The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1903-10-30


state Mississippi River Improvement
and Levee Association concluded it's
meeting tonight after adopting a series
Of resolutions asking for government jul
risdiction of the levee or appropria-
tions for their speedy construction, if
government control is not advisable,
and indorsing the proposed waterway
from the Great Lakes to the Gulf and
the Chicago sanitary canal as a part
Of that project. The feature of the
morning session was Judge Robert S.
Taylor's appeal against the proposed
movement for government ownership.
At the opening of the afternoon ses-
olutions was presented as follows:
Resolved, That in the judgment of
this convention, the protection Of the
Mississippi Valley from floods is Of
such national Importance as not only
to justify, but to make it the duty Of
the general government to undertake it
and press it to the speediest possible
completion. If for any reason the exer
else Of some Jurisdiction at this time by
the general government should no. be
deemed advisable, then this convention
urges most earnestly that congress
make at its approaching session such
appropriations as are regarded by the
Mississippi river commission in it's re-
cent report.
Resolved further, That the system Of
the river improvements in the valley
of the Mississippi, from its head waters
to the gulf, and in the valley Of the
Ohio and other tributaries now provid-
ed for and those which may hereafter
be provided for by congress, under the
supervision of the United States en-
sineerS, moves our hearty commenda-
ton and should be pressed to compile
ton without unnecessary delay.
Resolved, That the attention of con-
gress is invited to the serious disasters
which have befallen those residing at
or near st. Louis, Kansas City and
other localities by reason Of the recent
! great floods, and the secretary Of war
| is respectfully requested to cause an
| inquiry to be made with a view to the
| preparation of suitable plans for the
| prevention of a recurrence of such in
| juries; be it
| ''Resolved, That the convention Of del
| egates representing the states of the
| Great Mississippi Valley, from Duluth
| to the Gulf of Mexico gives its unqual-
| flied approval to the movement for the
| construction of a waterway connecting
| the Great Lakes at the north with the
| Mississippi river and the Gulf of Mex.
leo at the south.
| I'VE recognize the expenditure O.
| $50, 100000 by the sanitary district o
! Chicago as a practical demonstration
in the furtherance of this project. We
! express the hope that the senators ant
| representatives in congress from th
various states represented III this con
VentOn. will give their encouragement
/ and assistance to congressional legisla
ton in favor of the completion of tn
deep waterway, to which the Mississippi
Valley states have already given thei
| approval and to which the state of Hi
nois and the sanitary district of Chica
! go are committed as a matter of pollc,
! and by great financial expenditures al
ready made
| The resolutions were received Wit
| applause and were unanimously adopt
! ed.
A committee vas appointed TO mem
orialize congress with the resolution
: adopted.
! President Scott then introduced Hor
: Charles S. Fairchild, of New York, VIII
said that as the government had aid
: trans-continental railroads, had take
! up irrigation of the west, and is plan
ming an isthmian canal. he believed tn
t levee project should re eive equal atten
5 ton from it.
Mr. Richard H. Edmonds editor of tn
Manufacturers Record followed Nj
$ Fairchild. He said in part:
f Proper leveeing of the MISSISSIPPI
. river will bring into cultivation thirt
( thousand square miles Of aliuvial so
, upon which with the prevailing m etf
( DDS. may be raised double the preser
cotton crop of the whole country Th
g would is crying for more cotton. Eng
. land and the continent are seeking
i develop its cultivation in the heart {
: Africa Even the president of the Ne
England Cotton Manufacturing ASS