The Tipton advertiser. [volume] (Tipton, Cedar Co., Iowa) 1856-1962, 1859-07-16
From the Dubuque Daily Morning sun,
The Rock Island Il idge.. Rival
lutte. ests..Cause Of Tue Complaints.

| From the Dubuque Daily Morning sun.
The Rock Island Il idge- -.pilots.-Ilivai
lutte. .esis.-Causs Of tAe Complaints.
We published few days since the
minority protest ola part Of the Grand
Jury of the Z. S. District Court for the
Southern Division of Iowa against tie
bill pre- ea.cd by majority Of the Jury
declaring the Rock I>land Bridge nui
sa"ce. 1t appears that IA systematic op,
position on the par. Of steamboat men,
captains, pilots, aud Of some other par
ties not directly connected with steam
brat navi-s, o., has been cuti,a e! fr
several years, snd the opposition to the
bridge has assumed such an organized
form as TO show the motives and objects
Of those engaged 10 manutac.urin: pub.
lie opinion against the principle OF bridy-
irs the Mississippi 1t has been dscov.
er d that while many of the pilots are
honest in their belief tha, the bridge is
greater obstruction to navigation than it
has actually proved to be, there are other
pilots and some steambo captains whose
interest it has become to cry down the
brd; G and to rail against the pnlicy of
bridging the river at any pint Glow the
head Of steamboat nay'g ,t,"n. Some Of the
accidents at, ebIiaye h; v b en- caused ly
drunken of inefficient pilots. and resulted
from ignorance or gross carclessncss.
! Some Of the more skill 'ul pilots have
no more fear or danger in passing the
draw o: that brid ge than they have in pass
ing any narrow place in the river chan
mel or OF runnfuy OH the concealed aud
shifting sand bars
| 1t Is generally conceded that the Grand
Jury referred to had no jurisdiction IF
the suhject-ratte- o. Il cir bill, unL it is
very probable that sotue undue iniu, nee
was brought to bear on the anojority of
the Jurors. The first opposition to the
bridge originated. we believe at ST. Ion
IS, with those merchants whose foresight
enabled them to d -cnver that the great.
ert e facilities s!i"rded BY such bridges
for the iranSdrrta;ion for fr,i. .ht from
west Of the river, eastward, the more
trade would be drawn from ST Louis .-
Subsequently those interested in the
commerce OF the lower Mississippi op
posed the bridge for the same reasons,
aud the fact that s'eambost companies sud
their officers would naturally be also op-
posed to the bridge, for commercial rea.
sons. has led to the organized, obstinate
and strong resistance TO the bridge tina.
hiss been effected. This we'll planned op-
position il now sustained by. money con
tr, r,bu.ious, and the amounts and local:
ties Of the following subscriptions are
proof enough both on the fac, of such &c.
termined opposition and lis de-i en:
ST. Louis Chamber Of Commerce $1,000
CRY Of St Louis 1900
Individual subscri ptson II 900.
New Orleans 5000
Total $4,000.
The rccen. examination Of the bridge
by Bosrd Of l. glneers was ius.iyased
by St Louis, and yet the the result, of
the inyestlga ton merely showed that the
bridge should not have been Luilt on the
precise spot where it was constructed ---
TO show chat W, are correct in our ,piu-
ion of the object of ST. Louis on this
question, ,wequo,e the following paraers ph
from an appeal by the Chamber Of Con.-
merce OF that city, addresstd to the citi
zens Of New Orleans aud calling fur 'ula-
terlal aid -
'lt We are successful in the suit ins,i.
tuted against the Rock Island Bridge
Company. We shall hear no more of brid..
ing the Mississippi! riv,., SO as to obstruct
navigation, but il vii! remain forever the
"obIest inland highway for commerce on
the globe, aud your city aud our, will dc.
rive from it the wealth and prosperity
which rlyh,tuly belongs TO AS. If We
| abandoE our exertlons, or fail in cur ef-
.orts. the river will be brilsed Il. every
important crossing, aud the railroads run
ming east and west viii take to n rihern
cities the inmen.e trade which should
follow the course Of our mi este river"
Now there may b. fifty railroad bridges
across the Mississippi without ser,ou ly
obs,ruc,lng nuvi cation. The oas in
question is the only one that " il probably
evergiyeany trouble On ths, ac, ONT /, is
unfortunately located at a pont where
rapid currents nude nas CATION SOME what
difficult, before This would not be TIE
case u, LaCrosse, Prairie du Chen, De,
huque, Fulton. Savannah, Muscatine.
Burlington, or even keokuk, though the
latter city appears to oppose the bridge
though sympathy with st Louis.
II the people Of Iowa, and the Press
| will examine the subject re.nly il will
be found that the true interests OF our
State require the bridging Of the Mis-
i,sippi, a, every point where the great
lines os railroad leading we, twara touch
tn, river. Railroads westward div~,ge
from the same point will str I h toward
the Missouri. aud the value of such
bridges as aids to commerce. are as yet
but very little appreciated.
1t il, besides, mistaken fear that the
river commerce will be destroyed by in
crcssinc the faci'i les Of railroad com.
nerce resulting from such bridges. This
great riverois free high way for cheap
! transportation with which railroads, par
ralsel to It's course, can never successful
" compete. Railroads. cannot compete
with canals 10 the transportation Of
freight, even where only horse. power is
used Much less will railroads c,er RI
ral tho Mississippi in carrying trade, on