Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-10-26
4 DIES MONIES
RIVER CANAL
is FEASIBLE
PROMINENT WASHINGTON MAN
AT MOLINE CONVENTION
WOULD MAKE 1T PART OF WAT
ERWAY PLAN

ton Of the Des Moines river from
Keokuk to Des Moines and its incor-
pcration in vast waterway system
to include as its main artery the Mis-
ssisippi river was declared to be prac-
ticable and feasible by DR.. w. j. Nc
Gee Of Washington, D. c., member of
the inland waterways commission, III
an address to the Upper Mississippi
River Improvement association here
DR. MCGEE and his colleagues have
made an exhaustive study of the
waterways situation throughout the
country and he declared that 1t is
practicable to build a canal system
connecting Montana. the Dakvtas, Ne
braska, Minnesota and the lake reg
ion on the north anrd west with the
Mississippi. He further outlined a
canal system through Louisiana and
Arkansas into Texas, up the Ohio and
Monongehela rivers from the Missis
sippi and from New Orleans around
the coast. through intervening PENN
sulas to Boston bay. He declared
furthermore that this vast system
which would solve the freight rate
problem would cost no more than a
trans-continental railroad and could
be made to pay for itself in twenty
years.
DR.. MCGEE was only one of those
who bore optimistic messages to the
great middle west and delivered them
to the people through the river I'M
provement association. Senator A..
]. Hopkins, Congressman Prince, Lor-
inner and Lowden all Of Illinois, Con-
gressmen Dawson and Hamilton Of
~
Wisconsin and Hon Lyman e. Cooley
vention and delivered addresses, full
that has labored tirelesly for five
years for deep water way, not only
from the lakes to the gulf. but more
particularly from st. Louis to St.
Paul.
Congressman Dawson pointed out
the fact that congress, by making an
appropriation at 1t slast session for
the improvement Of the upper Missis-
sippi has committed itself to the pro-
ject and is now enlisted in the cause.
The same view was taken by the 9TH
er speakers. They were heard both
at yesterday afternoons session of the
convention and at the banquet last
night which the Moline Manufacture
ers' association rendered to the Wis.,
itors
The convention because Of the pro-
gress made through the action Of con-
gress and the president, partakes
much to the nature Of celebration.
1t is not, however, by any meats
ready to call It's work finished. Rath-
er it regards 1t as only begun, and
preparations for greater, bigger
yea than ever are being made now.
The convention which closed today
was the largest of the six the asso-
citation has held thus far and the in
terest taken In the project shows a
corresponding increase. The assotia-
ton is intent upon securing the ap-
poinrment on the congressional riv
ers ad harbors committee of man
representing the upper Mississippi
valley and it is probable that Hon. B.
P. Birdsall will be named by speake-
Cannon for the place.
The new officers are:
Thomas A. Wilkinson Of Burlington
was unanimously reelected president.
L. b. Boswell Of Quincy was likewise
honcred again as secretary treasurer.
Clinton gets the next convention. The
vote was close on this proposition.
The following state vice presidents
were elecred:
lnwa-C. P. Hancock of Dubuque.
Illinois--W. A. Meese of Moline.
W!sconsin-Dr Wendall A. Ander-
so MS Lacrosse.