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an　hour；　be　believed　against　those　who　have　had　such　a　favorable。

and　well　improved　opportunity？　　They　should　not　even　qualify　the

result。　　Several　men　have　given　their　opinion　as　to　the　distance

of　the　steamboat　Carson；　and　I　suppose　if　one　should　go　and

measure　that　distance　you　would　believe　him　in　preference　to　all

of　them。



〃These　measurements　were　made　when　the　boat　was　not　in　the　draw。

It　has　been　ascertained　what　is　the　area　of　the　cross　section　of

this　stream　and　the　area　of　the　face　of　the　piers；　and　the

engineers　say　that　the　piers　being　put　there　will　increase　the

current　proportionally　as　the　space　is　decreased。　　So　with　the

boat　in　the　draw。　　The　depth　of　the　channel　was　twenty…two　feet；

the　width　one　hundred　and　sixteen　feet；　multiply　these　and　you

have　the　square…feet　across　the　water　of　the　draw；　viz。：　2552

feet。　　The　Afton　was　35　feet　wide　and　drew　5　feet；　making　a

fourteenth　of　the　sum。　　Now；　one…fourteenth　of　five　miles　is

five…fourteenths　of　one　mileabout　；one　third　of　a　milethe

increase　of　the　current。　　We　will　call　the　current　five　and　a

half　miles　per　hour。　　The　next　thing　I　will　try　to　prove　is　that

the　plaintiff's　（？）　boat　had　power　to　run　six　miles　an　hour　in

that　current。　　It　had　been　testified　that　she　was　a　strong；　swift

boat；　able　to　run　eight　miles　an　hour　up　stream　in　a　current　of

four　miles　an　hour；　and　fifteen　miles　down　stream。　　Strike　the

average　and　you　will　find　what　is　her　averageabout　eleven　and　a

half　miles。　　Take　the　five　and　a　half　miles　which　is　the　speed　of

the　current　in　the　draw　and　it　leaves　the　power　of　that　boat　in

that　draw　at　six　miles　an　hour；　528　feet　per　minute　and　8　4/5

feet　to　the　second。



〃　Next　I　propose　to　show　that　there　are　no　cross　currents。　　I

know　their　witnesses　say　that　there　are　cross　currentsthat；　as

one　witness　says；　there　were　three　cross　currents　and　two　eddies；

so　far　as　mere　statement；　without　experiment；　and　mingled　with

mistakes；　can　go；　they　have　proved。　　But　can　these　men's

testimony　be　compared　with　the　nice；　exact；　thorough　experiments

of　our　witnesses？　　Can　you　believe　that　these　floats　go　across

the　currents？　　It　is　inconceivable　that　they　could　not　have

discovered　every　possible　current。　　How　do　boats　find　currents

that　floats　cannot　discover？　　We　assume　the　position　then　that

those　cross　currents　are　not　there。　　My　next　proposition　is　that

the　Afton　passed　between　the　S。　B。　Carson　and　the　Iowa　shore。

That　is　undisputed。



〃Next　I　shall　show　that　she　struck　first　the　short　pier；　then　the

long　pier；　then　the　short　one　again　and　there　she　stopped。〃

Mr。　Lincoln　then　cited　the　testimony　of　eighteen　witnesses　on

this　point。



〃How　did　the　boat　strike　when　she　went　in？　　Here　is　an　endless

variety　of　opinion。　　But　ten　of　them　say　what　pier　she　struck；

three　of　them　testify　that　she　struck　first　the　short；　then　the

long　and　then　the　short　for　the　last　time。　　None　of　the　rest

substantially　contradict　this。　　I　assume　that　these　men　have　got

the　truth　because　I　believe　it　an　established　fact。　　My　next

proposition　is　that　after　she　struck　the　short　and　long　pier　and

before　she　got　back　to　the　short　pier　the　boat　got　right　with　her

bow　up。　　So　says　the　pilot　Parkerthat　he　got　her　through　until

