The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1894-12-29

minds as a copy of Homer in original Greek
to- the tangled brain. of a Minot news gatherer.
Floating Follies.
One Of the most no orious ~methods~by
which certain politicians in high places drain
the public treasury is by subtle ride tackled
on the appropriation bills without comment
or debate, is the subtle ::'River and Harbor
Bill" Its workings in the east have been
frequently exposed by .the+New York Sun
and other influential journals, but the north
west in its Territorial condition was not al
lowed to share in the congressional ''divy."
But with: the advent Of statehood this was
changed and Senator Pierce was credited up
with a 100000 appropriation for the m
provement of navigation on the Upper Mis-
souri,, as his 'ewhack-in" on the million or
more appropriated in the general pot. But
after his defeat for the %Senatorship, it was
given out by his friends: through the Bis
marck Settler sandr.1ther sources, that as
a partial punishment to this section tot. IT'S
lukewarmness in espousing his senatorial
reelection, this big barrel Of public expen
ditures intended for North Dakota,,s capital
city, would be rolled in such = way that the
bung would spill lis contents in Sioux City,
which was accordingly done. As this kind
Of IN appropriation IS generally held in mar
flow bounds by working bosses. its debl'at-
ling and communicating effect is now aPPar-
ent when the kilograms recently sent from
Sioux City informs us that the principal city
and county officers are now languishing in
1jail. Whether these cooped up fellows are
of another crowd, envious Of the river and
jharbor crowd of bene6ciaries, and anxious
to outstrip them in show and develtry; o
whether they are Of the same gang-which
we half suspect-the fact itself remains the
duluge Of Doodle was more temptation than
the political steering committee of Sioux
Cityites could well stand. il,
The steamer Josephene Representing this
Sioux City headquarters Of Governmentcon
tractors have been p c icing ] ing this Up er
Missouri river the past two seasons. 1t is
said they have a $4,000 contract to demol-
ish and don't exactly want an. abb case
brought up against them. When they
get tired doing, nothing they. occasionally;
hitched the chains to a snag and. setsthe Mig
ger agoing. That navigation had practically
ended many years ago-notr for want 81
Ia safe route but of business-cut no
figure. Even If steamers piowed that river
lin daily trips .~oldocaptains and pilots ridiculed
the advantages Of the. removal of an occa-
|sional snag. in an ever changing chanrfG.---
During the past two seasons this snagy alboat
itself other. than occasional skif or a bull
boat, was the sole vessel that breasted these
muddy. swirl ng* waters of the Upper Mis-
souri, river for huddreds. Of miles along. is
! %serpentne course IS: -
Ii this boats crew had strictly confined
their eownish actions to the stnag business.
perhaps we would not register a kick. But
taking advantage. Of euni. and an Obsolete
law Of 80 feet Of the channel. they took ad:
vantage Of a temporary shift and high water
with modern mechanical appliances to saw
and throw into" the stream some fine bodies
Of thrifty timber, under the .proposterous
idea that it would soon fall in and ''obstruc'
navieEfon. God ave us. Now any man
knows. and wen any beavers knows-for
they act upoa.. LIZ knowledge gained in the
ecouou1y-of The construction ot winter quar-:
ters-that VIXEN the channel shifts to BANK
and when you want that bank cut and re
move the timber n front and the caving in
goes uninterrilpteday on. On the othe,
hand a SINGLE troe that falls owe with its
fown toPheaviness with its Dot yet cling
ling to he shore, aud Il w~ndisturbed, will
sooa. turn the chaanel waeers outward AND
point saved from further aving, But Il the
methods pursued b. the yosepine's crew
prevail the timber and point would soor
pass away forever