Omaha daily bee., 1911-01-31
RIVER IMPROVEMENT BLOCKED
Committee Sees No Way to Raise Half
the Cost Price.
SCHULTZ SEES NO WAY TO DO IT
says Government a. OnIy Interested
in Keeping the River Open and
Not I'm Making the stream
Beautiful.

All plans for the raising Of money to I'M
prove the Missouri river at this point were
effectually put to sleep by report from
the committee Of eleven appointed TO IN
vestigate the subject last week, and the
Commercial club committee In a meeting at
the club rooms Monday.
Representatives from the Omaha city
council. Council Bluffs the Illinois Cen
trail railroad and Major Schulz OF the
United States War department, attended
the meeting The results OF the delibera-
ton was the adoption OF the report
from the river improvement committee,
placing all responsibility for the proposed
Improvement upon the shoulders OF the
War department From Major Schulz It
was learned that there is little chance OF
the federal government accepting the bur
den.
John L. McCague, representing the COM
mittee Of eleven. read the report. The point
Of the document was that Omaha, Council
Bluffs, the two counties of Nebraska and
Iowa lying on each side OF the river at
this point would be helpless legally OF by
popular subscription to raise any large
amount OF money for the work. Your
committee believes" read the report, that
the nature Of these improvements are such
that they are Interstate in their character
and the cost Of such improvements should
be borne by the United States government,
in line with its policy to protect water
ways, especially all streams OF the magni-
| tude and Importance of the Missouri river"
The primary question Of the meeting was
that brought up several weeks ago by the
report made to Omaha and Council Bluffs
| by Major Schultz. in which he declared
the two cities ought to raise 100000 to be
used with another 100000 which the fed
eral government would provide for the
purpose of river Improvement at this
point.
! Has No Legal Way 10 Raise Money,
| The sense of the meeting Monday was
in line with that of the previous committee
meeting, that the two cities had no legal
way Of raising such a sum of money, and
that popular subscription would be very
difficult 1t was resolved that the various
representatives from this section in Con
gress be asked to push through an APP
preparation for the whole amount needed.
4 j. r. Webster made an address declaring
that Major Schultz estimates were too
low IL anything. He said the city of Omaha
needed dyke and park system along the
river bank from Florence to the smelling
plant. He said it was not only protection
but beauty for the city that was needed
along the river
Major Schultz responded to all the ar
guments made with the statement that II
omaha and Council Bluffs were not willing
to raise half the amount necessary, he
didn't see why the federal government
should worry about 1t. He explained that
the government is interested exclusively in
keeping streams navigable, and not at all
in making them beautiful for the cities by
which they pass.
Among others present at the meeting
were City Councilman Funkhouser County
Commissioner Pickard, II. T. Clarke, ST.
and II. r. Clarke, tr,, Engineer Harring
ton of the Illinois Central, J. l.. Paxton
and Samuel L. Etnyre city engineer o.
Council Bluffs, t,,,,,