The herald., 1896-01-16
CALIFORNIA; Waterways
Discussed at the River Improve
ment Convention
APPROPRIATIONS WANTED
To Render Navigable the Rivers of the
State
Eighteen Counties Are Represented by Dele
gatcs-A Committee to Present the
natter to Congress
Associat ted Press SpeciaI Wire

Associated Press Special Wire
SAN FRANCISCO, Jan, 15.-The California
river improvement convention met in fifth
annual session today at the chamber of
commerce. Delegates from eighteen coun-
ties in the state and from the cities of San
Francisco, Oakland, Alameda, Stockton,
Marysville and San Jose came to order at
the call of Chairman A. II. Rose of the
executive committee, and settled down
Immediately and enthusiastically to the
work on hand. There was enough ardor to
successfully carry unanimously the one
object of the conmittee-a present appro-
priation to start the great work OF making
navigable the great interior waterways of
the state.
From 10 o'clock in the morning till late
at night the convention was in almost con-
tinuous session and when the days labor
had been concluded the largest convention
of the kind ever assembled in California
was more than satisfied with what had
been accomplished. AS result of this all
day sitting it was unanimously decided to
send delegation to Washington at once to
impress upon the congress of the United
States the absolute need of an appropria-
ton for river and harbor improvement in
California, the delegation to hang on with
unflinching persistoncy until the desired
end has been accomplished. In addition
to this a strong and logical memorial was
drafted to congress, setting forward the
many reasons why California, so long neg
lected in river and harbor appropriations,
should get some small share of the at
tenton due her. One among these many
reasons was to the effect that while Cali
fornia has paid no less than $297 100000
to the support of the federal government,
she has received less than S1l 100000 in
the way of appropriations for all purposes.
There were fully 100 delegates in their
seats when Chairman Rose raped for
order and stated the purposes for which
| the convention had been called.
Mr.. Rose spoke of the necessity of Sc
curing an appropriation for the develop
| ment of the San Joaquin, Sacramento and
| Alviso rivers, that water transportation
might be secured for the valleys of the
state. William Johnston of Sacramento
was elected permanent chairman; J. Fl.
| Gleaves OF Shasta, secretary, and Robert
T. Devlin of Sacramento and f. M. Swea-
sey of Redding, assistant secretaries.
After long discussion of the plan to
| send delegation to Washington, a motion
that it be the sense OF this convention that
a delegation, to be selected by the execu-
tive committee, be sent to Washington,
was carried unanimously.
LILO COUVGHtlou prOc00uet 10 ttl0 5oleC-
| tiOn OF an executive committee, composed
| of one member from each county, to be
chosen by the delegates from that county,
and eight at large, TO be named by the con-
ventoIl. This resulted as follows:
Alameda, d. j. Mclean; Colusa. c. P.
M. Hare; Napa, J. Fuller; Marin, Robert
| Parish; Sacramento, William Johnston;
| San Francisco, W. l.. Merry; Santa Clara,
| w. A. Cooper; San Joaquin, c. A. Bach
man; Stockton, E, W. S. Woods; Shasta,
j. r. McDonald; Sutter, w. E. Hoke;
Tehama, A. O. White; Yolo, L. d.
| Adams; Yuba, J. M. G. Jasper. Al
ameda, city. +. W. Van Sicklen; Marys-
vile, N. d. Rideout; Petaluma, e. T.. Dress;
Santa Clara, A. o. Greeninger; San Jose,
w. Il. Meads; Sacramento, j. Ii. Roberts;
Redding, e. M. Swasey; chamber of COM
merce of San Francisco, Prof. George Da-
wilson; Sacramento chamber of COM
merce, H. Weinstock. Delegates at large
"A. H. Rose, San Francisco; G. M.
Gieaves, Redding; w. D. Lawton, Sacra-
mento; S. i. Ayers. Santa Clara; H. p.
Dalton, Oakland; W. S. Green, Colusa; H.
j. Corcoran, Stockton; George Ohleyer,
| Sutter.
| 1t was decided that the governing body
of any county or municipality that was en-
| titled to q member of the executive COM
mittee where names had not been reported
as yet, should be empowered to report
| names to the executive committee, and
| that the persons named should be enrolled
| as members thereof.
| A recess was taken until 8 o'clock in the
| evening, at which time the memorial COM
mittee had previously been instructed to
report
| At the evening session the committee on
memorial submitted the following:
| To the senate and house of representa-
| tives of the United States: The river and
| harbor improvement convention of Cali
fornia respectfully memorialize you as fol-
| lows:
The improvement of the navigable waters
| of Northern and Central California consti-
! tutes the most important question engage
| ing the attention of the people of the state.
| These water channels extend over thou
| sand miles in extent and afford a cheap
| means of transportation for the products
of the fertile valleys that they drain. From
| various causes their navigability has been
| decreased, and, as consequence, those
who would benefit by their improvement
have suffered. They are capable of extern
| sion at small outlay of money, so as to
bring within the range of advantage large
| portions of the state now inaccessible by
| water navigation.
On the ground of relief to the farmers
| and fruit growers, of the extension of
commerce, of cheapened transportation,
| of reparation for past neglect and of SOL
emn duty, improving the waters of this
vast empire, we earnestly implore you to
carry out all the recommendations of inn
| proyement made by the government en-
gineers, and to take such other means as
| may be necessary and proper to improve
and extend these waterways SO as to ben
eft not only the people of California, but
| of the whole nation as well.
Marine Collision