Pine Bluff daily graphic., 1907-04-26
Meeting of Merchants and
 Business Men in Territory Effected Votes to Fight
 Removal of Headquarters
CALDWELL IS FOR TT
Little Rock to Be Headquarters For
 Commission Are Profitable.
 Says COX-t'ons0lidation oi Engi-
 neers Offices Discussed. {,

As the direct result of the Arkansas river convention, which was held yes terday at the Hotel Marion, the Arkan- sas River Commission was formed, says the Little Rock Gazette. The purpose of the commission will be to cooperate with the National River Commission, with Arkansas repre- sentatives in both houses of Congress and to use every legitimate means to secure from Congress appropriations for tbe improvement of the Arkansas river
 Delegates were present from SebaS- tian, Faulkner, Pope, Johnson, Con- way, Jefferson and Yell counties, in addition to the representatives from Little Rock and Pulaski county. Judge w. M. kavanaugh, who called the convention to order, was by mo- tion of A. w. Norris made the perma- nent chairman. On the motion of w. P. Field George R. Brown was made the secretary.
 J. l.. Caldwell of Pine Bluff, secre- tary of the Pine Bluff Board of Trade, introduced the resolution, the unanimous adoption of which, creat- ed the Arkansas River Commission. The members of this commission are to be appointed at once. There is to be one member from each county touching the river, one from each orr ganized commercial organization in the counties and one from each town or city on the river. The Executive named by Judge Kavanaugh, and the succeeding committee by the cOnven- tion, which will meet in Little Rock in 1908.
 River Improvement.
 Representative c. c. Reid of Nor rilton made a speech in favor of the improvement of the river. He scout ed the idea that railroads would suf- fer if the Arkansas river should teem with freight and passenger boats. He was strongly in favor of the entire Arkansas valley being organized for the purpose of working to secure riv- CT appropriations.
 T. P. Brashear, the oldest steam boat captain on the Arkansas river, related many points of interest in his long years of service. He said there is demand for an adequate and reg ular boat service on the river.
 J. l.. Caldwell of Pine Bluff, in in troducing the resolution providing for the creating of the Arkansas River Commission, urged that the men who are to be appointed members of the Executive Committee must be alive to the needs of the river. George Sengel of Sebastian county said he thought Mr. Caldwll had sounded the keynote of the situation. Mr. Sengel said he believed the general commits sion should be large and the Execa- tive Committee should be small.
 Thomas Cox, who has owned and operated six boats at different times on the river ,said the operating of the boats had been profitable.
 Capt. Brashear brought up the ques- tion of the proposed consolidation of the United States engineers offices in Little Rock and Memphis, making Memphis the headquarters. It was the concensus of opinion that the states entatives in Congress n opposing the consolidation plan.
 On motion of George Sengel Little Rock was designated as the head quarters of the Arkansas River Com~ mission.