The record-union., 1893-12-16
FOURTH ANNUAL SESSION
Ut the River and Harbor Convention
Held.
Plan OF Campaign-A MemoriaI-DeIe-
gates to Washington - New
Executive Committee.

Executive committee
The California River Improvement
Convention met in fourth annual session
yesterday, sembling in the Art Gallery
lecture-room. President 2. Z. Platt called
the convention to order at 2:l0 P. NJ. and
addressed the convention as follows:
''G1e7etIeDle7e of the COpUentiOn: This be-
ing the fourth assembling Of your honor
able body it may now be considered that
our institution Is a permanent one. L
am very much gratified to be able TO say
that the work OF the convention has re-
ceived very favorable comment all over
the country, and although we have not
accomplished everything that we had
hoped to, still we have reason to congrat-
ulate ourselves that fair progress has
been made and the organization is looked
upon now as one that is needed and which
is calculated to accomplish much.
''Organized four years ago by the
Board of Trade of Sacramento issuing a
call to a small number of counties, which
was promptly responded to, the conven-
ton has since grown in size and repre-
sentation until it now embraces IN It's
numbers over $50 Of the responsible and
best representative citizens OF twenty
three counties and several important
commercial bodies.
''At this point it may be well to again
emphasize the fact that the work OF the
convention has been confined strictly
and unwaiveringly from the hrst to one
object, namely, that OF securing from the
National Congress proper and just re-
cognition of the claims of the Sacramento
and San joaquin Rivers and navlgable
tributaries for national protection and
preservation. Our work has had notnlng
whatever to do with any system OF !and
reclamation or drainage, neither has 1t III
any way grappled with the work of by
draulic mining, but always and stead
fastly maintained the doctrine that these
rivers being naVigable streams are en-
titled to the fostering care Of the Govern
ment.
"We want sufficient appropriations to
be made by Congress to put the rivers III
proper condition for navigation and 10
maintain them in such condition. No
other issue has in any way received the
attention of this honorable convention.
All we have asked is that the great water
ways of California, the greatest naYlga-
Bile system OF rivers west Of the AllsslS-
sippi and Missouri Rivers, be accorded
the same fostering care and put on the
same basis as all those streams and the
other navigable rivers OF the country.
''Since your last meeting the Trans
mississippi Congress met in Ogden,
Utah. in April last l appointed as dele
gates in behalf of this convention TO at
tend the congress, the Chairman OF your
Executive Committee, Dr. q. NJ. Dixon,
and Hon. William Johnston. Both OF
these gentlemen attended and both re-
ceived prominent recognition. DIR. Dixon
was appointed Chairman Of the Commit
tee on Rivers and Harbors, and III that
capacity was, of course, enabled to pre-
sent to the congress in most emphatic
manner the claims OF our convention
upon national legislation. Mr.. Johnston
was named by the congress as the Vice
President of the next congress, which is
to meet in San Francisco in February.
and to which l respectfully suggest that
a delegation be sent. The congress at
Ogden adopted the following resolutions
among others:
"Res0Eved. BY the Transmississippi Con-
gress, in convention assem- mbled, that great
and commanding need OF the State OF Callfor-
MA is liberal treatment OF us naVlgaDie waters
and harbors by the Federal Government, and
we earnestly request our representatives IN
Congress- to use all honorable means TO secure
appropriations adequate TO the requirements.
"ReSOtred, That we urge upon congress The
importance OF enactlng into law the III re-
Gently introduced into Congress by Hon. A.
Caminetti Of California, providing for the
placing of the sacramento and san Joaquin
Rivers under the contract and special com
mission system.
1.-The importance of recognition by this
Congress- can be readily understood when
it is remen bered that the constituents of
l32 Senators and Congressman were rep
resented thereat.
''At your last session Hon. George On
lever and Hon. K. T. Devlin were Sc
Iected as special delegates to represent the
claim OF the convention before the proper
committee in Washington; the result OF
this work was that S225, 900 was aDpro-
priated and is now in process of disburse-
ment on the work of the rivers.
l Il think the most important point to
which special attention should now be
directed is the support of the bill now
before Congress, introduced by Hon, a.
Caminetti, TO whose untiring energy and
activity in the interests of California
rivers we pay a respectful tribute OF
praise This bill provides for placing the
California rivers upon what Is known as
the contract system; when once this plan
is adopted by the general Government
our rivers viii receive the same atten-
ton that the other great Waterways o1
the country receive. 1t provides thai
full and complete estimates of the total
cost of putting the rivers IN proper shape
shall be made by competent engineers
and a large annual appropriation shall be
made comluen surate with the size OF the
work and the necessity of the case.
MS. L Ll1Uk. ~ oil tA4eRS NeiA4AOA AA4sa z
ouires. Our rivers have been grossly
neglected; magnificent streams that
once were navigable for hundreds o.
miles are now in such condition as to be
traversed only by very light draft boats
for short distances.
ut is clearly the duty of Congerss tC
afford us relief, and we must continue in
the future indefatigable as we have been
in the past, until our claim is recognized
and we succeed in obtaining our rights
and the relief which is so imperauvely
demanded.
81 am OF the opinion that the strongest
possible representative or representatives
should be selected to go to Washington
and assist our honorable Congressman in
the work Of having his bill passed, and
such other steps should be taken looking
toward that end as the wisdom of the
convention shall suggest.
'tThe Executive Committee in the past
wear has been earnest in its efforts, and
with the limited revenue at its command
has, / think, accomplished a great deal
1t may not be out OF place here to sugges
that the work Of the convention interests
alike every county that is represented
In the past 1t has been found that al