Anti-Bridgers (jan 1, 1850 – apr 24, 1856)

Description:

During the 1850s, there was an ongoing struggle in the Mississippi Valley between those who favored north-south traffic and those who advocated east-west travel across the continent. It contrasted the old migration patterns and the new, the South and the East, the transportation by water and by rail. St. Louis supported the principle of free navigation for boats, whereas Chicago stood by the right of railroad companies to build a bridge.

In 1853, Secretary of War Jefferson Davis expressed his support for a transcontinental railroad along a southern route to connect the Far West with the South. The Rock Island Bridge Company was established, and construction of the bridge began in the fall of 1853. Southerners opposed any northern bridge, fearing it would enable the North to settle the West more rapidly. Initially, Davis did not object because he believed the southern route's progress was guaranteed. However, in the spring of 1854, as the Kansas-Nebraska Act intensified sectional conflicts, Davis recognized that his southern transcontinental railroad might be postponed. Even though Fort Armstrong in Rock Island closed in 1845, succeeding secretaries of war claimed jurisdiction over the island. The Rock Island Bridge Company therefore sought Davis's approval for a land grant to build a railroad across the Mississippi River. Davis deliberated for several months while the bridge construction commenced. Eventually, on April 19, 1854, Davis reaffirmed the War Department's jurisdiction and stated his opposition to the company's use of the island. According to contemporary newspaper reports, Davis aimed to prevent a northern railroad from gaining an advantage over a southern route, which would enable the North to lead in settling Nebraska and Kansas. In a letter to the contractors, John Warner and Company, he ordered the construction of the bridge to stop, but this order was ignored. On July 17, 1854, the U.S. marshal for the District of Illinois arrived at Rock Island to enforce Davis's order. However, by that time, the land had already been graded, and for reasons unknown, the marshal did not remove the bridge construction workers. Davis's next move was to apply for an injunction to prevent further construction. In The United States v. The Railroad Bridge Company, judge John MacLean ruled that because Rock Island had been abandoned by the War Department, it could not be considered a military preserve. Therefore, Rock Island became public land and could be used for other purposes. The judge added that the bridge would be an improvement in the interest of the general public. Such use of public lands promoted population growth and increased land values. He maintained that "a State has the power to construct a public road through public lands." Finally, the judge concluded that "the State of Illinois has an undoubted right to authorize the construction of a bridge, provided that the same does not materially obstruct the free navigation of the river." He further stated that there would be little or no delay or hazard to steamboats resulting from passing the drawbridge. Jefferson Davis's efforts to halt construction of the bridge were effectively stopped.

Added to timeline:

Date: