The Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1885-1886, 1886-04-08
FRIENDS AND FOES.
Advocates and Opponents Of the Hen
nepin Canal Cause..-P0ints Con-
corning the Route.
TREASURER NELSON'S OPINION.

TREASURER NEISpN . vi tNlo1Ns
Mr.. D. F. Tillinghast, managing editor
of the Davenport Democrat, had an inter
view with Murray Nelson, treasurer of
the Hennepin canal commission in Chi,
cago night before last. and the following
is an abstract of the conversation:
Addressing Mr.. Nelson, the Democrat
representative asked for his views on the
Hennepin outlook.
my views sad he. ARE Mr.. Edward
Russel's views, and his views are mine.
know nothing which have not imbibed,
but | have studied this canal question
from its very inception"
The writer drew from his pocket a
fifteen page pamphlet The llennepin
Canal-Discussiop of the Different
Routes Surveyed. the one originating in
Moline and recently sent to every mem
Der of the national house and senate
| Mr.. Nelson had heard of the document,
but he had not seen it. He examined the
discussion" critically for few minutes
and then used these words:
This will do fatal work II is shorts
sighted, and how intelligent men, friends
of the canal, can engage in it. is beyond
my comprehension The Moline matter
had not been sprung in its present shape
when | was in Washington"
Had no issue been raised about the
western end of the canal" was asked
DIAMOND 10 REYNOLDS.
Yes answered Mr. Nelson, "Dia-
mond Jo Reynolds, the Mississippi river
steamboat king, was the first man to come
to me and point out that there would
likely be trouble about the western ter
minus. He stated that he had some COM
| plant of his own to make, and also some
for the Dubuque people. But, remem Der
that Diamond 10 promptly sent his check
when our commission was in need of
funds, and he had right TO speak. Mr.
Reynolds sale to me, Are you an ems
gineer?" II answered that | WAS not and
asked, Are your He replied in the
negative. We both concluded, AS We
knew nothing about it, and as Others were
no better of, to leave the question of
route to board of engineers That was
my idea at the start and it is unchanged
now. explained TO Mr. Reynolds the
fatality of making the terminus of the
proposed canal a question at all The
moment you discuss the terminal point
that instant you make the canal local
issue, and that will Kill it as dead as the
d.
| SECRETARY PARKER TALKS.
A reporter visited Mr.. L. F. Parker
secretary OF the Hennepin canal central
committee last evening, and when ques'
toned concerning the effect Of the assault
by the Moline Water company upon tn:
Heunepin measure, replied;
During the early part of my visit Il
Washington this bombardment com
menced. The ammunition has been go
together and the artillery company hat
been previously formed The heavy
guns in reserve on both sides of the rive
had been set apart, and the party who
was to handle the ram rod and touch of
the active artillery were assigned Ia duty
There had been skirmishing for years
Recruiting sargeants had been sent on
TO distribute promises of gain. If mo-
shillings. The first gun may perhap,
have gone off at half cock, but the sho
reached our midst 10 Washington in the
shape of an accusation that the bill
which in itself killed all possible profi
to the owners of property on the line by
providing that property should be con
demned and appraised. was in tn,
interest Of a syndicate that had the re-
fusal of the Milan water power Tni.
bomb was thrown back into the teeth Of
the combination, not only by showing
the bill gave it the lie, but by impeach
able testimony that no sale or purchase
of the Milan water power had been made
The next shot was in the form of 3
memorial to congress, made up OF rout'
ing that no person could attribute to any
citizen OF the tri>cliies, not crazy Oh
fighting mad. But TO come down TO thu
, plain facts. When the government
decided TO construct an armory OF
Rock Island, company purchased what
they did not own of the Illinois shore
front along the portion OF the river thai
runs south of the island, and laid claim
to the water power about to be improved
This water power company, which la:
made one fortune out of the government
by its improvement of the water power
for their use, is composed Of all the lead
Tag citizens of Moline, that are now
seeking TO defeat the Hennepin cana
because it will not directly enable then
: to make another fortune out of thu
government by building the canal wher'
no engineer could even recommend it:
, construction, notwithstanding the vas
benefit it would be to every other either
r of Moline if built where nature designed
it to be. as well for convenience as utilit,
to an already vast commerce to poiu
below Rock Island The project o
having the canal. it built, feed waite
power owned by this clique has been tn
ever present annoyance TO all homes
workers for great national improvement
r in the interest of commerce. The cana
on their route would cost millions Of
dollars more than any other route simpl
70 reach the river Coming out, as j
| does, in the midst of the rapids wher
5 the bed of the shallow river is solid rocl
3. it wOdld cost other millions 10 give a
good on outlet for commercial purpose
I as that below Rock Island, which woul
require no expense. The effort these fey
5 Moline individuals and those they hav
4 induced TO join them have been the sol
= excuse for the cry of job, scheme
steal. etc, all over the land. They have
=, like satan of old, promised much NOR
than they could perform. They hav
l thrown out the bait that the government
t would, if the WATERFOWL route was used
be compelled to build dam across tn
:, Mississippi to secure a basin for tn
canal outlet, with passage for boats o
the Iowa side. That would give a waite
t power equal to their own to the peopl
5 of Davenport. Fortunately most of on
!. people could as clearly see the fallacy O
this suggestion as they doubtless di
. themselves. No dam win ever be a
Il lowed across the river as long as raft
k are seen upon it, it at least
= DAVENPORT WANTS THE LOWER RoUTE