Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1882-09-24

AS announced. the board of trade held q
meeting yesterday morning for the pur
pose of taking action, which had been per
sistently delayed, upon what is
generally known as the ''sawdust ques.
ton" The position taken by the st. Paul
chamber of commerce, by placing q chip
on is shoulder and daring the Minneapo-
lis lumbermen to knock it off, couldn't be
passed by. The meeting was largely at
| tended, and all the members appeared to
have screwed up their courage to the high
| est pitch and were ready for the onset.
This result had undoubtedly been largely
brought about by the fact that Washburn's
friends, who begin to fear that possibly
sawdust does impede navigation. and
| knowing that Washburn has remained
! persistently dumb upon the question dur
| ing his terms in congress, concluded that
! the safest way out OF the woods was to in
yeshgate the matter, and if they found
themselves unable to demonstrate to the
satisfaction of the voters of the Fourth
congressional district that sawdust was
| no impeachment but an auxiliary to naviga-
ton, why they would come around and
pledge their candidate to vote for its pro
bibition. They evidently didn't care to
run the risk of swapping horses
while crossing the stream, but thought
that if the matter was investigated at once,
they could possibly force their horse back
to the hither bank and take new start.
President Pillsbury took the chair and
stated the object Of the meeting.
G. NJ. Loring wanted to know if a CON-
munication had been received from the
st. Paul chamber, and was informed in
the negative by the secretary.
The use of the steamer Longfellow by
any committee which the board might see
fit to appoint to investigate the matte
was rendered through communication
which was read by the president.
John De Laittre then introduced the fol-
lowing
RESOLUTIONS:
WHEREAS. It has been frequently assert
ed in resolutions passed by the ST. Paul
chamber Of copmerce, and in memorial
resolutions to our delegation in congress.
introduced into the Legislature and reiter-
ated recently by the farmers board of
trade, that the manufacturers of lumber at
this point were annually throwing into the
Mississippi river 100000 cords of sawdust
and other debris, thereby running the nav
igation of the river; and
WHEREAS, It has been demonstrated to
certainty that not to exceed 10000 to
10000 cords Of sawdust is made by tue
water power saw mills at this point, and
believing it possible, if not probable, that
the same degree of Misrepresentation and
perversion of facts in regard to obstruc-
ton to navigation by sawdust are contain
ed in said resolutions as has been demon
stated in regard to the quantity of saw
dust put into the river, therefore be it
Resolved, That to the end that all the
facts in the case may be made known,
and the subject fully and fairly investiga
that committee of five members of this
board be appointed to fully investigate
and report to this board be-
fore the converting of the legislature;
that said committee be requested to coop
crate with any like committee that has
been or may be appointed by the chamber
of commerce of st. Paul. It shall be
their duty to visit the river as far as Lake
Pep1n, examine its shores, take testimony
from any source they see fit that may aid
them In coming to correct conclusions.
That they confer with Capt. j. G. Allen
and the engineer now in charge of govern
ment appropriations on the river below
st. Paul. or any that have been in charge
IN time past. Particularly shall they ex-
anime the channel of the river and see if
there are such instructions to navigation
formed by bars of sawdust as has been
frequently asserted. If any such bars or
distractions of slabs or edgings exist, it
shall be their duty to endeavor to learn if
or no they are of recent formation,
or were not made in former years. And
they are further to report
IT or no the manufacturers at this city are
| responsible for all the refuse in the river,
if any other parties along the river or any
OF the tributaries are in any way using the
| river for such purpose, and finally. said
committee are to visit the water power
mills of Minneapolis, see their facilities
for the construction of furnaces for burn
ing sawdust, and take the whole matter
fully into consideration, and report to this
board what, if any. action, may be needed
| to correct the evil, if they find such to
exist, and to further report what laws
| other states have passed in regard to put
| ting sawdust into the river.
/ CLAIMS OF SANDER.
In supporting his resolution
with its elaborate whereases. etc.,
| Mr.. DeLaittre asserted that the mill men
| of Minneapolis had been slandered and
vilifed and he wanted to have a stop put
| to it.
TOO STRONG.
A. B. Nettleton, of the Tribune was evil
IDENTIFY little alarmed at the stringency
| and boldness of the resolution and argued
| quietly that it should be modified. His
position was that the board could not exer-
else too much discretion in the premises
and thought it best to be non-committal.
He would not favor too aggressive action
He didn't want to flock horns
STILL MORE EMPHATIC
De Laittre's reply was still more
| emphatic than was the
! first position taken by him. He asserted
with considerable excitement that the aecu-
sations which had been made respecting
the lumbermen were outrageous lies. But
his afterthought impressed him that pos
slbly the suggestion made by Nettleton
might be more discreet under the circum-
| ol>