The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-09
MOLINE'S PLEA.
The Milan Water Power.
Eugene Lewis Explains the Paper
Filed by Him. and Discusses the
CanGl Question at Length.
To the Editor Of the Argus:

stating that had filed paper Id the en-
gineer's office at the capital, stating that
\ syndicate had been formed here to Sc
cure the option Of the purchase OF the
Milan Water Power You further say
that contradiction was signed and tele-
eraphed to Washington by Capt. ]. j
Robinson and Others, which stated that
the paper sent by me to Washington was
an uaqadlifed and groWdIess Jdlsehood.
! hope this is not true. II would pain
me beyond expression to think of so
many and so estimable gentlemen OF Rock
Island. as you name, feeling so inei1ably
silly as they must feel. when they come
to see the paper, if they signed snch u
statement. II they knew the rumor al
uded TO in the paper to be an unqualified
and grouudess fatehood, il was very
proper for them to SO state. | am per-
fectly willing to be responsible for, and
TO stand by whatever | have said in any
paper filed in Washington or elsewhere.
That you may be able TO see what did
state, / quote from the paper which Is
probably referred TO in that article, all
that was said in regard to this matter:
"For some years past it has been rus
morcd that certain syndicate, whose
members were doing considerable work
TO secure the canal, had secured the or
ton of the purchase Of the Milan Water
Power, at the village of Milan, Ill. This
power is in Rock river, about two miles
from its entrance into the Mississippi,
and about three miles from the proposed
entrance or terminus OF the canal by the
Rock Island route, and is, SO to speak,
the KEY To the situation. This Milan
power consists of dilapidated dam eX-
tending across Rock river between islands
and supplying water power for few
Touring mills and some other small man
ulactories. These dams have beeA built
nearly twenty years and must be re-
moved and new ones built if the canal is
constructed hy this route As Il water
power, IL has not fulfilled the unticipa
lions OF It's projectors, the outlay for IFS
improvement resulting in serious financial
embarrassment to its principal projectors,
1t was stated TO the writer few days
since by trustworthy gentleman, that
Immediately after the appropriation Tor
the Iieunepin canal was inserted in the
river and hat50r bill OF former congress,
so that it seemed likely that it would
share the faie Of the bill, the before men
toned syndicate completed the bargain
for the water power. 1t will BE- lmpossl-
bile for the cunal TO he built by the Rock
Island line without securing by COndem>
nation or otherwise, the control of this
Milan Water Power. Maj, Bcuyuard,
after securing this feature of the Rock
Island line last fail, told the writer that
he had supposed he could 60 around the
water power in case any owner of it
should seek to charge an eXorhiant
price for it, but that on account Of the
steep bluffs about 40 feet high running
down to the edge of the river, and for the
reason that the Sears canal Ga canal cons
nected with the water power had occu-
pied the only practicable ground, il
would be Impossible TO 90 around it.
The point | wish to make here is, if it
shall be eventually determined to build
the canal and to build it by the Rock ISL
and route, it would be far better to leave
the Mississippi river end of the canal un,
determined until arrangements could be
made with the owners of the Milan water
power for the right of way through this
property. have no doubt if this could
be done hundreds of thousands of dollars
could be saved to the government of the
United States in securing the control OF
this water power. The slowest, most
difficult and expensive part of the work
on the proposed canal is from its eastern
terminus near Hennepn, H., on the
Illinois river, to the point where the Dix
on branch feeder enters the proposed
canal The cost of this % miles Is esti
mated to be over -, OOO, 900. (Sec report
Chief of Engineers L. 5. for 1888. APP
pendiX &c, page 1772, near the bottom
The engineers are agreed that there is
but one practical route from the eastern
terminus of the canal TO the feeder branch,
consequently the first appropriation could
well be expended on this part of the line.
Then no matter which of the lines was
finally determined upon by congress
thousands and possibly hundreds OF
thousands of dollars would be saved t.
the government from the fact that the
friends of each line would procure for the
government the best possible terms fol
settlement of land, and other damages in
procuring the right of way, in order to
reduce the cost of their respective lines
so as to increase their chances for prOcur
ing the selection of their favorite route,
1t is stated as rumor. and whether the
rumor be true or false does not affect the
merits of the question. All that | pro-
pose to the department is, that it would
be for the benefit of the government tC
secure a right of way by whatever way
they wish to build the canal before deter.
mining the route. The suggestion in re-
gard to the syndicate is intended to indi
cate to the chief of engineers more forc
bly,, the possibilities in regard to the Milar
water power. That it commands the sit
uaiioB, no matter who owns the power
if it is once determined that the canal il
to be built by that route, admits Of nc
question. That such rumors have beer
circulated in Rock Island for the
past three years, | know to be fact.
The discrimination that ever came to my
knowledge Of any such thing came from
a Rock Island man, interested in Roct
Island.
You say that the citizens and business
men Of Rock Island have been full,
conscious of the fact that Moline woulC
act the dog in the Manager by attempting
to Illustrate the route already agreed
upon. Agreed upon by whom, pray
BY the Hon. Jeremiah Murphy and II few
Rock Island men, perhaps. As to act
ing the dog in the mangcr to proven
Rock Island getting the canal II the Ca
nal can be built so as to subserve the in
terests Of the great northwest, of the gov
eminent arsenal and Of Moline, the PEG
pie of Moline do not care how many canal
Rock Island may get if she wants them
If any one cares for the opinion of til,
engineers upon the Rock Island route,
would ask his consideration of the repor
of Maj. Benyuard on that subject, and so
far as | know the only one ever made
by him is his report to the secretary
of war, volume 2. part II, appendix & G.
pgs. 1854 to 1885. Report of secretary