Des Moines Correspondence

DES MOINES, March 6.

The stage has at last reached here, but we have no Davenport mail yet since the storm.  Representative McCall, of Story county reached here yesterday, after three days traveling from Nevada, a distance of thirty miles.  He says he hasn’t seen the roads so bad for years.  The weather, after four or five as tedious days as any mortal need desire is moderating somewhat.  The wind has ceased to blow, and we are now expecting a thaw.

The Senate has passed the bill providing for the permanent location of the Deaf and Dumb Asylum at this place.  The vote on its final passage stood: Yeas 31, nays 5.  It has now under consideration a bill providing for the erection at this place of a State Arsenal.  The State will be in possession of a large quantity of arms at the close of the war, and at present there is no suitable place to keep them.  The bill provides that a fire-proof building shall be erected at a cost not to exceed $5,000, in which the State arms shall be stored.  Some have objected to the location at this point, arguing that it should be on the river.  The majority, however, in consideration of the fact that the arms will be needed if at all, on the western, northern, and southern borders of the state, seem to favor the location at the Capital.

In the House, on Wednesday, fourteen bills were passed; many of them of local interest, others of minor importance, and a few worthy of note.  Stanton’s railroad bill was among the number.  It is so amended as to oblige the railroad companies in all cases to pay for damages done to live stock, instead of compelling them to fence their roads, this was deemed a necessary amendment.  It would be of a great tax on the companies to oblige them to fence at present.  The strict provision now inserted instead of the fencing clause will accomplish the same end, by insuring owners of cattle against loss.

To-day the House considered at some length, the Senate bill for a settlement with Messrs. Brown and Alexander of Van Buren county, providing for the payment by the State of $30,000 to these parties, on condition of their releasing the State from its obligation to keep up the dam in the river so as to furnish them with water power for thirty-nine years from the date of the contract, I think in 1852.  It lies over as unfinished business.  The amount to be paid by the state seems large, but it is the impression of those best informed on the subject that the State will be a gainer in the sum of $50,000, by making this contract, and thus obtaining a release from its obligations to these parties.  Should the dam wash away to-night the State is bound to build a new one, and if it doesn’t wash away it will require rebuilding once or twice before the time is out, and the expense each time would be about twice the amount proposed to be paid to these men.  The settlement thus becomes a matter of economy to the State.

The jayhawking bill was also fully discussed.  It provides for the punishment of jayhawking on the borders, and also attaches heavy penalties to the act of receiving the property of a rebel to prevent its confiscation.  The bill is drawn to meet the difficulties in Fremont county, but made applicable to all difficulties that may arise on the border.  It will probably pass as it now stands, being ordered engrossed for a third reading.

This evening Mr. Palmer, of the Register, gave a lecture before the Lecture Association on Alexander Hamilton.  It is spoken of in the highest terms, as a noble lecture, well conceived, ably written, and in every respect worthy of the vigorous min that originated it.

Mr. West of Henry County has been excused for the remainder of the session.  He is a Sergeant in Company I, 14^th regiment and a noble man at that.  Whenever the character of the soldiers whether officers or privates was spoken of in other than the most respectful language he rose to defend them.  He has proven himself faithful, earnest, and efficient as a Representative and now leaves on business connected with the regiment.  He was the only soldier in the House after the departure of Capt. Price of Jefferson county the first week of the session.  Now we have no soldier Representative, unless it be the gentleman from Decatur who has just returned from a trip to Fort Donelson.

The Governor and commissioners, who went down to look after our wounded soldiers have arrived, and report the soldiers cared for and doing well.

J. R. C.

– Published in The Davenport Daily Gazette, Davenport, Iowa, Wednesday Morning, March 12, 1862, p. 1