Rensselaer Republican, Volume 19, Number 28, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 17 March 1887 — GENERAL. [ARTICLE]

GENERAL.

James B. Eads, the constiuctor of the St. Louis bridge and the Mississippi jetties, died at Nassau, in ths Bahama Islands, in his sixty-seventh year. From a biographical sketch before us we learn that— Mr. Eats was Lorn in Lawrenceburg, Lad., May *3, 1820, and Lis early education was acquired in tlie schools of Louisville and Cincinnati. Before he had succeeded in mastering the rudiments, however, his father experienced reverses wuich necessitated the boy s withdrawal from school, lo which ho never returned. At a very early age Ue developed a taste for mechanics and a fondness for experimenting with machinery, which afterwards became tho ruling passion of his life. In September, 1833, when only 13 years old, he airived in St. Louis. The steamboat on which his father with his family had embarked to seek a hdme fartner West had burned, and the family Was .destitute. Young Eads sold apples on the streets to contribute something to the support of himself. In 18 tZ he entered into partnership with Case & Nelson, Loat-buiiders, lor the purpose of recovering steamboats and cargoes which had been wrocked, and tlie firm prospered amazingly. In 18 ho submittea to Congress a proposition to keep the Western rivers open for a term of years by removing ail obstructions and keeping the -channels free. The bill embodying bis proposal passed tho House, b.it was defeated in tho Senate. He retired from active business in 1837 on account of ill-health. During the war Mr. Eads received tho contract for building the first seven vessels ot the Mississippi gunboat flotilla. I rom the close of tha war to the time of cohstruction-of tbe great st -Louis bridge Mr,. Eads waaeiigagnd in no. .great, public works. Cpoa that bridge his fame ak an engineer was iirmly established. The bridge project was first conceived’ in 18 k). Various sites, were selected for the bridge, and the project filet with varying fortunes until Mr. Eads beg in to take' an active interest in it in 18.17. In that year ho was elected Euginocr-in-chief of the company then formed. He at on.ee secured the services of Colonel Henry l-Tad and proceeded to develop plans whicli wore subsequently followed when hridge was constructed. It was completed and opened in 1874. In 1875 Mr. Eads began the construction of a system of jetties for increasing tae depth of the water ut tho mouth of the Mississippi under contract with the Government. His plans when proposed were scouted at first by prominent engineers, but proved eminently successful. His , last great project was the Tehuantepeo Ship Canal. The National Department of Agriculture reports that thirty-six per cent of the last com crop anil twenty-seven percent, of the wheat yield are still in farmers’ hands. ... The extraordinary demand for revenue stamps to be used under the oleomargarine law indicates that (here will be a larger production of oleomargarine this year than was anticipated when estimates were last made.... The acting Secretary of the Treasury has receivedabout one hundred letters in answer to his circular inviting suggestions for the better protection of life and property from fire in case of. accidents to railroad cars and steamboats. The increased appropriation Bv Congress to provide arms and equipments for the militia does not become available until July i, but may be regarded in the nature of a permanent annual 4appropriation. The Brotherhood of Professional Baseball Players proposes soon to make some test cases of the alleged unjust fines to which players are subjected by the League and Association... . Gen. McClellan’s papers showrthat on the eve of the failure of Grant & AVard, be und Gen. Grant had arranged to take control ot the Nicaragua canal, project.