Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-11-16
nigh water at wallace. Idaho.
DEEP WATERWAY CONVENTION
Delegates from Twenty-Five states
Discuss Project for ship Canal
from Lakes TO Gulf

ST. LOUIS, Mo, Nov 'I5,-fy the election
of f. s. Conway of Chicago as the perma-
nent chairman and w. w Saunders of st.
Louis as secretary the first step toward
the permanent Organization of the lakes
to-the-Gulf- Deep Waterways association
were taken late this afternoon at the first
days session of the waterways convention
at the odeon. The partial report of the
committee on permanent organization was
submitted by H. B. Halves of St. Louis,
chairman. and provided only for the two
officers A supplemental report viii be
placed before the convention when IT meets
tomorrow.
The convention viii last two days, and the
report of the credentials committee showed
an attendance Of more than a thousand
delegates, representing the Twenty-Five
states bordering, the Mississippi river and
it's tributaries. 81 -
Addresses were made today by former
Governor David r. Francis OF Missouri,
who took theiplace of United States Sen
ator z. W. Carniackiof Tennessee, who was
unable to attend; Congressman Henry r
Rainey Of illinois, and Thomas c. Wilkin-
son. president of the Upper Mississippi
River Improvement association.
Mr. Wilkinson became exhausted during
the deliverylof his1speech. and Secretary
Saunders finished reading the manuscript.
Mr. wilkinsonss. copdiuon was not serious
and he did not leave the hall.
Congressman RaiRey described the trip
of the congressional party, the guests Of
Congressman Iorimer, from Chicago TO
New Orleans In small boat. He said that
forty-two deep-WRterway associations in
towns along the Illinois and the Mississippi
rivers had been formed by that party. and
that these associations were the nucleus Of
this convention.
Mr. Rainey said that this country had
been divided into spheres of influence by
seven great railroad groups. which do not
infringe upon each others territory.
I'VE cannot regulate freight rates by leg
islatlon." he continued. "The only way OF
improving railroad rates is by opening our
great patural waterways to commerce by
making the channels navigable by boats
capable OF carrying thousands of tons of
cargo" t5
Considerable discussion was accustomed bv
the Introduction of a resolution authorizing
the chairman TO appoint a committee on
resolutions and defining the scope of that
committee The committee was instructed
to prepare an address 10 the public, en-
bodying the best means of securing deep
waterway from Lake Michigan 10 the gulf
of Mexico.
| Immediately there was a flood Of amend
ments included ia the committees plans
for the Improvement of rivers in which
each delegation was personally interested
Debate became lively, but eventually all
proposed amendments were either with
drawn or voted down, and the committee
/ left free to devote itself to the '1akes-to-
the-gulf'' proposition The address win be
submitted tomorrow.
| The governors OF eleven states have sig
/ Rifled their intention Of attending the con-
vention and Governor Jefferson Davis OF
Arkansas and Governor Blanchard of
Louisiana were present at the opening ses-
sion.
Congressman Lorimer Explained the OBJ
iect Of the convention. which. he said. was
to first effect d permanent organization
and second to arouse throughout the Mssis-
sippi valley a sentiment strong enough to
enforce demands for deep waterway from
Lake Michigan to the Gulf Of Mexico. Mr..
! Lorimer explained what had already been
done toward securing this navigable chan
mel and what steps toward this end have
! been taken by congress.
In the absence OF Mayor Wells the con-
vention was welcomed in an address by
James r. Smith, president OF the Business
/ Mems league.
Temporary organization was effected by
/ the selection Of Cyrus p. Walbridge Of 81.
Louis temporary chairman ana W. +.
Saunders Of st. Louis as temporary secre-
] tary.
After considerable debate standing COM
mittees on credentials resolutions and per-
mansnt organization were appointed and
! the convention took recess TO permit the
committees TO meet and prepare tentative
| reports.