Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1907-06-11
40 HERD
VAGRANT
STREAM
Want the Government to "ShOw'' the
Missouri River How to Act

Washington, June lit Is prob
able that when President Roosevelt
makes his voyage down the Missis-
sippa river next October he will find
a surprising sentiment existing. Evil
fience Is accumulating that a strong
effort will be made by steamboat
men and communities along the Fa-
ther OF Waters to have the Missouri
river attended to first and before any
extensive work is undertaken upon
the larger stream. This is not done
In any spirit Of self-sacrifice on the
parf OF the Mississippi river men, but
~ Cue to several causes.
Msn who have studied the two
astI cams declare that the Missouri
river furnishes more sand than any
soffrer river In the United States. This
'sand, washing out from the mouth
Cdf the stream is carried slowly down
sIhe Mississippi and deposited in sand
ebars. rendering what would other
wise be a stable channel a series of
shifting distractions. These sand
rDars offer a constant menace to navi-
,gation below the mouth of the Mis-
ssouri, while above that point river
craft ply In comparative freedom
6rom danger of grounding. The silt,
sand and soil that is being constant
ly swept into the Mississippi is due
sentirely TO the instability OF the Mis-
souri current. The channel is com
parasively narrow and the river has
AN unsatisfactory habit OF wandering
'ar0und the landscape practically OF
its own free will. II has changed its
bea dozen times within as many
years and has washed down TO the
Gulf scores OF what were once rich
Farms.
Some little time ago II was sug-
gested that the bed OF the Missouri
river be plowed. especially built boats
to be employed In the work. IL Is
now suggested that after the actual
cutting OF the river bed has been ac-
compllshed nothing should be done
TO the Mississippi river until mat
tresses OF willows or lumber have
been placed on the bottom OF the
Missouri from the highest navlgable
point TO its confluence with the Mis-
slsslppi.
II has been brought to the atten-
tion OF the Federal authorities by
men who have spent years I'm the |
river traffic that tho river channel |
between Fort Benton and New Or |
leans was deeper by 10 feet than II !
"a today. This ls due In great meaL-
ure To the fact that the Mississippi |
river In those days was the main art
cry OF commerce for the great Mis-
slsslppi valley and the constant |
churning OF sidewheelers kept in mo-
aion the sand that was washed down |
from the Missouri and Il swept swept |
along to the gulf, With the passing !
Of the steamers this sand formed !
bars against which lumber. logs and |
other floating debris found lodgment, |
eventually becoming islands, These
uneharted obstructions have made |
Inland waterway navigation pre-
carlous undertaking.
Although the prosperity of what
President Roosevelt termed "the
richest agricultural empire In the
world, has been phenomenal, there
Is no doubt that its prosperity would |
have been even greater had the
iieets of steamboats, that once piled |
the Mississippi, Missouri and ohio
rivers not been completely driven
out by the railroads. The National
Rivers and Harbors Congress iJ try
ing TO restore these fleets to the
great inland streams. This organiza-