The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1857-03-04

fall represen tAtion from the various Town
ships Of the County 10 desirable.
j. B. HOWELL,
Chairman Of County Committee.
Keokuk, March z, ,5T
Des Meines River improvement.
writer over the signature s'Des Moines,"
in the Keosauqua Republican, devotes con-
siderable space to the abuse of Messrs. Brig
ham Of Lee, Coolbaugh Of Des Moines, An
derson Of Abba, and "abolition" jenkins OF
Jackson, on account Of their opposition to
the Denoine Navigation Company swindle,
and their support Of the law passed at the
late session Of the Legislature. While the
writer was about it, he might as we'll have
extended his abuse TO nine-tenths of both
branches Of the Legislature, who voted with
these gentlemen to adopt the Report Of the
Investigating Committee, and the law in re.
lation to the improvement, and he need not
have spared Gov. Grimes who cordially ap-
proved it.
We have few words to say on this sub
jsct, a portion Of which may as well be said
now, especially as it is a matter out Of which
no political capital can be made, as an over
whelming majority Of both parties in the
Legislature endorsed the report of the Inves-
tieasing Committee, Snd voted for the pres
ent Law.
Last summer the character of the Denone
Navigation Company, its do-nothing policy,
Its extravagance, its rascalities, and it's sus-
pecsed and apparent schemes for swindling
the State, were common topics Of talk and
denunciation along the Des Moines, by all
glasses OF people, and excited the indgna-
ton Of oil the jewellers in the valley, from
the present Commissioner down to tie rag-
ged little urchins who were building sand
heaps in the streets of Keosauqua. All were
alike anxious that the Company might be
prevented from getting deeds to the lands,
and all rejoiced at the Governors REFUSAL
Upon every hand the most rigid investiga-
ton vas demanded into the affairs Of the
Company, and full exposure Of their tor
taoas windings was expected with great en-
gerness.
We imbibei this spirit and these views
from the people of the Valley, last fall and
when in Iowa City, this winter, We rcjoiced
TO find that the Legislature were carrying
out the wishes of the friends of the Improve.
ansnt by entering into full investigation of
matters. What was our establishment then
IN Ia in hnr hat al az
Of some otnbe peculiar friends Of the Inn
provement had undergone an entire change
during that brief period. While we we're
urging rigid scrutiny into the affairs of the
Company, these friends Of the Improvement,
TO our utter establishment, were discoura-
gang the investigation, making sport of it,
and seeking to cover up the frauds of the
Company. This sudden change of front
was too fast for US. We found ourselves
playing at cross purposes with some Of our
friends on the Des Molnes, and so we drop
ped the matter in disgust.
We never after took any further part than
TO advise some of our friends who asked
our opinion, to crafty the Des Moines VAL
ley members rs far an they possibly could con-
sistently with the ultimate success Of the I'm
provement, and the interests Of the State.
But to proceed the charges made against
the Company in the Valley last summer,
were more than sustained by the testimony
OF the officers and employees of the Compa.
ny before the Committee of Investigation.
II was shown that the Company 10 its or.
ganAation was essentially and internally
swindle, and that it developed into fraud,
corruption and bribery. |, violated the laws
OF the State and the obligations Of it's char
ter. 1t squandered over hundred thous-
and dollars, which it charged to the State,
and instead Of completing two-thirds of the
entire work as it agreed TO by this time, it
had scarcely made q beginning. The orgi-
nal agreement Itself was ascertained tc be en-.
sireiy invalid, and all the subsequent modif-
cations OF II We're shown not to be binding
upon the State.
In this condition of things great major.
~ Of the members Of the Legislature whose
judgments were not blinded by too deep per-
sonai interest in the matter, thought the wise
course and the honest course to take, under
the circumstances, was to provide for paving
of the Des Nome Company for the work il
had actually done, and repay the money re.
ally expended, and then to make new con.
tract with the Company or some other.
This Company had utterly failed TO COM
ply with what was understood to be the con-
tact; had spent near three years and had
scarcely made their mark on the work which
should have been nearly completed. At the
same time the Company had shown a most
wanion DISREGARD Of the interests 81 Tho
State, by the most wasseful extravaganza
10 its expenditures, and in every way
exhibited a most abandoned and graeeless
character. Such company, after such
course Of conduct certainly had no further
claims on the State than the law gives, fair
compensation for labor and expenses.
Under the original contract, which that
writer abuses the Legislature for setting
aside ~ invalid, the Des Aoines Company
would be entitled to nearly oil the land be-