her　starboard　wheel　passed　the　short　pier。　　This　would　make　her

head　about　even　with　the　head　of　the　long　pier。　　He　says　her　head

was　as　high　or　higher　than　the　head　of　the　long　pier。　　Other

witnesses　confirmed　this　one。　　The　final　stroke　was　in　the　splash

door　aft　the　wheel。　　Witnesses　differ；　but　the　majority　say　that

she　struck　thus。〃



Court　adjourned。



14th　day；　Wednesday；　Sept。　　23；　1857。



Mr。　A。　LINCOLN　resumed。　　He　said　he　should　conclude　as　soon　as

possible。　　He　said　the　colored　map　of　the　plaintiff　which　was

brought　in　during　one　stage　of　the　trial　showed　itself　that　the

cross　currents　alleged　did　not　exist。　　That　the　current　as

represented　would　drive　an　ascending　boat　to　the　long　pier　but

not　to　the　short　pier；　as　they　urge。　　He　explained　from　a　model

of　a　boat　where　the　splash　door　is；　just　behind　the　wheel。　　The

boat　struck　on　the　lower　shoulder　of　the　short　pier　as　she　swung

around　in　the　splash　door；　then　as　she　went　on　around　she　struck

the　point　or　end　of　the　pier；　where　she　rested。　　〃Her　engineers；〃

said　Mr。　Lincoln；　〃say　the　starboard　wheel　then　was　rushing

around　rapidly。　　Then　the　boat　must　have　struck　the　upper　point

of　the　pier　so　far　back　as　not　to　disturb　the　wheel。　　It　is　forty

feet　from　the　stern　of　the　Afton　to　the　splash　door；　and　thus　it

appears　that　she　had　but　forty　feet　to　go　to　clear　the　pier。　　How

was　it　that　the　Afton　with　all　her　power　flanked　over　from　the

channel　to　the　short　pier　without　moving　one　foot　ahead？　　Suppose

she　was　in　the　middle　of　the　draw；　her　wheel　would　have　been　31

feet　from　the　short　pier。　　The　reason　she　went　over　thus　is　her

starboard　wheel　was　not　working。　　I　shall　try　to　establish　the

fact　that　the　wheel　was　not　running　and　that　after　she　struck　she

went　ahead　strong　on　this　same　wheel。　　Upon　the　last　point　the

witnesses　agree；　that　the　starboard　wheel　was　running　after　she

struck；　and　no　witnesses　say　that　it　was　running　while　she　was

out　in　the　draw　flanking　over。〃



Mr。　Lincoln　read　from　the　testimonies　of　various　witnesses　to

prove　that　the　starboard　wheel　was　not　working　while　the　Afton

was　out　in　the　stream。



〃Other　witnesses　show　that　the　captain　said　something　of　the

machinery　of　the　wheel；　and　the　inference　is　that　he　knew　the

wheel　was　not　working。　　The　fact　is　undisputed　that　she　did　not

move　one　inch　ahead　while　she　was　moving　this　31　feet　sideways。

There　is　evidence　proving　that　the　current　there　is　only　five

miles　an　hour；　and　the　only　explanation　is　that　her　power　was　not

all　usedthat　only　one　wheel　was　working。　　The　pilot　says　he

ordered　the　engineers　to　back　her　up。　　The　engineers　differ　from

him　and　said　they　kept　on　going　ahead。　　The　bow　was　so　swung　that

the　current　pressed　it　over；　the　pilot　pressed　the　stern　over

with　the　rudder；　though　not　so　fast　but　that　the　bow　gained　on

it；　and　only　one　wheel　being　in　motion　the　boat　nearly　stood

still　so　far　as　motion　up　and　down　is　concerned；　and　thus　she　was

thrown　upon　this　pier。　　The　Afton　came　into　the　draw　after　she

had　just　passed　the　Carson；　and　as　the　Carson　no　doubt　kept　the

true　course　the　Afton　going　around　her　got　out　of　the　proper　way；

got　across　the　current　into　the　eddy　which　is　west　of　a　straight

line　drawn　down　from　the　long　pier；　was　compelled　to　resort　to

