Which U.S. president defended the railroad when this bridge was hit by a steamboat? CLICK HERE to find out which U.S. President defended the railroad when the original bridge here was hit by a steamboat. Which U.S. President defended the railroad when this bridge was hit by a steamboat?
What tamed the Rock Island Rapids? CLICK HERE to find out what tamed the Rock Island Rapids? Looking out across the water, it's hard to imagine a river once so shallow navigation was almost impossible. In the early days of steamboating, the Upper Mississippi River was feared by many riverboat captains.