Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-02-02
DAVENPORT, IOWA. SATURDAY FEBRUARY 2 1856


commerce Of the northwest would be SO
great as to make Chicago, in le.s than a
quarter Of q century, a metropolitan city, -
populous -. ii not more populous than New
York is to>day. II is such trade ss this
that these gentlemen, BY this Improvement,
propose to open to our State and its great
commercial centre, and in the praticbility
and pecuniary success Of which they have
the utmost confidence.
IL will b remembered that, some time
since, the United States Congress ordered .
survey Of the Illinois end Rock rivefs. With
q view TO their improvement, in connection
With this work. Those surveys have since
been made and cemplsted undss the dirsc.
ton Of Maj. Gen. Wilson and Col. worrell.
Of the War Department and theis reports
are about 20 Le made ct Washington.
learn that these reports will DO highly favor
able to the proposed improvements indeed,
that General Wilson VIII state, in his report
to the government, that the Rock river i'm
provement, in the extent and importance OF
the benefits to be conferred by ii. is not ex>
celled BY that Of the Pacific railroad; that
the obstruction Of canal across the State
Bureau junction to Rock river, fer the &C
commoda ion of the trade and commerce Of
the northwest. is n work not only Of State,
but national importance: that it is also a
work Of military necessity, 10 order TO con-
nee, the government worAs At Rock Island
with the great lakes, which, in case
of war, would be the objective points
Tor the distribution Of sr immense
amount Of necessary materials that
Govtgnment will expend in = series Of
wears millons Of doll .rs on materials turns
ed out fros those works; and that the ex>
pense Of the improvements proposed would
TO great extent be returned in the benefits
to be derived to the government itself, 10
say nothing Of increased revenue from the
enlarged commerce developed BY them !;
that heretofore il was supposed the connec-
,ion between the Rock and Illinois River
valleys could not be made by water, but
that the survey demonstrates that water car
be conveyed iron she former TO the latter
in sufficient quantity 10 make the canal be
tween the two rivers navigable for oil the
purposes intended that the distance Is
only !iiiy-!our miles, which is but mere
section Of the Erie canal-a work which
net only forms the outlet for the immense
commerce of the lakes. but pays hand
some income or the capital expended upon
it. Senator Wilson, o( Massachusetts,, in
The Thirty eighth Congress, voted against
Mr.. Arnold's bill for tho widening and
deepening Il the Illinois and Michigan canal
and the improve Of the Illinois river.
But, sometime during the past fall, Senator
W ilsOn was out here on an electioneering
cour. and, having an opportunity Of seeing
and judging Cor himself Of the wants Of the
country as regards means Of traffic, and its
capacities for extended facilities in that d
rection, came to . different conclusion re
eciing the character OF the improvement
On that occ ision he more than once desired
that, if Mr.. Arno,ds bill we're to come up
again. he would vote for it IS . necessity to
the Northwest as great "a the Erie canal is
to the east.
The first move. then, which 10 proposed
TO be made by the gentlemen now here, and
having charge Of this great project, is to
prepare bill providing for State appro
priation to these works OF 10000 to be
raised by . tax. say Of tirec mills upon the
dollar, upon all the real and personal prop
erty in the State. This will start the work
in proper manner, but will not complete
it. In order to its completion in manner
to correspond with its great needs, it is next
proposed to apply to Congress for . giant
OF 81. 600 900 in addition, making 81, ,o00,.
0Oo in all. This SUN. 1t 10 claimed BY Gen.
Wilson. Col Mason, Mr.. Gooding, and 9TH
ers, will complete the work so as to answer
all the purposes originally intended.
need scarcely add that no part Of the
State has greater interest in the progress
and completion Of this great project than
Chicago. II will receive the majer portion
Of its benefits. incidentally, however,
every part Of the State is deeply interested
in the completion Of the canal and improve
msnts. They will also be Of immense I'D.
vantage to all that region Of country water
ed BY the Upper Mississippi. They will
give il . choice Of markets, means Of com.
petition - opposed to the monopoly of
railroads, and an outlet and inlet for its ex-
ports and imports. which will increase the
value OF the former and lessen the cost of
the after. Ii is to be hoped that such
bi. Will meet with the prompt acquiescence
of the Leg sla ure and that the initiative
will thus be taken in work which viii be
the browning one in the series of North.
western internal Improvements set on foot
or completed during the pas, thirty years.
Public Notice.
WHEREAS. The City Council having pass
cd the following resolution:
Resoiced. That the Mayor is hereby re-
Quested and authorized to cause q notice TO
be published in the daily papers Of this city.
requesting the people to take notice Of all
cif,- lsmpa mt l;0htad a. all or .,ox - ~.