The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-11-03
4 CANAL AMPIOS.
Congressman j. II. Murphy's Views on
the Project. he New Route
and Its Advantages.

Congressman j. IT. Murphy, of Daven-
port, whose name is as closely associa tt d
with the Hennepin Canal cause as that of
any public man in the country. and
whose labors since his election to congress
have been increasingly devoted to the in.
terest Of the project, as indeed they have
been as long as the proposed water way
has been before the people of the country.
arrived at his home in Davenport yester-
day, after canvassing the state in the in
terest of the party which has elected
him twice to the lower house of congress.
There is no man IN Iowa today who
stands higher in the estimation of the
people than the Hon. ]. ii. Murphy, or
AS the people OF his own district take
pride in calling him, "Our Jerry" He
has ever been champion of every pros
ject looking to the interests of the north
west, and it is through his influence and
exertions to very large extent,
that the canal has attained
its present prominent and impor-
tant position, among the necessary im>
provements to the waterways of the coun
try. 1t is needless to say therefore that
it would be matter of considerable diff
Guilty to find one better posted on the out
look for the worthy project as well as
what is being done in the interests there-
of An ARGUS reporter called upon Mr..
Murphy at his home in Davenport last
evening and was cordially granted an in.
tervew When asked by the representa-
tive as TO his views on the prospects for
| the passage of the canal clause at the
coming session of congress, Congress
man Murphy said;
81 speak from well founded convic-
| tions when say that the prospects for
the canal have never been as bright as
| now. The general and local prejudice is
largely disappearing. and the measure Is
receiving more friends all over the coun-
try every day. St Louis is beginning to
realize that it will be in certain way a
terminal point of the canal, and its peo>
| pie no longer look upon it rs Il breeder of
rivalry between their city and Chicago,
but view it as matter of interest to
them, that it is secured Then we have
| received II vast amount of encouragement
from Washington. Gen. Newton, who is
| chief engineer of the U. $. army and his
first assistant .haj. Gen. John G.. Park
are both enthusiastic over it. They
| have both taken deep interest in the
measure and have assured me, thnt they
will do all in their power for it. The
same is true of all the members of the
engineer corps. The project is looked
upon in Washington as "A necessity for the
bettermcnt Of western waterways and the
commerce of the country. and there is
not only great deal of interest taken i'll
it, but q great deal of enthusiasm is mln-
| ifestcd."
The scribe asked about the survey now
in process under Maj. Benyuard's super
vision to which Mr.. Murphy replied:
The present survey is beneficial in
| many respects; first upon striking Green
river, we find the river bottom peculiarly
adapted to our purposes Twenty miles of
| it, and until we reach Rock river
| is as level AS this floor. 1t is just what
| we want and when we come to Rock river
| Major Benyuard has found that twenty
| miles of the river channel can be util
led
Then there is no doubt of the canal
coming out at the mouth of Rock rver?'
interrupted the reporter.
| 'If we utilize twenty miles Of Rock
river, after we strike it from Green river,
| how can the terminus be otherwise than
at the mouth of Rock riverY'
| There is no truth in the rumors of the
Watertown route, them"
"Why should we go away up around
that way when the natural watercourses
afford us the advantages they dor
"You are favorably impressed with the
result of Major Benyuard's survey
Certainly we are. A new discovery
has been made. We have found that ma
| tuTC mas lCub US oo IluSh Ti'i' thhS
the estimated cost will be reduced from II
million and half to two million dollars.
1t has not only reduced the estimated
cost, but it has improved our opportuni>
ties forty to fifty per cent. The dscov-
cry of this route is one of the best things
that possibly could have been done fol-
our cause. am more pleased with the
| situation, the route, and all things con
cerned than ever before"
what in your opinion is the best
course to be pursued in congress this win
terri
The first thing to be done is to organ
ize ourselves, and that at once. In unity
there is strength and we wish to insure
success, we must make an organized effort
In congress. to avoid any possible tech
) meal objection as to jurisdiction, we pro
pose to make an effort to rechristen our
committee on ri vers and harbors, and cal
it the committee on waterways. That of
course would include every possible kind
of water improvement. In the early
history of this country. this committed
was first called the committee oil
roads and canals. Atterward it was
| named the committee on commerce and
l later changed to the committee On
rivers and harbors, which we now have
Then we have separate comm iitee. on
, railways and canals Instead OF work