The Huttig news., 1915-09-18
FAVOR RIVER IMPROVEMENTS.
Citizens All the Way From Monroe to
 Camden Want Work Continued.

third of a series of hearings to determine the governments future course towards Improvements in the Ouaohita river at Felsenthal at l o'clock Thursday afternoon. The meetings which are being held at various points along the river are in accordance with section IA of the last rivers and harbors bill which requires the re-survey and re-examination of the Ouachita river and nine other rivers with a view of determining whether the work begun on these rivers shall be curtailed or abandoned. As Major Slattery, who is stationed at Vicks- burg, is in charge of this district he was detailed to 20 over the work in the Ouachita river.
 The first hearing in Monroe on Tuesday was the most enthusiastic meeting of business men ever held in the parlor city and the senti- ment of all was for the completion of the work as first planned. Speeches were made at that meet ing by Senator J. E. Ransdall, one of the staunehest friends of river navigation in the country; Con- gressman R. J. Wilson of that dis trict, Senator Wm. Lorimer of Illi- nois, and several biggest business men of the town. Figures were also presented to Major Slattery showing the amount of freight re- eeived and shipped from that point by water during the past year.
 Strong res 0 utions urging the government to complete the entire number of locks the original plans call for were unanimously adopted.
 At Camden on w cdnesday nor : ing another enthusiastic meeting was held and strong arguments made and resolutions passed in favor of completing the work all the to that city. Speeches were made by Senator Joe T. Robinson, Con- gressman w. s. Goodwin, Adolph FeIsenthal, who had much to do with the work in connection win Col. Asa Morgan, the pioneer in the movement through whose effort as sisted by Senator James Berry the first appropriation was secured and a number of other prominent busi- nessmen of the town.
 At Felsenthal Thursday after noon over 200 representative busi- nessmen and citizens met with Major Slattery and it was an en- thusiastic gathering from start to finish. Major Slattery stated the object of the meeting and incident ly took upon his department the blame fornot having had more work done in the past for which we have been blaming our representatives in congress.
 Speeches were made by Senator Joe T. Robinson, Congressman w. s. Goodwin, F. w. Scott, L. A. Bo- dine. c. H. Murphy, J. K. Mahony, Ike Felsenthal and several others. All brought out points of the differ ent ways in which this section of the country will be benefited by navigable river the year round. It would mean the opening of an ex- port market for the vast amount of hardwood along the river from here to Philadelphia as well as opening new market for the lower grades of pine and would enable the pine 
 mills in the territory affected to cut the entire tree into lumber instead of losing or wasting one or two top cuts on account of not being able to get to eastern market owing to high rail rates.
 While we do not know what Mai or Slattery will recommend we are confident he will make a favorable report in the face of the strong en- dorsements the work received at these three meetings and what it will receive at Columbia and liar risonburg where meetings are yet to be held.