The comet. [volume] (Jackson, Miss.) 1877-1882, 1879-11-22
Report of the Mississippi River Navi-
CATION Communications.
His Excellency, J. NJ Stone, Governor of the Stat
of MissiBsippl

| Report OF the M1sSlssApph hhVer NnSA'
CATION Commission.
His Excellency, J. NJ Stone, Governor OF the State
OF Mississippi:
Sir-The undersigned who had the
honor to be commissioned by your ex-
cellency as delegates to the Convention
for the Improvement of the Navigation
of the Mississippi River and its Navi-
gable Tributaries, which met in the
city of Quincy, in the State of ILL.,, on
the 18th day of October, 1879, have the
honor to submit the following report
In obedience to the duties devolved
upon us by said Commission, we pro-
ceeded to the seat of she Convention,
and were most cordially received, and
every mark of consideration and respect
were shown us as delegates of the patri-
otto people in whose behalf you did us
the honor to constitute us representa-
tives. ...--..,. ,,-.
The Convention was composed OF
several hundred of the most distin-
guished and public spirited citizens OF
the great valley and watersheds drain
ed by the "inland sea-" that washes
the western margin of this State.
The great and central object of the
assemblage was to consider the impor-
lance of the better navigation of this
great natural water way and its chief
tributaries. In that body delegates
represented districts of productive soil
competent to feed and clothe the world.
The mouth of this great river is the
natural gateway to the oceans, and
hence to peoples of every nationality
with whom we hold commercial inter-
course.
Heretofore that gateway has limited
the ingress and egress of ships to
class of moderate dimensions-so mod
crate as to almost forbid competition
with the transportation of grains by
rail to eastern marts-but now to
great extent relieved by the muniticient
expenditures of the general government
in so deepening tue channel at the
mouth, that vessels of tonnage sufficient
may enter and pass out with such IA
eility as to promise new era III the
power of transportation at the Sea-
gate of the waters And it is crafty
ing to observe that the facility of grain
transportation by tue barge system is
rapidly increasing, and the day cannot
be very remote when the millions and
hundreds of millions of bushels OF
cereals raised in the great North West
will float to the sea on the waters which
bind in indissolublo union the people
whose agriculture, commerce and navl-
CATION mako them one.
We are gratified in being abe to re-
port to your excellency that the con-
vention was alike distinguished for its
fxednes of purpose, and It's unanimity
of action. With our consent the con
ventioned uttered the conviction that
in the appropriations for river and har-
Dor improvements by Congress, the
hour had come when the navigable
waters of this vast valley could justly
stand at the front and demand that her
interest should be fostered commensu
rately with their national Importance
and commercial magnitude.
The convention purposely avoided
the recommendation of special theories,
upon which eminent civil engineers are
divided in opinion, though very plausi-
bic, and seeming prima facie, to carry
the sanction and seal OF great common
sense, because the "River Commission"
recently constituted by Congress to
take up and consider all such measures,
would as it was earnestly hoped, with.
out delay proceed to the accomplish
ment of its momentous duties.
The real work of the convention wss
performed by the Committee on reso-
lutions; and as finally passed almost
unanimously by that assemblage, we
herewith enclose.
The resolutions will impart all the
essential information to our people
they can really need, and we trust will
enlist their hearty approval and ener.
getic cooperation, and if so, the day