Bismarck daily tribune. [volume] (Bismarck, Dakota [N.D.]) 1881-1916, 1908-02-14

South Dakota, Iowa, Nebraska, Mis-
souri, and in fact every state in the
west and northwest because when it
is improved tributaries will be i'm
proved, other rivers will be improved,
which will bear a great commerce on
its way to the sea and we hope to
have the American Merchant Marine
ready at New Orleans to take our
products and bear them to the mark
cts of the world. People who only
see the river as they cross the Mis-
souri, on the railroad bridge or who
see it on it's banks, make fun of that
river, but we do not care, for we
know what this river is
l know at one time I was in Bis
marck and there was a gentleman
from the eastern part of this state
and we walked out to the top of the
hill where the reservoir now stands.
where you get your water (the only
thing you have to drink in Bismarck
now I understand the wind was
blowing hard and had been telling
him about how much sediment there
was in the water, and I said "now
you see there is so much sand in the
water that it dries up and the sand
blows right off the surface of the
water" And he said: us that fact?
1t is isn't it. never would have be-
lieved it," Now it was blowing off
the sand bars, but it looked like it
was blowing right off the water. It
is said that the water in the Missouri
river is so thick and the bends sa
sharp that they break when it flows
around the bend. have project of
my own to build series of dams
across the mouth of the Yellowstone
and thus the water of the Missouri
would be clear. don't know as we
could dam the Missouri river. I have
known farmers whose farms are on
the river to damn it somewhat, but if
you will go down to the bridge you
will see that it can be controlled as
well as the current of the Mississippi
river. If the money which has been
spent on other river and harbor pro-
jects had been spent on the Missouri
you would see steamboats, from Fort
Benton, Mont. OF course there are
many good things about it. One good
thing is it is between Mandan and
Bismarck and it is hard to cross, but
we do like to come to Bismarck once
in a while. We are glad to came to-
day in response to the invitation of
the Mayor and citizens of Bismarck
and we are glad to join in any pro-
ject which is for the benefit of the
state and nation. We are glad to do
Commissioner Gilbreath introduced
the speaker OF the day as follows:
Ladies and gentlemen, take great
pleasure in introducing to you today
as the orator of the day, gentleman
who is probably the best informed
man on this waterways Improvement
question of any man in the western
part of the United States, the Hon.
E. Ellis, member of congress from
Kansas City.
Congressman Ellis.
Mr.. Chairman, Gov Burke, Ladies
and Gentlemen: thank you for your
cordial greeting this afternoon. / as
sure you that if it is any pleasure to
you to greet me and to see me at the
end of my journey from the capitol
of the nation, am equally pleased
to see this gathering in North Dako-
ia in the interest of this great move
ment of waterways. am pleased to
be here because believe it is the
duty of every man connected with the
great legislative department of our
government to go about over the
country to learn of the interests of
the various great geographical sec
tions and states and communities of
the country.
If / had my way about it every
member of congress would be requir-
ed during the recesses of congress
every term, by law to travel not less
than 5000 miles and / think as re-
CARDS some Of our good MEMBERS
from New Engand l would double
that; they ought to travel at least
| 10, 900 miles. Il
Amazed at North Dakota's Growth.
am particularly pleased to be in
North Dakota because 1t has been20
years since 4 was last here within
your borders. I have never been so
far out into the west of North Dakota
before, and have been amazed-to
say pleased, surprised, delighted, does
not express it'll have been amazed
at your wonderful growth and de-
eYelopment. Why, think that a
modest statistician has stated that
/ Won had grown during tha Ia ar twn