Ottumwa semi-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1899-1903, 1901-12-24

quanty, all found in abundance along
the Des Moines river.
A Good Country.
"And General Curtis, in Specializing
upon the future, in his report as en-
gineer to the legislator, led the peo-
pie to anticipate great results from
the Des Moines river improvement.
He said:
No country can afford like accom-.
modations to manufactures; no coun-
try can produce more agricultural
wealth than within sixty miles on eth
er side of the river And further:
That taking all things into consider
alton. the matter is mathematically
certain Except in times of high water
in the Missouri the trade of Council
Bluffs will incline to follow down the
Improvement. But it is not this point
alone that is reached: We enter the
great valley of Nebraska. and the up-
per branches of the Missouri, and Of
fer the commerce of these valleyes the
cheapest and most expeditions route
for their products. A country of
thousand miles extent, capable of fur
nishing vast and unknown agricultur-
al and mineral product. may by wise
and discreet energy in the prosecu-
ton of this work become tributary to
the Improvement now in progress on
the Des Moines.'
Politics.
These reports, which may hold good
today. excited the public mind and ev-
cry effort was made in the direction
of securing as much of the public
lands for this improvement as posi-
BILE. Politics and selfishness. howev-
er soon entered the household of the
faithful, besides it was found that the
lands granted by the federal govern
ment could not be disposed OF fast
enough to meet the expenses of the
extensive work. The board recon-
mended to the legislature that bonds,
bearing the sanction CT the supreme
power of the state. should be issued
by the board ard pledging the pro-
ceeds of the sale of lands as well as
tolls of the improvement for their re-
demption.' This was opposed. Among
the prominent opponents of this poll
cy was Yer Frank Van Antwerp, a
man of energy and influence. He
claimed that the measure was undem-
ocratic and impolitic He went to To-
wa City, then the capital of the state
as lobby member to fight the prop
osition before the legislature. Hugh
w. Sample. a foeman worthy of any
mans steel. and chairman of the
board. fought for the measure. but
Van Antwerp was successful.
IN August, 1S47, the officers of the
board Of public works were again to
be elected. Here was another contest
between Van Antwerp and Sample.
Sample was candidate for reelection
and wanted the old officers of the
posed it and the contest was bitter.
vention. There he had hand bills
printed and distributed, seeing that
every delegate received copy The
consequence was that the old board
was defeated and Col. William Patter-
son of Lee county. was nominated for
president; Jesse Williams, of Johnson
for secretary and George Gillaspy, of
Wapello, for treasurer. These were
elected.
1.-The course of the new board met
with much censure from the public
and newspapers, said Charles Nagus
in an interesting paper On the sub
ject, particularly the Wing press was
very severe in its strictness. The
course which had been pursued by the
board of public works made the i'm
provement OF the river Des Moines a
prominent matter before the legisla-
ture, which convened in December,
1850. The issuing of bonds did not
meet with the approval of that body.
and law was passed abolishing the
offices of president. secretary and
treasurer. and the officer of commits
sioner and register of the Des Moines
river improvement, We're created
which, instead, We're appointed by the
governor, by and with the consent OF
the senate.
Much Trouble.
"The governor appointed Yer Plank
Van Antwerp commissioner and Geo.
Gillaspy register, who on January
-, 1851. entered into contract
with Bangs Brothers & Co.. of New
York, in which they stipulated to COM
plete the whole work in four years.
This company soon failed and the con
tract was declared forfeited.
Wrangling Kills Scheme.
Matters dragged along and finally
on December II, 1858, Henry
O'Reilly, of New York, entered into a
contract with the commissioners, in
which for the consideration of the I'M
sold lands belonging to the improve
ment, and tolls and water rents and
other profits arising from the work for
the term of forty years agreed to
complete the entire work within the
period of four years from July l.
1854. The company which he
formed, the Des Moines Improvement
and Railroad company. wrangled
among themselves and soon the mat
ter of Irregularities was in the courts.
before the governor and then the leg