Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1882-11-15
RIVER SEERS.
Something About the Congressional
Committee Now Investigating the
Mississippi.
The Views and Plans of the Committee;
SO Far as Obtainable, Outlined by
a Correspondent.

The River Investigating Committee ap-
pointed by Congress to cast their eagle eyes
upon the Mississippi river will get here
Friday or Saturday, possibly. They are
leisurely coming s9uthrstd en- lie Guiding
Star, thirty rooms having been set apart for
then and their guests. In addition TO the
congressional committee the Star carries
Mrs. John g. Carlisle, Mrs Ben BuIterworth
Mrs. ]. w. Walker, of Covington, Mr.. I. c.
Crawford, SECRETARY oil the committee aud
Western Associ Ite d Press agent, Mrs Crawford
and child, Capt. Thos. Cavsnaugb, assistant
sergeant-at-arms of the House. The COM
mittee has no Jurisdiction over and is not
instructed 10 invs s,igate the work of i'm
provement going on along the Ohio, though
several of the committeeman have been
travefsing the river. This opportunity Of
viewing the great waterways of the West and
South ought TO prove Of great advantage to
the members Of Congress, ss we'll as prova-
catIve OF benefit 10 the people along the
Mississippi. 1t ia simply an investigating
committee. Concerning the views and plans
OF the committee Cincinnati Commercial
correspondent says:
The views of but two members of the
committee are positively knovn-the Hon.
John K Thomas, CT Metropolis, Ill and
the Hon 4. John Ellis, of New Orleans
1hesc gentlemen are on record as favoring
the present system of improvement, and ir
the csse of Mr.. Ellis it is understood that he
is as much in favor OF the general govern
ment building and repairing the levees as of
making direct improvements of the river
proper. Local Influences furnish reasons
sufficient for the views of Mr.. Ellis, and al
though Mr.. Thomas is not a resident of that
part of Illinois washed by the waters of The
Mississippi he is 20 near the confluence OF
the two streams as TO be susceptible of the
influences which govern Mr.. Ellis.
Mr.. Robinson, of Massachusetts,, is on rec
ord in discussion as being opposed 10 the
levee scheme and as doubling the feasibility
OF the improvement of the lower Mississippi
itself.
Ben Butterworth has alray been literally
disposed toward public improvements, and
his vote for and defense for the River and
Haibor bill would give some slight color to
the supposition that he favors public i'm
provement in a general way, whatever ais
views may be in regard TO the special work
being done on the lower Mississippi.
As 10 the views of Messrs Hiscock, OF New
York, Hazglton, of Wisconsin, and Burrows,
of Michigan, nothing can be definitely
stated, but as the fret halls from the far
East, and the latter two from the Northwest,
it is not supposed they will represent the
pressure of any local public sentiment, either
pro or con.
AS 10 Mr.. Carlisle, no one having the
slightest knowledge of the man, or knowing
the keen Judicial temperament of his mind,
can for moment doubt that his decision in
this matter will be the result of the most
thorough physical examination possible 10
give the work already done or in process OF
construction, or the capitalization of his best
mental powers.
Judge Holman's character as the great
obiector" and the watchdog of the treas
he AFT wit
which he has aptagonizsd all schemes OF
public plumber or raids on the treasury,
under whatever pretepse or coming from
whatever political party or faction, certainly
does not give much hope 10 the jobbers,
while his sterling integrity and desire TO
know the why and wherefore of everything
connected with public disburs,m is an
assurance tina. his d cision will not be made
from any cursory examination or without
the fullest mental elaboration.
Indeed, it would be exceedingly unfair
and unjust to charge any member of the
committee, save those who may have placed
themselves fairly and squarely on record, as
being for or against system which 1t is
their mission to thoroughly examine and in
yestigate, before such examination and iu-
ves,igation are made, of which no one can
foretell the result on each mind. The COM
mittee should have had better facilities for
doing their work. The $4,000 appropriation
is not sufficient to meet all their legitimate
expenses. They should have a light boat,
capable Of going anywhere in the river, and
of accommodating comfortably forty per-
sone without limit or restriction as TO time.
