Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1911-01-14
PLAN
To Be REJECTED
Taft Commission Holds I'm
provement of Streams
Waste of Money.
is DECLARED ILLOGICAL
Preparation of Report Begun Show
ing Conclusive Objections to
the Undertaking.

That a government appropriation
waterways project would be i'm
practicable, illogical and a waste of
money will be the report of Presi-
dent Taft's commission of army and
civilian engiHeers-of whom Major
Charles Keller of this city is a mem
ber-who have been. investigating the
proposition in a closed door session
in Chicago. This was strongly init
mated last night, following an allday
meeting of the commission at the
federal building.
The commission recently took a
trip over the proposed waterways
route and the meeting in Chicago is
to compile a report to congress on
the findings.
CONCLUSIONS REACHED.
The conclusions which the engin-
GERS reached after an exhaustive in
quiry are said TO be:
That the waterways scheme is not
needed and is impracticable.
That such a project is out of the
question, unless all states and bodies
work in conjun and simultan-
eously in appTcpriating money and
drawing up plans.
That the present canal is sufficient
for all purposes and does not need
improvement.
That the proposed expenditure of
S2O,O0O.00O by Illinois would be il
logical and a waste of money.
The commission has worked dill
gently in making its investigation.
Before the work of compiling the re-
port was undertaken yesterday Is
ham Randolph. representing Cover
nor Deneen, introduced the new adj
ministration deep waterways bill be-
fore the commission and explained
it's merits The bill is pending in
the state legislature The commits
son heard one other person, Attor-
ny Edward T. Cahill, before the con-
sideration of the report was taken
up.
COMMISSION CITES TRIP.
According to information gained
after yesterdays session, the govern
ment commission has decided that
while the lakes-to-the-gulf project is
practical, it is impractic-
able at this time because the i'm
provements are not needed. They
will cite the fact. it is said, that
streams of Illinois used for naviga-
ton need little Improvement The
Utica stretch along the
Illinois river, where illinois proposes
10 expend s20.000,0O0 recently
authorized, will be given special
mention in the report, which, 1t is
said, will point out that the steamer
Robert r., which carried the invss-
tigating commission. navigated the
waters from Iockport to Utica and
thence to st. Louis and down the
river 100 miles, without trouble.
ONLY DROP IN BUCKET.
The commission, it is minated, /
has decided that the appropriation
of Illinois, while generous, would be /
but a drop in the bucket i'll the (
which the project would /
entail 1t was pointed out by one
member that Illinois $2O,00O,000 |
would be expended merely in deep /
ening the Illinois river to "a feet, 7
or whereabouts, to its mouth, while ,
the dredging of the Mississippi river /
would cost five times that sum.
Rumors that the commission was .
returning report /
similar to that of four years ago, /
while not coming as a surprise to /
Governor Deneen and those who ,
have supported the administration
plans, is distinct disappointment
TO them.
The members of the commission
attending the meeting are Brigadier
General William II. Bixby, chief of
staff of engineers; John Bogert. sec
rotary of the American Society of
Civil Engineers of New York; Col
1nel c. NJ Townsend. Detroit; Mac
Charles Keller, Rock Island, and