Rock Island daily Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1886-1893, 1893-01-14
DEEP WATERWAYS
Demand of the National Ship
Canal Convention.
TWENTY FEET OF WATER WANTED

Resolution To he Presented to Congress
and Permanent Organization Effected
A Good Word for the Hennepin and
Ohio River and Lake Erie Scheme
Burrows Attacks the Whisky Trust and
Proposes to Investigate the Concern
Congress Brieied.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 14-The national
deep waterway convention began its sessions
here Thursday and spent the first day or
ganizing and listening to speeches. Yester-
day plan of permanent organization was
adopted. The object Of The convention is
the construction of a deep waterway be-
tween the great lakes and the Atlantic
Ocean to be controlled by the United States.
The working power of the organization IS
to be located in an executive committee of
five, of which the president of tine organiza-
tion shall be eX-ofliCio chairman, and
board of control composed ex-officio of the
presidents of the organization,in states and
territories. Individuals may become mem
bers on payment Of an annual due of -.
and commercial bodies on payment OF so.
WAITE. transportation the Cheapest.
Mr.. IRWIN, chairman of the committee
on resolutions reported the following as
the expression of the views of the conven-
tiOn, which We're adopted:
Whereas, Economy of transportation is
the chief cornerstone of national prosper
ity, and all the experience of the past has
shown that deep waterways not only fur
nish the cheapest form of transportation
in and of themselves, hut constitute the
most potent possible regulator of railway
rates; and work now in progress and near
ing completion Will open through Canadian
territory a channel connecting the great
lakes with the Atlantic ocean, which chan
mel will be nowhere less than fourteen feet
in depth, and will be available for all pur-
poses of peace or war; and
Tweak the Lions Tail.
Whereas, 1t is intolerable that the com
merce of the United States in its course
toward the ocean should be dependent
upon dependency Of a power of which
our fore-fathers achieved political indepen-
dence more than century ago; therefore
be it
Resolved, By the National Ship Canal
convention that every consideration of ma
tiOnai security, national prosperity and
national honor demand the construction of
a waterway not less than twenty feet in
depth connecting the great lakes with the
sea through American territory a continu-
alton Of the deep water channel through
out thC great lakes which has already been
lnau2uIatcd.
The Gail on Congress.
"Res0lved, That this convention respect
fully but earnestly requests the national
congress to promptly pass house bill 2S3,
which has already been fayorably reported
by the committee on railroads and canals,
and which authorizes the secretary of war
to have made surveys, examinations, and
estimates of cost Of the various practicable
routes for such waterway with a view o
determining the one which is most ad-
vantagCous."
A committee Of five was appointed to
present the resolutions 10 congress. During
the session at various times efforts We're
made to secure specific Endorsements of the
Henncpin canal aud tue Ohio River and
Lake Erie canal They all met more or
less opposition, which aroused the indigua-
ton OF the Pittsburg delegation, one of
whom, Colonel bravo, collector of the port,
retired from the hall
Olive Branch to Hernepin ct al
Finally, on motion of Colouel Grover
the following was adopted in the nature OF
an "olive branch: "Resoved. That this
convention, while combining its action to
the one purpose for which it was called.
cordially approves improvements OF the
waterways and canal connections from
the Mississippi and Ohio rivers to the great
lakes whose Importance will be greatly in
creased when they shall be connected by a
deep water channel to the Atlantic ocean"
The convention then took a recess dur
ing which the delegates repaired in a body
to the White House and were received by
President Harrison
Executive Committee Appointed.
AT the afternoon session an executive
committee was appointed consisting Of
President Ely and Secretary Thompson
and Messrs. Graves, of Duluth; Seymour,
of Sault Ste Marie. and Wheeler, of AL
bany, \. Y. After the passage of the usual
resolutions of thanks, etc, the convention
adjourned sine die