Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1902-11-29
IMPROVE OHIO RIVER
Influential Lobby VIII Work
for an Appropriation by
Congress
OUTLET TO THE PANAMA CANAL
Plan to Improve the Mississippi and
Ohio Waterways So That Large
Boats May Connect With the Ocean
Going Vessels Bound for the Asiatic
Ports.

washington, NOV. Gan lHliueltiai
lobby will be in Washington this winter
in the interest of the plans of the Ohio
which desires congressional aid in the
development of the waterways of the
Mississippi valley, as an outlet to the
Gulf of Mexico, to be used in connect
ion with the new isthrnian canal.
1t is not the intention of the people
who are back of the plan to ask for
congressional aid at once. but to begin
campaign of education, as the result
of which appropriate may be forth
coming in time to put the waterways i'll
proper condition by the time the canal
is completed.
Thus far the agitation has been
largely confined to the states of Ohio
Indiana, Illinois and Kentucky, and
several large conventions, the last one
late in October, have been held, with
hundreds, and at times more than thou
sands of delegates in attendance. Al
present the plan of the association does
not go beyond the deepening of the
channel of the Ohio river to ten feet al
mean low water mark, between Pitts
burg and Cairo, but eventually 1t Will
embrace similar work for the upper
Mississippi river, and for tributaries OF
that stream from the east and the west
IL satisfactory cooperation can be Sc
cured with all the great prairie states
of the middle west, pressure upon con-
gress will be tremendous, and an APP
bropriatioll will be forthcoming
The lobby this winter will eonfine it
self, so far as legislation is concerned,
to asking that surveys be made to test
the practicability of a ten-foot channel
in the Ohio. This survey, If the plans
do not miscarry, will be followed by
others, until every navigable stream IN
the inland territory mentioned VIII pc
mapped with special reference to the
proposed improvements.
1t has been assumed that the build
ing of the isthmian canal Will rapidly
extend American commerce with ASIA.
Already, notwithstanding heavy freight
charges, the middle west states have
had a share in this commerce. That
share will be largely increased with
improved facilities for transportation.
The general scheme looks to the
building of number of steamboats,
and barges, suitable for river traffic.,
with New Orleans as an objective point,
grains, foodstuffs, meats and other ar
ticles from the prairie states to be
there transferred to ocean going ves-
sells and consigned to the Chinese ORR
emit.
Several lines of these boats and
barges, it is believed, would be nee
essary for the trade of the Ohio valley
alone, and others would be needed for
freightage from the corn, cattle and
wheat states west of the Mississippi,
Iowa, Kansas, Nebraska, the Dakotas
Missouri and Minnesota.
The lobby here referred to and the
association which it represents, will OPP
pose the passage of omnibus appropri-
alton bills in the future for river I'M
provement, and urge the government to
give its attention almost exclusively
in inland territory to the streams which
are navigable and available as aids
in this comprehensive scheme for the
building up of an Asiatic trade.
A number of years will elapse before
the isthmian canal can be built, and
years, also, will elapse before this
scheme of rivel. Improvements can be.
carried out But the Ohio association
is anxious to educate congress and the
country as to the possibilities of the
new scheme, SO that an appropriation
will be ready in time to secure results
when the canal is ready for use.
1t is understood that efforts Will he
made to build up strong association
in each Of the interested states, all as
sociations to work together towards
nnmm0n end