The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-05-16
Otta(ua frtt Graotr.
Illinois River Improvement.


IIiiDoIs River Improvement.
The act of our last legislature chartering
. company to improve the navigation Of the
Illinois River has met with so much op-
position along the river Itself, particularly
from Peoria down, that there seems to be
little probability OF anything being done I'M
der its provisions With the river in its
present condition, Peoria viii, during about
thirds Of the season, be the head q
navigation on the Illinois river, and it : not
strange that the se!hshness Of that c,-y :
unwilling to give up such an advantage. 1t
would be difficult. of course, to ct cyp.:al
lists to expend two or three millions in build
ing dams and dredging bars along :. river
where reckless spirit Of opposition might
destroy in q night what it took months Of
labor and millions of money to erect.
The city Of Peoria, ard other opponents
Ct the river improvement have received
new ally in the person OF the Hon. Isaac y.
Norris, member of Congress elect frcm the
Quincy district, who publishes long letter
denouncing in strong terms the act OF the
legislature, and expressing his determination
to use every means in his power to defeat
the scheme in Congress, By getting from
that body refusal to surrender its .jurisdic
ton over the Illinois river. How far the
authority or jurisdiction of the said congress
over navigahle stream wholly within The
boundaries Of our own state extends, Mr..
Norris does not very clearly inform Us, and
We confess, upon democratic principles, at
least, we conceive Mr.. NJ. will find 4 difficult
ty in proving that congress has any authori-
ty or jurisdiction over said river whatever.
So far as the propriety Of surrendering
the Illinois river to the control Of the pro-
posed Company is concerned, it strikes US
that much of this large talk about q "huge
monopoly" &c, is pure gas and blatant
nonsense. Mr.. Morris high sounding talk
about the Importance Of the river in na-
tional point OF view" as channel for the
transportation of men and munitions OF
war; and Of thousand upon thousands Of
passengers" is also erniuently so. Mr. ".
is not posted. Is ne not aware that already
from Chicago to Peoria one railroad i in
operation, . much mere rapid and reliable
channel or means of transporting men and
munitions OF ar than any naviyable stream
ever can be. Also that from Ia Sale TO i.
Louis, on the opposite side Of, anI running
nearly parallel with the Illinois river, as.c.h-
CT railroad is under contract, through to st
Louis, and will be completed within two
years: To talk of carrying thousands Of
passengers upon the Illinois river, with
railroad or two running parallel with il On
either side, Is absurd.
The y nois river hereafter can IL best be
useful only a the canal IS ct rrc>cn;-far
carrying bulky and heavy rnercaan,:.se,
such sugars, no!as>es, and Al. otter gro
cerie>,-lurIb,r, grain, nc. These can a.
ways Le carried on water CheaV-r .Aau Oh
the rail. and VII always take 20 y.a,-r
when the navigation : permanent and -
liable. For such article no extraordinary
speed - needcd-crr;aiuty = more imror-
tapt than Z sTat-h-and this the Illinois
river, reliably improved With io,E, aui
dams, would afford - to tic fear o.. cxor-
bitani and oppressive tonnage ciarg By
the river compaay-it * all a tugbear. The
company, if ever organized (which Is pro-
blematicaJ it IS safe to assume viii b. com
posed If scusi5l. business men, and these
vii understand, what al experience has
taught, that there !, 4 mean, above or below
which toll charga' al - Yell the highest
pliat of revenue. IAis mean Is always
sought in regulating the charges upon canals .
and railroads which are owned by private
comgauiea-tiIis mean wiil DOUBTLESS Lc
sought by the Illinois River Company, and
when found will be just that rate winch
will give the river most business, and will
therefore be most beneficial u the river
men and the company.