St. Landry democrat. (Opelousas, La.) 1878-1894, 1883-07-21
RIVER IMPROVEMENT.
A Conference Held at st. Louis, NO., to
Discuss the subjeet-The Resolutions
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ST. LOUIS, NO., July IL.
The Executive Committee of the commit
tees appointed by the exchanges and other
commercial associations of the Mississippi
valley to promote the Improvement of the
Western waterways, met yesterday morn
ing at eleven O'Clock, in the reading-room
OF the Southern Hotel. The committee is
composed of one member from each of the
commercial bodies in the Mississippi River
States. President Ewald, of the Merchants
Exchange, called the meeting to order and
welcomed the delegates to the city. He
said he was pleased at the alacrity of the
response to the call for a meeting. The
cause was not local one, but national and
needed only to be set before the people OF
the country to gain their appreciation and
to force through them a recognition of it by
the National Legislature.
The meeting then addressed itself to the
business of permanent organization. Mr..
D. B. Wood, Of New Orleans, was elected
permanent Chairman. Mr.. George L. Wright
was made Secretary, and the following gen.
tlemen were elected Vice Presidents;
Messrs. W. F. Phelps, of Winona, Mimi:
Fl. G.. McPike, of Alton, ILL.,; c. N. Clark, Of
Hannibal, No.; P. w. Crawford, of Du-
buque, To-; A. Ell. Voolfolk, of Kentucky;
j. F. Brown, of Mississippi; John G. Adams,
of Arkansas; r. C. Gray, of Pittsburgh,
Pa; Ben Eckerson, of Cincinnati, o.; 0. w.
Oliver, of Wichita, Kan; Thomas w. Hal
liday, of Cairo, H.; John j. Parker, of Da-
venport, To-; VIM. Seedentopp, of Council
Bluffs, To-; Governor E. o. stanard, of st.
Louis, Mo-; John Mcclure, Wheeling, w.
Va, and Capt. John Gilbert, Evansville,
Ind. Il 5t5 fS4T8
Committees on Resolutions and Order Of
Business were then appointed, and the Con-
vention took a recess until three p. m.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
The committee met at three O'Clock in the
afternoon. 4ls5
Mr.. W. F. Phelps, of Winona, from the
Committee on Order of Business, reported
as follows: G5z
Your committee beg leave to report, recon-
mending: /. That Il permanent organization
be effected. 2. That the headquarters of this
organization be at St. Louis or such other
place as this meeting may determine. 5. That
all local permanent committees be considered
as branches of this central organization and
report to it such matters as may be OF use III
prosecuting the work before us. 4. That the
membership of the central organization con-
sist OF one delegate from each of the per-
manent committees now or that may here
after be appointed in the prosecution Of this
work. 5. Your committee further recon-
mend that committee be appointed to draft
rules for the government OF the said central
organization, and that they provide therein
for the raising Of such funds as may be re-
quircd. 6. Thata Convention be held at such
time and place as this central committee may
decide; and that every. member Of the local
permanent committees be called as delegates
to said Convention. Salii4 ;3iftl sfff 3lE{Dc
Mr.. Wright then read the following reso-
lutions: @ 9ist!lEtaatf 81 RtS
Resolued, That it is the sense of this meeting
| that River Convention be held in the Mis-
sissippi Valley, the place to be hereafter des-
iss So ~ '''0- go - -
Rssolued, That it is the duty of the CONNER
| cal bodies Of the cities and towns OF the far
mers and laborers in each Congressional Dis
trict in the Mississippi Valley, to petition their
respective Representatives, in Congress. to
uphold and vote for adequate appropriations
| ways.
Resolued, That in the selection hereafter of
| members of Congress from the Mississippi
| Valley it should be the especial care OF all the
| people interested that no candidate be select
ed except those pronouncedly in favor OF river
| Improvement.
| this meeting to fix the time and place for call
| ing the River Convention, and that this COM
mittee prepare in due form the call for said
Rssolped, That the seasoning of time has but
| rendered more valuable and necessary to the
public veal the proceedings OF the Mississippi
River Improvement Convention held in st.
| Louis October 26, q and %, 1851. and we COM
mend its action to the public mind.
Some discussion occurred upon the re-
| ports of the committees. The sixth article
| of the first report was finally stricken out,
and then both reports were adopted.
In order to bring the subject OF the place
| of holding the next Convention before the
! meeting Governor Stanard moved recon
sideratlon of the resolution that Conven-
| ton be held in the Mississippi Valley. At
| ter the motion had been thoroughly dis
cussed and number of speeches made, it
was decided that the next Convention be
| held in Washington, D. c., on the second
| Thursday in February, 1884.
The question of who should be the Cen
| trail Committee, only one delegate from
| each organization being PRESENT, came up
| 1t was resolved that the present Executive
| Committee be changed into Central Conn
| mittee, the organizations at home having
| the power to make. a change IN their rep
| resentative should they choose.
Mr.. D. B. Wood, OF New Orleans, was
| elected permanent Chairman; George L.
1 Wright, of st. Louis, was made permanent
| Secretary and Michael McEnnis, sof st.
| Louis, was elected permanent Treasurer.
On motion, the actions of the Executive
| Committees were adopted by the Perma-
| nent Central Committee.
| up the call for a convention, and to append
| the names of the members of the Central
| Committee. The St. Louis Merchants Ex-
! change Committee were authorized 60
| assist the Secretary in his work.
The committee then adjourned sine die.
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