River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1885-09-10

we do now demand appropriations for the
work commensurate with the wealth and
/ growth of the great country tributary there
| to, its remoteness from Eastern markets and
the fitness of the river for great commerce,
/ and the construction of ways at suitable
points for the protection of boats against
damage from ice.
| Resolved, That this convention urge upon
! the government to appoint upon the Mis-
/ souri, liver commission engineers and CIVIL
ians residing upon and interested in the i'm
provement Of the Missouri river whose 9th
er interests are not Incompatible with their
duties as said commissioners.
4 Resolved, That in the opinion Of this con
vention the enlargement of the Illinois q
I Michigan canal and the extension of the
I same by the construction of canal from
/ the Illinois river at Hennepin to the Missis-
/ sippi at Rock Island, thereby connecting the
| great lakes with the upper Mississippi and
/ giving continuous line of water transpor-
tation from the Mississippi valley to the
( Atlantic seaboard, is demanded in the in
! terest of cheap transportation and the now
/ immense and growing commerce of the
( Northwest, and we call upon our senators
and representatives in congress to urge the
construction of such canal and the enlarge
ment of the II inois and Michigan canal by
/ the general government.
Resolved. That this convention approves
/ the plans recommended and urged by the
] United States engineer in charge of the
Sault Ste Marie canal for increasing the
/ capacity of the same to meet the
| rapidly growing demands of commerce
! by constructing an additional lock twenty
one feet deep; and we favor the completion
of the Hay lake channel at the earliest
4 practicable day, and we urgently request
congress to make regular appropriations of
4 the amounts recommended by Unlted States
I engineers for the prosecution of these works.
Resolved, That we also recommend an
appropriation sufficient to Immediately
1 rOmnlhfp the work UndaFf ken and that
may be necessary for the improvement Of
the Red River of the North and the tribu-
tary and adjacent lakes and streams.
Resolved, That the convention favors the
early completion of the Improvement of the
Fox and Wisconsin rivers, with a view of
providing q through route of water trans
portation between the Mississippi and the
great lakes.
Resolved, That the Yellowstone river,
the Chippewa river in the State of Wis
consin, the st. Croix river between
the states of Wisconsin and Minnesota,
and the Minnesota river, by vir-
tue of their present and prospective COM
merce and the immense benefits that
would flow from their Improvement, are
well entitled to the fostering care of the
general government, and that we recon-
mend such appropriations for their
/ improvement as may be deemed Judiclous
/ by the government engineers.
Resolved, That in the system of water
way Improvement herein recommended is
intended the improvement of the harbors
to which they are tributary.
/ Resolved, That we recognize, with great
satisfaction, the benefits which have result
ed to the navigation of the Mississippi river
and its principal tributaries, from the ex-
tension of the lighthouse system thereto,
and also the snag and dredge boat service,
/ and renew the hope that annual appropri-
/ tions will be made to insure the efficiency
I of both.
/ Resolved, That in the opinion of this con
vention annual appropriations of S25,0O0,000
/ for the improvement of the rivers and har-
/ bors of the United States, and the on
struction of artificial waterways, would
not be extravagant, and could be expended
so as to enrich the country far beyond the
amounts so appropriated.
After the adoption Of the resolutions the
convention soon adjourned sine die Mr..
Donnelly made a persistent effort to secure
some special resolution relative to produc-
ers and criticising railroads but was not
permitted to do so.
On the evening of the second and last
day Of the convention the city of st. Paul
gave very handsome reception to the
convention at the Ryan hotel and the
following day quite large number went
by boat on visit to Saltwater, where they
were handsomely entertained.