The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1859-11-09
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any other second-rate town west of the Al
leghanies, in the same period of time. In
watching this growth, the observer will no.
tice, that while the city is extending its
borders in many directions, there are some
localities that, although seeming to invite
enterprise to the work Of Improvement, yet
lag far behind, exhibiting but little change
in period of one or two years. This local
hardness must be the effect of local causes,
and one of the causes ] propose now to ex-
anime. For the sake OF perspicuity, and to
arrive at once at the point,I viii state this
simple proposition,-that the ann of the
canal extending from the elbow, through
Evansville and Lamasco, is a nuisance,
which should be speedily abated The ben
efits derived from it are very Insignificant,
compared with the great disadvantage re-
sulting to the city from its existence, and if
the necessities of the city demanded such
an extension of the ditch, its present loca-
ton is not the right one. The facts of the
case bear me out in the assertion, that it
forms great impediment to the extension
of business in that direction. Blocks of
stores and warehouses grow up almost to the
margin of the canal, and right there all
visible signs Of improvement disappear,
and the healthy atmosphere that appears to
pervade that portion of the city lying be-
tween the dirty ditch and the river, seems
to have its limit there, COMPRISING the city
as it were, between these two lines of de-
narration. There is a struggle. for more
room. Three hundred persons to-day, are
seeking (ard almost hopelessly) for dwell
ings. Two hundred and fifty refuse to cross
the canal, if it can possibly be ayoided-1 ALI
are trying to crowd into the narrow limits
between the canal and river. The whole
course of The extension through the city isi
marked by strong feature, bordering on
desolation The soil and the atmosphere
seem blighted. Z Lots stand vacant The
value of property diminishes in proportion
to its contiguity to the canal, and the
effluvium rising from its fntid waters admon-
ishes the seeker of nome, to keep a respect
full distance, or provide special fund for
quinine and Shallenberger. As an ornament
we may, per force of imagination, draw
parallel between Main street bridge and the
Rialto, wood boats and the gondolas- Ev-
ansville and Venice; but the comparison is a
very vague one. Tie amount of business
done on the Canal below Main street, may
be represented by nothing divided by two; and
that between Main street and the elbow,
amounts to one mill, one wood yard, and
two commission houses all of which, with
the exception of the mill of Igleheart IL
Brothers, could be transferred without an
interruption in the business, or any difficulty,
to a basin at or above the elbow. The dray-
age would be but slightly increased, and the
same appliances can be constructed there,
that exist at present where they are a dis
| advantage to the place at large, and trade
| can be carried on without obstruction. 5a.i- W
1t appears to me, Mr.. Editor, that glance
| at the matter will be sufficient to satisfy any
| disinterested person that the arm of the
| Canal extending through the city, is a great
| detriment, and that the interests of the city
1 at large demand its removal; even if she
| should be obliged to pay indemnity to. die
two or three, whose interests might beltem-
| porarily affected thereby. Any difficulty
which might arise out of the question of
| vacating or terminating the " right of way, +"
acquired by the Canal company, viii be a
subject for future communicating
Ny space limits me to a few preliminary
remarks.
Now, in regard TO the manner in which
this arrl of the Canal shall be disposed OF
without interrupting the water privileges it
now affords, tits prOposed-and responsible
concern in this city offers to carry out the
proposition, to lay a "a inch iron pipe, or
one of the necessary dimensions, from the
elbow to the lower end of the extension, one
that will last forever, for the sum which the
city is obliged to expend for bridge building
and repairs, about once in every six years |;
and in order to obviate any difficulty from
low water, it is proposed that the upper or
elbow terminus of the pipe, shall connect
| with reservoir, SO constructed that at all
stages of water there shall be a full supply,
an advantage which does not at present
| exist.
A gentleman, who is interested in the
matter, offers to fill up one section, extending
from one bridge to another, distance of
one square, entirely at his own expense
Here, Mr.. Editor, think are offers worthy
of the consideration of the City Council. l
will venture the assertion, that this nuis-
ance must, and will be, sooner or later,
abated for nuisance it is, and very Sc
rious one, too, and we might as well begin
now to talk about it, and to accept now the
| offers of liberal men, as to wait until the
expense will be ten times as great, and the
trouble of transferring the business augment
| ed an hundred fold.