Birmingham state herald., 1895-10-24
THE RIVER CONVENTION.
After Listening to Several Good Speeches They Adopted Set of Excellent
 Resolutions.

Vicksburg, Miss Oct 23-At yester- days evening session of the river conven- tion Judge Taylor of Indiana, and mem Der of the Mississippi River commission delivered a magnificent address favoring continued and persistent river improve ment.
 Last night Engineer Cooley spoke on the Chicago drainage and ship canal and explained the magnitude and importance of that great work. This morning MT Dravo of Pittsburg advocated improve ment of the Ohio and its tributaries as an incident to the improvement of the Mississippi. He was followed by Captain Willard, who set forth the work now being done on the great Yazoo river ca nal, which will give Vicksburg perma- nent water front.
 A series of resolutions were adopted and the convention took a recess.
 Resolved Q, That the necessity for the improvement of the great water ways of the country, which each year become more urgent, and that in our judgment intense liberallty should be manifested by the congress of the United States in making appropriations in this regard. The Mississippi river and it's magnificent tributaries, if generously treated, will not only furnish in themselves useful fa- cilfties for the great commerce states lying between the Allegheny and Rocky mountains but will indirectly by the competition they will provide cause a reduction in the cost of transportation. We are grateful for the aid we have re- ceived from the federal treasury and eX- press the hope that our necessities, which constantly increase, may receive still greater favors at the hands of congress. We heartily commend the great work hitherto done by the Mississippi river commission and express our confidence in their wisdom and earnest labors in our behalf, and we can but express our qualification at the fact that the expe- rience of the commission has demon- strated their wisdom in adopting levees as a part of their general plan of river improvement, and it is further cause of congratulation of the commission that the adoption of levees by it as an aid of channel improvement has resulted in immense development of the Mississippi valley relying upon the protection thus afforded, the building of railroads bring ing into cultivation large areas of wild lands and great growth in the villages and cities in that section. We especially approve the system of continuous appro- priations adopted by congress, by which it has been demonstrated that engineer ing works are accomplished not only more speedily, but with an efficiency and economy as startling as gratifying.
 Resolved tN That while we are more especially concerned in the improvement of the water ways of the great Missis- sppi valley, we are at the same time in full sympathy with the speedy and lib- eral development of such works as may be necessary to accommodate the com merce of the great lakes and to provide sufficient harbors on our sea coast to meet all demands that may be made upon them. We should rejoice to see this great nation exercise such Jurisdiction over all its water ways as will tend to foster commerce and enable our people to cheaply interchange their products.
 A number of other resolutions follow embracing the whole subject of nation- al system of water ways and commend ing the same to congress.