Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1890-05-13
TO UNCLE SAM Solely.
The Ownership of the Rock Island
Bridge.
A strange Effort on the Part of the
Morning Paper 10 shoulder Respon-
stbtlities for Opposing Trade ON tite
Rock Island Road

| The Union flies the track at the resolu
tions endorsed by the mayor and city
clerk of each of the cities of Davenport
Moline and Rock Island and by the pres
ident and secretary of each of the Bust
ness Mems associationssof the three cite,
as published 10 last nights ARGUS, and
urging that section of the regulations
making the Rock Island bridge free at al
seasons of the year be permitted to stand
I There are numerous reasons why the
Union might have been expected to op'
pose such a course even to the disregard
OF the wishes of all interests of the com
munity as voiced through the mayors ant
city clerks and the officers of the CONNER,
cial bodies of the tri>cities. There are
three explanations at least of the Union,
attitude that are familiar with the charac.
terislic policy of that excuse for repre-,
sentative newspaper. and briefly sum,
married they are:
| l. 1t is the hireling-and very poor
one too-of the ferry company, the inter-
esis IF which are alone affected bv the
established permanency of section 5 OF
the bridge regulations. which has hereto.
| fore been in force only during the season
| of suspended river navigation.
3. The success of Congressm An Gear
| through the cooperation of the three
cities in making section permanent, is q
| pointed reflection on Congressman Ges,
whose election was due in large degree
| to his being a Rock Island mau, and the
understanding that the interests of the
people of Rock Island would be guarded
| with special care by him.
3. 1t is opposed on general principle
to public improvements and progress
sive tendencies.
But the cunning of the morning paper
"a trait it has never before attempted
TO m anifest-in attempting to lay at the
door of the c., r. 1. & p railroad the
efforts to maintain section Sis as trans.
parent as it is without truth in fact
Read few lines from its argument tc
substantiate this view:
The theory of the war department has
heretofore been that as ths Chicago, Rock
Island Il Pacific Railroad Co. owns half
interest in this bridge its rights and inter-
e9ts should be protected-to the extent
at least of not allowing the use of the
lower deck of the bridge for the purpose
of lessening the company's legitimate
traffic and earnings on the upper deck
The question that naturally arises in
the minds of one who reads the above ex,
tract is if the Rock Island road is respon
sible for the remonstrance now on file in
Washington against the permanency OF
section 5, why should the Union feel
itse ( called upon to sustain the said re-
moustrance so enthusiastically But be-
| fore attempting the solution of the con,
undrum let us see if the C, r. /. & P.
road does own a half interest in this
bridge. Let us have a little light from
the congressional record at the time the
| bridge was built, on the subject In the
proceedings of the second session of the
Thirty ninth congress in 1867 may be
found this provision which was passed
relat tive to the construction of the present
bridge at Rock Island:
For the erection of a bridge at Rock
| Island, Illinois, as recommended by thu
chief of ordnance, two thousand dollars:
| Pro0tded, That the ownership of said
| bridge shall be and remain in the United
States and the Rock Island and Pacific
company shall have the right of way over
said bridge for all purposes of transit
across the island and river. upon the condi-
ton that the said company shall before
any money is expended by the govern
ment, agree to pay and shall secure to the
United States first, half the cost of said
bridge; and, second, half the expenses of
kee ping said bridge in repair. and upon
guaranteeing said conditions to the sat-
| isfsction of the secretary of war, by con-
tract or otherwise, the said company
shall have the free use of said bridge for
purposes of transit, but without any
claim to ownership thereof.
Then from the proceedings of the
Fortieth congress the following joint res.
olution passed July 20, 1868, relating tc
the Ownership of the bridge, the fol-
lowing IS taken;
| Be it resolved by the senate and house
of representatives OF the United States OF
America in congress assembled, THAI
the act of congress making appropria-
tions for the support of the army for the
year ending June thirty, eighteen hun
bred and sixt eight. and for other pur-
poses" approved March two, eighteen
hu ndred and sixtysseven, be, and the
same is hereby, so amended as to author
ize and direct the secretary of war tC
order the commencement of work on the
bridge over the Mississippi river at ROCK
Island, to connect the said island with the
cities of Davenport and Rock Island
Provided, That the ownership of SAID
bridge shall be and remain in the United
States, and the Rock Island & Pacific
Railroad company shall have the right oil
way oyer said bridge for all purposes OF
transit across the island and river, upon
condition that the said railroad compan,
shall pay TO the United States. first, hal
OF the cost of the superstructure of tn,
bridge over the main channel and half the
cost OF keeping the same in repair, ant
shall also build at its own cost the bridg,
over that part of the river which is on tn,
east side of the island of Rock Island, ant
so the railroad on and across said islant
Of r ok Island and upon a full com
company shall have the use of said bridg,