Democratic standard. [volume] (Georgetown, Brown County, Ohio) 1837-1850, 1843-02-07
REMARKS OF MR., GORDON.

| Au luo AAousS VI OtF6pPesenIatVoS on Mon
day the l4th inst .,7on the resolutions
. introduced by him instructiDg our Sen.
ators and requesting our Representa-
tives in Congress to use influence
10 obtain an appropriation for the inn
Provement oflhenavigatiOn Ofthe Ohio
and Mississippi rivers.
Mr.. Gordon said he wished to call the
attention Of House TO the resolution lust
read. He considered il a subject of the
greatest importance to the interests of the
West. There is at this time a great &C.
cumul9tion Of snags and other obstruc-
tions, which was increased in some meas
ure by every rise ofwaIer. II is almost
lmossble for boat to travel at this time
twenty miles ON the Mississippi river
without bringing up against snag or
some other dangerous obstruction TO nayi
CATION, He considered it a subject Of
great Importance to the commerce ofthe
West, taking into consideration the a.
mount Of produce that must find mar,
ket IN the South, or is shipped from the
southern ports TO find market eIsWhere,
and the number and value Of steam and
other boats that are necessary as veh-
cles of transportation. The number OF
steamboats, that navigate the western wa
ters is 450--the number Of fiat and keel
boats, 1000. The capital invested in
steamboat stock is 81 100000, which, as
the lives Of boats will not exceed five
years on an average, must be reproduc.
ed, and enongh besides to pay insurance
and other necessary expenses besides,
before the owners reap any advantage
from the investment. So thai boat, the
first cost Of which is $55, 900, must earn
$50, 600 to pay costs and insurance and
other necessary expenses, before the own
ers realise any thiOg a-s s1aa
During period five years, from the
year 1872 10 1927 inclusive. the amount
of properly lost oil the Ohio and Mississ.
ippi rivers BY snsgs alOnc, mounted to
S ,3o2, 500. This was previous 10 the
employment Of snsg boats, the beniicial
effects Of which will be- seen from tho
fact lhaladuriBg The period Offve years
from 1927 to 1882, while thsse boats
we've in operation, the losses had decreas.
ed To $3S 1000 and were still farther re-
duCed in subsequent years. The amount
of loss sustained by the insurance Offices
of Cincinnati, for the term of FIVE years,
was $442, $3.50, SO; aud supposing compa
MES in other cities TO have sustained los.
ses in like proportion, il will be seen that
the commerce Of the West is actually
taxed one million per annum oh account
of these obstrhctiOns. But'lhere was still
another, and more q weighty cDnsidera.
tion in favor of this resolution--it was
the danger TO the lives of friends and EN-.
igranis on the waters; and should Con
gress make theiuecessary appropriations,
it would be considered as humane act.
The Romans paidathe highest civic hon.
Ors TO him whs saved the life Of "a citizen;
and surely If that people paid so much
respect TO the lives ofctizens Of their re>
public, what, he would ask, ought 10 be
the conduct Of6nr natiOn-one that ac<
kDowledges nothing superior in point Of
civilization and christianity. Fr4, sal
He would conclnde by remarking, that
in asking the appropriation contemplated
by the resolution, all would admitthat we
were asking nothing more than what was
due 10 the ploioctisn of so large branch
IOfcemmeTce, and to HE protection Of the
multitude Of people who every. year trav,
Iel lop1he7waterse of The West; and he
hoPqd there, would not be foaGd one. mem,
Der Of this. House tlIat would vote agains,
tts adoption. i,1iaa issm5n sf. .1h