The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1881-09-03
The River Route .

The executive committee of the River Con
vention has issued the following call for the
convention to tie held in 81. LOUIS: The Goth
dav of October, 1881, is the day fixed for the
above convention to be held at st. Louis, Mo.
1t is the paramount duty of the officials of the
various states and territories, the Mayors and
Boards of Trade of the various cities situated
on the Mississippi river and its tributaries, to
do all in their power to make the convention
a success The members OF each OF tue Houses
of Congress and the governors OF every state
of the Union will be invited to meet and con-
slider with the delegates from the states, cities
and Boards of Trade the interests to he benc-
flied thereby and TO the needed improvements
such interests have right to demand. 1t may
not be inappropriate to state that while the ma.
tionsl government has given to the various
railroads. up TO the year 1873, nearly 100000.
600 of acres of the public domain, worth at
least 81 25 per acre. and 20 some 1t loaned lis
credit beside, for anticipated benefits to the
people, during this time the Mississippi river
and its tributaries have had appropriated for
their improvement an amount no! quite $2O,.
100000.
To form an idea Of the great benefit to be de.
rived and the Importance OF improving the
Mississippi river system of water ways, II need
but he said that the navigable length of these
ways IS over $4,000 miles, and eighteen states
and three territories are afforded inland water
transportation by them. 1t IS the part of WIS.
dom to provide different means and modes OF
transportation when II can he done, so that the
failure of one will still leave another at our
command Each will! tend to produce an
equilibrium of rates, and the producers and
consumers can derive the benefit OF healthy
competition and choice Of routes.
r 70, ,>k 81, atm nnrfu
state territory, city and Board of Trade should
be represented " able gentlemen, who not
only understand the great interest involved,
but who have the faculty to make known the
nature of the needed river improvements to
meet The requirements of commerce. and to
press upon Congress its urgent Importance, SO
that they will feel 1t il q pleasure and a duty
to work and to vote for the necessary appro-
priation to improve these rivers.
The area of these great valleys aggregates
about 100000 square miles of the most pro-
ductive lands in the world. The annual pro-
duce of these lands is of the value of hundreds
of millions Of dollars, and in the future will be
illimitable The production Of these states
and territories amounts to 30 per cent. of the
corn, 70 per cent of the wheat 70 per cent of
the oats, Ga per cent Of the tobacco, n per
cent of the cotton and 66 per cent OF the value
or the i've HOGS OI TIC WuOlc 1>oW,
the estimated internal commerce of the coun-
try Is about $50, 900 000,0 00-an amount near
ly twenty five times as much as our whole for
eign commerce. Then the internal commerce
of the Mississippi Valley is at least halt that
amount, or 17,500,0O0,000, and should entltle
it to great consideration.
The question of cheap transportation for the
products of the Mississippi Valley to profia
bic markets is the supreme question OF the
hour and IS the key to its future prosperity.
The water route has chcapened freight every
where and the system is almost IN 1t infancy
vet 1t becomes necessary, to efiectualy carry
the improvement of this Mississippi river sys-
TEN, that special legislation to that end be
adopted by Congress, and claim that Congress
is justified IN making specific appropriations
for the adoption of this system independent OF
the general appropriation bills as was done
in the case of the jetties. The producers ag-
ricullurisls and manufacturers are dependent
upon 1t tor their success, and TO enable them
To obtain a fair remuneration for their lahOrs
and investments, improve this river naviga'
ton and maintain throughout the year the sue
cesstul competition with the great trunk lines,
and It will forever ensure you cheap ranspor-
tation These great natural arteries Of trade
and system of water navigation are the real
conserva,ors OF an assured cheap transporta
ton, and those which nature has provided
should lie maintained and improved, and for
that purpose It is demanded that Congress
make adequate appropriations for their con-
tinuous improvement
- .,l.-. oI, 1tCat ION