National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1884-01-05
WHO CARNs FoR EXrENsEs.
A Mere Fifty Millions Wanted to Begin
UImprovin0 4. the Mississippi.

Improving the Mississippi.
Mr.. George L. Wright, of st. Louis, arrived
in Washington yesterday, He is secretary of
tho executive committee appointed at St.
Louis last July by the delegates from various
commercial bodies TO impress upon the people
and upon congress tho Importance of suf-
ficient appropriations for the impr ovement of
the Mississippi river. He comes here to mako
preparation for the convention for the improve
ment of the Mississippi river and its navigable
tributaries, to be held in this city February o.
Mr.. WrighPs headquarters are to be in the
reading room of tho Ebbitt house. The call
for the convention fxes tho representatives ut
ten dolegatcs-at-largc from each state, and
five from each territory, to be appointed by
the governor; fivo delegates for each 100
members of commercial bodies, and from
cities where no exchange exists, three dole
gates, to be appointed by the mayor. Tho
president, vice president, cabinet ministers,
senators, representatives, and governors are
also invited. A REPUBLICAN, reporter met
Mr.. Wright yesterday and asked MIN what
the convention proposed to do.
eve want" said he, ITO bring the strongest
possible influence to bear upon congress to
got sufficient appropriations made for tho i'm
provement of the Mississippi river"
"How much do you wantY
give million dollars for the Mississippi
river, and, think, about 100000 for tho
other rivers"
"Do you think any improvements made on
the Mississippi can be permanontW
| Certainly. 1t will cost $50 900, 900 to i'm
prove the Mississippi river, but the expense
amounts TO nothing in such case. Tho
people who arc interested in this improve
ment pay 75 per cent of the revenues of this
government. They want the Mississippi river
taken care of. There has been an enormous
| incraase within tho last three wears in the
amount Of grain carried down tho river, but
that is not exactly tho point. The
theory is to have the river ready
to carry grain, and that compels the railroads
to carry freights for reasonable rates. We
have had several conventions, but this is the
first one east of the Alleghenies. There will
DO delegates here from st. Paul to New Or.
leans and from Council Bluffs to Pittsburg.
Twenty states and several territories will
be represented. l expect that there will be
nearly 1000 delegates"
"What scheme of improvement is now
favored by your peopleW
al think the plan of the river commission
is the best. Tho proposition is to straighten
and narrow the river channel, thereby lin
creasing the velocity of the current so that
the river will clear itself. You know that
when tho current is slow the sediment drops
to the bottom and the channel fills up. i
the current is swift enough this sediment will
all BIO carried down the'stream."
"How can you keep the river from eating
out its banks as it always has done?"
by putting down mattresses and brush
which will FIJI up with sand, and which the
water can't wash out"
The district commissioners propose to give
the convention formal welcome, and Their,
was some talk yesterday of appointing a re
ception committee of business men for tn,
same purpose.