The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1886-04-16
RIVER IMPROVEMENT CoNvEN
ZION.

tcntion Ia ORDER. iapt. huSSeil DRtke-
cy, of st. Paul was chosen temporary
and Thos. Montgomery, of
st. Peter, secretary. Mayor p. II. Car
ncy, who was serving his first day as
chef Executive of the city, was intro
luced and welcomed the visitors in Il
neat little speech. The Mayor said that
he did not appear for the purpose of
the project 10 he considered,
but in welcoming the gentlemen from
abroad, he could say nothing more en-
and winch would inspire con-
Iidcnce in the faith of Mankato's citi-
zens, than tn assure the convention that
The people he represented. were in
most hearty sympathy with the move
ment they had met To deliberate upon,
knowing full well the importance OF
cheaper transportation for the varied
products of this locality, and, therefore
gave double welcome To the visiting del
egates..
On motion of Judge Henry, of Belle
Plaine, Il committee of three consisting
ofC. 4. Stevens, Scott county, j. j.
Watonwan.county, and +. Nj.
Pope, Mankato, were appointed on ere
dcntials, and their report showed the
following gentlemen entitled to seats in
the convention. st. Paul Board OF
Trade: J. NJ. l.arpenteur, j. Nj. McCully.
st. Paul Chamber of Commerce: }. w.
Mel lung, Capt. X. Blakely Scott county
&. !. Stevens, \. Mcliale, J. w. Collan-
der, Peter Becker VIM. Henry.
NIcollet county, IT. Peter, Joseph
Nelson, Thomas Montgomery, Nicollet
township, G. Stolt, u. u. McDermitt.
Blue Earth county, MankatO Board al
Trade, John &. Noe, :. +. Barney; Man
ka,o Common Council, Prof. A. +. Beck
dolt, T.. NJ. Pope; Mapleton, James +
Brown: Good Thunder, }. q. Graham
South Bend. David L. Davis; j. p
Jones; Lake Crystal, IL. &. Howard
Waterman county, J. j. Thornton, Geo
Kundtson; Brown County, Thos. Bowen
Carver county, Henry Stroebeck; Ii
SueuT county, L. w. Smith, l.. \.
Gray, W. 4. Patten; Chaska, Peter His
Browns Valley, \. W. Frazier. A com
mittee of nine on resolutions was APP
pointed consisting of the following gen
tlemen: }. W. Calender, Joseph Mason
4. =. Larpenteur, j. W. Mcclure, Thos
f.. Bowen, a. +. Bechdolt, &. Scott, p
II. McDermitt, and W. a. Patten.
A committee of five Oh permanent or
ganiZation was appointed M follows
VIM. Henry, Joseph Mason, Jno.
Met ully, J. r.. Brown. and :. +. Barney
This committee reported making the
temporary organization permanent,wit
the addition Of j. O'Leary, of Murray
county, as vice-president, and JOS. Ma
son, assistant secretary.
At this junction the convention al
journed until 2p. M.
AFTERNOON SESSION.
At the appointed hour, about tw,
hundred delegates and visitors assem-
bled, among the number GOverno
l.. J.. Hubbard. The Secretary read tn,
official call, which stated the object q
the convention.
Capt. Blakely in laying the subject be
fore the convention spoke for severa
minutes most enthusiastically. lie re
lated the facts concerning the first steps
taken in st. Paul and elsewhere tOwar,
securing the first improvements of the
Misslppi river between st. LOUIS ant
st. Paul, and deduced from these con
siderable logic applicable to II similar
move for any such improvement. Ill,
urged the convention To never finch q
cease endeavoring until their object wa
accomplished. Persistent and aggres
sive effort had secured the improvement
of the Mississippi river, and the sam'
could accomplish the aims of this con
vention.
The committee on resolutions, not be
ing ready Ia report, recess of IL few
minutes was taken, after which the fol
lowing resolutions were reported ID,
the chairman of the committees.
WHEREAS, The Minnesota river ~ II navIga
bic stream, draining rich and productiv
country over 2iu miles from the source Ia tn
mouth, and has been recognized Us naviga
bic stream by the United States and surveys
made showing the pTacticability of the i'm
provemcnt at comparatively small expense
and
WHEREAS, II has been practically of it'll,
value by reason of the failure Of congress Il
continue the improvements commenced. an,
WHEREAS, Every article of MERCHANDISE
purchased 10y the people OF this vicinity coul,
be purchased al greatly reduced rates, and
every article produced for sale 10y our farm
crs and manufacturers could be sold for high
er prices If all our waterways were improve,
and made II check upon the eXorbitan
charges of railroad companies; therefore bc b
RssOir,d, That IL il the sense Of this convcn
tion that the congress of the United States
should order such survey oT the Minnesota
river and the Red River of the North as may
bc necessary Ia Indicate the character of tn,
improvements necessary and practicable, an,
that such ample and liberal appropriation,
should he made IA may be necessary tn make
such improvements AT the earliest day practi
cable.
RssoIred, That the members of congress fol
the state of Minnesota are respectfully re-
qucsted to sec that this river is recognized IL
the future appropriations and that the people
of every county In the valley of Minnesota
should take care that no man shall hereafter
he elected either To the state legislature or Z,
mitted tO the improvement of the Minnesot,
river.
hesolcei, That the chairman of this conven
ton il requested To appoint n committee al
several Ia prepare memorial Ia congress
fortified by suitable statistics, showing the
great interest To he subseryed by this im
pruvcmcnt. and asking for such appropria
tons may bc necessary 10 carry IL out com
plctcy and successfully.
Upon motion to adopt the report o.
the committee being put before the con
vention discussion Of nearly two hours
duration ensued, several of the gentle
men present speaking at length in favol
of the proposed improvements, and of
fering suggestions as Ia the best method
of procedure.
Judge Henry of Belle Plaine, was the
irst Ia speak: lie said that he had al
possible faith i'm the feasibility and
practicability of the proposed improve
Iment of the Minnesota river. He had
made his first trip into the Minnesota
valley 10y steamboat in pioneer days and
had seen the stream utilized for scvera
years, and knows its unlimited value IA
II medium of transportation. lie was
familiar with the survey made by Gen.
cral Warren in 1867, and felt satisfied
that calculations based upon the results
of this, would bring the cost Of making
the river navigible within very mod,
crate sum. Warren had estimated this
to be S775, 900, and it would not be ask
ing too much Of congress 10 give us tins
moderate amount for the enterprise
The estimate of General Warren antIci.
pated a series of dams and locks, but
nothing has ever been done since TO Of
feet the improvement, and now that the
Board of Trade of MankatO had taken
the initiative, let us not cease to agitate
the matter until congress has granted
an appropriation sufficient to carry the
improvement clear through To the Big
Stone Lake region.
Governor Hubbard was called for and
taking the stand, spoke substantially AZ
follows. He had not come prepared
with data for an exhaustive cOnsidera.
ton of the subject in hand, but facts and
statistics all go to show that the Mime
sofa river project is feasible scheme.
and that invaluable benefits would re-
suit therefrom. Its connection with
the Red River of the North, would be
fully reasoned upon by others, and as
Inc had simply come to express hIs SYM
pathy with the project, he would not go
into that part of the subject. He is i'm
hearty sympathy with the efforts of the
people i'm behalf of cheaper transporta-
lion. The Mankato Board of Trade
have shown an enterprise that must re-
ceive commentator and is character
istic of the city. Cheap transportation
has become an absorbing issue, and any
means that can be utilized i'm securing Il
must commend itself to the public, and