Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1859-03-11
From the Davenport Gazette. I
Our Bridge.

The Chicago Press of last Wednesday
contains an article respecting the senseless
course Of some of the citizens of st. Louis
against the Rock Island Bridge. While it
attaches rather more importance to the move
ments of some of the people Of that city than
they might rightly claim, the Press makes a
few sensible remarks. Speaking of the
charges made against the safety of this bridge
by county engineer across the river, whose
opinion is worth just precisely what was paid
for it, the Press says:
"The Rock Island Bridge was finished in
September, 1856, and, of course, it being well
built, is still in good condition. But the ST.
Louis Chamber of Commerce, by their
unwearied efforts to destroy it, have taken
the surest means to keep it in good order
But, aside from this, our readers know that
Henry Farnam, ESD, the President of the
Rock Island Railroad, who also has charge of
this Bridge, is one of the most careful railway
managers in the country. He is withal an
engineer Of high standing, and no effort which
the largest experience, directed by the most
mature judgment, and the highest scientific
attainments, can command, will ever be
wanting to keep the Rock Island Bridge above
the possibility of danger. Every timber and
every pier is daily watched with the greatest
care. There is not similar structure in the
United States which is more carefully guarded,
or one which is more likely to stand securely
than the Rock Island Bridge
The above is true. Just so soon as this
bridge becomes dangerous" we shall notify
the community, setting, as we do, proper
value upon human life.
Rock ISLAND BRlDGE.-The Secretary CT
War has appointed commission consisting
of Capt. Meigs, Superintendent of the Wash
ington Aqueduct, Capt. Meade, Superintend-
ent of the Lake Surveys, and Capt. Franklin,
Secretary of the Light House Board, to pro-
coed to Rock Island, to examine the bridge
over the Mississippi there, and report whether
the same is an obstruction to navigation.
The above is from the st. Louis Republican
of the 5th. That paper seems especially
jubilant over the appointment. We know
not in what part of the country these gentle
men live, or whence their origin; but if, like
most of the officers of the Government, they
are from the South, they will be sure to do
the bidding of the Republican, and find a
score of "niggers" in every pier of the bridge.
With the evidence of the best science and the
widest experience the country affords before
it, the highest court but one in the United
States has decided that the bridge is not a
material obstruction to the navigation Of the
Mississippi. Why the Secretary of War has
moved in this matter, or under what authority
he acts, the Republican does not inform u.s.
Chicago Press.
THE MURDER AT WAsHINGToN.-The New
York BUeaing Post is very severe upon
Sickles for the murder of Key, at Washington.
1t says:
The character of the husband too often
eorrupts that of the wife, particularly at the
impossible period of early youth. Curses, it
is said in the old proverb, come home to roost,
and 50, it may be said with equal truth, do
adulteries. S:ckles was excluded from decent
society, in this city, long ago, and itwould be
almost miracle il, in the school to which he
took his young wife, with her character yet
uniformed, she should have preserved her
innocence. There are states of social exist
ence in which mutual liberation is the rule of
conduct; and Sickles, in acquiring so perfectly
the morals, should also have acquired the
philosophy of the class to which he belonged
1t ill-became him who is so careless of his
own conduct to set on foot investigation into
the morals of others, and to avenge false
step with death.