The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-08-25
LAKES TO THE GULF.

I For several days, beginning with
November Is, st. Louis will have a
more important gathering Of persons
interested In the improvement Of the
Mississippi valleys waterways than
has been held In this vicinity at any
time In the past quarter century. This
VIII be the lakes-to-the gulf deep wa
ter convention. The object OF the con-
vention win be to bring influence on
congress to get the government to ac-
cept the drainage canal which Chicago
has built. and to continue the deep
water from the canals lower end
through the Illinois river down the
Mississippi. From Cairo down to New
Orleans the work would be compare
lively slight. For most OF that distance
the water is ordinarily deep enough
for boats of adequate draft.
A plan has been proposed by John
A. Fox to advertise the deep-water
convention. Mr.. Fox. who is the as
sistant secretary of the executive COM
mittee of the rivers and harbors con-
gress, suggests that excursions for edi-
tors of newspapers along the line Of
the big river and its principal tribu-
taries-the upper Mississippi. the low
err Mississippi, the Illinois. the Mis-
souri,. the Ohio. the Tennessee and the
Cumberland-be got up. and be timed
so that the boats from all these
streams may strike St Louis about
the same time day or two before the
opening of the convention here, the
arrival of the boats to be made the
occasion Of a big demonstration in
this city. The whole affair would be
calculated not only to impress the Wis
itors with the importance of this vast
system OF waterways. but to also show
the country that the 5000 miles Of
navigable rivers between the Ale
ghanies and the Rickies are an asset
Of incalculabie advantage to the Unit
ed sites as a whole. The idea is excel
lent. and probably will commend itself
to the ST. Louis business mems league
which is getting up the deep-water
convention.
II st. Louis. Chicago, Memphis.
New Orleans. Kansas City, Cincinnati
Pittsburg and other important towns
on the big river and Its tributaries dis
play the requisite energy and intelli-
gence In supporting these projects for
the improvement OF the western rivers
they can bring sufficient influence on
congress TO get the appropriations
which are needed to do the work. The
thirty-one states which are drained, In
whole or In part. by the big river and
its various affiuents have representa-
tives who constitute majority OF the
members OF each branch OF congress
II they work with a reasonable degree
Of vigor and harmony they can get the
legislation which they need. Three
months from today the deep-waterway
convention will be in session in st.
Louis. There is still ample time to ad-
vertise the convention and its objects.
and to get the entire Mississippi water
shed Interested In them. The whole
valley. from Chicago and st. Louis to
New Orleans, and from New York
PENNSYLVANIA and West Virginia on
ward TO Montana. Kansas and Okl-
bona. have a vital concern in this
great enterprise of deep-water commun
ication II all the interested commun-
tiles work with fair degree OF intel
iigence and unanimity congress can
be Induced to enact the needed legis-
latlon.--st. Louis Globe Democrat.