Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1889-12-09
THE PILOTS.
Conclusion of Their Meeting at
Lacrosse.
MAJ. Mackenzie and Other Govern
ment Engineers Present.--Re .oIu-
nens---Nrxt Place OF Meeting.

The business OF the Mississippi River
Pilots association at Lacrosse, the first
days proceedings Of which has bee ex-
tensively published in the ARGUS, was
practically concluded with the session of
Thursday night. Friday morning a
meeting was called of United State civil
engineers. lumbermen and pilots to dis
cuss necessary improvements of the river
and to urge upon congress the desirabil>
ity of ample appropriations for such i'm i.
provements. There were present, adj
dition to the pilots. Major Mack .nzie,
Captain Durham and Captain Thom pson,
OF the engineer corps; Captain I. A
Mcdonald and Captain James Stout, of
Menominee, representing boat owners
The following resolutions were read:
WHEREAS, Daring the season OF 1899
the stage-of water in the upper Mssiss>
ippi river has been lower than for TWEEN.
ty I'VE years preceding. and
WHEREAS. The boats and saw mills
were kept bnsily engaged all the season,
snording regular employment to all the
men usually engaged in numbering in the
Mississippi valley, In spite of the ex-
treme low water; therefore be it
Resolved. That we most heartily sp-
prove of the work done by the &c vern-
ment in improving and lighting said
stream. We think the results demon.
strste that money spent ia these i'm,
provements is spleHdid investment t, and
the benefits resulting from the same
great credit to Maj. A. Mackenzie snd his
excellent corps OF assistants.
Captain ]. NJ. Turner, Of Lansing had
on exhibition a model of the "Jetty Dam"
invented by him. and neat oil painting
illustrating its working. The ides briefly
stated, is to set Up across q bar two lines
of work like sheet piling. converging at
the lower end so as TO leave only space
sufficient for boat and raft to pass.
This would deepen the water at the sboal
point and also increase the current so as
TO scour it out. The convention adopted
the following;
WHEREAS. The necessities of the upper
Mississippi river demand that IN low
stage of water some quick mode be
adopted whereby the channel OF tie river
can be cut deeper so as TO give immediate
relief TO navigation; therefore be iJ
Resoiced. That a certain portable ietty
dam, an invention of Captain J NJ. Tur-
ner's, seems to us to be the most feasible
and quick plan for that purpose, and we
believe the same to be practical and
respectfully ask congress to make an ap-
preparation TO test said portable jetly
dam.
After an extended discussion il which
everyone took part that had anything OF
value to communicate. Capt. Mcdonald
moved that q special committee of five
be appointed TO take charge OF the bush
ness for which the meeting was called.
The president appointed as such commits
tee. Capt. George Winsns. of Wsukesha,
a member of the Wisconsin legislature;
George Nichols, Of Lacrosse; Captain W.
A. Kratks, of Lansing; Captain V. A.
BigelOw. of La Crosse. and Captain
William Whistler, OF Rock Island.
At the afternoon meeting vsrio us mat
tiers pertaining to the river channel,
bridges, etc, were discussed and Clinton
was decided upon as the place of the
meeting to be held on the first Tuesday
in December. 1890. and after adding sew.
eral points to the list which has been pre-
sented to Major Mackenzie OF needed
improvements. the meeting adjourned.
Maj. Mackenzie and Cspts. Durham
and Thompson, of his corps. ami Capis.
Whistler and OConnor arrived home
from the meeting Saturday.