Cedar Falls gazette. [volume] (Cedar Falls, Iowa) 1860-1895, 1864-03-18
t Correspondence Of the Gazette.
FROM THE CAPITOL.

Mr.. EDITOR :--One Of the regular hob
gobiins" which visits the session Of the Leg
islature, iy the capitol swindle." This year
it has made its appearance in the shape of
bill to purchase the building now occupied
as State House. In consideration Of loca.
ting the seat Of government at this point
the citizens agreed to build Capitol withou.
cost to the State. A few men used most of
the means they should have employed in
building, in bribng the Commissioners to
locate the Capitol out on a hill east OF town;
the balance they used on the Constitutional
Convention for the same corrupt purpose.
They then borrowed over $4,000 of the
school fund, on deceptive and fraudulent
mortgages some on land they never owned
some on property, previously purposely
encountered, and some on property by decept.
i've descriptions, leaving out the improve
ments. These borrowers ere the aristocracy
Of the place. They have neglected and re.
fused to pay principal or interest, until the
debt is now over $4,000. They have neg.
lected to pay tax on the land mortgagcd, and
it has been sold for taxes. Now they come
in and propose to give US the capitol building
in payment Of the debt-tho very property
We already have. And grave Senators, and
intelligent Representatives are here ready to
relieve forever these naboas from their obi.
cations, and take the capitol. .r. .....
Then, as the State has to make up the
losses on the school fund, the honest, hard
working men of Dlack Hawk and other coun-
ties in the State, will be taxed to pay this
$4,000. For one, your correspondent
would willingly pay his share, if these swind
lers were in the Penitentiary working for the
State. But as this will not be done, let the
cloud Of disgracoful bankruptcy rest on them
as warning to the present and coming gen.
erations. Now having good lease of this
miserable excuse for capitol, for fifty years,
it is all We want Of il. Release these mort.
Cages, and in aix weeks they will be the rich
est men in town. . .. $40
During the past week ,hosa who oppose
the present Supervisor system. have been
concentrating their forces, and drilling for
action. They have held frequent meetings,
to learn their strength, and reconcile conflict
ing opinions. Ii the Session was not so far
advanced, it is probable the system would be
modified, but not destroyed. If anything is
done the forces will have 10 be organized
better than they are for other matters.
The members here from the North part Of
our State are in good spitits over, the pros
pect Of getting lard grant from Congress
for Railroad from McGregor to the Sioux
river. 1t is right they should have such
grant. In the grant of 1866, injustice was
done that portion Of the State, and we hope
Congress will repair the wrong by liberal
donation now. r-. ,..sas eH te.
In connection with this, is project On
foot for a ship canal up the Wisconsin river,
to point whore it comes within less than
milo Of Fox river, where it is to cross. and
descend the latter to Green Bay. II is stated
by engineers who have surveyed the route,
that for So, ,OCO, 900 ship canal can be made
from the Mississippi to Lake Michigan, that
will foata propeller through with 10000
bushels Of wheat. fthis be true, soon will
McGregor be the great city of Iowa. Or If
this can be done for SO 10000, il will soon
awaken the energies of tho great Northwest.
Such an Improvement would reduce the
price of freight on wheat from Iowa. Mime.
sofa, and half Of Wisconsin, ten cents per
bushel to Buffalo. And supposing it would
give us ten cents per bushel on 4O,CO9,0oO,
which is low estimate by the time such
work could be constructed, il is a clear profit
Of $4oo), 900 per year to. this extreme North
West. aa ag ses.
This sum in thirty months would build
the desired work. Steps are on foot to de.
termine whether this is wild scheme Of
visionary, or the advent of the day when we
shall return from the wilderness. Your read.
ers will hear more Of this, in due time.
II has been supposed by some Courts,
lawyers and sinners that Counties were LA
BILE for all costs in criminal cases where it
could not be made out Of the defendant, or
where prosecution fails. Such, however,
is not the opinion Of all mankind The other
day bin was presented to the Senate to
make such law--that is, make it legal for
the State or any individual to commence a
suit, and make the County liable for the costs
II would be equally as sensible to provide
that the Constable should pay the COSTS
The bill was indefinitely postponed.
For the last ten days there has been an in
teresting play going on in the House. In our
boyhood days. in absence Of anything more
interesting, we used to try who could keep
from speaking for the longest time. Little
farther advanced in life-who could construct
the longest grammatical sentence, without an
idea. But the contest in the House appears
to be who can speak the longest without say.
ing anything. As the contest is unsettled
yet, it is premature to award the palm. The
bill before the House is resumption. Hall Of
Mills county, spoke an entire day, Richards,
Of Dubuque, who stands no chancs Of win
ming this prize, also occupied day Styles,
Of Wapelo, Maxwell Of Story, Bergman Of
Henry, and Finkbine Of johnson, did not
either como up TO the others, in time. But
ler Of Muscatine, is yet to come on the track.
and his friends are betting heavy on his wind
and bottom. None Of them ~ yet have for