Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-02-08
SOMETHING IN THE swAMPs
Prospects OF Biz Gains IN the Lower
End OF Rock Island COunty-Musca-
tine Elnted.

Prospects of Big Gains IN the Lower
End OF Rock Island COunty-Musca-
tine EIated,
The people of the lower end of the
county and of Muscatine, according to a
Muscatine paper are elated over
the prospect of having the swamp oppo-
site Muscatine and in Drury township re-
claimed aud the possibility of getting
another railroad. The commissioners APP
pointed to investigate and report upon
the practicabi!ity of constructing levee
to reclaim the waste territnry. state that
at least 20 900 acres of swamp lands may
be reclaimed, lying between Muscatne
and New Boston; that the construction
of leyee will at once enhance the value
of this rich tract of land at least 5000.
| 900. The leyee can be constructed for
| $4,000. A citizen Of Muscatine offers
to contribute more than one-twentieth of
the amount necessary to construct the
levee and when the circuit court shall de
eide in favor of establishing levee dis
trict as it reasonably will when the mats
ter comes up at Aledo. March @, for final
action, it is hoped that move will be
made all along the line to begin the solid
work of construction. Says the Musca
tine paper
The Quincy d Rock Island Railroad
company offers to lay track up the RVS
cr to Muscatine ii the proposed leyee will
| be granted as road bed. Therefore
this fertile tract of land, now d waste al
most, may be made to produce from 60
TO IS bushels of corn per acre. and We
may secure another road if Muscatine
will take hold of the matter.
Twenty years ago the rich farming
lands below Milan on the Rock river were
by no means so promising as the swamp
lands lying between Muscatine and New
Boston, but the construction of a levec
has made this Rock river section the gar
den Of Rock Island county. OF this tract
across the river some 1000 or 5000
acres are within Rock Island county and
most of the entire tract within twelve
miles of the city.
Muscatnc points with pride to the rec
ord made by She enterprising farmers on
Muscatne island, but the land across
the river is capable of far greater
results, because it will produce greater
variety of crops and its fertility is unsur-
passed.
In addition to these levce improvement
prospects there is quite fair outlook for a
bridge across the Mississippi in the lower
end of the county. Congressman Hayes
has introduced in the house bill author
izing the construction of bridge over
the Mississippi at or near Muscatine The
provisions of the bill are very similar to
those of the Burlington bridge bill. The
bridge may be built with a draw or with
continuous spans, and if the latter it
shall give clear head room. in no case
less than 553 feet above extreme high
water mark, and the spans shall not be
less than $50 feet, with no less than 800
feet for the main span. If it is built as
draw bridge there shall not be less than
200 feet In the clear on each side of the
pivot pier, and the next span or spans
shall not be less than 900 feet The
bridge Is to be for wagons. passengers
and railroads, end all railroad compa-
MES are to have equal facilities in its use.