The Montgomery advertiser., 1901-09-12
OPENING THE coosA.

The Advertiser is glad to note that determined and concerted movement is to be made in the next Congress to se- cure a liberal appropriation for the Coosa River, and that the people of both Geor- eia and Alabama are getting awake to the grand possibilities which such an ap- propriation will mean. It will not be for gotten that at the last session of Con- gress a paragraph for half a million dol lars for the Coosa was gotten into the Rivers and Harbors Bill, which was in- tended to prosecute the work already be- gun, but the entire bill failed and Of course the work was practically stopped.
 The opening of no river in Alabama means as much to the people of the State as does the opening of the Coosa. The counties of Cherokee, Etowah. Calhoun St Clair Talladega, Shelby. Coosa, Chill ton and Fillmore are those above Mont gomrey which would be directly bene- fited, for the river either traverses or bounds all of them. and all of them are literally teeming with wealth. Coal, iron the precious metals as we'll as other min erals abound. and in some, at least, or the counties named the vast natural wealth is without an outlet. Added to this Is the almost incalculable timber supply, as well as the immense agricul- tural products for which an open water way to the Gulf would mean an open market. And in addition to the counties named there are others so near by that they would also be beneficiaries of the improvement
 But of no less importance and interest Is the vast benefit which an open Coosa will be to Montgomery, to Selma and to Mobile. as well as to the towns of less note both above and below the mouth of the Coosa Unobstructed water trans portation for coal timber, minerals and farm products would almost be like the opening of an unaxpIored world to Mont Somery, and our city would be benefited in so many ways that 1t Is hardly possi- ble to enumerate them or reckon their importance. To Mobile 1t would mean making her the depot and distributing point for one of the richest regions of Alabama. It certainly means much to Mobile, and 1t means much to Selma, Montgomery. wetumpka, Gadsden. Rome and all the territory contiguous to or be- tween those cities, and the people of those cities should especially unite in an effort to secure a liberal appropriation.
 The COOSa ttlVeT IS SOulCWhub PSNhiAoA in that 1t consists of two navigable sec tions. divided from each other by oo- structions impossible in their natural con- dition From Rome, Ga,. to point some sixty miles below Gadsden the river Is navigable all the year and below We tumpka 1t is or can easily be made pass able at all times. Between those two points there lies a series of shoals which can only be surmounted by locks ana dams in the usual manner. It is estimat- ed that it will cost at least six million dollars to complete the work, but of course no such sum will be asked Tor at once, the design being to get con tinuoms appropriation of one million dol lars a year until the work Is completed.
 To Congressman Maddox of Rome, Ga., and to Captain w. P. Lay. of Gadsden, is due the credit of organizing what 1t Is believed will be a successful movement in the opening of this important water way, and we are informed that a cal has been issued for a meeting in Mont gomery or Selma before Congress assem- bles at which it is hoped to have dele gates from every county in Georgia anc Alabama which Is touched by the river Both the Senators and almost all the Congressmen from Alabama are directly | interested for their constituents as vel as for their State. and the people who are most nearly concerned should make 1t plain to our delegation that we are ir | earnest, and that a great work whicI has already been too long delayed should not suffer for lack of effort. Montgom l cry should show active intedest in this movement.