Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-09-07
THE CANAL FAVORED.
Home and Western Rivermen Approve
the Project to Lake Erie. :
ITS ADVANTAGES POINTED OUT.
A Strong Protest Made Against Filling Up
the Rivers With Stag.
INTERFERING BRIDGES CONDEMNED

Captain W. B. Rodgers, Captain Snow
den, S. R. Patterson, Captain John A.
Wood, Harry Brown, Captain j. A. Black
more Captain John F. Dravo, Captain Nc
Donald and other rivermen, about half of
the Pittspurg delegation to the waterways
Convention at Cincinnati, returned home
Yesterday morning. The other members of
the party are expected to arrive this morn
ing.
The Pittsburg delegation is highly
pleased with the work done by the conven-
ton. 1t was the largest assemblage of river
men ever held in America. Fifteen States
were represented About 1000 men were
present from the Ohio, Mississippi and
Missouri Valleys, and all the actions of the
body were harmonious. Captain Wood, as
Chairman of the Executive Committee, called
the convention to order, and made stirring
speech concerning the wonderful progress of
inland navigation. Captain Dravo was ap-
pointed to represent Pittsburg on the Com
mittee on Resolutions, and made one of the
most effective speeches in the convention.
FOUR OBJECTS IN VIEW.
The Pittsburg delegation went to Cincin-
natl to secure the approval of four distinct
ideas In the line of navigation improvement.
The first was the freedom of the Mononga-
hela river; the second, the project of con-
structing a canal from the Ohio river to
Lake Erie; the third, the improvement of
the upper Ohio river by the movable dam
system; and the fourth, prohibition Of the
further obstruction and narrowing of the
channels by bridges and flling-in on the
Coo ofoh iohm q
delegation secured the complete Endorsement
of these four ideas by the convention.
Captain bravo, in a speech which he
made to the convention, called its attention
to the encroachments which are being con-
tinually made on the Monongahela river by
iron mills and other manufacturing estab-
lishments, which are dumping Stag, cinders
and other rubbish over the banks, "making
land" as they call it, but steadily narrow
ing the river channel. Captain Dravo
declared that the safety of the public de-
manded that steps be taken at once to stop
this filling up. The convention. by resolu-
ton, authorized its Executive Committee to
appeal to Congress on the subject.
The following resolution, of special i'm
portance to Pittsburg, was passed:
That this convention heartily approves the
connection of the waters of the upper Ohio
river with the great northwest lake system
through the waters of Lake Erie, by the con-
struction of ship canal. if, upon survey, the
same be found practicable.
AN EXPERT INQUIRY NEEDED.
On this point Captain W. B. Rodgers said
yesterday: 'The representatives from points
down the river look upon the canal scheme
as q good one. They are not skeptical
about its benefits, but the last clause of the
resolution simply means that rivermen will
wait for the report of the engineers to be ap-
pointed to make the survey. There is some
question whether sufficient supply of water
can be obtained, and some other points of
detail which can be decided only by an ex-
pert inquiry and survey. All the delegates
to the convention seem to appreciate the i'm
portance of the project. 1t is evident that
it would be of wonderful advantage to this
city, more particularly to the iron and coal
interests The Western delegates espe-
cially from Iowa and Illinois, were very
energetic in support of the canal project.
1T would, they saw, make continuous cir
cult of water Communication by way OF the
lakes, taken in connection with the Heune-
pin Canal That canal would connect the
Mississippi river with Lake Michigan,
while the Lake Erie and Ohio river canal
would close the other side of the circuit,
leading from the. lakes back to the Ohio and
the Mississippi. The Hennepin Canal
scheme was approved by the convention.
'The convention also approved the pro-
ject of purchase. by the Government, of the
locks on the Monongahela river. Its senti-
ment was that all slack waters should be
free to navigation.
"Our Executive Committee will urge
these matters upon Congress at its session
this winter. A number of Congressman
were present. Congressman Holman, of In
diana, presided"