The Oskaloosa herald. (Oskaloosa, Mahaska County, Iowa) 1885-1919, 1906-11-22
DEEP WATERWAY
FRIENDS ORGANIZE
OBJECTS OF ASSOCIATION ARE
SET FORTH.
TO APPEAL TO CONGRESS
Express Belief Legislative Branch Of
Government Can Be Induced to
Embark Upon Liberal Policy
Of Development.

st. Louis, Nov. 1.-THE Lakes To
the Gulf Deep Waterways association
became a fact Friday when the plan
for permanent organization and the
report of the nominating COMMITTEES
were adopted at the final session OF
the convention Of the provisional as
sociation, organized by Congressman
William Lorimer, of Chicago. and sew
eral Of his congressional associates.
which has been in session at the
odeon for two days.
The objects of the association and
principles for which 1t stands are set
forth in the following address to the
public" prepared by the committee on
resolutions and unanimously adopted
by the convention.
Says Time Is Ripe.
"The time has arrived for gener-
pus expansion of our national policy
towards all works of internal improve
ment, which have heretofore occupied
such a subordinate place in national
expenditure; especially in comparison
with the great sums that have been
appropriated in recent years for army
and navy purposes, which appropria-
lions have by far exceeded the ex-
penditures for all other departments
Of our government.
I'm the belief that when backed by
progressive public sentiment, the
United States congress can be in
auced to embark upon a liberal pol
Icy for the development of the inter-
nal waterways of the nation.
Course of Deep Waterway.
"The proposed deep waterway is to
extend from the Chicago drainage
canal through the valleys of the Des-
PLANES and Illinois rivers to the Mis-
Tissippi river at Grafton, ILL.,, and
thence down the Mississippi to st.
Louis, and is to have minimum depth
Of IA feet throughout We recon-
mend that for the purpose of meeting
The probable future needs of naviga-
lion that the minimum depth over the
mitre stills of the locks should be 81
feet in the initial construction.
'The excessive cost of the project,
rs shown by the engineers estimates,
was due mainly to the existence of the
prominent barrier between the great
lakes and the Mississippi valley.
Obstacle Is Removed.
The chief obstacle to the prosecu-
ZION Of this project has been removed
By the drainage canal.
According to the estimates based
npon recent surveys by the United
States engineers, the work remaining
10 be done in order to complete the
deep waterway channel to st. Louis,
win cost s31,000,0OO.
Pending the Inauguration of this
work. it seems important that the
United States should exercise such
control over the Desplaines and Ill-
nois rivers as to prevent private per-
sons, companies or corporations from
erecting any dams or other structures
MAT might present obstacles to the
prosecution of the work as contem-
plated by the congress Of the United
Btates expended.
Route to the Gulf.
Having considered the deep water
way enterprise from Chicago to st.
Louis 1t now remains to deal with the
Subject Of its further projection south
ward to the Gulf of Mexico.
I'm conjunction with the prosecu-
Hon OF the deep water enterprise from
St Louis northward, it becomes at
pnce a matter of grave importance
hat adequate provision should be
made by congress for the application
pf work Of such substantial character
70 the lower river as to give fxedness
10 the channel and stability to the
eaving banks, accomplishment of
which is the necessary basis of any
plan for a permanent improvement
and deepening of that part of the
river.
Appeal to Congress.
Believing present transportation
facilities of the United States to be
inadequate and wholly unsatisfactory,
we favor appropriations by the con-
Eress Of the United States in sufficient
amounts to create such additional
transportation facilities as the grow
Ing needs Of the nation demand and to
the end that such appropriations shall
be secured, this association recon-
mends to its representatives In con-
gress, diligent, assiduous and untiring
Efforts to secure the necessary means
with which to develop deep water
way"
Oppose Limiting Water Supply.
Resolutions were adopted protesting
against any treaty made by the Unit
ed States with Canada by which the
amount Of water to be taken from
Lake Michigan for the use of the Chi
eago drainage canal shall be limited,
and authorizing the president OF the
association to appoint so delegates to
the convention Of the National Rivers
and Harbors Congress to be held in
next month.
Oklahoma Bank Robbed.
Guthrie, Okla, Nov. 17.-Robbers
early Friday dynamited the safe in
9ha Danly ~ ah0una - Toh1. a.