The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1909-12-13
LAKtS-TO-GULF
IMPROVEMENT
PRESIDENT kAVANAUGH FEELS
SURE CONGRESS WILL MAKE
APPROPRIATION.
PRES. TAFT APPROVES
Has Suggested That Ohio River Men
Join Mississippi River Men In
Demand Upon Congress
Preparing Plans.

st. Louis, Dec 12,-William X.
Kavanar sh, president of the Lakes-to-
the-Gulf Deep Waterways Association,
returned to st, Louis yesterday from
Washington, where he went at the
heal of a committee Of FIVE hundred
to impress upon the president allu
congress the feasibility and necessity
Of fourteen-foot channel in the Mis-
sisaippi river.
Mr.. kavanaugh fairly exuded opti-
mism when seen last night. He said
he was hopeful the Rivers and Har-
bors Committee Of the house would
report fayorably this session a bill
carrying with it continuous appro-
priation OF $93, 500 600, to be expended
at the rate OF 100000 year for
approximately ten years for Missis-
sifp river Improvement.
Estimate on Conservation Lines.
He said the estimate of government
engineers that it would take upward
Of S90,000,000 to harness the river be-
tween Cairo and New Orleans was
based on conservation lines, including
the reyetment of the banks and pro
lection of the levees.
Mr.. Cooley argued, according to Mr.
Kavanargh, that for half this sum the
aba - l..
Cairo and New Orleans and that the
rest Of the money might be expended
in another ten years to complete the
bank protection.
Mr., Cooley holds however, that the
cost of conservation should not be
charged to the Lakes-to.t he-Gulf
project. The estimate Of the govern
ment engineers that it would take
S6S.5o0 600 to improve the waterway
from l4ockport to Cairo, Mr. Kaya-
naugh said. was cut $20000,000 by Mr.
Cooley, because that sum has been
appropriated by the state Of Illinois
Mr., Kavanaugh seemed particularly
pleased with the presidents attitude.
Mr.. Taft was much more enthusiastic
than on his trip to New Orleans as the
guest Of the Lakes tothe-Gulf Deep
Waterway Association.
The president is said to have init.
mated to the advocates of Ohio river
Improvement that they join the Lakes
t0-the.Gulf Deep Waterway Associa
tion and work the two projects inI
conjunction. which could he done. i'll
mately $16000,000.
Ohio River Enthusiasts.
Ohio river enthusiasts. it was said,
We're equally interested with those
urging Mississippi river Improvement
in the plans of the engineers to con
serve the lands and protect the
levees from Cairo to New Orleans.
The members of the House Rivers
anu Harbors Committee showed keen
interest in Engineer Cooley's argu
ments. Chairman Alexander, of the
committee inquired OF Mr. Cooley if
it would cost any more to make a IA
foot channel than it would to make a
9-foot channel Mr.. Cooley answered
that it would not.
He told the committee that the
Mississippi river was a big river and
had to be treated as such; that a 3,
foot channel didn't mean anything,
but that there must be IA feet or
more.
Mr. Kayanaugh said no attempt was
made by the waterway boomers to
find fault with the report Of the gov
other hand, their estimates We're used
in the explanations that were made.
Mr.. Kavanaugh indicated that the
efforts Of the 14-foot advocates would
be to urge action by congress on the
Lakes-totheGulf project as q dis
tinetye proposition and not in con-
nection with the general policy advo-
Gated by the Rivers and Harbors Con
gress.
Mr.. Kayanaugh said Engineer
Cooley would begin work at once Or
Geographical plans and maps to be
presented to congress for their guild,
ance. No lobby will be maintained
at the natoin's capital BY the deep
river boomers, but Mr.. Kavanaugh and
Mr. Cooley expect to spend some time
in Washington in January and Febru-
airy.
TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN