The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1881-04-06
CONV N ION.
All interested in the River and
Canal Improvement.
To be held in Daven-
port next May.

| The officers and directors Oh the naissis-
sippi and Illinois River Canal Commission
met in this city few days ago and pre-
pared the following
CALL.
The necessities of the Commerce and
Industries of the Great Northwest impera-
lively demand that the cost OF transport a.
ton from tie Mississippi Valley to the
Eastern Atlantic seabord be greatly re-
duced. as compared with that resulting
from the present rates Of freight charges
Such a reduction is alike required 10 the
interest of the home producer and the dis
t.nt consumer. Ii has been demonstrated
bevond all cavil that such indispensable
| reduo,ion can be most certainly and per-
maneutly secured through an extension
and enlargement OF water routes OF cota-
mu oication between the great rivers OF the
| West. the lakes and the ocean. Equally
clear is il. that the necessity tor the early
completion of these soreIy needed improve.
mems should be more earnestly pressed
upon Tie attention OF congress. mat
body must be asked and urged TO proceed
| 10 nrompt action in the interests OF the
neonle The time for action by the people
in reference to such appeals to Congress
| has arrived. Longer delay will be as in
| iurious to the country at large as II will be
| fatal to the highest success of tho North
west.
Therefore, and as instructed thereto by
the convention held ia Rock Island on
February LIST. 1881, at which meeting the
"Illinois and Mississippi River and Canal
| Improvement Commission" was organic,
ed. and, as agreed upon at meeting of
said Commission held in Rock Island this
date. we hereby issue call for North :
western Convention to be held as here
after stated. That Convention will be
| requested to consider and adopt such
measures as may be deemed advisable to
secure from Congress all needed legisla-
| tive action in requiring. and appropriating
necessary moneys for the needed works
of Improvement in the lines of the upper
| Mississippi and Illinois rivers and the
Lakes. Particularly will it be the object
of the Convention to devise, and
place in process OF effective operation,
such enforcement of the popular
will by Congress as shall speedily pros
vide for the early extension of the existing
Illinois and Michigan Canal system from
| Hennepip, on the Illinois river. to point
at or near Rock Island, on the Mississippi
river, with the enlargement of the canal
| from Chicago to La Sale for commercial
purposes. to the end that there may be
secured. at az early period as possible q
continuous line of water route commupica-
| ton and transportation from this Mississ-
| ippi river direct to the Lakes. aud thence.
| By the Erie Canal, to New York and the
Atlantic Ocsan.
In furtherance of these objects we invite
the people of the Northwest to assemble.
through their properly constituted dele.
gates, in Convention to be held 10 the
| Burtis Opera House, Davenport. com
mencing on Wednesday. May 25th. 1881,
at IL o'clock a. M, closing their said dele
gates in the following prescribed ratios
and manner:
l. Ten delegates from each state at
large, to be appointed by the governor
| thereof
2 Five delegates from each organized
Board of Trade.
3, Five delegates from each city or
town in which 40 Board of Trade is organ
izsd.
4. Three delegates FROM each Farmers
Alliance or Farmers Club.
| A number of distinguished men, emf
| nent as statesmen or legislators, or active
in commercial aud industrial pursuits and
| friends of cheap transportation. will be
especially invited to attend, also.
1t is earnestly hoped that the several
organizations and municipalities invited
herein to send delegates will, without fail.
select such and secure their prompt
attendance at the convention.
Nj ALLAN. Geneseo, ILL., President.
EDWARD RUSSELL, Davenport. Ia, Sec.
I J ROBINSON, Rock Island, ILL.,, Treas.
s CAMP, Dixon. ILL.,
CHARLES DEERE. Moline, Iii.
JOHN MAHIN. Muscatine, Iowa.
WILLIAMSON DTRLEY. Hennepin. LII.
I'D, WHITING. Tiskilwa, Iii.
I d BREWSTER, Peru, Ill.