Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1852-09-09
VOL. W.
IOWaVille Convention,


The adjourned meeting of the River
improvement Convention was held at
Iowaville. pursuant to adjournment. on
the LIST day of September, 1852. The
meeting was organized by the appoint
meut Of DR.. s. p. YEOMANS, of
Wapello county, President; Henry p.
Scholte, of Marion, and John White, of
Mahaska, Vice Presidents; and George
Schramm, of Van Buren,, Secretary.
The Committee. appointed at Ottum-
wa, to correspond with the Board OF
Public Works, reported that they had
discharged that duty by addressing le,.
ter to the Commissioner; that they had
received no reply: but that Gen. Van
Antwerp was present, whereupon Gen.
Van Antwerp was called upon, and ad-
dressed the meeting at some length in re-
ply to the interrogatories Of the Commit
mittee and to questions propounded by
the meeting.
On motion Of Gen. Swazey, of Van
Buren,. Committee of one from each
county was appointed to report resolu-
tons expressive of the sense of the
meeting, as follows: E. A. Snow, Van
Buren,; U. Biggs, Wapello; S. Z. S,e-
pbens. Monroe; J. b. Layton, Lucas;
6. e. Van, Polk; |. N. Lewis, Clark CO.
Mo-; John White. Mahaska: and WIN.
Kendrick, Davis.
The Convention, at different stages of
the proceedings was addressed by Hon.
J. G. Knapp. John Swazey, A. E. d.
Bousque,, w. F. Kelly, N. l.. Milburn,
Gen. Swazey, q. Negus, !. N. Lewis,
U. Biggs. s. P. Yeomans. ]. w. Nor
ris, Levi Jenkins. Jesse Brookshire. G.
G. Van, George Re ynolds, Charles Dud-
ley, HI. p. Scholle and others.
On motion the Vigilance Committee
appoin,eda at Ottumwa, was re-appoin,ed.
The Committee appointed for that
purpose reported and the Convention
adopted the following,
RESOLUTIONS:
Resoired. That the interests of the
growing. population Of the Des Moines
Valley demands promp, and speedy
opening Of the Des Moines River; and
that therefore The people in the Valley
unite cordially for the purpose of effect
ing the removal Of every obstruction, be
i, artificial or natural.
ResolCed, That the River Commits
sioner be and he is hereby requested TO
have sand Instructions removed By the
LIST day of October next, and that in fu-
iure, in constructing dams, the locks for
the same be first put in, SO as not to OBJ
s,ruct navigation.
Resolved, Tha, should said obs,ruc-
tions moi be removed, as requested, bv
the Is, day of October. we believe il 10
be the duty of the people to take all law
full means to effect the same; and we
hereby pledge ourselves, without distinc.
ton OF party, to co operate in effec,ng
this desirable object.
Resoived. That there be Committee
Of Vigilance appointed. consisting of
three persons in each county, by this
Convention. whose duty it shall be to
watch the progress of the Improvement,
of the River, and the removal of the old
dams. 10 report every importan, fact
through the newspapers OF the Valley,
to call conventions or meetings in every
county interested in the Improvement,
when they may think the interests of
the same requires il.
Resolced, That we pledge ourselves
not to rest until we can have the free
navigation of the River Tor steam and
flat boats, in an ordinary stage Of water.
ResoiUed, Tha, we earnestly recon-
mend to the immediate attention OF The
Board, the Boulders that impede the nav
igation at the several ripples in the up
per sections of the River, and that the
channel of The River. from the mouth
up, at all points, shall be improved so as
to afford channel 200 feet wide.
Resoiued, That there be appointed
Central Committee, one residing at Far
mington, one at Fl. Des Moines, and the
others at the intermediate points a, or
near the River, 10 which committee the
communications of the Vigilance COM
mi.see can be made, and which central
committee shall draw up petition to the
next Legislature. for the alteration Of the
present law, SO as 10 be in accordance
with the present wants of the Improve
ment and the prospects of the future.
Rcsnl,,ed That mo aro onnnaad m tho