The Rock Island daily Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1872-1873, 1872-12-09
WAR DEPARTMENT.
ORDNANCE orr1cE. wAR pEP,r

" y
rIyE- sir: Referring to the interview which you
and had with the Hon. Secretary Of War, In rUt-
erencc 20 the Rock Island bridge, the following
telegram ha- been sent to Capt. Flagler- command
aTelegram received. The Secretary of War ap-
proves your action, and directs that the road and
eept for live stock hay, straw and such wide loads
a. cannot pas on the bridge without reference to
Ice blockade. Every accommodation that will not
prejudice public interests TO be given night and
day.
(signedj "A B. DYER,
"Chief Of Ordnance, q. 5. A.
Very respectfully your obedient servant,
5, v. BENEr,
Major Of Ordnance.
Mr.. Hawley' organ then proceeds to say
that Mr.. Hawley has secured from the
War Department an order for the open
ing etc, etc. Now, we are perfectly
willing 10 accord TO Mr.. Hawley all the
credit which belongs TO him, but we are not
able TO perceive what he has done that
entities him 10 all the credit of getting the
passage opened. Is it not barely possible
that somebody else may have done some
thing 10 call the attention of the Secretary
of War to the matter and post him as u
the situation? Possibly some people may
remember that THE ARGUS took this bull
by the horns may weeks ago, and held on
until the thing was accomplished. The
Washington correspondent Of THE ARGUS,
by request, had an interview with the Sec
rotary of War on the Both of last October,
in which the Secretary promised that the
bridge should be opened and passes abol
ished. We published our correspondent
letter Nov. 5, and here reprint the following
extract:
The Secretary informed me that '.as soon a. tn,
bridge would be finished, It should he open 20 tn
people" / thanked him. and remarked that
should Immediately write % my friends and tel
them the good new- and he gave me permission
adding that the system Of passes which had beef
used there did not meet with his appreciation. an
should be abolished and that ''as far consist
ent with regulations" the people should have tn
benefit Of the bridge 1.-THE whole bridge -
asked, and received the reply that ANY part no
actually required for government transportation
should be open 10 the people
This was before Mr. Hawley had eve
said or done a thing towards getting tn
bridge opened to the public.
Afterwards, nearly month afterward
ON the Goth of Nov, Mr. Hawley wa
persuaded 10 take a little interest in tn,
matter, and he did then represent that tn
ferry boat couldn't run and that there wa
no other way to communicate with tn
other side of the river, and an order wa
issued that people might pass when tn
ferry boat couldn't run or people couldn'
cross on the inc This was not satisfactory
and THE ARGUS again opened its batterie
on such an exclusive arrangement Tn
following letter was also written:
Rock ISLAND, Nov b. 1872
/ To the Hon. Secretary of War:
! enclose you article from paper Of tn
evening, and one from the Union OF this morning
relating 10 the opening OF Rock Island Bridg
and the road across the point Of the Island to u
public, and respectfully suggest that the actio
heretofore taken by your Department In regard
q free passage 20 or from either side Of the rv,
does MOI meet the wants OF the people
What they want II the free and unrestricted RICH
At All hours OF day or night without passes,
cross 10 or from either side Of the river, with
without teams, with or without loads, and wit
anything they please, not dangerous or injurioV
10 the Bridge, or dangerous to the Arsenal or de
rimental 10 the public service. This l. the unive
sal desire Of the people, and they cannot see ar
good reason why you should not grant It. | ear
estly urge you 10 issue order 70 that effect
Very Respectfully Your obi. serv't,
j. b. DANEoRTII, JR
ton, ID. G.
1t is barely possible that the member
Congress from the other side Mr. Cotto
may have done something in the matte
People over there claim that he did
good deal Give Mr.. Hawley all Il
credit he deserves-but it is quite absu
for the Union to claim that he is the on
person entitled to any credit in the ma
ter.