Omaha daily bee., 1907-12-30
States Contiguous to Big Muddy Are
to Be Represented.
OMAHA WILL LEAD NEBRAsKANs
Expects to Send Two Carloads of
Delegates to Convention.
LOCAL BODIES RECEIVE CALLS
Determined Movement to Make Fixed
and Definite Plans Looking
Toward NRviRRtiOn of the
Missouri River.

To organize a permanent association ~
rcsentative Of the states contiguous toVyae
Missouri river which will look to the im-
provement of that stream IN every direo-
tion needed to encourage navigation, the
first annual session Of the Missouri River
Navigation congress has been called to
meet in Sioux City January % and g.
Calls have been received by the Omaha
Real Estate exchange. Commercial club
and Grain exchange and many personal
invitations have been sent to Nebraskans.
For several weeks. since the Omaha
delegation returned from Washington,
where the National Rivers and Harbors
congress was held members of tho Com
mercial club and Roal Estate exchange
have been inquiring about the coming
congress at Sioux city. In the opinion OF
Commissioner Guild of the Commercial
club no less than a carload of omahans
will attend the two days session at Sioux
City
what OmciaI Call says.
The official call is signed by George c.
Call. director for the Missouri river in
the National Rivers and Harbors congress-.
The invitation to Sioux City says:
Never before in the history Of this coun-
try has the improvement of waterways as
sumed the important position 1t occupies
today.
While strong and vigorous work has been
done to improve waterways, harbors and
navigation throughout the United States
by organizations formed In the different
sections for some unaccountable reason
the people in the wonderfully rich and
prosperous Missouri valley have been in
different to the tremendous possibilities
that must follow the work of opening for
navl~ation the Missouri river from its
Experienced engineers report that this
great natural highway can be made per-
manently navigable its entire length at
no greater cost than the selling value per
mile of a single-track railroad from the
Missouri river to Chicago.
OF the object of the convention at Sioux
City, the official call says;
1t is the intention to organize a per-
manent association embracing the states
contiguous to the Missouri river, each
state to be represented by one vice presi-
to s have authority to To- Ssii iiiSs tie association
together at such time and place as they
think will further the interests OF the as
sociation.
Cummins Adds n Word.
Governor A. B. Cummins OF Iowa, who
is in part responsible for the calling of
the congress at Sioux City. adds:
II believe that the American people
mean to improve their waterways from
the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the
lakes to the gulf.
"That the existing facilities for trans
portation inadequately meet the demands
of our existing commerce is I think. ad-
mitted everywhere and by everybody. That
our commerce will rapidly increase is not
only the hope of every loyal American, but
the belief of every intelligent observer.
That the railroads can neither catch UP
nor keep up with the business of the
country seems to be conceded by the rail-
road men themselves.
''There is but one conclusion TO be drawn
from these premises. We must either quit
doing business and arrest the progress OF
the nation. or we must utilize our water
courses, and make them carry a greater
proportion OF our freight than they now
carry
while the trafic of this country is in
creasing at the rate OF 12 per cent an
nually. the ability OF the carriers of that
traffic is increasing only Ak per cent an
nually. 1t would be necessary for us ia
build Immediately 5000 miles Of new rails
roads in order to adequately meet tho
traffic conditions OF the country
I'm seeking relief we naturally must turn
to the waterways OF the country, and I
believe they are about to emerge into
an era Of great usefulness. Nature has
indicated that the commerce OF the great
middle west should be carried TO a large
extent by the Missouri, Mississippi and
Ohio rivers"