The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1879-08-06
Ghe gatelIiastrter,
Cot. AIE1. oAxrDrlL. one Of the Board


Coz. ALEX. CAMPBELL. one Of the Board
ofCommissioners appointed by Governor
Mathews, Of this State, to act in connec-
,ion with the Commissioners Of other
states having in view the promotion Of
III. commerce and improvement Of the
navigation Of the rivers Of the Mississippi
Valley, is in receipt Of u communication
,rop, lion. Engene Underwood, one Of the
Kentucky Commissioners, proposing the
18th Of october next as the date, and
Mammoth Cave, KY, as the place OF or
yaniring the Commission. He states that
the point proposed is easily accessible,
and that good accommodations can be had
a. reasonable rates.
The work OF this Commission is import
an. enough to justify full attendance
and the active cooperation of the Com.
missioners appointed. The convention
which met at New Orleans last December,
contemplating the Mississippi Valley as q
Iis,inc, part Of the country, united by
nayiVable streams which might be i'm.
vroyed 90 as to furnish complete facilities
Tor iptercommuniCation and egress to the
.eas, passed resolution calling upon the
Governors Of the Valley States to appoint
a Board OF Commissioners. Wisconsin,
Indiana, Kentucky, Colorado, Iowa, Ohio,
Mississippi and West Virginia responded
to this invitation, Capt. Jna,- Mcclure,
Col. Alex. Campbell and State Senator
Wayne Ferguson being appointed from
this State.
Congress subsequently appointed a COM
mission to carry out the system originally
proposed at the New Orleans Convention,
contemplating the improvement Of the
Mississippi between the head Of the
passes near its mouth TO is headwaters,
and Of said river and its tributaries, and
the objects OF the Convention have been
greatly promoted by the appointment Of
the Congressional Commission, without be-
ing fully accomplished. The duties Of the
Congressional Commission relate to the
mode and manner Of making the improve
ments which are dependent upon surveys,
estimates. &C., to be made by
eminent civil engineers. The duties Of
the Commission as proposed by the Con.
vention relate to the commercial necessi-
ties for such improvements, and Us they
are made manifest the means necessary to
their accomplishment will be more surely
and sufficiently provided. Commissioner
Underwood thinks the two Commissions
should be the assistants Of each other in
the development Of the resources Of the
valley, and he suggests that the Valley
States Commission be divided into com.
nittees relative to the leadi 9; staples Of
each section, each investigating the co M
mercial character Of its respective com.
modify, its markets, mode Of transporta-
tion, &c., together with all matters prac.
tical and pertinent to the same, and each
to report to the Commission.
He suggests also that our Boards Of Health,
Scientific associations, Chambers Of Com.
merce. and many other organizations con-
tribute to the prosperity Of the country,
by inquiry and development Of plans of
The permanency Of the Commission will
give time and opportunity for research
lnG study. By reterringthe products of the
Valley to separate commit
tees, with instructions to inquire into their
foreign and domestic, incidents
Of climate, consumption, competition, i'm.
post duties, cost and mode OF handling,
.Ic., and above all the subject OF trauspor-
tation by land and ocean, by lake, by
river and by rail- much valuable intorma-
ton touching transportation problems
will be elected, and not unlikely valuable
suggestions would arise which would be
AVAILABLE 10 the law maker.
We have given considerable space to
Underwood's suggestions,
believing them to be both practical and
valuable. The movement is one in which
the people of this section are largely in
terested, and we hope to see it pushed