Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-02-15
RIVER AND RBoR BILL.

RIVER AND IL hbOh BILL.
During the consideration Of this SUBJ
iect in the Committee of the Whole OF
the House OF Representatives on Satur-
day last, Mr.. UPDEGRAFF, Of Iowa, mis-
represented the value and importance Of
improving the West Virginia rivers,
whereupon the following discussion en-
sued between him and Col. WILSON, OF
this district
Mr.. Wilson rose.
The Chairman-Debate is exhausted
on the pending amendment.
Mr.. Cox-I withdraw my amend
ment.
Mr.. Wilson, move to strike out the
last word. As was called out OF the
House temp )rarily had not the pleas
ure of hearing the whole of the remarks
made by the gentleman from Iowa Up
degraf.1 But heard some OF his criti-
cisms on the streams OF West Virginia.
/ will say to that gentleman that he at
least is laboring under very egreglous
error. As / understand the object OF
this river and harbor bill, it is for the
development of the resources OF the
country, and to throw into the markets
of the several States and the markets OF
the world the rich commodities now
locked up in the regions to which those
rivers furnish an outlet.
The gentleman referred to one OF
those streams, the Little kanawha. l
desire to say that in my opinion there
is no river of the same length and size
in all these United States OF America
the improvement OF which is so valna-
Die and which will contribute so much
to the general welfare Of the country.
Let me enumerate some eli the commo-
dities of the district through which the
river flows. Its timber finds market
Jas shown. by papers accompanying the
Engineers report) from New York to
New Orleans. In consequence OF the
small improvement made in il a few
wears ago, timber has been floated down
to Parkersburg, shipped thence by rail
to Baltimore, and from there sent to
Europe. The valuable hard lumber OF
West Virginia finds market in Cali
fornia. 1t is shipped by rail three hun
is shipped sometimes to California and
sometimes to Europe. Its oil finds a
ready sale in all the markets OF the
world. The oil produced in that coun-
try, the outlet OF which is this Little IA
navha river, adds something to the bal.
ance of trade in favor OF this country
against foreign nations. And that oil
has been tlOated down this river to
market.
The sawed lumber OF the Little Kan
awha reaches more than dozen States
in the Union. There are vast coal fields
and vast iron fields there; and the coal
from the country along that river, by
reason of the improvements now being
made, will be shipped and will reach
the people Of the Western and Southern
cities.
This is the best bill we can have to
regulate Interstate commerce. ltgives
cheap fuel, cheap food and cheap trans
portation. 1t opens up competing lines
snd. can never be governed by monopo-
lies. 1t is the farmers improvement
and enables his productions, the fruits
of his honest labor, to reach markets
without the skinning process ofpooIngi
rebates, &c.
Mr.. Updegraff, OF Iowa--Ihe gentle
man has his quarrel with the engineers,
the men who made their living out OF
these appropriations, and who, as We all
know, will magnify their office.
Mr.. Wilson-Yoa do not have g.
Ths Chairman-The gentleman will
address the Chair.
Mr.. Wilson-We are only having a
little t6ts-d tSte. Laughter.
Mr.. Updegratf, of Iowa-Whatever
light we can get against these appropria-
tons comes in unconsciously, for not
one of these engineers would permit
such remarks to be made as l have read
il he dreamed that the use would be
made OF them that is now being made,
Other engineers in other districts-and
l have examined the reports enough to
learn that-do not appear to have made
such remarks. But here was a man
who was a subordinate and did not have
any more sense than to tell a part OF the
truth. Laughter
These engineers are divided and sub
divided into stratum. There is first the
boss engineer, and then a stratum below
him; then another stratum and so on
down until you get to the local engi-
neers. 1t reminds me OF the old distich:
Big iess have little aess,
Oh purpose made Ia bite EN-;
And Little fess have hitler fieas,
And 80 al issaitER.
Laughter ...-
AIR. Wilson Now oneword-
Mr.. Updegraf, OF Iowa-So these re-
ports come up from the ''little tieas" to
the big fless;" and in few instances
the "little fieas" have told the truth.
What have referred to has been found
| by accident. How much more could be
found by careful examination / cannot
tell.
Mr.. Thomas Tufner-That shows how
much Won know about it.
Mr.. Updegratf, of Iowa-Ii can do so
well with the little knowledge have,
how much could i do il / bad as much
as you claim to bsve? laughter
Mr.. Wilson-Just a word. Because
the gentleman does not obtain the ap-
preparation he desires, he seems 10 be
willing TO form a combination with his
friends over there TO defeat proper ap-
preparations. He is playing the game
Tickle me, Toby, oh, tickle. do:
You tickle me and III tickle you.
Laughter
Here the hammer fell.
The Chairmsn-The time for debate
upon the pending amendment has ex.
pred.
THk RSeisrER hopes that Col. WI LsoS
viii be successful in retaining the kao..
90 appropriation for the Little IN.