Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-04-24
is FIfER TO BLAME.:
The Opinion That he is Delaying
Canal Work.
The startling Announcement That
the Governors Dilatory Meth.
DDS are Jeopardizing Henne-
pin.

Ii Governor Fifer hostile to the Henne.
pin canal? Is he. for some reason, per
haps, better known to himself, dilatory
in the matter as far as his duty in the
pre- nises is concerned, and is Therefore
placing the project in dsngers If not
why is he pursuing dilatory methods that
threaten the project at the last moment2
The Chicago Herald of yesterday repre-.
sents this to be the case. Read:
Unless the state of Illinois bestirs her,
self the S500,0 appropriated by the late
congress for the Hennepin canal may be
lost and the long years of labor in behalf
OF the project come to naught. Before
work can begin on the canal the state
must cede jurisdiction and consent to the
purchase of land. 81 wrote to the gov,
ernor sometime ago, urging the required
action by the legislature" Captain W. L.
Marshall. the United States engineer said
yesterday, but have not received even
an acknowledgement of the receipt of
my letter. The governor has apparently
paid no attic rtion 10 the matter | shall
write him again, and. if no reply is then
received and nothing is done, the presi,
dent will ask that the state of Illinois
grant jurisdiction. This is as the statutes
provioe." If the half million is not ex-
pended this year it will he possible for
congress TO pull back the appropriation.
If the work goes on this season the ap-
preparation will make the Rock River
naviGa0le for q miles IN a medium stage
of water and Is miles in extreme low
water. 10 addition to the Hennepin canal
construction the United States engineer
Will he kept busy this season. AS soon
as the water goes down, work on the
kampsville lock and dam. on the Illinois
rivor 30 miles from its mouth, will be
comm enced and pushed night and day
with three shifts of men until completed
The 500, 600 appropriated will nearly,
II not quite, complete the Improvement.
Then the $250000 for dredging which
congress is expected to appropriate next
winter will give excellent navigation with
seven feet of water from the Mississippi
TO La Sale. This is foot and a half
more water than there is in the Mississip.
pl In dry weather. From an
engineering standpoint the Hennepln
canal construction is probably the most
impor ant of any now being prosecuted
by the government.
This is matter which should enlist the
immediate efforts of our local canal work.
ers, to the end that thorough investiga-
ton may be made, and the governors
attention called to any danger in which
delay on his part may involve the Henne-
pin. for whether intentional or not, &C.
cording to the view expressed by the
Herald he appears to have it in his power
now to hasten or delay-perhaps for
great while the work of construction.
The Chicago Inter-Ocean of yesterday
has similar representation of the situa-
ticn, but it goes further and says:
The boycott upon L. L. Wheeler. Cap,
tain Marshalls assistant at Rock Island,
continues in full force. Mr.. Wheeler is
unable to find house. and may be com
PEELED 10 resign for lack of place TO
live.
The word boycott is misused in this
connection. The people of Rock Island |
would lie only too happy to have Col.
Wheeler reside among them, but he is no
doubt furnishing an illustration of what
The ARGUS has so frequently commented |
upon-,he scarcity of houses in Rock ISL
and. and talk about boycott" is nom
sence. The city is losing residents every
day because it cannot furnish houses. IL |
look word, it is overcrowded, but the out |
IS beginning to appear better, although |
the number of houses in sight does no.
begin to give any promise OF meeting the
demand Col Wheeler, however, has |
made arrangements at Milan for his resi-
1ence for two years at least.
Col. Wheeler stated this morning that |
MS men were busy stalking out the final |
inc of the approved route to the mouth |
Of Rock river. but said the actual opera
lions would. of course. not be entered |
upon until the state of Illinois had ceded |
jurisdiction to the government, the neces,
'ity of such step, be said, being too,well |
known to need confirmation on his part. |