thes" representatives Of river navigation
are generally warm IN their preiudice-, and
by no means backward in giving language
TO their feelings. MANY of them have a
prejudice, unreasonable IA it, strength
against this bridge, apparently regarding il
asAdirect and prcmeditatcd infringement az
an their rights. II. Louis. " hess. interest
have been seriously injured by railroad en-.
terprlse. above ar north II her. and beyond
her own energies t. rival, anil ~ wairh thi-
bridge is an important auxiliary has been
unceasing and INSCRIPTIONS IN her eirnrts To-
heighten this prejudice. There could be nc
better evidence Of the eninity of steamboat
men 70 this bridge, than is contained in a.,
Tact, that when At the time Of the destrnc.
ton Of the Eff ifroa, the bridge caush, on
fire, and one huge span 81 the magnificent
structure fell crashing into the water, these
snen set the whistles III their lna,- lying nj
our wharf 10 shrickine, and their bells ring
ing, in triumph and joy over this dcstruc
tion. With this feeling IL can rea, liz Ii,
conceived that their testimony was not dit
fcut Co obtain, pronouncing the bridge u
"serious obstruction" >tcambnatmen thus
testified who never saw the bridge but Two
or three times. Others testified the samc
who had passed J, scores Of times without,
accident. And yet there i one fact which
IN itself oscrthrows mountain Of ~,ich eyi.
dencc - this--that since ia. rebuilding Of
the bridge, there have been nearly one
thousand passages Of steamboat, through IL
draw, with not single accident Of scrinu.
importance, and with not prrhar. half n
dozen where il was necessary for tie hnai.
To lay by an hour for repairs.
One ppint sought o. be made hv the t,s
timony al pilots Wa. that the current runs
diagonally between the piers. ~ from the
head Of the long pier towards the foot of
the short pier To establish this, was g.
prove that the navigation of the bridge
could scarcely he otherwise han dangerous.
We have repeatedly denied thu. statement.
aud We are enabled today To give the eyl
dcnce Of civil engineers and other, who have
fully aud carefully examined the current
and experimental by surface and under
fioats, &c, 10 test IL, proving eonclusively
that the current runs parallel with the piers
instead Of d,Agonally. To prove Mis, With
the fact that the piers are far enough apart
to permit the safe passage Of medium ,izcd
steamer with barge each side of her or
tw" such steamers side by side, and that
the current Of the river is not greatly in
creased IN rapidity b, tho building &c tho
bridge OF its PIERS all required L. sui.
stantiate the fact that the bridge j. MT
s~rlons obstruction e. nas igation
We ask the attention Of reader. tn I'M.
testimony We publish on the mex, page.