The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1881-06-03
WATERWAYS.
Proceedings of the Northwestern
River and Canal Improvement Com
ventiOn, at Davenport. Iowa.


There were S79 delegates, representing all
the Northwestern States, in attendance.
Judge j. H. Murphy, of Davenport,
was made temporary Chairman. Col,
J. NJ. Allen addressed the convention. He
stated that the survey from Rock Island to
Hennepin is sixty-fve miles in length, and that
the canal can be cut for less than $5, 600, 000,
thus completing highway from Chicago to the
extreme northern boundary OF the Northwest.
Hon. James F. Wilson also addressed the
convention. he said it was the transports
ton problem and not simply the construction
of a canal that had called them together. Peo-
pie believed that the transportation system was
at present too expensive and too unstable,
and should be reformed. Waterways were the
conseryators of cheap and stable transporta-
ton, and those which nature had provided
should be kept IN the highest state of eff
cheney and supplemented by such artificial
ways as were needed to effect complete
system. Such ways were not the swift ones
of commerce, but were the maintainers
for products whose value depended on
getting to market Transportation 8 by
rail had been depended on so largely that
the waterway had been neglected, and hence
the superb railway system had been failure
in that it had not produced that standard of
equity and fairness which the country of 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.
On reassembling, the convention was adj
dressed by the Hon. J. B. Henderson, who
represents the Sixth Illinois district in
Congress. He said the question of cheap
transportation from the rain-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 must not think the
commerce of the great Northwest could be con-
fined to one beaten track. That trade must
take i'll Chicago, Cleveland, New York, Balti-
more, and other cities. He did not advocate q
ship-canal, but believed waterway
ample for present requirements could
be constructed for $5,OOO,OOO, or about
as much as was paid for Custom
House in any one of the large cities The
practicability of the route from Hennepin to
Rock Island had been affirmed by successive
Boards of Engineers.
Gov. John H. Gear, of Iowa, was introduced,
and addressed the convention. He said that
they had assembled for a most laudable pur-
pose, having for its object the promotion of
the welfare of the producers of the Mississippi
valley, by devising ways and means to lessen
the cost of transportation of the products of
the farm and factory. It was true that less
than half of the lands in Iowa were under
cultivation, yet the resources of 5000 miles of
railway in operation in the State were taxed to
their fullest extent last year to move the sur
plus product. In 1880 from the State of Iowa
alone there were exported 81, 100000 bushels of
corn, 100000 bushels of wheat $4,000, 600
bushels of oats, to say nothing of other cereals.
There were packed 658, 900 hogs in the State,
and 1870, 900 were shipped away alive out of
the State over six lines of railroads. There
were 372 900 head of live cattle shipped East.
With the exception of a portion of the cattle
and hogs, the other things were the growth of
IoTTe alone. From this it would 10 seen that
much depended upon this convention in giving
such tone to public sentiment as would best ac-
complish the desirable results to the producers
OF the Mississippi valley.
The Hon. Carter Fl. Harrison, Mayor of Chi
cago, came next, and opened his speech by say
ing that in his opinion waterways were the only
means of regulating freight charges and keep
ing railroad monopoies within bounds. Two
specters threatened the perpetuity of repub-
hcan institutions, and the worst of these was
cooperate monopoly, which had no soul and
never died. Behind this stood maddened and
exasporated people, who might in the end be
goaded to destroy the whole machinery of gov
eminent in orderto get rid of its excrescences. 1t
behooved mankind to follow the plans of the
great Engineer of the universe and to digcanals
on the lines marked out. Mr.. Harrison advocated
building ship canal from Hennepin to Rock
Island, and deepening the Illinois and Michigan
canal.
The Committee on Permanent ORGANIZATION
and Rules reported the following as permanent
officers of the conventions: President, r.
S. Horr, East Saginaw, Mich. :; Vice
Presidents ]. w. Palmer Detroit; J,
L. Switz, New York J. W. Chapman,
Council Bluffs; George Schneider, Chicago; W.
Walker Toledo; Charles Seymour, La Crosse,
Wis; John Dement,, Dixon. ILL.,; E. O. Stan
Clarkson, Des MONIES; William Petit, Mime
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 Hennepin canal.
Letters of regret were read from Horatlo
Seymour, Secretary Window, Cows. Pillsbury
Jerome and Cullom, Senators Allison, McDiil
Saunders, Davis, Logan, ingalls, and Sawyer,
and Congressman Farwell.
After the appointment by the chair of the
necessary committees, the convention ad-
journed for the day.
SECOND DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
After the appointment Of Committee on
Resolutions, speeches were called for. Ex-Gov.
Stannard, of Missouri, complained of some
structures made by the 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 Bross, Of Chicago, replied
to the st. Louis representative, and said Chi
cago was as much interested as st. Louis in
the improvement of the Mississippi. There
could be no difficulty between st. Louis and
Chicago Gov. Stannard had talked about
the shipments OF wheat amounting to 5000, 900
bushels. That amount would not fill one Chi
cago warehouse. Illinois paid last year
100000 internal-revenue tax, and all she
asked from the General Government was per
cent. OF that amount for the improvement OF
her waterways.
The Hon. Julius c. Starr, of PEORIA pro-
nounced in favor of improving all internal wa
ter ways and developing all possible highways
of commerce. For this purpose the combina-
ton OF all interests was needed. 1t was only
by this means that Congress could be brought
to appropriate money for improving the rivers
and canals of the West.
At this point of the proceedings the welcome
announcement was made that the Committee
on Resolutions was ready to report, and the
CHAIRMAN, Gen. Henderson, presented the fol-
lowing:
This convention, representing the people Of the
Mississippi valley and Of the Northwest in pursu-
of the call Of the convention and in further
of the purposes thereof, unanimously declare:
1. That the Congress of the United States should
devise by law and sustain by liberal and efficient
preparations system OF cheap transportation by
water routes connecting the Mississippi river and its
tributaries with the Eastern Atlantic seaboard and
the Gulf of Mexico.
2. That it has been the policy of Congress and ths
desire the people of the Northwest for many ye-~
to inatgurate and complete system of water-chaA
mel improvement, having the Mississippi for its
base; that, to give greater efficiency to this policy
there should be constructed from the Mississippi river
the most direct and feasible route to the Illinois
river at Heanepn and thence to the lake at Chicago
canal adequate to the present and future Transport
ta6on needs Of that great part of the Northwest to
is imperative necessity for relief from the exces-
sive freight rates on the produce and commerce Of
the country, and that the work so long needed
should be Immediately commenced.
8. That the continued improveZeHt of the Missis-
sippi river under the xs%S@ 4 The Mississippi
River Commission, created by act Of Congress, is
work of great national Importance; that the Con-
gress of the United States ought to promote that
scheme of Improvement by the most liberal sppro-
for, and that we emphasize and enforce the united
and earnest demand Of the people OF the entire Mis-
sissippi valley that Congress shall make prompt and
adequate appropriations for the improvement OF the