The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-03-16
SUBURBAN SIFTINGS.
THE MILAN WATER Power AND THE
IENNEPIN CANAL-NOTEs or INTER-
EAy
MILAN, March l.

EST.
MILAN, March Is
Homer Caldwell. of Presumption, re
turned from Western Iowa last week
| where he has purchased a fine farm.
Vim. Framing will leave for Kansas
Tuesday evening to invest in Il large
tract of land, and If agreeable will remain
this summer
Uncle Tommy Shires, who has been
afflicted with partial paralysis for "A mum
Der of years, was taken with severe at
tack short time ago, leaving him in a
critical condition.
| When the blue birds sing il is IA sure
| sign of spring. This was the case Sun
day morning, and the pleasant day with Il
few more will bring before us the many
beauties which We enjoy each a year AS
the season comes.
| Lizzie Framing. who has been attend
| ing the Northwestern college at Genes 60
| the past SIX months, reports that last
| Friday evening the school gave one Of
the finest classical exercises that has ever
| been given since the school has been es>
tablshed. Miss Framing will be home in
| a few days.
| Mr.. Frysinger, our inventive genius,
is to the front again We had the pleas
urc of examining his latest novel inven>
ton. Its certainly practical and of great
utility to railroads Last December he
received patent for constructing Il track
which when placed in position will neither
| break down nor allow rails 10 spread The
| tiles are of iron, placed four feet apart. and
on top is placed a wooden Tie in the same
position as the rail to which the iron rail
is bolted through the wood TO the
iron ties, making it impossible
for an engine to spread them, which is an
Improvement over what has been used
for so many years. Railroad companies
have been annoyed very much by the
spreading of rails, by which numerous
accidents have occurred. No doubt this
novel invention will be appreciated by the
railroads.
The RegieC Dispatch. of Moline, is still
up in arms against the proposed route for
the canal, and sin their attorney has
attempted to put our people on record at
| Washington as syndicate sChemers to de>
fraud the government by asking enor-
nous prices passing our water power,
no doubt, to their chagrin, they have
dropped the Moline route and are trying
to show facts and figures for the Dosia
route. This little trick brings to mind
Maj. Thales Lindley's cranky report of
the Government Island some thirty or
forty years ago, and our citizens have the
same opinion of Mr.. Lewis report, lately
made at Washington. 1t looks very
much as if the gentleman was aiding
the Moline water syndicate to do
something for their artificial water power,
We believe to be correct in saying they
received large donation to have water
power erected, and yet almost every fac
tory that is close to the power is running
by steam. MIR. James First can give
a good history of it from experience.
While ours has proven natural power
beyond doubt, and our manufacturers
are not asking for donations or scheming
to be placed in position whereby the gov.
eminent is compelled to do as we wish
and place us in position by which our
citizens could be made a subject of ridi-
cule, those fluctuations of towns show
ing business for the canal shows plainly
where the terminus should be located for
commercial advantages Is it not
easier to bring freight down the Mis-
sissippi than pushing it up over the rap
ids which has caused more serious trouble
than any stretch on the river?
The Dispatchs argument again ST
the popular route is very slim. taking
into consideration the commercial ad
vantages for this route. Every engineer
who has made survey of the Rock river
route has reported it the most practicable
route for all purposes, and this being the
case, Gen. Newton could not do Others
wise than to sustain the Rock Island
route. Our citizens believe anyone who
has commercial interests al heart will sus
tain this route and the committee who
have the canal business in charge at
Washington.