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 Traf-
fic IN the Mississippi claln,
Missouri Fills Up the Big
River.

Washington, juno G.--It Is probable
that when President Ross3 welt makes
his voyage DOM the Mississippi river
next October he win find surprising
sentiment existing Evidence Is ac.
formulating taat Il strong effort viii
Be made by steamboat men and con-
mnnities along the Father Of Wat rs &
to have the Missouri river attended Nj
first and before any extensive work Is
undertaken upon the larges stream,
This is not done in any spirit of self.
sacrifice en- the part Of the Mississippi
river men, but IN due ID several
causes.
Men who have studied the two
tslreams declare that the Missouri rig-
er furnishes more sand than other
stream In the United States, This
sand, washing out from the mouth Of
the stream, il carried slowly down the
Mississippi and deposited In sand bars
rendering what otherwise would be
q stable channel a series Of shifting
iobstrrctio
These sand bars offer a constant men
ace to navigation below the mouth 1T
| the Missouri, while above that point
| river craft pIy III comparative free
| dom from danger Of grounding The
| silt, sand and soil that is being con
stantiy swept down into the Misslsi
| sippi Is due entirely to he instability
lof the Missouri current. The chan
mel is comparatively narrow and tn
I river has an unsatisfactory habit o.
wandering around the landscape prae
tically Of Its own free will Ii has
changed its bed dozen times within
as many years aud has washed down
TO the Gulf scores Of what were once
lrich farms.
| ~ r. - mi. q. - 1iuer Had.
saaaal IA Ale tilsle sstssE, NV
gested Tint the bod of tho Missoslz
r.veplle pionghed, specially built boals
to be employed IN The work. II ~ nos
suggested that after the actual Gu
ting OF the river bed has been accom-
plished. nol hing Should be done 10 the
Mississippi River until mattresses Of
willows or lumber have been places
on the bottom Of the Misso RI from
the highest navigable point to It's cor
fluence with the Mississippi.
II has been brought TO the attention
of the Federal authorities by fivei
men who have spent years In the riv
er traffic that the river channel be
tween Fort Benton and New Orleans
half century ago was deeper by -
feet than it is today. This was due
in great measures to the fact that the
Mississippi. river in these days was
the main artery OF commerce for the
great Mississippi valley, and the con
slant churnlng Of side-wheel steamers
kept in motion the sand that wa
washed down from lie Missouri and
lltw as swept along to the Gulf.
sand form Islands.
With the passing Of the steamer
this sand formed bars against which
lumber. logs and ether floating debris
found Judgment, eventually becoming
islands. These unehartered obstrac
tions have made inland wa erway nay'
CATION a precarious undertaking.
| Although the prosperity of whai
President Roosevelt termed the rich
est agricultural empire the wofl'
ever knew" has been phelomenal
there is iJle doubt TIA It's prosperity
would have been even greater had th'
fees OF steamb, ats that once piles
the Mississippi, Missouri and Ohi'
rivers not been completely driven on
hy he railroads. The National River
n Harbors Congress Is seeking 70 re-
s.ore gaese feets TO The great inlan'
lstreafss. This organization recognize
that with the rapid growth Of the na
tons foreign trade a cheaper mean
of reaching the ocean is necessary. u
addition. the railroads have teen s.
sourested with freight that the nee
for an auxiliary system of transportn
ton is imperative.
Following close on the heels Of n,
lsst convention here Of the Ma iona
Rivers and Harbors Congress, q
which time the president heartily en-
dorsed It's campaign. Dit. Roo-eVei
named the Inland Waterways Com
mission. which is expected TO do mne.
coward rehabiiiating water transpoT
+ taiion.