Their application for such craft was denied
by the Secretary Of War, whereat the River
Commission promptly rendered them the use
of one of their crafts, which was, for very
obvious reasons, as promptly declined.
L. h.
of Mr.. U. II. Hutton, engineer of the BaltI-
more Harbor Board, as consulting engineer,
and propose, so far as possible, 10 conduct
their examination on = basis of the strictest
impartialiiy.
The committee was not raised on The
charges or complaints OF Capt. John Cowdon
or any other individual, but as a Just conces-
sion to the large element which has from the
very inception of these Improvements OPP
posed them as both inordinately eItrava-
CANT, if not utterly useless for the purpose
intended, sentiment which found expression
in the Presidents veto of the River and
Harbor bill, and still more recently to rome
extent in the elections. The following is The
Personnel of the Committee.
Julius C. Burrows, of Kalamazoo, Fourth
Michigan District, born at North East, Erie
county, Pa, January, 1887; emigrated 10
Ohio in early boyhood; studied law at JET
ferson, o.; was admitted to the bar in 1859;
removed 10 Kalamazoo county, Mich, in
1850; served in the Union army in the Sew
enieenth Michigan Infantry; participated in
the battles of South Mountain, Antietam,
Fredericksburg, Jackson and tine campaign
Of East Tennessee; in 1866 and 1868 was
elected prosecuting attorney OF Kalamazoo
represented Michigan in the Forty
third and Forty-sixth Congresses, and was
reelected TO the Forty-seYenth Congress;
was defeated for reelection on last Tuesday
by his Democratic opponent.
John Griffin Carlisle, of Covingion, Sixth
District of Kentucky; born in Campbell
now Kepton) county, KY, September 3,
IS35, studied law with ex-senator John w. |
Stevenson and Judge w. B. Kinkesd; ad- |
nilted to the bar in 1858; member of the |
State House of Representatives 1S59-61; |
Elected 10 State Senate in 1866, and re-
elected in 1859; resigned his seat in State
senate in June, 1871; and was elected lieu
enant-governor in August OF same year,
CRYING until September, 1875; was elected
o the Forty filth, Foriy-sixth ard Forty
eventh Congresses, and reelected 10 the
without opposition, Demo-
ra'. Is prominently mentioned as a caudi-
late tor Speaker Of the next House.
Benjsnlin Butterwor'h, of Cincinnati,
7Irst District of Ohio, was born in Warren
ounty, y OctOOer u, 1903; Is an Attorney
t-lsw; was a member of the Ohio Senate
rom Warren and Butler counties in 1874;
7as elected to the Forty sixth, and elected
o the Forty Congress as a Repub-
icsu; wss defeated for reelection October,
8S2, by Isaac NJ. Jordan, Democrat.
E. John Ellis, of New Orleans, Second
District of Louisians, wss born at Coyipg-
on, La, October 10, 1841; graduated from
be law department of the University of
in March, 1861; joined the Con-
.d-rate army FIVE days afterward, and
arved throughout the war; has practiced
aw in New Orleans since 1867; held no pub
C Office until elected TO the Forty-fourlh,
'orty With, Forty sixth and Forty seventh
congresses; was reelected 10 the Forty
ighth Congress as a Democrat. Mr.. Ellis
said 10 be strong advocate OF the present
ystem OF river improvements.
Frank Hiscock, of Syracuse, Twenty fifth
district Of New York, was born at Pompey,
eptember 6, 1894; studied law; admitted to
lie bsr S55; was district attorney of
nondaga county from 1860 to 1868; member
the State Constitutional Convention in
s67; was elected to the Forty fifth, Forty
xth aud Forty-seventh Congresses as Re-
ublican.
George C. Hazeltop, of Boscobel, Third
district of Wisconsin. was born In Chester,
county, N. H., January 3, 1888;
limited to the bar in New York; settled in
oscobel, VIE, in 1868; was elected district
torney of Grant county in 1854, and re-
II.