Iron County register. [volume] (Ironton, Iron County, Mo.) 1867-1965, 1881-11-10
RIVER IMPROVEMENT CONVENTION
Proceedings of the Meeting at st. Louis
| Resolutions Adopted.

Proceedings of the Meeting at st. Louis
Resolutions Adopted.
The Mississippi River Improvement Con
vention, which met at st. Louis on the 26tf
of October, continued in session three day:
and was attended by about 500 regularly APP
pointed delegates.
Michael McEnnis, President OF the loca
Executive Committee, and also President oil
tie st. Louis Merchants Exchange, called
the convention to order. George l.. Wright
Secretary of the Executive Committee, then
read the call for the convention, issued by
the St. Louis Merchants Exchange.
Governor Ciittenden, Of Missouri, was
made Temporary Chairman OF the Conven-
ton and made a brief address.
A preliminary discussion occurred as to
whether this should be a convention of the
Mississippi Valley States or-of all the States
of the Union, which was decided by the
Chairman reading from the call that all
States were included.
The usual committees were then appoint
ed, that on resolutions being composed as
follows:
Thomas Sayler; Iowa, Wi Fam II. Vandever
Kentucky, III. vcrhof, Jr.; Indiana. a. ID
streight; Louisiana. ID. r kenner; Tennes-
see. II; l.. Elliott; Kansas, J. T.. Root; Mime
sota r. +. Blakestry; New Mexico, II. j.
Kennedy; Nebraska, j. S. Morton: Wi.con-
sion, j. n. Gregory: West virginia, +. j.
vania, G. ii. Anderson; Texas, j. j. Gam
mage; Ohio, S. +. Covinyton: Mississippi,
Judge H. +. Simrall; Illinois, w. Il. Dowdall.
The Committee on Permanent Organiza-
ton reported the following list Of officers:
Chairman-Hon. Mark II. Dunnell, of Min
nesota.
secretary-George L. Wright. of st. Louis.
Assistant Secretaries-Frank Gaiennie and
Vice observation-disclosures b. Taylor, Ala
bama; John ID. Adams, Arkansas; Geo. w.
anr,er
well, Kansas; Q: 9. Merriman, Minnesota;
G. 5. Chase, Nebraska; J. I. Pcttigrew, Dako''
ia: VIM. Wilson, Wisconsin; Alexander
Campbell, West Virginia; Philo Parsons.
Pennsylvania; w. II. Flippin, Texas; S. +.
CovinSton, Ohio; II. Fullerton. Illinois; ii. T.
simrall, Mississippi; James s. Rollins, Mis-
souri,.
Upon taking the chair Mr.. Dunnell re-
turned thanks for the honor conferred upon
him, and in very brief and general remarks
said as delegates they were here from TWEEN
ty States and Territories, extending from
Minnesota to the Gulf of Mexico, and from
tains, to discuss the question and devise
means Of improving the great rivers Of the
Mississippi Valley, whose productions had
given the balance OF trade to the country.
The question was not only Of great interest
to the Mississippi Valley, but to the whole
Nation, and should be treated with deliber-
alton, and with view to impress its impor-
lance upon Congress and inducing that body
to extend the aid so much desired.
Communications on plans for the improve
ment Of the rivers, ETC., were then handed
in and filed for future reference.
Letters were then read from Capt. James
B. Eads, Hon. Randall l.. Gibson, Senator
James b. Beck, Senator A. p. German,
Hon. Abram S. Hewitt, Postmaster Gener-
al James, Hon. r. G. Horr, Senator Jonas,
Senator Hawley, and others.
There was also read a paper prepared by
Gen. Gilmore, President Of the River Com
mission, in regard to the operations of that
committee.
The Committee on Resolutions reported
as follows:
REPORT OF THE COMMITTEE ON RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. President-The Committee on Resolu-
tons, after careful consideration of the OBJ
ects OF the Convention rs set forth in the call
under which it has assembled, and of various
resolutions which have been submitted to the
as expressing the views not only
from widely distant parts of the Mississippi
Valley, touching these objects and the best
mode of promoting them, have instructed me
On behalf OF the unanimous committee to
port to the Convention the preamble and res
buttons herewith submitted, with the recon-
that the same be adopted by the
(Signed) DUNCAN +. KESSER.
The representatives of the commercial in
.erests and agricultural and other productive
Industries of the Mississippi Valley, in Con.
iention assembled at st. Louis, NO., believ-
ing:
the great inland waterways pre-
pared by the Creator for the use of the peo- |
pie, are a most important and valuable part |
Of the national domain free to all, beyond the !
reach of monopoly, and afording to the |
y hole people that competition I'm transporta- |
ion which dement's producer and consumer |
That cheap transportation is the great ne |
;essity of an agricultural people. the indis-
Instant markets of their staple products, bulky |
N proportion to value; and
That the familiar, economical truth, that
he cheapest transportation OF such products
8 by water, is especially applicable to the |
great waterways of this country, provided the
same is kept free from snags, sand-bars,
CATION, do, therefore,
Resolre and declare, That It is the manifest
United States to cause to be made such inn
,rovement of the Mississippi River and its
,avigable tributaries as shall permanently Sc
.ure the safe and easy navigation thereof,
hereby cheapening freights, reducing insur-
nee and other burdens and expenses; pro-
noting the vast inland commerce of the ma
ion, and creating new avenues of foreign
rade, aud thus not only inviting increased
PRODUCTION and population, but assuring
ueater prosperity to the whole people. Es
,ecially is this duty obvious, and our demand
Justified, I'm view of the donations already
made by Congress, in land, amounting to
70 arly 200, 600 600 acres, and in bonds issued or
nearly Sl0O,0O0OO0 more, in aid OF
rtifical highways, the property of private In
ividuals, and necessarily furnishing, even mt
owest rates, the most costly form of trans
ortation on a large scale as compared with
not yet amounting to $1,000
10 in all for the Improvement of 1000 miles
( natural waterways, whose freedom from
AK imposed or monopoly is protectedb by con-
guarantee, while the cheap service
nd unrestricted competition they afford is
he most effectual corrective of exorbitant
harges by any route to the seaboard. That
he appropriations for such improvements
hould be separately made, with due provis-
,ns for assuring the people of their faithful
pplication to the same, and should be ade-
uate to the continued prosecution OF work
nee begun, until the same is finished so rs