The Columbus weekly dispatch. (Columbus, Miss.) 1902-1905, 1904-02-11

} ing a large business in that sec
! ton, even extending as far as
; Manitoba and Quebec are not
! such as would justify the remov-
al from their present headquar-
/ tiers. However, member of the
Union is now in st. Louis seeing
after this part Of the necessary
arrangements.
A letter from Congressman
Gambler was also read, acknowl-
edging the receipt of the memoir
al to Congress, which we publish
below, and advancing strong
hope the appropriation asked for
would be allowed at the present
session Of Congress. The follow
ing is the memorial as drawn up
by the Union, asking for an i'm
mediate survey of Tombigbee
river.
| To THE CONGRESS OF THE UNIT
ED STATES
In view of the magnitude of
the undeyeloped resources of
the valley of the Tom bigbee river
and the present traffic on said
river, we, the Progressive Union
of COlumb bus, Miss, respectfully
urge the Senate and House of
Representatives in Congress as
sem bled to grant our petition
for the Improvement of the Tom
bigbee river by a system of locks
and dams, thus making this
splendid waterway navigable
throughout the year. We would
also respectfully urge the pass
of the bill now before the Con
gress of the United States pro
viding for the immediate survey
of the Tom bigbee, so that when
the next Rivers and Harbors bill
is before the Congress the needs
of the stream will be manifest to
that body.
The Progressive Union Of Col
umbus, Miss, would further
represent that the following
named boats, plying the upper
Tombigbee river when stages of
the water permits, carrying an
nually the amount of tonnage OPP
posite their names, to-wit:
Steamer Vienna. ...........12, 500 tons |
- Hard CASH. .33, 900 .
Frank Stone. 20, 900
- Mary Blees. ....... 10000
Tally. 80, 900 "
The above list does not include |
several other craft making ir-
regular voyages as high up as
the Colum bus wharf, which yes
sells will add at least $4,000 ton
mage to the above. Thus, with |
our present serious drawbacks |
to navigation and with the imper-
feet condition of the river. the
tonnage of the river at this point |
may be estimated at 175, 800. |
With six feet of water the year |
round, coal ana iron that lie in
vast bodies close TO the river |
would find their way to the sea
in barges.
We would ask leave to call at
tention to the fact that the valley |
of the Tom bigbee contains II 1862 |
square miles, now prod ucing |
229,O13 bales of cotton. 114,OO0 |
tons Of cotton seed and 81, 900 |
tons Of staple cotton. Ia addi-
ton to this great crop raised on
either bank Of the Tom bigbee or
within the influence Of the river,
the average annual harvest of |
corn is $4,000, 900 bushels. The
valley has a population Of $50, 243,
Census Report U. S., 1900 At
the low estimate of 81 per acre.
the value of land in this fertile |
valley is more than S28, 900, 600 |
With an open river the year |
round, the value of land and land |
products would increase many |
times. The most reasonable es-
innate on increased tonnage with
six feet of water throughout the !
year on points between Column
bus, Miss, and Demopolis, Ala,
would place the figures at 49,
600 tons ofcoal, 100000 tons Of |
miscellaneous products and a
uoSt foopono of row paofopioI 70 /