Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1867-02-13

LISDELL HoTeL,
Sr 7 orfe Feb 10 1m1

LISDELL HoTeL,
Sr. Louis, Feb. 10, 1867.
Leaving Davenport to 60 to st. Louis is
an undertaking OF mare than ordinary nag
nitude. The fact that st. Louis is only trifls
over two hundred miles from Davenport,
has nothing to do whatever with the dis>
,ance necessary TO travel in getting there.
In short you can't go to st. Louis without
going to Chicago-you can't leave Daven>
port and travel in either direction-East,
West or North-un!css yeu 60 barefoot and
alone as the Sucker gal went 10 her we'd
ding, without paying tribute TO Chicago
II it is by rail you are leaving, you must
pay the tax, and particularly if you ere 60
ing 70 ST. Louis you must first bow low Al
Chicago's shi hiine-and then leave for the
other place, about one hu, dred miles far
ther away from your destination than when
you started. Let it not be understood BY
this that we take any exceptions to the
great city Of the Lakes whose irrepressiblc
enterprise extends and keeps stretching far
out in every direction, not by any means.
Chicago is a city worth having. Her enter
prise is worthy Of emulation by her sister
cites. and, really they should begin to en-
ulate soon. or their chances will be barren ;
but what we do complain Of is having 10
travel SO long a ways to achieve SO short =
distance. 1t is like going through purga>
tory to get to the place where you ought to
60 by direct line. How long are We Of
Iowa to he corne.cd in thus? Instead Of
going away OIL Northwardly hundred and
eighty odd miles to get to turn table where
We can start South, we ought to he able to
take passage 10y car At Davenport.
pass down to Muscatinc, thence down to
the North Missouri Road, and direct to St.
Louis. Itwould save time. money, clothes,
aud promote health and morality. Chicago
is very fine place-of course it 10 is-Opera
House aud all-but what that has got to do
with going to St. Louis is the question. Dav-
export owes it to her dignity IS the lead
ing city Of the State Of Iowa, to have this
evil corrected. We have already mention
ed the matter TO Mayor Davies, who 10 stop
ping here, and it is with pride that We affirm
the perfect coincidence of his IDEAS with
ours, and out Of this cooperation Of senti.
ment may the proper remedy arise.
As above intimated, we are in ST. Louis.
Leaving on Friday cveniDg-Capt Leroy
Dajgc, L. Schricker, N. j. Rohlfs, Peter
L.u, Capt. Force. aud the undersigned,
"syupg around the circle via. Joliet, and
arrived here on Saturday night at midnight
in good order. As mos, OF your readers are
aware, We have the honor to represent Da>
venport and the county Of Scot, in the great
River Convention TO assemble here on Tues.
day of this week Mayor Davies, Ed Russ
sell, OF the Gazette S. J. Arpleg.te, and
b Blrchard arrived here one uain in ad-
vance Of us. As yet not large number OF
delegates have assembled. That is 10 say,
the hote.s are not crowded, and whether We
are 20 have an extensive gathering Of the
river interests all along the Mississippi
Valley, remained to be seen. That there is
great necessity Of effective action in behalf
Of the river interests, all who live along the
line OF the Mississippi will agree, and it is
much to be ho ed that the action to be had
here will do much towards bringing that
about. There is no means Of transporta
ton SO cheap rs by water, and our only
hope for reliable water communication with
the eastern market is by the river.
The canal movement is not to be
counted upon for the present. =
The hopes which our people had in
the Illinois Legislature might rs we'll be
w;thdrawn-they have already passed un>
der !. cloud. We fell in by the way, on
Saturday, with a member of the Illinois
Legislature. He caine aboard the train with
his ack carpet sacS at Springfield, and
was going home TO spend Sanday with his
family and stock. Thinking that he might
IKE to fo.m some honest acquaintance to
nedtralize tie effect Of the lobby" during
the week, we commenced little desultoYy
conversation; alluded to the weather-thc
crops-the Opera House, tariff, and other
matters Of national importance, and finding
him communicative, and rather disposed to
bo intelligent nt-for q member Of the Illinois
Legislature, ventured to approach upon the
subject of this Illinois and Mississippi
Cunal-in short we asked him his opinion
As to the prospects of the Canal Bill.
"Eh, what Canal Bill :" he asked.
"The bill relative to the enlargement Of
the Illinois and Michigan Canal, and its ex>
tension from LaSalle to Rock Island" We
answered.
"Yes, l believe have heard something
about that bill. What do you think il will
cost 2
Probably not less than two hundred
thousand dollars" we innocsutly remarked.
THAT is more, in my opinion, that the
Legislature will be willing to appropriate
Tor that purpose, think"
This ended the conversation, and Ne
rolled ourself up in our Ovsrcoat and laid
down to take a nap. As We got into an
easy dose VIC dreamed that the offi-e Of
foo.killer kad been vacant for several
months, and that the Senate had still refused
to confirm any nomination lest it might
work an entire change in the next Con-
grcss.
Putting the valuable information obtained
from our Legislative friend together with
tha, obtained frcm other quarters, We arc
convinced that illinois will not appropriate
SIX millions or any other sum for canal pur-
poses this year. 1t is not to BE- presumed
that Congress will make any such sensible
move as to extend its aid in this great mats
ter Of internal improvsment-not until it
has got through picking its reconstruction
bone, and spent . few hundred thousand
dollars more of the peoples money in chat.
ting over impeachment.
Further, we feel warranted in venturing
the assertion that Davenport will not do
it herself hence We argue that the canal
will not be built right away-and that 10