Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-09-24

uu'ii 'ne trouble came up with the prop.
ertS holders along the north reuter-
why there is no secret about that
Mag Mackenzie replied. Capt. Marshall
stated it here repeatedly and think the
engineers are all satisfied of the fact, that
the original engin ers looked to the south
SIDE OF the river for club to hold sver the
property holders who were obstinate in
coming to terms with the government. But
In looking for the club they found a route
more practicable and more economical
foF The government than any considered"
Then the original intention of the
engineer department was not to locate
the canal on the south side of the river?
Most assurdedly not. The discovery
OF the south route was purely accidental
well major. do you not think, that
had the engineers in charge of the sur
veys inexperienced the difficulty they did
with property holders, that in discover
ing the deficiency of the water discharge
the most likely course would have been
instead of following Rock river below
Turkey island, to have cut across the
plateau to the neighborhood of the old
distillery3'
such course would have been very
natural, and individually.it would have,
pleased me very m UGH. y
The facts contained in the report of
the special army board together with the
nature of Maj Macker zle's remarks, give
The ARGUS no cause for regret for the
position it has taken regarding the canal
route from the first. With the earliest
intimation that an effort was to be made
to change the adopted survey. THE AR
GUS deprecated any such course of action,
believing that it would be a waste of time,
and that the only result would be to have
the impression 60 abroad that Rock Isl
and was attempting to retard the progress
of the canal construction in the hopes OF
gaining ends of purely local importance.
HE ARGUS has adhered rather to the
broader view that the canal is of more
importance than the route. 1t has main
tanned that but for the greed
of the principal owner of Van
druff island demanding $50, 900,
| for whatever rights the govern ment
might want on Vardruffs island the cam
al would have been on the north shore
where it was originally intended. That
this Sc same property holder on finding
that his little game had failed, and that
the canal was going to the south side
first sent an eX-congressman to Washing
ton to work to have it changed, and then
attempted to have our Improvement as
adopted course, even to appointing the
committee and drafting the resolutions
in advance, but failed in this, let it be
said to the credit of the association.
| When, however. the war department saw
| fit to send on a special commission to
settle the matter and expressions were by
| invitation of that special commission in
order, then the sssocia ton properly
adopted resolutions. Then it was that
the ARGUS too. did what it could to COM
mend the route which we would have had
but for the distractions put in way by the
property holder alluded to, but all such
efforts were accompanied by only faint
hope of success as better route from an
engineering point of vie " had been acci-
dentally discovered in an effort on the
part of the government representatives. TO
get out of the clutches of grasping. ex-
orbitint property holders.
When the special army board had com
pleted its investigations THE ARGUS pre-
dicted that either the south route would
be approved or an entirely new one, such
as we should have had recommended,
| giving at the same time the reasons why
there was not q shadow OF a chance for
the north route beyond Turkey island.
But the matter has been settled. Rock
Island has gained nothing by the war that
has been led on the adopted route except
an unjust reputation for fighting the gov
ernm ent. Ore citizen has caused the
trouble and is alone responsible for the
investigation-h is alone responsible for
the canal being located on the south
shore. Many other citizens have worked
for the north shore route, but they did so
fully disinterestedly and for the best in.
terests, as they believed, of the city. and
they are to be commended. but they
fought against fate. and were handicap
ped to the last moment by the audacious
meddling of this same property holder,
who persisted in occupying the time the
engineers board gave to the public and
finally made an offer to give whatever
rights the government might ask Of him
for s5 COO. and for which, when he