Omaha daily bee., 1906-11-29
MILLIONS FOR The RIVERS
Congress to Be Urged to Make Liberal
Provision for Waterways
HENRY I. CLARKE ON THE SITUATION
President Of the Missouri River IIn-
Drovcment Association Tells
what Might he Done
for that stream.

Henry T. Clarke, president Of the Mis-
souri, River Improvement association and
member Of the executive committee Of the
National Rivers and Harbors congress, Is
quite enthusiastic over the prospects for
the meeting Of the congress at Washington
next month. He wants all who can make
the trip to go and take part I'm its pro-
ceedings. Speaking of the congress and Its
purposes, AIr. Clarke says:
Some weeks ago / called attention to
the first call for national rivers and har-
bors congress, which meets in Washington
December s and Z. l wish to call this
matter to further attention, as the time is
near at hand for the gathering Of this
great body Of representative men from the
Atlantic to the Pacific and the lakes to the
gulf, who come of one accord I'm the in
terest Of the rivers, harbors and water
ways Of our country for the purpose OF em-
phasizing the action Of this congress which
was held January IS and II last in Wash
ington making unanimous request OF our
senators and representatives in congress to
appropriate S5O,OOO,OO0 annually for the rivers
and harbors Of our country. This money is
to be used under the direction of the en-
gineers Of the War department and con-
/ gress, many Of which undertakings have
already been asked for and approved
!
| dollars. These resolutions were passed
unanimously by the congress, which was
composed Of the representative people of
more than half Of the states in the union.
/ lt was my privilege TO be a representative
! from Nebraska, with others from many
points on the Missouri river, including
1 Sioux City, Decatur, St. Joseph and many
other cities. This congress honored me,
with fourteen others, as an executive COM
mittee, TO do all that was in our power
to encourage people who were interested IN
this great undertaking TO push forward the
| education of our people I'm the interest of
these great harbors and waterways.
TrRnsmississippi Congress Interested.
Il have just returned from four days at
the Transmississippi congress at Kansas
City, which was one Of the largest and most
successful congresses that was ever held
in this transmississippi country, and was
addressed by Secretary of State Root, Sec
retary Of the Treasury Shaw and several
governors and senators, members OF con-
| gress, w. J. Bryan of our own state, Mr.
Barrett, the United States minister to Co
lumbia, and many other distinguished men.
The rivers, harbOrs and waterways of our
country was the most prominent thing be-
fore the convention. All were unanimous
in pushing forward this great work and
emphasizing the action OF the national riv-
ers and harbors congress held in Wash
ington last January in asking S5OOOOOOO a
year for putting our rivers, harbors and
waterways in condition, and asking for a
large attendance at the rivers and harbors
congress. which meets in Washington De-
cember and I.
Il wish, as a member of the executive
committee to ask the representative men
and commercial bodies and cities through
out our states along this great river to
join in making this the grandest congress
ever held in the city of Washington. / an
toipate having the pleasure of meeting the
people there from all sections of the United
States to join In asking congress to make
1t possible to put the harbors of Baltimore
Philadelphia and other cities In shape that
the largest vessels drawing thlrty-five feet
of water may enter same and to put the
Missouri river and all others in condition
to carry the commerce Of the country.
No state is more interested in this than
Nebraska and those bordering on the Mis-
souri,, the greatest OF all rivers. For ESQ
miles # is the greatest waterway in the
world, and fifty years ago was navigated
by the largest steamers from st. Louis to
Fort Benton; then many portions of the
river were full of snags, which are now
( eliminated same being used for lumber
and wood. There is no reason why this
great river should not De utilized, and mod
ern steamboats, built of steel and in COM
partments, and barges, also built Of steel
ia compartments, carrying the freights for
one-half of what we are paying today; the
hay, wheat and oats from the upper parts;
the hay, wheat, oats, corn and other prod
ucts from Nebraska and the lower river.
= Few, il any rivers IN the world, have so
much productive land adjoining little or no
marshes, but productive soil.
''I want to urge the people throughout
this great valley to join us in this congress