Free trader-journal. (Ottawa, Ill.) 1916-1920, 1917-11-28
25 ILLINOIS CITIES
REQUEST STATE TO
BUILD WATERWAY
PLEA is MADE AT PEORIA MEET
ING THAT IMMEDIATE ACIlON
CT TAKEN AS A WAR MEASURE,

Ottawa delegates Wha attend lii'
lecn waterway meeting at Peoria al'
igued themselves with twenty-five
Illinois cities To secure immediate ac-
tiou IN the "lalsos to the guf plan
for furnishing a connecting link suiil
aicutly deep o provide against freight
congestion in The future.
The men met in response TO q eau
issued bv he Peoria Chamber of
Commerce for the promotion of nayi-
CATION on the Illinois river More
than 100 delegates from Chicago, ST,
Louis, Peoria Joliet and other cities
attended. A resolution requesting
both state and national action in the
interest Of the plan was adopcd. !
The delegates coumred up visions
Of chusging barses laden with goods,
md tow boats in charge of the mule
GERS Of old, should federal and state
authorities gct busy.
Waterways Congress Approve.
rho waterway plan adoptcd by the
lenoral Assembly under the adminis'
ration Of former Governor Dunne, II
favored by the waterways congress,
bul he latter body wants something
anpibie accomplished instead of an
Endless procession of surveys and in.
Vulnerable blue prints
"Be il resolved says the ns0iu.
ion adopted tonight that This con
-Ycntion, composed Of the representa-.
tWcs OF twenty-five cities, unani-
mouslY places itself on record as fa.
yoring the plan provided for in said
yet and asks for the enforcement Of
! he law already on the state books as
speedily as is consistent with proper
hcckiug of such plans, believing
Germany was able 10 transport goods
,lan will require new legislation and
acW action of the army engineers,
.anl thereby causing disastrous delay,
"lc8olycd, further, that the gov
,arnur be requested 10 ask the United
States government 20 take Simuitanc-
ous steps TO provide, where il has
iuuiadic,ion unimpcdcd and uuob.
structod waterway and to improve
the lower river in the interests oI
navigation aud the protection Of the
gricultural interests.
A telegram from Governor Lowden
was read, and the executive assured
/. HE congress that ne fayors a water
way between Chicago and the gulf
We also said thar hn was having
plans and estimates checked up by
eminent engineers.
Lesson From Germany.
one instance of the handicap unde
which Illinois shipper labors wa
rivcn by II. r Harris of Chicago
hartman Of the waterways commit
Zee Of the Illinois Manufacturers az
{ ,oCialion. Before the war, he said
GcGrmauy was able to transport good
{ rom the interior Of her country t
s .hc coast Of South America at les
'ost than an Illinois manufacture
! would undergo In shipment of good
{ o New YORK
! "This is because Germany, e'
u pl3ucd Mr. Harris. developed her Il
y land water routes and used them /
y The transportation Of freight
Representatives were here from Oh
capo. Peoria, Hannibal, pckin. fas
" Peoria BeardStown, ST. Louis. Sprin
Valley. Chilliro'he, Joliet. Ottawa, !.
= Sale, Bureau, Havana Horny, Morri
- Utica, Sparand, Marseilcs, SeneC
=, Peru and Depue,
e T.. Saylor, nr the foUlmonWcal
Silica Company. told The delrgat'
what his company were about to I
>, at Ottawa ,lIls concern he said we
~ now getting figures for building
-" barges. He directed The attention
" thc delegates io the appalling lack
" cars far shipping sand from Ollal
~ and clearly showed how this situate
~ would be relieved By the use Of watC
VI way TRANSFORMATIONS