The age-herald. [volume] (Birmingham, Ala.) 1897-1902, 1902-04-13
CONGRESSMAN THOMPSON'S SPEECH
ON COOSA RIVER IMPROVEMENT


kiAbama, forged to the front in an able
manner and fought aggressively for the
dill His work was not only before the
rivers and harbors committee but also
Oh the floor OF the House.
The bill was not passed. however, on
account of the fact that Captain Judson
made report stating that $20,0o0.0os
would be required to complete the work.
This caused the committee to refuse to
provide for an appropriation for any fur
tAer improvem ents, at least not until an
ether survey is made. The report was en-
tirsly out of harmony with all other pre-
Fious reports-so much so that the COM
mittee made a concession of an appro-
priation of $4,000 for use in making
new survey.
This concession on the part of the COM
mitteemen will doubtless meet with the
FAVOR of the other congressman and be
passed. By the time the work is done
1t Is believed that such different show
Ing will be made Congress will grant
liberal appropriation for this waterway
During the debate on the subject Con-
gresham Thompson made a strong
speech favoring an am endment to the BILL
This speech made excellent impression
upon the fellow-members of the Alabam-
IAN IN IL Is set IOrtn an aDle anu buSl-
ness-like argument giving the merits of
the enterprise and the advantages which
would naturally follow the opening of
the river to navigation.
This speech was as follows
Mr. Chairman l believe the rivers and
harbors committee is composed of hon
orable men. men of ability and good
Judgment, and that they have labored
earnestly and faithfully to reach the
c1t1N 1t tt, \
House for consideration. do not care
to gatnsay the proposition that the bill
which they have presented Is an ably
prepared document, the intention of
which, as they claim, is to increase the
transportation facilities of this great
country. and to cheaper the tfansporta-
ton of its products l am In favor of lib
eral appropriations by this governm ent
for the improvement of our rivers and
harbors, because l believe that system
furnishes the only check we have against
the great railroad monopolies and COM
pines which are making unjust discrim-
nation in freight charges, thereby en-
couragng elaborate trusts and combn-
atoms of all kinds. Therefore / heartily
favor the bill these gentlemen have pre-
scented for our consideration, in the main.
But as the distinguished gentleman from
Texas (Mr. Bald has said, the men COM
are not fnfallible they are liable to err,
and l claim that in the consideration of
some of the claims presented to them
they have erred, and that the section of
country | have the honor to represent
has been unfairly and unjustly treated
by this committee.
The distinguished chairman Of the COM
mittee (Mr. Burton) said yesterday that
the Coosa river flowing through the dis
W / he
meritorious of all the projects presented
to his committee, and he undertook to
.rortify that statement by a report re-
Gently submitted to that committee from
an engineer who has been stationed in
our section of the state for the past two
years. This report, Mr.. Chairman Is not
consistent with the reports that have
been made upon this stream for the past
twenty-five years, and is not consistent
with the report made by this same en-
gineer two years ago. I can not imagine
what has brought about this great and
sudden change of heart in this engineer.
No change has been made In the condi-
lions of that section of Alabama, except
In the way of progress, advancement and
development along all lines.
AS shown by the report of Gen. Thomas
l.. Casey, Chief of Engineers, United
States army, in 1890;
Nine Alabama counties lie Immediately
upon the Coosa river and are cut off
from water communication with the Ala
lbama river. These are Cherokee Etowah
Calhoun, st. Clair, Talladega Shelby
Coosa, Chiffon, and Elmore Their area
is about 3,566272 acres, of which about
632,S55 are in high state of vation.
There are great opportunities for stock
raising and for dairy and poultry farm
ing here. The population of these coun-
ties is about 100000, the assessed value
A5,OOOOOO, with 100000 acres in cultiva-
tion producing $50, 900 bales of cotton
S,500OOO bushels of corn. 100000 bushels of
oats, half million bushels of wheat
and other farm products. as well as stock
In proportion. The total annual tonnage
of agricultural products grown in the
portions of Alabama and Georgia lying
Immediately upon the Coosa river is 5O2.-
900 of which $4,000 tons are cotton, 10O.-
900 cotton seed, 224,000 corn, 40500 oats
$500 wheat, and 10000 cattle sheep and
hogs.
In the nine Alabama counties that lie
Immediately upon the Coosa are 1885. 900
acres of unimproved land. This is CLOTH
ed with virgin forests of the long leaf
yellow pine, intermngled with white.
red, and chestnut oak, hickory and other
valuable timber. These forests average
not less than 5000 feet of timber to the
acre, or a total of S5O5, 100000 feet of
timber in these counties, or about 20 600
tons, worth, perhaps, S65, 0O0, 00O
The mineral resources of this SECTION
are enormous. There are masses of rich
red and brown iron ores and MANY other
minerals. There Is gold In Coosa county
q fine grade of kaoin In Calhoun and
Etowah counties abundant marble In
Talladega county plumbago in Chiffon
an some tin has been found in Clay and
Coosa counties; but brown and red iron
ores, coal and lime are the predominant
ing minerals.
IneXhaustible deposits of iron ore are
found on the banks of the Coosa wifi,
an abundance of coal and lime The nres-
ent iron output of the Coosa Valley mines
reached 1600, 0VO tons annually worth 80
100000 What would 1t be with the Coosa
improved?
The lime interests in the Coosa valley
are remarkable and the deposits per
haps the richest and most extensive In
the United States. The lime ASSAYS %
to 100 per cent pure in the cliffs along
the river The coal fields of the Coosa
valley are estimated to contain $50 square
miles. There are great factories in the
valley including some IL furnaces with
m output annually of $4,000 tons, as
we'll as cotton factories making 81 200
tons of cotton goods each year. Manufac-
tories of car wheels bar iron and other
products at Gadsden and Admission ag-
gregate 10000 tons, worth s5.3Oo,O00 and
at the same places 100000 tons of iron
pipe, worth 100000 are made, while the
output of the carpet and cordage mills