these　changes　of　wheels；　which　she　did　not　do　with　sufficient

adroitness　to　save　her。　　Was　it　not　her　own　fault　that　she

entered　wrong；　so　far　wrong　that　she　never　got　right？　　Is　the

defence　to　blame　for　that？



〃For　several　days　we　were　entertained　with　depositions　about

boats　'smelling　a　bar。'　　Why　did　the　Afton　then；　after　she　had

come　up　smelling　so　close　to　the　long　pier　sheer　off　so

strangely。　　When　she　got　to　the　centre　of　the　very　nose　she　was

smelling　she　seemed　suddenly　to　have　lost　her　sense　of　smell　and

to　have　flanked　over　to　the　short　pier。〃



Mr。　Lincoln　said　there　was　no　practicability　in　the　project　of

building　a　tunnel　under　the　river；　for　there　〃is　not　a　tunnel

that　is　a　successful　project　in　this　world。　　A　suspension　bridge

cannot　be　built　so　high　but　that　the　chimneys　of　the　boats　will

grow　up　till　they　cannot　pass。　　The　steamboat　men　will　take　pains

to　make　them　grow。　　The　cars　of　a　railroad　cannot　without　immense

expense　rise　high　enough　to　get　even　with　a　suspension　bridge　or

go　low　enough　to　get　through　a　tunnel；　such　expense　is

unreasonable。



〃The　plaintiffs　have　to　establish　that　the　bridge　is　a　material

obstruction　and　that　they　have　managed　their　boat　with　reasonable

care　and　skill。　　As　to　the　last　point　high　winds　have　nothing　to

do　with　it；　for　it　was　not　a　windy　day。　　They　must　show　due　skill

and　care。　　Difficulties　going　down　stream　will　not　do；　for　they

were　going　up　stream。　　Difficulties　with　barges　in　tow　have

nothing　to　do　with　the　accident；　for　they　had　no　barge。　　〃Mr。

Lincoln　said　he　had　much　more　to　say；　many　things　he　could

suggest　to　the　jury；　but　he　wished　to　close　to　save　time。









TO　JESSE　K。　　DUBOIS。



DEAR　DUBOIS：



BLOOMINGTON；　Dec。　19；　1857。



J。　M。　Douglas　of　the　I。　C。　R。　R。　Co。　is　here　and　will　carry　this

letter。　　He　says　they　have　a　large　sum　（near　90；000）　which　they

will　pay　into　the　treasury　now；　if　they　have　an　assurance　that

they　shall　not　be　sued　before　Jan。；　1859otherwise　not。

I　really　wish　you　could　consent　to　this。　　Douglas　says　they

cannot　pay　more；　and　I　believe　him。



I　do　not　write　this　as　a　lawyer　seeking　an　advantage　for　a

client；　but　only　as　a　friend；　only　urging　you　to　do　what　I　think

I　would　do　if　I　were　in　your　situation。　　I　mean　this　as　private

and　confidential　only；　but　I　feel　a　good　deal　of　anxiety　about

it。



Yours　as　ever；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　JOSEPH　GILLESPIE。



SPRINGFIELD；　Jan。　19；　1858。



MY　DEAR　SIR：

This　morning　Col。　McClernand　showed　me　a　petition　for　a　mandamus

against　the　Secretary　of　State　to　compel　him　to　certify　the

apportionment　act　of　last　session；　and　he　says　it　will　be

presented　to　the　court　to…morrow　morning。　　We　shall　be　allowed

three　or　four　days　to　get　up　a　return；　and　I；　for　one；　want　the

benefit　of　consultation　with　you。



Please　come　right　up。



Yours　as　ever；



A。　LINCOLN。









TO　J。　　GILLESPIE。



SPRINGFIELD；　Feb　7；　1858



MY　DEAR　SIR：

Yesterday　morning　the　court　overruled　the　demurrer　to　Hatches

return　in　the　mandamus　case。　McClernand　was　present；　said　nothing

about　pleading　over；　and　so　I　suppose　the　matter　is　ended。



The　court　gave　no　reason　for　the　decision；　but　Peck　tells　me

confidentially　that　they　were　unanimous　in　the　opinion　that　even

if　the　Gov'r　had　signed　the　bill　purposely；　he　h