The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1907-06-07
URGE ROOSEVELT
(. TO FIX MISSOURI
RIVER MEN MAY TRY TO INDUCE
PRESIDENT TO END EXIST
ING EVILS.
SAND BARS A MENACE
To Navigation and Results Hurt Tras-
flc in the Mississippi - Claim
Missouri Fills Up the Big
River.

| Washington, june Cit Is probable
! that when President Roas welt makes
his voyage doHn the Mississippi river
next October he win find surprising
sentiment existing Evidence is ne
| cumuating tnat strong effort VIII
b. made by steamboat men and con-
lmnnities along the Father or Wat RS
TO have the Missouri river attended 10
first and before any extensive work il
undertaken upon the larges stream
This is not done In any spirit OF self
sacrifice On the part OF the Mississippi
river men, but is due to several
causes
Men who have studied the two
Isireams declare that the Missouri riv-
Ter furnishes more sand than other
stream IN the United States. This
sand washing out from the mouth Of
the stream, Is carried slowly down the
Mississippi and deposited IN sand bars
rendering what otherwise would be
a stable channel series Of shifting
ohstre ctions.
These sand bars offer a constant men.
lace TO navigation below the mouth sc
the Missouri. while above that poini
river craft ply in comparative free
dom from danger or grounding. Tine
silt, sand and soil that is being con
stantIy swept down into the Mississ
sippi is due entirely to he instability
of the Missouri current. The chan
mel is comparatively narrow and th
river has an unsatisfactory habit Of
wandering around the landscape prac
tically CT It's own free will II has
changed It's bed i dozen times Within
as many years and has washed down
| to the Gulf scores of what were onet
rich farms.
sass4s. "A ssyss NJ N ~ iSs' NJ - River Had
sanae Gle time asso ..:s
eestea fhaf the bed III lha MlssoslF'
IrIver ile psoughed, specially built boat
to be3employed IN the work, II IL noss
suggested that after the actual cus
ting of the river bed has been accom-
plished. nothing should be done 70 tat
Mississippi River until mattresses q
willows or lumber have been places
on the bottom of the Misso RI from
the highest navigable point to its cor
fluenee with the Mississippi.
1t has been brought 70 the attention
Of the Federal authorities by river
men who have spent years IN the fly
er traffic that the river channel be
tween Fort Benton and New Orleans
half century ago was deeper by Il
| feet than il is today. This was due
in great measures to the fact that ths
Mississippi. river In these days wa
the main artery OF commerce for the
great Mississippi valley, and the con
slant churning5 of side-wheel steamers
lkept in moJlsn the sand that wa
washed down from The Missouri ant
litw as swept along to the Gulf.
sand Form Islands.
With the passing Of the steamer
Ithis sand formed bars against whlel
lumber, logs and other floating debri
found lodgment. eventually becomin
islands. These unchartered obstra'
lions have made inland waterway nav
CATION a precarious undertaking.
| Although the prosperity of wha
President Roosevelt termed the rlci
est agricultural empire the Won
ever knew has been phenmena
there is listle doubt tina its prospefit
would have been even greater had th
aeess of steambs ats that once Pile
J ire Mississippi. Missouri and Obi
: rivers not been completely driven OF
by the railroads. The National River
& Harlars Congress Is seeking 70 II
! s3pre t.Wsxe fleets 10 the great inlan
istreans. This organization recognize
that with the rapid growth OF the nj
tons foreign trade a cheaper mean
of reaching the ocean is necessary )
addition. the railroads have been
,ongested with freight that the nee
; for an auxiliary system of transports
i ton is imperative
: Following close on the heels Of tn
J last convention here Of the Na'ioni
Rivers and Harbors Congress.
which time the president heartily eI
; dorsed its campaign, Ar. RooseVe
named the Inland Waterways Con
mission which is expected TO do mue
oward reaabiiitating water iranspo
: tation. -