The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-03-21
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John B. Hendenons yhen the Riv~ and
Harbcr bin was ander consideration ~ -
Ar. HENDERSON. hope that the amend>
meut of the Senator fren Vermont will not
be adopted These rapids have been in the
way of navigation in the Mississippi river for
many years. They haze beepin the vsy of a
largely increasing commerce, Z cnmnAsee in
creasing from year to year, until now the
commerce upon that river largely exceeds, if
mistake not, the whole coastwise commerce
Of the United States. There is scarcely any
conception Of the immensely, the greatness,
ct the Aississippi river. 80
The Senator from Michigan, the Chairman
of the Committee on Commerce, insists that
$500, 900 is very liberal appropriation in
deed for making an improvement that the en-
gneer estimates will cost between tso and
three millions, and even if it costs that sum
il viii be the best invested money that was
ever invested, perhaps, in public improve,
naent. The Senator from Michigan says this
is very liberal indeed. Without rejecting
upon the bill which he has reported, | mnS
say that hud decidedly greater hberallty in
favor of the rivers and harbors in his own
State
Here is an appropriation to remove obsta-
cles in the navigation of great inland sea,
RIVER upon which floats commerce greater
than the commerce between the United States
AMI all the nations Of the world.
Now, these rapids are in the way of an easy
navigation of the river; in fact, at certain sea-
sons OF the year they stand in the way of any
navigation at all, even with the lightest yes
sells. and it is exceedingly desirable, not alone
to the State that in fact represent, but to the
people of all the Western States, that the
Rock Island rapids and the Des Moiues rap
ids should be improved. | hope the Senate
will not hesitate TO give the amount that may
be necessary for the purpose. What that
amount may be ! of course know but little
about can only RELY upon the reports which
We have here. We authorized last year the
Secretary Of War to make this investigation.
The investigation has been made by compe-
tent engineer. The Senator from Vermont
tells us that he is very young man. His
report is approved by the Engineer in Chief,
whom | know to be q competent snen. |
suppose that no member of thisabody viii
doubt the capacity and ability Of the Chief
Engineer, General Humphreys, and do not
suppose any one will hesitote to say that ifhe
has approved the work Of General Wilson he
would not have done so without knowing W hat
he was doing. He says, m his letter already
read: ~ concur In the views ard conclu~
sions OF Gen. Wilson As to the best mode of
improving the Dies MONIES rapids that Is, by
building canal with locks.
Ii is aseless for US 10 hesitate about the
amount Of money to be appropriated for the
improvement of these rapids, provided they
Gun be improved at ALL This is the real guess
ton. II they can be improved the peopie Of
the United States ought not 10 hesitate one
moment about going 10 work to accomplish
that object. Whatever Is necessary TO be
D.. h1 sno tkaf
non mas be facilitated over that part Of the
river Here is river thirty.siN hundred
miles ID length. the most magnificent stream
ia the world, with its navigation unimpeded
and uninterrupted through It's entire length
except by these two rapids at heokuk aud
St Rock Island. At these two points com
merce has to be entirely resLfpped / Freight
has TO be removed from one vessel to another
in order to pass over these rapids, during a
large portion OF the year, carried oyer them
in lighters and again removed above or below
TO the other vessels. This ought to be DIVA
ted If il is possible to do so, and especially IN
consideration Of the richness and the wealth
on the commerce passing eser them. Nc
idea Of a parsimonious appropriation should
be permitted to enterinto the brains OF Sea-
ators on. thls subject. 1 do not wanea lavisif
expendI re of money; | do not desire that
one dollar shatl be needlessly and reck lesslY
expended. or that Ee shall nov appropriate
dollar beyond the amount absolutely essen
tisf 70 remove these obstacles In the way of
navigation upon ibis stream but whatever
sum may be necessary for that purpose, The
Senate ought without hesitation to appro
pirate.
The Senator from Michigan has IN this bill
STAT ,000 for his own State, and | freely ac-
cord il to the State OF Michigan, because
ha Of Ct
still west of Michigan. it is perhaps he great
est State IN the Union. tLeughte-. ! hare
never nes.lated to vote appropriations for
binding harhors bat il ought TO be remem
hered that we in the West on this great river
build our own harbors. We do not ask you
to build harbor at Sc. Lunis nor at keoknk
nor at Burlington nor at Gslena. We are
not asking Won IN this bill to build harbo-s CT
the Western rivers; but along the Eastern
sea board and along the great lakes, have
from year to year voted appropriations for
harbors without hesitation, and the people
that | represent do not ask me TO do other
wise than Is vote the most liberal apprupria-
tons for such purposes. We viii build
harbors for you We take as much pride 10
your expanding commerce as you can take
yourselves. and do not hesitate TO give all
that you eau Ia reason ask. Butibis Is not
for harbor; this is 70 remove an obstacle in
the way of navigation itself upon the great
est river of the earth. If We eau give yon
S74T 900 for improving harbors in the State
of Michigan, why can you not give US at least
. million for the Improvement Of the naFisa-
tiqn,sathe DeS Moines rapids in the hississip.
Ths rapids lie Just in the middle of
upon that stream. Above the
$3.50, j. good; below 1t Is good. A pas
- be cut.
Ht4 no
sndh = "nee W. - ,Ias aa ap " ~
III ace in the way of navigation upon
sippi river, the Senator from Yer
that 1t must be cntdown; thai
vii be amply sufficient tor- tbs
eguuxDs. five hundred thousand
pERscx. Il is said $500, 900 was
.ated last year and is still TO the credit
4r-1.Tork | presume the reason Why
4. la1i'rev has not been expended is that il
ssN'ess 70 ,ase SSGa, coo out OF tne treasury
IS We can DO some good with It. Our
I,pla of the West do not ask your money
] Hess you give enough TO accomplish the
&Lrk We 90 not desire to .skc pen ny
hen a dollar is needed While my friend
n ON Vermont comes to the cpEslusiou thai
fms thing ought not to be done on the Alssis-
mi river. Just look at what he does for the
/ ]. tie harbor of Darlington in his State. Here
Il twelve miles Of solid rock to be blown
II 4 Of the bottom of river, or else cana
sereu or eight miles will be constructce
around the rapids, and al We ask is : ,eeo,-
900 in order . 90 on with this improven me u'
AT these repids, that have stood for the las
twenty years to my certain knowledge in the
wav Of the most magnificent commerce. on
earth. The Senator has no idea what an OBJ
tAcle it is, aud wha, complaints 1t canses, anc
what cost it is to reship goods Bat at ths
same time that he finds it in his heart tc
'rike out this appropriation, which viii az
i've from two to three million duliarsAF Ch
.ot pretend to say it will cost less, and il i
cost $50, 900, 900 it would be the best appro
priation that could be made-what is ln~sc
ton in regard to his own State2 The Sena
tor Represents gallant and brave little State
but il has no large streams. | presume hi
has never seen the Mississippi river. he doe
Of appreciate is greatness, ana II IS an vi
timpossihiiiry for him 10 appreciate III
fnerce that floats upon its surface.
Sc Senator will recollecs that there il
ussapid at this point, and that the waite
9.eIh's, sre, aud immediately afterreach
a.; the foot of the rapids, Their
~. rat,s;ns to q, there to New Orleans,
gaa ~ thss hundred miles. ImEe