The Davenport gazette. [volume] (Davenport, Scott Co., Iowa) 1841-185?, 1849-10-18
Ihe Gazette.
ALFRED SANDERS, EpIroK.
DAVENPORT:
THURSDAY MORNING. OCTOBER is, 1919.
RAPIDS CONVENTION.

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g RAPIDS CONVENTION.
The action Of the Davenport Improve
ment Convention of last week, has already
revived auong the people Of the North
West, an ardent hope, that the serious at
tention Of Congress may be attracted to
the importance Of the immediate improve
ment Of the Rspids Of the Upper Missis-
sippi River.
All parties agree as to the practicability
Of, and the long existing necessity for, the
proposed work--as we'll as to the power
and consequent duty of,he General Govern
ment 10 accomplish i,:--but heretofore the
voice Of the North West, from some cause
or other, has been entirely impotent in the
Councils Of the Nation upon this important
subject. The people themselves are per-
haps somewhat to blame ia the matter, be-
cause they have not sooner by special
movement, reproved thu, ,S'Ii 'a'ory action Of
their Representatives..
Four important States an1 one Territory
were represented in the Davenport Con-
ventiou, and the object Of the deliberations
Of this respectable body Of delegates, was
to devise means for inducing the General
Government TO speedily prosecute thi i'm
provement Of the navigation Of the Upper
Mississippi.
To the people Of Iowa and Minnesota,
aud to very considerable portion Of the
inhabitants Of Illinois, Missouri and Wis
cousin, the Mississippi is the only accessi-
Die channel of trade and commerce-and
the risks and delays incident TO the navi-
cation Of the rapids Of this stream have
long been felt, as very serious obstacles to
the development Of the resources Of a
country Of unsurpassed produciiyeness.
When we take into consideration that
upwards Of two thousand miles of nayigable
water extends above the Des Moines Rap
ids, and that a population Of perhaps not
less than half million, is a, the present
time almost wholly dependent upon these
waters for communicating with market,
and that this population is increasing ut an
average ratio of nearly ten per cen, annu-
ally-we say, considering all these things,
bave we not right to expect that Govern
ment will speedily adopt measures for our
relief.
In urging upon Congress the necessity
Of a liberal appropriation TO defray the ex-
,pense ofc!earing distractions from The nav
igation Of the Upper Mississippi. We ask
for nothing that the general welfare does
no. require should be granted, or that
would be at all inconsistent with the prac-
lice Of the government. 10 give.
From the year 1906 to 1915 inclusive,
there was expended Of The public funds 10
making river and harhor improvements aud
in building roads, mere than seventeen
millions Of dollars, out OF which vast sun
but the meagre pittance Of eight thous and
dollars was expended upon the Upper Mis-
sissippi. In addition TO the above sum
there has been appropriated by the Gov
eminent, for purposes Of improvement,
thousands Of acres of the public lands, bu,
not one acre has ever been given to defray
the expense Of improving the rapids Of the
Upper Mississippi.
The value Of tie commerce Of the Upper
Mississippi end its tributaries, not inclu-
ding the Illinois river, a, the present time.
probably equals in value one-lepth Of the
whole external commerce &c the country,
and if justice were done. Congress, instead
of doing out few thousand dollars for the
benefit Of our noble river, would magnani,
mously give half a million to begin with, if
the work required it.
LAND SALEs.-Ve would call particular
attention to the Proclamation for sale Of
Public Lands in to-day's paper.