Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1891-03-13
rHE VIADUCT HISTORY.
Came of the Great Difficulties Over
come.
,rver Olsen Relates the St1tus Of
the Measure Last Fall and as IL
rs Found Today.

anal obstacles 10 the IWentY~f0urth
street visduct, and who has just retur ned
ram Washington where his labors were
"a we'll rewarded, was visited by an Ar
orc emisssry this morning. Mr.. Olsen
vss found up to his ears with the mass
Of work which had accumulated in his
absence, but he courteously gave the re-
Dorter few minutes of his time. When
sssed if but for the attentive manner in
which the measure had been pursued by
the citizens here. if it would not have
failed of success at the very last nom emit,
Mr.. Olsen replied:
well, yes, the viaduct bill was gur.
rounded by so many complications that it
required rot only great amount of
work here, but the personal appearance
st Washington of one understanding the
situation in all its details Ia conuec-
ton with the bill rs it passed providing
that the viaduct be erected. was
the requirement that we were
10 furnish an indemnifying bond
sgainst al! incidental damages and
oil proper jurisdiction TO the United
States should be coded BY us. The in
Identifying bond was furnished in a sum
s. great IS The value of the lands AUDITING
and signed by Ben T. Cable and Fred
Weyerhsuser, which was approved By
the government. Thereupon a prelim,-
nary plan of the viaduct and approaches
was prepared. The original plans con-
ienpIated an approach so feet in width
slOng the center of Twenty-fourth street,
and the first abstract of title showed the
title to these 80 feet in width, running
from Third avenue TO the south line of
Second avenue. The present title to that
50 feet is now in the city of Rock Island,
acquiring it at various times. Many of
Ofthese deeds provided that the land
should be used only for street purposes
while Others had provisos somewhat sim
liar. The city then executed a deed for
this land and sent it on with the abstract,
which in due time came into the Judge AZ y
vocste generals Office at Washington to
be passed upon by him, as to the
validity and sufficency of the
papers This was in September
last. Objections were Immediately
made TO the abstract and papers submit,
d,and returned to the city In &c oher
further papers were supplied and iu No
venber they again reached the Judge ad.
voCate generals Office. and lengthy re-
port from that Office consisting of six
pages Of type written matter OF oh iect-
IONS was returned, the salient points OF
OF which were that the govern ment
should have title for vIsduct as per-
feet as is required for public building
and the jurisdiction the same.
His opinion questioned the city's right
TO convey the Twenty>foprth street prop,
erty for visduct. 1t required deeds
from the railroad companies for the a5so-
lutte conveyance in fee of q section Of SO
ieet in length across their tracks at
TWenty>fourth street. 1t suggested and
demanded that the city of Rock Island
should vacste the 80 feet on Twenty
fourth street and throw the title back to
the heirs and assigns Of the people who
had laid ont .haaa ol1;t;npo anl
the land to the city, and then that the
city obtain conveyance from all those
heirs and assigns which are scattered all
over the United States.
Certain people living in the city, and
woo are supposed to have an interest in
The matter, objected to the viaduct and
would only convey their rights on prom
Use OF payment of large sums of money
Tor property they had already received
1ull pay for, also requiring state legisla-
uon as to Jurisdiction. In connection
with this matter there was q point raised
mat no jurisdiction had been coded to
Inc government over the wagon bridge to
The middle of the river characterization
1t was found that the laws Of 1867 had
granted such Jurisdiction, and this point
was met In addition to these general
CLAIMS and demands there were the usual
number of minor flaws. misdiscrip.ions
and uncertainties as to dove rs, etc that
arse IN any title. The questions had to
be met, weighed and overcome. The
railway companies, of course. would not
grant the government the absolute own
ership Of SO feet across their only en-
trance into the city. but were willing to
grant all other rights the government
might ask. On the return in last No
Vember of the papers, new abstract
was furnished, more complete, and in de-
Tall including the old titles of the Rock
Island road. the former Rockford. Rock
island & st. Louis, and now c., B. & Q
road, new ordinances by the city, and