Marietta daily leader. (Marietta, Ohio) 1895-1906, 1896-04-22
HON. LUCIEN ]. FENTON
Writes a Strong letter Pointing
Out The
Great Results 10 Follow the Perma.
ntnt improvement

nent improvement
OF the Ohio River, Inaugurated by the
River and Harbor Bill.
WASHINGTON, d. c., April Is. '96.
Hon. JOHN L. VANCE,
PRESIDENT OHIO VALLEY IMPROVE
MENT ASSOCIATION, GALLIPoLIs, OHIO.
My DEAR SIR:-The people of the
Ohio Valley are to be congratulated on
the decisive steps taken for perinan ent
Improvement of the Ohio River, as in
dicated by the passage of the River and
Harbor Bill. The Bill was framed
with great care, and bears the impress
of diligent and careful study, intelli-
gent comprehension of the needs OF the
country, and the application OF a wise
and sagacious policy, embracing the
continuous contract system, as to the
future work upon the greHt internal
Waterways of the country. This is
particularly true in regard to the Ohio
River, and when the projected work is
completed there will be practically
navigation all the year round from
Morgantown, West Virginia. to Cairo,
III.
1t is contemplated that the Govern
ment shall own and control the dsms
on the Monongahela River, thus giving
free waterway to Pittsburgh, and
from thence to the mouth of the river
at Cairo This will open up the great
coal fields adjacent to the Monongahela,
which are practically inexhaustible,
and thus secure to the inhabitants OF
the Ohio Valley abundance of fuel at
all seasons of the year. besides bring
ing into life and fostering the growth
of many new and important industries.
Different sections of this great Ohio
Valley abound in mineral wealth.
Numerous deposits of iron and coal
will be developed when constant
waterway is opened to them, as will be
the case under proposed improvements,
the beginning of which is provided for
in the RIVER and Harbor Bill 1t has
also an abundance of timber BILE
for the demands of trade and manu-
featuring industries wherein wood is
the raw material. In the near future,
with the Ohio rendered navigable at all
seasons, there will be developed a
mighty volume of trade which must
bring high degree of prosperity to
the entire Valley watered and drained
by the Ohio and its tributaries. 1t
must be added that the advantages to
accrue to the agricultural interests can
scarcely be measured.
The association of which you are the
honored head has contributed in no
small degree to the success of the pro-
ject whose ultimate accomplishment is
secured by the passage of the recent
bill. l desire, therefore, to congratu-
late not only yourself, personally, and
the ASSOCIATION you represent, but the
entire people of the great Valley on
the auspicious outlook for the early
consummation of an enterprise so long
hoped for and which is now assured.
Your plan of campaign was sagacious-
ly conceived and brilliantly executed,
and, best of all, the work done is an
honor to the country, and incalcula BILE
value 1ot alone to the great section
drained by the Ohio and its tributaries
but will add enormously to the material
wealth of the country at large.
The business men of Cincinnati who
called the convention last October, and
to whose efforts are due the organiza-
tion of the Ohio Valley Improvement
Association, are deserving of the high
est need of praise for their effective
work, and are justly entitled to the
thanks of the people of the entire Val
ley for results obtained.
With congratulations to all concern
ed in this great work, and to you es-
pecially,
l am very truly yours,
LUcIEN j. FENToN.