Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1888-01-18


value of the river as a means of cheSpen-
ing transportation, and its consequent
significance as factor in commerce, it
was the duty Of the government to i'm.
prove il and make its navigation safe
and easy. He urged caution and harmony,
and singleness of purpose 10 seeking
the desired result. In this connection he
said minor objects, such as local require
msnis, should not be coupled with the
one grand purpose. and thereby eadsnger
it. Once it cost seventy cents to ship
bushel of wheat from the Mississippi
valley to the seabosrd. That meant pro.
hibition of the wheat industry in the
west. Rates on the railroads were cheap,
er now. and yet they were 800 per cent
greater than the possibilities of river
freights.
In the afternoon permanent organiza.
ton was effected by the election of the
following officers:
President-Capt D A Mcdonald. of
Lacrosse.
Vice Presidents-L Methundy, St.
Louis; g A Duncan. Burlington; A G
Dart, Rock Island; Capt Sam Vansant,
Winona.
Secretary--J M Musser, Burlington.
Assistant Secretary-John Handle Y.
Quincy.
A communication from Capt Macken,
zie, United States engineer, Rock Island,
was read in which he urged the delegates
to secure an appropriation sufficient to
last several years. in order that there
might be no possible delay in the work
of improvement. as at present.
The afternoon was given up to discus
sion upon the work before the convention
and general exchange of ideas.
The permanent president of the con-
vention. Capt. d. A. Mcdonald, of La
Crosse, who is one of the most experS
fenced navigators on the Upper Missis>
sippi and has been connected with the
river interests since 1865, and Is there
fore naturally well posted in all that per.
tains to their advancement said to-
night: '"There are not twenty miles on
the Upper Mississippi for which money is
not needed. l might name any number
of places where money could be well and
probably expended. We feel as though
we have never had sufficient aid from
congress and we need it more than the
lower river. Congress can rest assured
that whatever money is given will be
honestly and lntelligently expended by
the government engineers"
The St. Paul delegation is evidently
equipped for business. The REPRESENTS
tives from the icy city of the north repre-
sent their chamber of commerce. Before
they left home. their chairman ] w.
McClurg, prepared a report which the
chamber endorsed unanimously and in>
structed the delegation to go in and
stand by Its assertions as truth, and its
recommendations as the only practical
solution of the question of river improve.
ment. The report claims-and backs its
claims by substantial proof-that con
gress has never taken held of the subject
of river improvement with the attention
it deserved, and then uses this strong
language: while the river has been
called the father of waters. it has really
always been the orphan child, without
any protection, and has been left to Lam
guish and suffer for want of the very
necessaries of life. Who is to blame for
thisS The representatives OF the valley
of the Mississippi have for years been
majority of congress, and have had the
power to make the river what the Crea-
tor intends 1t to be, and what the govern
ment engineers have recommended it to
be. The will alone has been wanting
among the men we have sent to congress.
If you will scan the votes which have
several times defeated the river and har-
Dor bill you will find that your own re-
representatives. from the state of Iowa with
others from Illinois and Kansas, were the
men whose votes defeated the BILL" AS
remedy the report recommends only
what can come from the people them
selves, that a united demand is necessary
and that above all and more than
all, it should be made of congress at
this session. The report continues at
has been estimated that 500, 900, 900 hon
estly applied, or 100000, 900, allowing
for steals, would complete the Mississippi
river improvement from st. Paul to the
gulf. Is this too much to ask when it Is
remembered that it gave hundred nils
lions in money and almost as much in
land for single railroad to the Pacifc2
The improvement might we'll be paid for
in bonds. as future generations and the
populations of thirty years hence will
profit by it. But, as the treasury Is bur-
dened with surplus which menaces the
prosperity of the country, what more ap,
propriste way could be devised to reduce
the surplus. If the tax is retained on
tobacco alone the people could masticate
the debt. and smoke and snuff it out in
two or three years, and never feel it, But,
however. it is to be paid for. if congress
really intends ever to improve and utilize
this river, the most economical way Is to
do it at once. The people are paying
out almost the full cost of the in prove
ment by extra freights and prices every
year it is delayed. We recommend. there
fore, that this convention not only send
an able committee. but communicate with |
New Orleans, st. Louis and other river
cities. and ask all to send similar com
mittees to aid and cooperate
Some of the delegates are strongly |
in favor of the reservoir system of i'm
proving the navigation of the upper
river. They argue that this plan, by
which large quantities of water can be
held in reserve for use during a low stage
of the river, and the concentration by |
low dams of the waters of side channels |
into the nayigable stream, is the most
feasible and the less expensive to uaiu-
tain. All of these impounding reservoirs |
need not be located on the tributaries to |
the upper Mississippi, but scattered
about along the tributaries in every state |
through which it flows.
The permanent improvement of the |
Rock Island rapids is strongly urged. and |
several plans were discussed. The pro-
posed connection of Lake Michigan with
the Mississippi by means of the Illinois
river is a hobby with some delegates and
popular with all. II is urged not only
as means of benehting commerce but
as a war measure as well.
Tomorrow promises to be busy day
in the convention; the committee on res~
olutions will report and the real and