Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1915-12-02
RIVER BOOSTERS
MEET At QUINCY
AND TALK REVIVAL
DELEGATES FROM ALONG THE
MISSISSIPPI AND TRlRu-
TARIES CONVENE.

MISSISSIPPI AND TRieU-
TARlEs CONVENE.
Quincy, nj, Dec. delegates from
cities and towns along the Mississippi
river arrived today for the opening
session of the Upper Mississippi River
Improvement association and before
night more than $50 are expected. The
meeting opened this morning and
closes tomorrow afternoon.
Thomas Wilkinson Of Burlington,
Iowa, president Of the association gave
his annual address this morning, the
feature Of the first days meeting.
President Wilkinson reviewed the
work which the association has ac-
eomplished since It's organization In
Quincy thirteen years ago and said
that congress might refuse to approp-
riate vast sums for river improvement
Indefinitely unless there is a speedy
and important increase in steamboat.
Ing"
''This can be accomplished in two
ways" he added. First, by building
steamboats, and setting them to work;
second, by constructing adequate
Wharves and river terminals"
He quoted statistics and recent ad-
dress by Champ Clark, speaker OF the
national house Of representatives, to
show that the middle west Is falling
behind the seaboards in the race for
commercial supremacy Of the United
States, and said that the opening OF
the Panama canal, with the cOnse-
quent readjustment Of trans-continent-
al railroad freight rates, had been one
OF the determining factors in this sit
uation.
The appointment of the committees
on credentials, auditing, resolutions,
ways and means and reports from Of
ficers and committees was the pr1nci-
pal business transacted.
Maurice M. Williams, assistant state
engineer of New York state, was
scheduled to speak this afternoon on
New York state barge canal anl ter.
minals." A banquet with predicted
attendance Of more than 200 will be
the feature tonight. The association
was founded In Quincy in November.
fourteen years ago and the convention
Is the first to be held here since the
organization.
Much Freight In Sight.
The working committee appoint
ed a conference of shippers held in
Dubuque June 8, last, submitted It's
report to the convention today The
committee said 1t had attempted "to
ascertain available tonnage for water
ways and to what extent terminal IA
cilities would be supplied"
The report said that conditions
along the Mississippi were changing
SO rapidly that 1t is deemed mad
visable to attempt to cover these ac-
tivities in detail, but it is most i'm
perative to be able to report greatly
increased interest along the whole riv-
er as well as the Ohio, Missouri and
Illinois rivers and efforts to rehabil-
itate rivers formerly navigated, but
now disused, such as the Des Moines. .
The report then listed the transpor.
tation lines already in operation on
the rivers and gave also a table OF
approximate tonnage available for
waterways with modern facilities, at
towns between Minneapolis and St
Louis. This tonnage table was based
on rail and water figures for 1913 and
ranged from 90,400 tons for Lake
City, Mimi, to 54,609,5e0 tons at ST.
Louis. Other cities were listed as
follows: Minneapolis, 12,604,000; ST
Paul, 8,245,000; Red Wing, $4,000;
Winona, 6ss,434; Lacrosse, 669,se2;
Dubuque. 714,943; Clinton, 626,284;
Moline, 1,35e,3oo; Bettendorf, 100000;
Rock Island 741,000; Davenport
,59s, 300; Muscatine $4,000; Burling
ton. 80S,750; Fort Madison, 175,000;
Keokuk, $4,000; Quincy, 773,500;
Hannibal. s25.3O0; Illasco, $4,000;
Alton, 1,99s,00O.
1T is evident" said the report
chat there is enough tonnage in sight
and prospective to encourage capital
lists who are to finance river naviga
ton companies"
The report then detailed projected
and actually started municipal docl
and harbor plans at Minneapolis, st
/ Paul, Dubuque, Clinton and Daven
port: Moline and Alton; st. Louis ant
/ New Orleans. The committee, alst
isaid it had been informed that a new
navigation company contemplate
building thirty-six quadruple screw
propelled, all steel barges, (which viii
!be put into service as fast as re
lquired."
It was added that the first Of thes'
Ibarges WILL start service within ;
|month between st. Louis and New
Orleans and will go to st. Paul mex
|spring.
4 In closing. the report said that th'
committee firmly believes that navi
cation Of the Mississippi 'is an i'm
mediate possibility and an ultimat
certainty"
RETIRED ENGINEER
: nIEC TINnED TD AIN