Daily Davenport Democrat. [volume] (Davenport, Iowa) 1864-1874, 1868-01-14

mode being provided, authorizing the &C
credited agents Of the United States "a use
and appropriate the land required. unuccea-
sary delays may occur n the prosecution OF /
the work In order, therefore, to avoii the
likelihood o! any hind.arce in the aivanee-
ment Of this great enterprise, from the want
e proper State c'ion, ana to relieve these
agents from the necessity Of perpiexng
controversies with individuals. respectful
~ recommend the early enactment. of law,
author zing the Unite States to appropriate
private rcsl estate along the Mississippi
River, to the extent Of 800 feet thertfroln
in width, when required in aid of said i'm
proyemens, aud determining the mode Of
assessing the damages bv jury, the United
States paying or securing the compensation
awarded 10 the owners, befsre using the
property condemned.
improv, ments designed to enlarge the ~
enues Of commerce and equalizs Its advan-
tages, are, at oil times, considerations Of
such vital and universal importance to the
country, that more extended ana sxplaua-
tory view Of this great enterprise may not
be deemed out Of place in this cowmunica-
| ton.
The only serious natural implements in
terpos cd to the navigation Of tho Misaissip-
| ri River, betweep St. Paul and New Orleans.
exist along the borders Of Illinois and Iowa
| In the form VI What 10 known - the Dss
Moine. and .he Rock Island Rapids. These
rapids, though quite dissimilar in their
form alton and general chArac sristics. are 40
developed IS 10 render the navigation OF
this great Stream, at certain seasons Of the
year. exceedingly hazardous and sometimes
| impossible for coats Of ordinary tonnage
BY reason Of these distractions the North
western States especially, are deprived Of
the inestimable advantages which this great
commercial highway would otherwise afford.
By removing these distractions . safe and
uniform medium Of transit would be open.
ed TO the commerce Of these States. from
81. Paul to the Gulf Of Mexico. The an
nual productions Of this vast agricultural
region, so largely in excess of local do
mands, would thereby secure Q cheap and
reliable mode Of transportation to the mar
ksts Of the Atlantic seaboard. To chat sx-
tent the agricultural interests Of the entire
Northwest would be promoted BY this inter
state achievement, | need not undertake 10
show indeed, its real magnitude, viewed
With reference 10 the future, surpaases al
, computation. In my judgment tho period
; has arrived whom the substantial inter
ests Of this portion Of the country require
some system OF transit-facilities, whereby
the enormous cest OF transporting agricul
tural productions may be essentially redue.
r ed. The inludicious and Discrimination
system of railwsy tariff, now existing, il
!, the subject Of almost universal complaint
= and BY some 10 regarded % the most effect
. ual means that ingenious selfshness can de
I wise, for subordinating the proceeds Of 10
dustrial pur uits TO the interests Of an i'm
y perious mono ooly. Aud the people Of thes,
i producing States, unless blind 90 their owl
IS welfare, will readily embrace that mode o
Al tranem ssion which imposes the lightes
: tax upon their productions. The profit re
/. allied BY the producer is measured By III
u difference between tho actual cost Of pro
d duction, and the price obtained for the com
:. modify, after dedueting thsrsirom In
y amount expended in getting it to market
e |. is obvi ous, therefore, that every dolls
4 which the farmer pays in transport dutis
o dimlnshes to that extent, the real value o
. his product, and augments, in like proper
lion, the amount Of his inert capital. Tn
l. sum expended in transportation, curtsil
< the profits Of the producer. and increase
u the cost. without enhancing the value o
=. the product to the consumer. The differ
n snt nodes Of ;ranspi ration being question
r Of r,la,ivs waste or loss, considerations o
e economy require the adoption Of the cheap
;. er and equally available mode.
il A reference 20 well ascertained facts, vii
s. afford US much light in solving this ques
II ton. The cost oil river transportation doe
. not exceed 2 mills to the mile for ton O
average freight, ocean ! !, lake 3. and can
ai5. while that Of rail say ranges from /
lie 10 IA miles per mile. The loss TO the pre-
V, Queer in transportation by water, bein
T SO materially less than that by rail, mos
- clearly recommends the former a. the su
!, perior mode, whenever accessible. ThI
70 COMPARISON also discloscs the fact, that tn
10 agricultural productions Of this State ca
reach New York City at cheaper rates b.
Al river and ocean transit. than by railroad
r lake and canal and when the internediat
IN delays Of transhipment are considered,
!, may not be inaccurate 10 assume that tn
y latter is also less expeditions route.
II Nor is this the only or most mpor.an
n consideration involved. Being deprived O
"a the advantages Of continuous river trans
i, Dor ta,ion the farmers of Iowa ere PRACTICAL
excluded from the desirable markets Of s,
ID llUulS dIu ANCW OtiSohSs "uo 0cPshvcu v
. the advantages which . more intin ate com
!. mercial intercourse with those great elite
. would Afford.
!. The most practical remedy for existing
i complsints will be found in the establish
4 msnt of rival transit limos, and the choic
4 Of competing and equally available mar
II kets.
!. Commencing in the year 1929. five dill
= fersnt surveys Of these rapids have betl
"a made by engineers detailed from the mill
,ary service Of the United States, and &C,
!, ing under orders and instructions from tn
NJ War Department. These surveys, thong
!. Of . general char acter, served to develop
tho extent Of the obstruction, and to con
= firm the idea that thev could be permanent
J.. IL removed. The most thorough and scisn
;. tific survey yet made is the one recent,
!. conducted by Gen. J. Ii. Wilson, the &C
n cor pishsd engineer in charge Of the work
n A brief description Of the character an,
4. extent Of these distractions, may serve (
r. illustrate the feasibility Of the present un
=. dcrtaking to remove them. The Rock lsl
I. and Rapids extend from the city Of Daven
A. port to lie Claire, distance Of lat miles
= developing a fall Of 40 ut 81 feet betwse
= these points. The obstructions here pre-
IL scented consist mainly Of series Of reefs Q
n chains Of solid rock with navigabls space
~ between them.
: Such being the character and extsnt {
- these distractions, the mode adopted "a
70 removing them IL, by cxcavating the roc
j. from these reefs to an extent sufficient
!, procure channel oftwo hundred feet
n. width, with low water depth Of not lei
h. than four feet, which will be sufficient 4
the safe passage Of boats, with their barg'
attached, during the entire navigating 90
son. These excavations are effected b
~ means Of Golfer dana, chissl boAts IN
~ subaqusous blasting. This work will r
d: ouirs the removal Of about $1,000 cub
:. yards Of solid rock, ct an aggregate cost I
~ 1Sl3, 100000. For this purpose Congrei
=. appropriated, in 1866, 100000, and
~ 1867, 5000, 600 The contract for this VOL
~ has been entered into. and II Congret
- makes the additional appropriation requ
-, ed, it will be completed during the sum M
:" Of 1869.
" The Dss Moines Rapids extend firm II
y city Of Ksokuk to Montrose, . distance
~ eleven miles, with afal Of twenty -one fee
=. These rapids are formed BY suece sion
NO eat. - cha,pa of vock 9Th oulv Ghovt II