The Milan exchange. (Milan, Gibson County, Tenn.) 1874-1978, 1879-10-23
The Mississippi River improvement
Convention.

QUINCY, ILL, Oct. 16.-The Missis-
sippi River Improvement Convention, which
assembled here yesterday, was well attended
by representative men from the various
States of the Mississippi Valley, the bulk of
the delegates, however, being from Mime
sofa, Iowa and Missouri. Mr.. .. Ii. Brown
ing made an address of welcome on behalf
of the citizens OF Quincy, after which Gov.
Cullom of Illinois made brief address
stating the objects of the Convention.
Hon. +. .. Stannard of Missouri was
chosen President, and upon taking the chair
said, among other things, that this COnyen-
ton had come together TO ask the Congress
of the United States to make sufficient ap-
preparation out Of the National Treasury TO
narrow the channel of the river where il was
wide and shallow, or in some way make 1t
so that the waters Of the Mississippi
and its tributaries could be utilized for
Transportation purposes. This declaration
was warmly applauded. He claimed that
the Eads jetties have proved success, and
that all difficulty ut the mouth had thereby
been overcome. Brief addresses were also
made bv Senator Window and others. Capt.
John f. Cowden of Missouri gave the Con-
vention description of his plans, illustrated
bv diagrams, for the improvement of the
river navigation generally and the removal
of sand-bars in particular. Mr.. Ptatt b.
Walker. of Minnesota, followed with an eX-
position of his reservoir system of supplying
water sufficient to float steamers ut low
stages of the Mississippi.
The Committee on Resolutions presented
two reports. The majority report sets forth
the fact that
The Improvement of navigation tends to de-
velOp the resources, augment the wealth ana
facilitate the commerce of the whole country,
and demands wise and liberal treatment mt
the hands of Congress; that the Improvement
of the Mississippi and its nlVlSaDle tributaries
is of paramount importance, because tne
great bulk of commerce and wealth is cen
tered there; that while, since the foundation
of the country, 100000 900 has been expended
on rivers and harbors not one tenth OF that
sum has been spent in the Mississippi
Valley; that the extraordinary foreign
demand for our cereals, cotton ana
provisions increases yearly, ana that
every avenue for cheaper transit for them
should be encouraged, thus tending to make
us the most prosperous nation i'll the world
The resolutions express g1atlncatlon at the
action OF the last Congress III appointing an
Engineering Commission for the survey OF the
Mississippi River and tributaries, which bodies
of water are parts of one system united ana
unbroken. They favor II reservoir system on
the waters OF the Upper Mississippi, whereby
a surplus OF water may be stored until low
water, and then be utilized. Congress should
prohibit the construction OF private wharVes
and the throwing of debris, cinders etc. which
may form sand bars, into the MISSISSIPPI or
its tributaries. Private spectators should
not be allowed to profit Dy improvements
made by the Government to the detriment OF
the public, and cities should not be allowed TO
use water power created by the improvement
of rivers for local manufacturing and me
chanical purposes. Appointment commission
OF three Representatives from each State bor-
dering on the Mississippi River and its navi-
gable tributaries should be appointed by their
Governors to promote the Improvement OF
said rivers for commerce, so as to best benefit
the whole country. The President should Sc
lect an Executive Committee OF nine TO pre-
pare memorial to Congress, setting forth the
views of the Convention, to call future Con-
ventions, and procure favorable action by Con-
gress.
The minority report was then presented
on behalf of the Iowa delegation. They de-
INJURED from the sweeping demand made by
the majority for big appropriation for the
improvement of every little tributary Of the
Father of Waters, and planted themselves
squarely on the broad ground, without preju-
dice or partisanship, that the main channels
of the Mississippi, the Ohio and the
Missouri should be improved, to meet
the wants of commerce, and no
claims for smaller streams should be permit
ted to hamper this demand. The discussion
that followed was quite spirited, but the
Iowa delegates stood alone in opposition to
the majority report, and the latterwas adopt
ed without change.
The delegates to the Convention were hos
pitably entertained by the citizens of Quincy
during their stay, and this evening grand
banquet was given. followed by ball.