The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1881-06-02
WATERWAYS.

vousbOms ~ davenport Iowa.
The Northwestern Convention In aid Of
river and canal improvement met at the Opera
House, in Davenport, on Wednesday, May 25.
There were $40 delegates, representing oil
the Northwestern States, In attendance.
Judge J. H. Murphy, Of Davenport,
was made temporary Chairman. Col.
J. M. Allen addressed the convention. He
stated that tho survey from Rock Island to
Hennepin i sixty-6vs miles Ia length, and that
the canal can be cut for less than %, ,OOO, 900,
thus completing highway from Chicago to the
extreme northern boundary Of the Northwest.
Hon. James r. Wilson also addressed the
convention. He said it was the 'transporta-
ton problem" and not simply the construction
Of canal that had called them together. Poo
pie believed that the transportation system WAS
q present TOO expensive and too unstable,
and should be reformed. Waterways were the
conservat0rs Of cheap and stable Transports
tion, and those which nature had provided
should be kept in the highest state Of en-
cheney and supplemented BY such artificial
ways o. we're needed TO effect . complete
system. such ways were not the swift ones
Of reasonable rates aud better prices
for products whose value depended on
getting to market Transportation BY
rail hsd been depended ON 10 largely that
the waterway had been neglected, and hence
tho superb railway system had been failure
equity and fairness which the country cf right
had expected. BY the creation Of an efficient
water competition the railway service could be
brought to realize what its duties were in this
regard.
After the appointment Of Committees on
Credentials and Permanent Organization, an
adjournment was voted until p. m.
rem hA WA a.
dressed by the Hon. ]. B. Henderson, who
represents the Sixth Illinois district IN
Congress. He said the question Of cheap
transportation from the gran-grOwing dis
tricts to the seaboard WAS the important
question before the people OF the West He
wanted to see direct water communication be-
tween the Upper Mississippi and Chicago. st.
Louis and New Orleans nnst not thlnk the
commerce OF the great Northwest could be con-
fined to ono beaten track. That trade must
take In Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Baiti-
more, aud other cities. He did not advocate
.ps r Das Dqs..nt ees,sa
be constructed for s5,ooO,OOO. or about
az much - was paid for . Custom
House in any ono Of tho large cities. The
practicabity Of the route from Hennepin ID
Rock Island had been affirmed by successive
Boards OF Engineers.
Gov John II. Gear, OF Iowa, was introduced.
they had assembled for most laudable pur-
pose, having for its object the PRONE, en of
the welfare Of the producers OF tic M,sss,lr..
valley, by dcvising ways and means 70 essen
the cost OF transportation of the pro .iicrs or
the farn and factory. Ii VIA tic III Il ~
than half Of the lands IL Iowa were liulel
cultivation, yet the resources OF 5000 miles If
railway Ill operation in the State were taxed to
Their fullest extent last year to move the su
plus product. In 1850 from the State ot Iowa
alone there were exported 81, u0O, 900 bushels u
corn, 100000 bushels Of wheat, l2,Oob.ta,,
bushels oi Data. to sav nothing OF Other crre.i-.
There were packed 658. 900 hogs in the Stat.
and 1910, 900 were shipped away alive Out ii
the State over six lines Of railroads There
were 372 taN head or live cattle siaipt.a East.
With the exception Of . portion OF the cattle
aud hogs, the other things were the growth q
Iowa alone. FROM this il would be seen thas
much depended upon this convention IA ;,yl.s1
such tone to public sentiment ! Would nc,t to
compllsh the desirable results to thc prodncsrs
Of the Mississippi valley.
The Hon. Carter H. Harrison, Mayor Of Chi
cago, came next. and opened his speech by say
ing that in his opinion Waterwayswere the only
means Of regulating freight charges and keep
ing railroad m0nopolies within bounds. Two
specters threatened the pcrpctuity Of rcfub-
ican institutions, and the worst Of these va,
cooperate monopoly, which had no soul and
never died. Behind this stood maddcned AMI
exasporated people, who might in the end he
goaded to destroy the whole machinery Of gov
ernment in order to get rid of its excrcscenees. Il
behooved mankind to follow the plans OF tie
great Engineer Of the universe, and 10 dig mails
on the lines marked ont. Mr.. Harrison advocated
building ship canal from Hcnnepin to Rock
Island, and deepening the Illinois and Michigan
canal.
The Committee on Permanent Organization
and Rules reported the following as permanent
0nirNrn Of the Oonyeni ion. pr<aRidenf IL
s. Horr, East Saginaw, Mich; yice
Presidents, j. w. Palmer, Detroit; j.
i. Switz, New York ]. w. Chapman,
Council Bluffs; George Schneider, Chicago; W.
I.Walker, Toledo; Charles Seymour, La Crosse,
Wis.,; John Dement,, Dixon. ILL.,: E. .. STAN
Clarkson, Des MONIES; William Petit, Minne-
apolis; John W. Burdette, Secretary, Burling-
ton. Iowa.
Charles A. Randolph, Secretary Of the Chi
cago Board Of Trade, spoke At great length on
the subject before the convention and in favor
Of the Hennopin canal.
Letters Of regret were read from Horatlo
seymour, Secretary Window, Cows. Pillsbnry,
Jerome and CullonA, Senators Allison, McDill,
Saunders, Davis, Logan. Ingalls, and Sawyer,
and Congressman Farwell.
After the appointment by the chair Of the
necessary committees, the convention 3D.
jOurned for tho day.
SECOND DAYS rnocEKpIN0o.
After the appointment Of Committee on
Resolutions, speeches were called for. Ex-Gov.
Stannard, Of Missouri, complained Of some
structures made By tho Davenport Gazette, with
reference to the position Of the St. Louis dele
gates. He denied that there was opposition to
the canal project. but Missouri men do not
want to see the mississippi river improvement
sighted They had thought the list OF COM
mittees and the earlier form OF the convention
had little too much Chicago in them. But
| that was all.
Ex.Gov. William Brosa, Of Chicago, replied
| to the st. Louis representative, and said Chi
| cago was much interested NJ 1t. Louis In
| the Improvement OF the Mississippi. There
| could be no difficulty between st. Louis aud
| Chicago. Gov. Stannard had talked ahou,
| the shipments OF wheat amounting to 6,0OO, ,0UU
| bushels. That amount would not fill one Chi.
caSo warehouse. Illinois paid last yeal
| ~, ,OOo, 900 internal-revsnne tax, and al she
asked from the General Government was pei
cent. OF that amount for tho improvement ol
| ler waterways.
The Hon. julius C. Starr, Of Peoria, pro.
nonnced il favor of improving all internal wa
ways and developing all possibs highways
\ OF commerce. For tins purp, ~ the con-bna
4 ton OF all Int rests was needed. II was onl,
III this meais- That Congress could be broasat
Ia appropriate ts,anay for improving tine rivers
and "a tails III the West.
Al this point Of the proceedings the welcome
announcement WAS made that the Conan Il,
"a Rerolutluils WAS ready to report. anl The
Chsirnan, Gen. Henderson, presented the fol
4 uMihs:
\ Tbs convention, representing the peope oi til,
Miss.ssistri w ley and " the Northwest, Ia parsu
aii.e ai tie .a.t u the ros.ntson ia ia tnstn
aliee .; IN. e4trpls.s the eai. nlaansan.. dc
/ fh..U UI1tte 81