The Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1877-1885, 1882-04-19
FORTY-SEvENTH CONGRESS-.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, April 1S.-The Chair sub
mitted message from the President, trans
mitting a recommendation from the Mis-
sissippi River Commission for an appropri-
alton of $1,010,000 for closing the exist
ing gaps in levees, in addition to a like
SUM already estimated for the purpose
The President urges early and favorably
consideration of the recommendation, an
calls special attention tie the importance of
the.subject. Ordering tabled and printed,
bill on the snbject being now before the
Senate
The Senate bill to accept and ratify the
agreement with the Crow Indians for the
sale of portion of their reservation in
Montana, required for the Northern Pacific
railroad, and appropriating $4,000 there
for, passed.
Senator Jackson offered a resolution
calling for the diplomatic correspondence
which passed early in 1876 between the
United States Minister at Madrid and the
Spanish Secretary of State, concerning the
cases of United States citizens condemned
to death in Cuba.
The Mississippi and Missouri river i'm
provement.bill.was then considered.
Senator Frye, member of the committee
from which the bill was reported, said the
northern and eastern members of the Gem
mittee, while appreciating the Importance
of improving navigation, were opposed to
allowing any portion of the appropriation
to be used for the reclamation of lands in
river states. They regarded the existing
sentiment caused by the recent overflow as
dangerous one, on which to base legisla-
ton The unanimous favorable report
upon the measure was due to the proviso
which prevents the use of money for re-
building levees, and this has been inserted
without objection He said he made this
statement in view of the intimation thrown
out yesterday by Senator Kellogg, that the
| amendment removing this restriction upon
the expenditure of money would not be
objected to by the committee. and also in
view of Senator Jonas amendment apply
ing the appropriation to levees.
Senator Harrison, of the committee ad-
dressed the Senate at some length. After
| asserting admirably the control OF the
United States over the entire navigable
length of the Mississippi and its jurisdic-
ton over improvements, navigation and
works necessary to make the river safe
and constant outlet for commerce, he said,
nearly IA, 900 navigable miles of the main
river and its tributaries were distributed
among eighteen states and three territories,
the region producing the larger part of the
entire grain crop aud larger part of the
cotton CROP and that the work of provid
ing cheap and free highway for these
products in their conveyance to consumers
of the Atlantic states and of Europe. the
work was obviously not sectional, but Ma
tional Speaking of the facilities of cheap
transportation and free competition per-
tanning to river navigation as compared
with oppressive railroad rates, Senator
Harrison remarked that upon distractions
being cleared away and a uniform low
water depth of ten feet being attained be
low St Louis, the shores of the Mississip
pi would practically be at tide water; thai
grain will GO west and south as well as cas-
to the river. Whenever railroad charges
are oppressive, no act of Congress or Of
states, in his opinion could prove SO eff
cient in regulating transportation charges
as the law of competition between the wa
ter ways of the country and the railroads
A sufficient uniform depth of water
throughout the year on the upper river
would cause a great reduction of river
transportation charges, by enabling large
boats and narges to continue running in
stead of being laid up, as now, for portions
of the year. A system of inter-channe
works has been adopted, andlt was though
this wsuld remove the difficulties in low
i water navigation. and upon this belle