The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1877-02-07
DISTINGUISHED INDIANIAN.

CAPTAIN James ". EsaQS, VINO Is ABOUT 10 re-
ceive an installment of S5O0000 for his work OF
opening the mouth of the Mississippi, is in his
tifty-seventh year and a native of Lawrence
burgh, Ind. At a very early age he evinced a
strong taste for machinery, and at eleven con-
structed without any instruction miniature
engine that worked perfectly with steam. He
has struggled upward to the possession OF q
large private fortune, excellent health and
thoroughly American taste, passing such
grades as apple Pesd ie ale Ms5JIlsSlRp
establishment in the west, and builder Of
twenty-seven irOnclad,gun and mortar boats
Madison Herald.
Indiana is fortunate in being able to claim
James b. Eads as one of her sons, and quite
as fortunate in the fact that Captain Eads
has outgrown state boundaries and
is now claimed by all of the states
and more particularly by those whose
products are destined to seek the mar
'kets of the world via the Missis-
sippi river. The success attending the en-
cheering venture of Captain Eads in build
ing the bridge over the Mississippi at st.
Louis brought him into distinguished notice
and conferred upon him a national repu-
tation. An ordinary ambition would
have been satisfied with such mon
ument of scientific knowledge and skill.
Not so, however, with the brilliant and aspir-
ing Indianian. His ambition was to make
the father of waters open his mouth to the
commerce of the world, and thereby date a
new era in the progress and prosperity of the
west Captain EadS is self-reliant. Where
others had achieved failures, and thereby
inoculated the country with doubt,
the daring engineer saw success. Opposition
to his plans was formidable and objections
came IN groups. He met them with as
surances that were pronounced preposterous.
West Point engineers, loaded down with
science and learning, pronounced his plans
failures, and looked forward to the time
they would be pronounced prophets as well
as scientific solons. All this did not
move Eads from his purpose
He saw victoy in the distance and his faith
brought it near. Known to be eminently
practical and removed as far as possible from
the vagaries of an enthusiast, he was able to
enlist others in his great undertaking, and
boldly contracted with the government to
at his own expense. As result
of his confidence and skill, he has
secured a channel twenty feet in depth with
out one dollar from the government. The
triumph interests all commercial nations,
and Captain Eads is to-day more distin-
William. He has solved one of the most
obstinate problems of the age and
conferred upon the country a
blessing that will grow in importance as
population increases and the exhaustless re-
sources of the west are developed. When
this great man, after accomplishing the task
assigned him, asked for his pay, Mr.. Secre-
tary Morrill,, true to his instincts, refused
him the bonds as expressly stipulated, to the
disgust of every citizen who has a soul as big
as flea. BY the express conditions
of the contract Captain Eads was
to have from the government 100000
when he had opened a channel through the
bar twenty feet in depth, and this amount
was to be paid in government bonds unless
previously ordered to be paid in money.
No order up to the time OF the demand had
been made to pay in money, and Eads
therefore demanded pay in bonds. At this
time bonds were above par, which
is supposed to be the reason why
the secretary of the treasury re-
fuses them, for it is assumed that if they
had been below par the gallant captain
would have been required to take them as
per contract. The indications are that con-
gress will right the matter, and in this way
rebuke the arrogant secretary for his disre-
gard of the stipulations of PLAIN contract
and an equally nlain duty