The Saline County journal. [volume] (Salina, Kan.) 1871-1893, 1878-08-22
RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.

RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
Arrival Of the Pioneer Exploring Part
to Survey the Missouri River.
kansas CITY Times
Kansas City and its vicinity received "a,
Congressional aid during the last session
Of Congress tor the improvement of il
river and harbor facilities and for the pro
lection OF the Clay shore opposite thi.
city. For nearly four months past Kansa.
CITY bas been cut of from Clay and Platt.
counties, BY wagon traffic on account o.
the overflow OF the bottoms opposite tn.
city. This was caused by the iprpads
made by the Missouri river upon the farm:
| on the CLAY county side In the horse shoe
bend formed bv the changes in the cur.
rent. The last Congress made an appro-
priation Of S50.OOO for a survey Of the
Missouri river from Fort Leavenworth t.
the junction Of tn river with the MISSISSIPPI
Pi.
An expedition is now forming at Leav.
enworth, under competent management t.
make the first survey Of the river. The
pioneer party under charge Of Col. Donald
W. Campbell, Civil Engineer, arrived in
this city last evening ON It's wav to the
mouth Of the Missouri. The business of
the pioneer corps is to establish gauges
and make records at the various principal
points along the river between Leayen-
worth and st. Louis. Col. Campbell re-
manned here last night with his boats. and
to-day will continue his trip to st. Louis.
His trip is merely preliminary to the sur
vey now being organized in Leavenworth.
Col Campbell is a gentleman fully post
Ell upon the duties he has been detailed
upon. He has taken upon himself the
task OF making preliminary survey Of
the great Missouri prior to the official sur
vey. which will follow after him. He
makes sOundings and establishes agencies
for keeping record Of the rise and IA Of
the river at each important point between
Leavenworth and st. Louis.
To the people of Kansas City the result
of this survey Is Of great Importance, as
upon the report made by the surveyors
will depend upon the amount and charac-
ter Of the appropriation 10 be made by the
next Congress. Col. Crisp. the next dem
Ocratic representative from this district,
has pledged himself to the promotion II
all legislation contributing to the improve
ment Of the Missouri river. 1t is depend
ent 10 a large extent upon the report Of
these preliminary surveys whether the ap-
preparation necessary 10 the improvement
Of thh Missouri river are made.
The barge line experiment has been
made successful under great difficulties.
The fourth fleet or tow Of barges is now on
its way up the river from st. Louis to
Kansas City, To convey between fifty and
one hundred Thousand bushels Of wheat Ia
the seabOard. This is only the beginning
Of a great but now undevelOped trade,
which can only be promoted by the i'm
prOvement Of the river. With an ample
and assured depth Of water from Kansas
City to the mouth Of the Missouri, and
with the success Of the Eads jetties ut the
mouth Of the Mississippi. the river trade
Of this Missouri valley will become i'm
mense. The problem ofcheap transporta-
ton will then be solved. The fertile and
prolific prairies uf Kansas and Colorado
are being converted into vast wheat and
corn fields. The farmers Of the eastern |
States. the civilized Europeans and the |
Industrious wheat-growing Mennonites |
from southern Russia, are pouring into |
the plains by thousands and converting |
them from buffalo grazing grounds into |
wheat fields. These people re- |
Iuire that facilities shall be provided for |
less favored sections OF their country, and |
TO the great grain marts Of the world. No
where on the globe Is the necessity of |
cheap transportation SO urgently needed |
pr SO imperatively demanded as I'm the
Valley Of the Missouri; nowhere In a like
area are such vast quantities to be moved,
md nowhere has nature provided such IA
cilities by flowing streams for their re-
moval. 1t but needs the aid OF capital |
guided by the skill of the engineer to de-
relop the possibilities Of this water trans
to revOlutiOnize the commerce
IF the West, and to create a traffic that |
will enlarge the agricultural territory Of
he country, and will increase Its COM
nerce.
The exports from the United States last
year were upwards Of IA ZOO, 900 bushels
# grain, an amount largely increased
Turing the present year; the States boz
lering on the Western rivers furnished
he bulk Of this export. and only a few
,ents reduction per bushel In the cost of
reight, would enable America to rival all
Ter competitors in foreign markets. The
people who can be most cheaply supplied
With foreign commodities through the port
IF New Orleans, consumed last year $780,
300 tons OF sugar and 80, 900 tons OfcOffee,
md used other imported articles to a large
.xtent; vet but Il, 900 tons Of sugar and
u. 900 tons Of coffee were importedby way
# New Orleans. Nearly one-half Of the
population Of the United States east of
he Rocky Mountains should be supplied
with the foreign products and manuiac-
urcs they require through New Orleans,
get the imports Of New York, Baltimore,
Boston, and Philadelphia last year ex-
,eeded $3l3. OOO, 900. while the imports at
New Orleans were but - 529, $50; and the
'alue Of the exports from that port were
,ut little more than 10 per cent. IL the
otal value Of all American exports, and
ess than one. quarter Of the exports from
Sew York, and OF that export 30 per cent.
vas Of cotton alone. New York exported
,ver So, 900, 900, and New Orleans less
han 81, 900. 900 worth 81 breadstuffs dur
ny the same time.
With these facts before the people the
arrival Of the first government surveying
,arty at this port for the purpose of ascer-
aiming the requirements and necessaries
or river improvements should be- regard
d as a welcome historical event The
Missouri river has never been officially
surveyed by the government Lewis and
lark made the first pioneer survey Of the
upper river more than half century ago.
They were followed by the Canadian boat
men Of the American fur companies, and
alter by the steamboat pilot, who mad.
lis chart u the survey from memory. by
steering his bnat by landmarks upon
,oints. bluffs and sandhars. The present
survey Is being made with a view ~ OBJ
aiming accurate official information con-
,ernine the adaptabIlity 81 the Missouri
liver TO safe and profitable navigation
Upon the report made by this survey win
depend the amDunt 81 government aid
granted by the mex; Congress for the i'm
,ruvemeni Of the Missouri river. The eI-
edition which leaves L@ayenvorth next
viii consist - about ninety
men under the charge II competent Uni
.-d States officers. Flat boats are being