North Iowa times. [volume] (McGregor, Iowa) 1867-current, 1869-11-03
Wisconsin River Convention,


Pr. du Chen Union with q brief and
model report about the Convention. We
have no taste for the general detail-ery Of
convention proceedings and hence the
Correspondent of the Union suits us in
condensation. Gov. Merrill was President
W. l. Gilchaist, of McGregor, is chairman
of a committee Of three for future calls.
The proceedings look like business
We rejoice to learn, from all quarters,
that the spirited action of the Fox and
Wisconsin River improvement Convention,
held at Portage on the Goth inst, was
fully in accord with the magnitude of its
purpose. Besides the multitude of enter.
prising citizens Of the Northwest, who
were in attendance as interested spectators
and auditors, there were nearly fre ham
bred accredited Delegates, including sever
al Governors and other eminent Statesmen.
and representing the commercial interests
ofthe East as we'll Us of the West. The APP
pointments Of the meeting were in every
particular bene6tting to q question Of
National importance.
Pointed and telling speeches were made
by the Governors of Iowa, Minnesota and
Wisconsin, Morgan L. Martin, 5. Clark
w. II. Doe, G. w. Hazleton, DR.. Pease,
Gen. Cobb, and others, and letters of intel.
ligence, sympathy and congratulation
were received and read from several prom
ineht friends Of the enterprise who were
necessarily absent.
The first resolution, which may he fair
ly regarded as the keynote Of the Who'll,
proceedings, and with the tone and spiri
Of which the other five resolutions are il
perfect consonance, reads as follows:
"ResotVed, That water route by 1hic!
the Steamboats, of the Mississippi Rive
can run to the harbors and unload into tn
vessels of the Great Lakes is publ
necessity"
The feasibility of the enterprise wa
clearly set forth in a letter from Ger
Warren, who says: fortunately, tn
unexampled facilities presented by tn
general line from Green Bay to the Mis-
s'ssippi il having feeder like the Wi.
consin river discharging 1900 to 800
cubic feet OF water per second at tn
summit level, makes it practicable to con
struct Canal of any capacity =
Prompt and vigorous action in sccurin
an appropriation by Congress was elo
quently urged by Gov. Fairchild an
others, and the strongest conviction
clinched by such stastics as the following
given by Gov. Merrill, of Iowa:
"The State of Iowa has raised tn
present season upwards Of t~enty millio
bushels Of Wheat. OF this crop, NOR
than one'half, say GO per cent, goes to I'll,
sea board by way of Milwaukee and Oh
cago, making these ports by rail, at q
average cost from the primary shippin
points of upwards Of 90 cents bushe
amounting to the sum Of 100000. Tn
cost by the proposed Canal would not ez
coed onethird that amount; making
saving of 81 100000 in the item of Whea
from a single State.
| The savings of the Wheat crop of Mir
nesota, Wisconsin, and other points tribu
tary to the Canal, would amount to a
least as much more.
"The saving upon the Corn crop, Bee
and Pork from three States would amour
to So, OOO,O 900 additional. Add to this tn
Western freight on Lumber and Merchan
disc, the Iron from Lake Superior, an
you viii. aggregate q total amount &
saving approximating to tmelre millio
dollars annually, with an eyer increasin
balance on the side Of economy
The large attendance, the pithy compre
hensive resolutions, the unanimity c
view and feeling, the unbounded enthusi
asm, and the encouraging array OF pei
suasivc and demonstrative facts and figures
all conspired to send forth to the interest
ed Public, the gratifying assurance tina
the great Improvement ought, must, an
shall Be accomplished.