Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-04-22
REMARKS OF SENATOR CLARksoN,

Faith would recall again those days
The peaceful days passed with thee.
REMARKS OF SENATOR CLARKsON,
In the Senate Of lona, on the 2sth Of March,
1854, on the Railroad Bridge Bill. .
THE bill of Mr.. Clarkson, providing for
building Railroad Bridges across the Missis-
sippi and Missouri rivers, being under con.
sideration, Senator Jennings. Of Dubuque,
offered an amendment to said bill, providing
that no such bridge should be built until
tho location Of the abutment Of said bridge
on the Iowa side should be approved by the
Board Of Supervisors Of the County, in
which said nbutmcnt was located.
On this amendment Mr.. Clarksonremark.
ed substantially as follows:
lie was opposed to the amendment. To
intrust the location Of Railroads, or Railroad
bridges to the Board Of Supervisors of the
county was unusual, and practically impossi-
ble. And especially was this the case in
crossing such wide, deep and difficult streams
rs the Mississippi and Missouri. There are
but few places where such structures can be
erected; and if the Supervisors of Illinois are
to locate one abutment, and the Supervisors
of Iowa are to locate the other-and each
Board to suit the interests Of certain towns
or the owners of corner lots thereof--gener-
atoms will pass away before any such desir-
able commercial transits for the trade Of the
world will be built.
To understand fully the importance Of de-
feating the amendment of the Senator from
Dubuque, it will be necessary to look to the
local history and circumstances surrounding
the erection Of u bridge at that city, the one
in which all northern Iowa is deeply inter-
ested.
tits an acknowledged fact that break in
bulk on any great commercial thoroughfare
Is beneficial to the city where the break &C.
ours, just in proportion as it is injurious to
shippers. 1t is like a shlpwreck to the
wreckers on the north coast of Ireland-a
good opportunity to pilagc and plunder. 1t
has been carefully, and | think safely esti-
mated, that the extra expense Of crossing
freight and passengers at Dubuque, is now
100000 per annum. And this will increase
as Northern Iowa advances in business and
prosperity until the cost of breakage at Du-
buque will amount to millions. In this view
OF the case, it is folly for Senators to say
that Dubuque is in favor of bridge.
Dubuque, although in population equal to
any city in the State, is but feeble plant,
growing up in the shade of the great North
western emporium, Chicago. This latter
city, while it is the great heart Of this vast
region, controlling its commerce, stimulating
its energies, and developing its resources
is, in some respects, aggrandizing itself to
our injury. We want direct outlet to Mil.
waukee or Racine, ON Lake Michigan, by
which route we can reach the markets of the
world easier and cheaper than by Chicago.
The Illinois Central Railroad, an empire
within itself, has her interests with Chicago
and it is the interest OF both, that we
should not have an outlet other than over the
Illinois Central and through Chicago.
The Milwaukee and Dubuque Railroad has
been striving for years to reach the Iowa
grain fields Milwaukee wheat, in the New
York market, is worth Eve cents, on an av-
erage, more than Chicago wheat. Northern
Iowa wheat being better, should never be
mixed at Chicago with central Illinois and
Southern Iowa wheat, but should 90 to, and
be mixed With, Milwaukee wheat. 1t is the
interest of the Central Illinois Railroad and
the city Of Chicago that this should never be
done. And it is the interest Of the Dubuque
wreckers that no bridge should ever be built.
And the Senator from Dubuque Ssys he, ard
that city, will never consent to the location
Of bridge that will destroy the business of
the city. A bridge at any place will injure
the business Of the city, so their Supervisors
will mover consent to any place for . bridge.
Opposite the city of Dubuque is bold,
rocky cliff, down which no Railroad can de-
scend. The small portion of interval land
below the rocks is occupied by the town Of
Dunleith, every foot Of which is owned or
controlled by the Illinois Central Railroad, SO
that no other Road can even approach the
river 50 as to cross below tho bluffs. The
only chance therefore, for the Milwaukee
Road to oapproach and cross the river, is above
the bluffs, two miles above Dubuque. And
to DO this, they have to come down Boat
Yard Hollow, and cross Immediately to the
Iowa shore. So this is the only place that
bridge can be built. Now, by conferr;ng the
power upon the Board Of Supervisors to To-
cate the western sbutmcnt, it is easily seen
that they can forever defeat bridge.
But, says the Senator, the Board Of Su-
peryisors will certainly be in favor of build
ing bridge. But it will be easy to control
their natural inclnations. With the interests
Of large majority of the citizens Of Du-
buque adverse to bridge-with all tho
agents, eMissaries, influence and wealth of
tho Illinois r. r., determined that no such
outlet shall be made for the Milwaukee Road
these. backed by the evershadowing inAu-
ence and interesta of Chicago, and it is easy
to see how Board Of Supervisors can, and
will be controlled.
Il IS impossible to suppose that such an