Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-08-18
siierution of The subject submitted to

siierulon of the subject submitted to
them.
The report was accepted and the res
olutlons adopted, when the Board, in re.
sponse to the request of the Convention,
care forward and addressed the same.
Mr.. BOnney remarked in substance,
that the Indebtedness of the improve.
ment amounted to some $l2O. 900, most
OF 1t bearing interest at 8 per cent, for
The payment Of which indebtedness
the per cent. portion-one half Of the
proceeds of the land sales were pledged,
and the other one half for the payment
OF the other or six per cent. portion, to.
gether with the current expenses of the
Board. He stated, however, that $500
had been set apart to remove the dams at
keosauqua and Pennington. The Page
& Bacon contract noi yet decided; but
probably they would not take the work
Other parties had been written to, among
them, Buckingham, Sturgis & Co., but
deemed the only chance to Go anything
would be for the people in the valley to
take hold Of the work, organize Joint
Stock Companies, take the lands and
complete the improvement themselves.
AT the conclusion of Capt. Bonney's
remarks, George Gillaspy, Esq, took
the stand. He alluded TO the fact OF its
being very warm, and to its an,i-speak-
ing influences upon him; TO the pas: &C.
lion of the board, and especially the i'm.
possibility of Capt. Bonney doing any
thing the present season; said that if no
contract was made by the first OF Sep
tember, Mr.. Bonney's salary would stop,
and he presumed his term of Office; that
the responsibilities of :he improvement
would then devolve upon him; that il
was his design, in thai contingency,
design which he had in various ways and
often announced, to provide, lst, to clear
out the old dams from bank to bark; and
ID, snags, bouldeis, and other obsrruc.
tloHs from the River, so much of them
as might not at that time, have been re-
moved by Capt Bonney, and so far as
the resources at his command, would
permit; and that ifa sufficient sum should
not be commanded from the sale Of land.
that he would appropriate for that OBJ
|eci lands or certificates of Indebtedness;
and further that by the first OF February
probably the sum of $1,000 would be
subiect to that disposition.
The remarks of the Board were lis
tened to with evident pleasure and ap-
proval by the Convention, and when they
were concluded, the committee on Reso-
luIions having again retired for further
action, returned and reported the follow
ing,
Second Series OF Resolutions.
PREAMBLE, Whereas, this Convention
having heard with entire satisfaction the
remarks of the Board just delivered TO
them, for the purpose OF responding to
their suggestions, and cooperating with
them so far as comes within the purpose
of the Convention, and the authority
vested in ii, do adopt the following adIi-
tional resolutions:
! ReSoiUed, That this Convention en-
braces with entire cordiality and unan-
unity the suggestions of the Commis-
sioner and Register of the Improvement,
10 appropriate the sum Of $500 to The
object, lst, the necessary amount thereof
TO the removal of such portion as may
be deemed necessary of the .old dams;
and I'd, the residue to cleaning out the
boulders, snags, and other distractions
from the River, and in case tha, amount
should be found insufficient, such further
amount in lands or certificates of indebt-
edness as might be requisite to complete
the improvement OF the natural channel
of the River from Fort Des Mones to
the mouth. TO be done under the con,rol
: and supervision of the Board.
| Resoioed, That for the purpose OF
more effectual cooperation with the
Board in carrying out their present de-
signs, committees be appointed by the
Convention, suitably distributed among
the several central points in each county
Throughout, the length Of the river, TO ac,
with the Board, aiding them, if necessa-
ry, in procuring men and money, as the
same may be wanted from time to time,
10 carry into execution the above oblecl
with certainty, during the low stage OF
water The present season.
ResoiUed, That il shall be the duty of
the said committees TO proceed at once
to the discharge of their duties; to organ
ize companies OF men, and procure con-
tributions of money i'll their several To-
calities.
{ ReSolUed, That as soon thereafter as
practicable, they shall notify the Board
what number of men and amount oi
money are held subject to their order, aud
held ready 10 commence work, or to be
expended at a moments notice, whenev-
er required, upon the terms and condl-
,ions above suggested in the second oi
the Last series OF resolutions.
Resoiued, That we deem the PROPOSE.
ton to form Companies in the Valley to
complete the Improvement upon the ba.
sis of the public lands, TO be an impor.
, tant one; but not coming within the de-
signs of this Convention, we decline any
action in reference to it, excep. TO recon-
| mend it to the early and favorable atten
lion of the citizens of the valley.
f The above resolutions, after being dis
cussed, were adopted and the convention