The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-02-16
THE RIVER CONVENTION.
rnE cLos rso sEssfo n

Tia following cpntdsss The proceedings
Of tie Convsstien = s. Louis, soAr = Ay
have not heretofore appeared in our col
umns: 80 C2 10
The Convention convened in the afternoon
pursuant to adjourn nAnt, The President IN
the chair. The attendance Of delegates was
very large, in anticipation Of the rscepnon uf
the resolutions. ;.
Letters were read from Mr.. Ingersoll and
Hon. John W. Leftorich of Memphis.
Mr.. Cook, of Cincinnati, Chairman Of the
Committee ON Resolutions, preeeute1 tie
foIlovise, ~ agreed spos in that eonmi1tse:
{ In osder 70 bring before this Consen1fDn
the distinct propositions to be considered,
your committee recommend the following
resolutions:
Hrs.. Re.oIsed That the interest of the
whole Mississippi Valley, requires the immes
date Improvements by the National Gover4-
ment OF the Mississippi river, from the Balize
to the Falls of st. Anthony, including espe>
cially the bars At the Balize, the upper and
lower rapids, and the removal Of cbstrSctions
above those rapids and also Of the Ohio riv-
or from Cairo TO Pittsbusg. and especially the
work at the falls of the Ohio, said improves
menus 10 kcCufc Tue Inv fSotAOu VI ooAa AtsSAs
free from all tolls or tribute.
Second. Resofred, That the vast impor>
lance of such action a. will secure the need.
ed improvement, at IN early day, of the fol.
lowing rivers, is commended to the favorable
and earnest consideration Of Congress, viz |;
The Missouri river from its mouth to Fort
Benton, the Illinois river, the Red river, the
Tennessee river to Chattanooga, the Wiscon.
sin river and the Fox river, the Arkansas
river to Fl. Smith, and the Cumberland river
to Nashville.
Third. Resolrsd, That when the financial
condition of the country may justify, Con-
eress be requested 70 cause proper investiga-
tons 10 be made, as TO the necessity OF im-
proving hereafter all the other navigable riv-
ers of the Mississippi Vslley.
Fourth. Reselsed, Thst Congress should
80 leeislate on the subject Of bridging the
| Mississippi and other navigable rivers of the
| United States as will, while recognizing the
equal importance of railroad and river trans
portation, harmonic those interests BY secur-
proper facilities for both.
Your committee recommend, in furtherance
of the foregoing objects, the appointment Of
la committee, consisting of one member from
each State ~ represented in this Convention,
with a subcommittee Of hive, TO prepare a
memorial to Congress, demonstrating The M
tonal Importance Of said object, and that
each member Of said general comm itee re-
port to said subcommittee such statistics -
| will facilitate it's work. 1t i. further recon-
me nded that the resolutions adopted and the
| memorial be forwarded to Congress in the
name Of this Convention by its President,
and that copies thereof be furnished to each
Sent tor aud Representative from the States
of the Mississippi Valley.
The report OF the Committee. wac re-
ceiyed.
| MI. Eads desired TO make the inpr8ye
ment Of the Missouri river more conSpicu-
Gus.
Hon. F. q. Stanard believed the lacking
on Of so many tributaries to the great Object
| Of this Convention would defeat the plar
son ght lie desired success, and believed
thai this Convention should have met thirty
years ago, and the work would now have been
| done.
Mr. Richards, of Dubuque, next addressed
| the Convention in An able and eloquen,
speech.
Mr.. Ballinger, of Iowa. believed this bill
if it should go before Congress, would meet
the fate oil all similar measures for the last
FIVE years What had brought this vast as
semblage here to-day? Was it the improve
ment of the Red, the Fox, or Wisconsin riv-
ers? No, it was the great primary object,
the Improvement of the upper aud lower
| rapids.
he offered the following amendment:
Resokred That the improvement of the two
rapids Of the Mississippi river is of primary
importance, and more imperiously demanded
at the present tune than any other, and that
their success or failure ought to stand or fall
upon their own merit or dement,, unconnected
with all other propositions
| Mr.. Bryson, of Cairo, did not believe We
could enlist the interests Of other States BY
merely embracing one section of the valley
| This is not merely q local question. The
last named gentleman had called this propo
sition an omnibus. Well, we wanted an ON,
nibus to carry all the volunteers to fight this
great battle. II others wanted TO 90 in one
horse wagon, why let them try it. he want
ed seriously the Convention to discard all 10,
cal interests. and extend its objects TO the
great general good. He therefore moved tina,
the amendment be rejected.
| Mr.. Cook, of Cincinnati, said il it had not
been for the latter gentleman's remarks thi.
Convention would scarcely have known tina,
there was such river navigsble, as The
Ohio. He wanted the delegates to remember
that the Ohio river was the border Of six O.
the greatest States in the country. He aske
them, therefore, to let the resolutions re mair
as they were.
Mr.. Bailinger withdrew the amendment.
The resolutions of the committee were
then taken up sertdtim, and adopted unani
mously.
After short recess the following namel
were reported as the committee to memo,
ralize Congress for the improvements:
Tennessee-Captain Fl. n. Harrison, Nash
Vile.
Iowa-B. B. Richards, Dubuque.
Intermediates H. Menkin, New AL
bany.
| 0hio-Theo. Cook, Cincinnati.
Wisconsin, p. Weatherby.
1 kentueky-E. G. Levi, Louisville.
Louisiana-Theo. W. Buddeeke, New Or
leans.
lllinois-Col. John Dougherty.
Minnesots--Hsnry NJ. Rice.
Pennsylvania-J. NJ. Knapp.
Missouri-Charles l.. Tucker, of St. Loui.
The SUBJ committee, as appointed BY III.
Char, is as follows:
+. o. stanard, Joseph Brown, f. W. Fose
g. y. Allen, James b. Gridea.
4 Mr.. Allen offered the following. which Va.
Afterwards withdrawn.
First. Resoired, That this Convention rec
Ing yes al appropriation OF lou
million dollars for the improve mept Of III,
lower rapids Of the Mississippi river at Keo
kuk. N
Second Resotred, That we also recon-
mend an appropriation Of one million dollar
Tor the Improvement Of the upper rapids q
Rock Island. is !
| Third. Resolred, That We also recommend
an appropriation of two millions five humid
dred thousand dollars for the improvement Q
the falls OF the Ohio river at Louisville.
Fourth. Resoired, That we also recommep,
m appropriation of two million dollars 70
the Improvement of the Mississippi river il
GLIDING the Balize. III
Resolutions Of thanks were rendered 10th
railroads, officers Of the Convention, Az
Press, and the Mercantile Library Associe
tion, when the Convention adjourned an
die.