The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1873-03-08

commercial thoroughfares in the United
States, There is not Il trans Mississippi state
this side of the Rocky mountains and south
of Minnesota but will save in the reduction
of the price of freight each year more than
the amount of this appropriation.
The SPEAKER. The gentlemans time
has expired
! Mr. STEVENS. ask unanimous consent
that may be permitted to continue for two
minutes longer.
Mr. SAWYER. | hope that that will be
done.
There was no objection.
| Mr. STEVENS Now, Mr. Speaker, we
have been asked here to grant liberal appro-
! priations for the odornment of the streets the
avenues, and the reservations of this city of
Washington. This House has granted what
has been asked, and nearly 81 600, 900 during
this session has already been voted for that
purpose. Gentlemen Of antiquarian research
| from the East have come here ana requested
an appropriation to purchase from the musty
archlevcs of the French national capital
manuscript accounts of our early vOyagcurS
who discovered this river, and have granted
them an appropriation of $4,000, for that
purpose Now, when we ask small appro-
| priation to improve the navigation OF this
beautiful river, will the gentlemen Of elegant
/
provcmcnt Of this exceedingly important nav.
| igation, when it has not had any since 1870,
although every year it has been recommended
and especially urged upon Congress Delay
only increases the amount To be expended
hereafter.
| might further mention that the State OF
Illinois has within the last year cut down the
| limestone rim of the basin of Lake Michigan
so as TO let the pure cold water of the lake
| flow into this river to assist its navigation
The State has placed in its constitution pro.
| vision for the expenditure of the revenues of
the canal for its extension and the improve.
mcnt of the river, and at this very time there
is before the Legislature Il proposition to eX.
| pend nearly half million dollars for that
purpose. In the Thirty Scventh Congress the
Committee on Roads and Canals reported
unanimously in favor of improving this river
and the enlargement of the Illinois and
Michigan canal, lquote from that report:
! THE value Of this work in commercial point
OF view can scarcely be exaggerated and its value
will be constantly increasing with the progress
Of our country in population, agriculture com
mcrcc and manufactures. 1t IS believed that this
may now be properly characterized us military,
commercial and political necessity. 1t will bcnc-
fit every section. To New England it will lessen
the price of food; to New York and PENNSYLVANIA
it will give increased trade and commerce; and
to the West it will cheaper every article Of do
nestle or foreign manufacture. IT will bind still
closer the lakes and the valley of the Mississippi
and make the East and the West one in destiny
forever. 1t would save To the Northwest in a
single year like the past, in lesscning the cost of
ansportation of its staples, than its entire
cost. 1t would the day it was completed, add to
the taxable property of the nation an amount the
taxes upon which under the pending tax bill
would more than pay the interests on its cost
The committee, for these and other reasons, earn
estiy fpepmmpha !le measure to the favorable
action Of the House
The State of Illinois has expended upon
this work S3,000000 within the last three
wears, and all we ask is this small apprOpri-
alton to clean out bars in the lower part of
the river in order to make it the best naviga-
bic stream in the United States. 1t has been
said that the gods help those who help them
selves" | trust the members of this House
will in their action follow maxim so true.
| Mr.. CONGER, For the purpose of remoy
| ing sand-bars in the Illinois river the com
mittee agreed TO report S25 600 in the origina
bill, and then on the recommendation of the
gentleman who has just spoken, who did no
| think that was enough, the committee put il
| $4,000 more to remove those sand-hars
which, with the machinery now on the river
the committee thought to be sufficient for thi
year. OF course the appropriations must b'
renewed for that purpose from year year he
cause the sand-bars keep forming