The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1885-10-23

crafts.
1t is indeed pretty sight, replied the
scribe" but this is not common occur
every day spectacle
"True enough, it is not an every day
occur renee, but it was, at one time. Twcn>
ty years ago. and longer, when these
towns we've yet in their infancy; before
the days when the railroad interests were
the first consideration in this land; when
natural water courses were used for the
purposes for which they were made
by the Creator of the universe, such
a pleasant sight as this. might be daily
seen. But the railroads came, and al
though they quickened transportation,
they did not cheaper it worth cent. |
have bee here right along and know what
am talking about. but did not bring
you down here, to make IA speech to you,
away off where nobody else could hear it,
simple wanted to show you what there
has been, and what there might be
again
ITO what have you referencr?' put in
the scribe, knowing however, what WAS
coming, but being DESTROYS of bringing
the subject about Immediately.
81 can explain myself in two words
'Henncpin Canal bat don't intend to
stop at that. you don't get rid Of me so
easily, when get to talking about that
measure don't stop soon, and | believe
if there were others like
me, but given with more eloquence
than have, we would stand better
show of gettinA that canal. If we had
that canal, our levee would he lined with
boats constantly l tell you people have
no idea of the amount of good that pro
ject will do this town. 1t will make city
out of it, and q big one, too, and ii our
citizens are not alive to action, it will be
deliberate suicide on their part. Congress
meets again in December, and one of the
first and most important matters to be
brought up is the llennepin canal. 1t will
have its friends there and its enemies
emphasize that last word, p.case, il you
are going to make an item of what am
saying-it will have its eaemies there, and
in order to succeed in getting the meas
ure through so that there will be no loop
hole of escape, its friends must be in the
majority. noticed in the proceedings of
the last council meeting that motion
had been intro duccd authorizing the
mayor to appoint three delegates to reps
resent the city down there in
the capital city during the early
part of the session, and to
look after the canals interest during the
time the River and Harbor bill is under
discussion. That's business; that's n
move in the right direction, but the
next thing is to get the right kind of
men, you can empasize that too if you
wish. Get the kind of men, who will
not go down there in II junketing tour,
but who will go for business, aud to
"olh ihc ihayoI SuouIu uppoiut
such men, when the time comes. |
Maj Deardsley is to be one
of them, and a good man he will make;
he has vast amount of influence with Il
committee as well rs n convention. Get
two other good men, and get them down
to Washington to fight it out GA this
t.l,
they will commence digging the
Hennepin Canal in the spring. 1t
is time for local action
in this important matter now.
Arouse the people. tell them to be up and
doing, Let us not sleep when we should
be at work, If the proper action is taken
this winter the Hennepin is assured, and
our levces will always look rs they do at
this moment"
just then the ARGUS man heard of ans
other item. and after eXcusing himself to
his interesting and intelligent companion,
started Off in pursuit of it.
MAJ. BENYU ARD INTERVIEWED
Major w. II. IL. Benyuard, United
States civil engineer, who has directed the
expenditures of the appropriation of $50,
300 in making the latest surveys for the
canal, spent last night Mt the |
Harper house. but he WAS off up the coun- |
try on personnel observation trip in |
such hurry this morning that |
IN ARGUS reporter did not have |
an opportunity of in tcrviewing him |
A representative of the Davenport Demos
'rdt accompanied the major from Chicago, |
Wednesday, In reply to an Interrogation
rom the newspaper man, MAYOR Ben
1uard said "a surveying party was put
n the field, continued Major Benyuard,
''on the 2oth of September with the In>
ention of running line north of Green
liver so as to strike Rock river in the VII
Unity of Penny slough, and then survey
Rock river from that point tn Rock Isl
md. This would avoid the engineering
difficulties met with by crossing all the
treams that run into Green river on the
outh side. There will be no trouble of
his kind on the north side. Instead of