Omaha daily bee., 1908-07-25
CALL MAY Be ASKED TO QUIT
Incurs nl-Feeling Of President Ellis
and Other River Men.
ELLIS WRITES CRISP LETTER
Kansas Cityan Addresses One of These
Tart Missives to Each Vice
President of River
Congress.

George c. Call OF Sioux City. secretary
OF the Missouri River Navigation con-
gross, may be asked for his resignation
by the executive council. as a result Of
having a meeting called for Sioux City
this week without authority from the
president; for refusing to honor orders
drawn on the secretary-treasurer in nc
cordance with the constitution Of the
congress. and for, statements Calculated
to disrupt the organization"
The charges against Mr.. Cali are made
in a letter written by President Edgar c.
Ellis Of Kansas City to Mr.. Call, copies Of
which have been sent to all the vice presi-
dents.
Congressman Ellis does not beat around
the bush any In charging the secretary
treasurer at Sioux City with conduct
which has the appearance Of a plan %
break up the organization just at a time
when It Is getting in shape to do effective
work for the Missouri river. Congress
man Ellis also charges the secretary
treasurer with being an migrate, as It was
upon Mro Ellis motion that Mr.. Call was
made secretary-treasurer of the organi-
cation.
Mr.. Ellis went 70 Bismarck to attend a
meeting IN the interests of the river and
has had two small Jobs of printing done.
Though Mr.. Call has all the money col
lected for the work of the congress. he
has failed to pay Mr.. Ellis the expense
money for the trip to Bismarck and also
the printing bills. though the constitution
provides that the money snail be paid on
order of the president.
Trying to Disrupt.
The congressman from Kansas City says
the Sioux Cityan is attempting to create
feeling against Kansas City and the lower
river section and will disrupt the congress
by his Misrepresentation about the atti-
tude of the president and the work oeing
done on the river below Kansas City. Mr..
Ellis calls attention to the fact that the
Sioux City secretary questions the motives !
Of such men as Lawrence Nj. Jones and
himself in their work for the river.
The vice presidents are, 1t is understood,
standing firmly with Congressman Ellis,
who has been a hard worker for the river
for a number of years, while the secre-
tary at Sioux City made his bow in the
river work when he accompanied A. f.
Beall and others from Sioux City to the
river banquet given by the Omaha Com
mercial club last winter.
But those who are interested in the river
are determined that the controversy be-
tween the president and secretary Of the
organization shall not hinder the work.
report of Captain Schulz.
The report of Captain E. II. Schulz, engi-
neer in charge of the river, is just out. 1t
is declared to be the best in twenty years.
The report covers the fiscal year ending
June 30, 1905. 1t shows that the commerce
has largely increased, that there are fewer
snags and that the prospects for a continu-
Gus increase of business are encouraging.
In line with his special report of April 80
Captain Schulz asks for $kOOO,OO o to begin
the work of Improvement and carry it on
until June, 1910, and $4,000 for the repair
and extension of existing works. Under
the project he recommends for a twelve
foot channel, he asks for a yearly appro-
priation thereafter Of $4,000. 900 for work
from Kansas City to the mouth. II 1t shall
be deemed advisable to carry the work
from Kansas City to Sioux City he asks
for A,5OO,OOO for that reach. Under the tenn
porary six-foot project he asks $1,135, 900
yearly for work between Kansas City and
the mouth and $1,SOOyOOO for work between
Kansas city and Sioux City.
For the Lower River.
The estimated cost of the twelve-foot
channel from Kansas City to the mouth is
Sa,OOO,OOO, and a temporary six-foot channel
S,5O0,OO. For snagging, 100000 a year is
asked and for maintaining the slx-foot
channel $3.50 or the twelve-foot channel
10000.
For a twelve-foot channel from Kansas
City to Sioux City Captain Schulz asks
s22, SOC, 900, or for a six-foot channel s., 800. 900.
For ~snagging $4,000 will be required an
nually. For maintaining a six-foot channel
S97,6OO, and a twelve-foot channel $500. 800.
For that part of the river above Sioux
City Captain Schulz asks $780, 900 a year for
maintenance and Improvement.
Hopeful Report on Commerce.
The showing OF increased on
the river will be gratifying. For the year
a total of S4S,S6S tons of freight of all kinds
was carried on the lower river, of which
1854 tons was general merchandise and
the balance coal. sand. lumber, railroad
ties and building materials. The number of
passengers carried was 1852. This is the
best showing that the river has made for
twenty years. The, increase on the upper
river was from 1887 tons in the fiscal year
1906 to 45,123 tons in 1907. The two boats of