518 



MISSOURI. 



, 1. That the deepening of the mouth of 

 the Mississippi River is of the very first importance 

 to the interest* of the entire valley of the M 

 sippi, and of groat moment to the whole country. 

 The solution of this problem, we believe, will be 

 achieved by closing up all of the inferior outlets of 

 the river, and condensing its waters by a system of 

 jetties to one channel. By this means a depth of 

 at least twenty or twenty-two feet may be obtained 

 in the Southwest Pass, at an outlay insignificant 

 when compared with the many millions that will be 

 annually saved to the country by the work. When 

 once accomplished, small annual appropriations will 

 suffice to maintain the required depth torever after- 

 ward. We urge immediate attention to this subject 

 as being one of paramount importance. 



5. That experience has demonstrated the practi- 

 cability of controlling the currents of the Missis- 

 sippi River by a system of wing-dams, revetments, 

 and Jetties, and that by such means, judiciously ap- 

 plied, its channel oiu be permanently located and 

 confined, and that by this method any depth re- 

 quired by the largest vessels may be constantly 

 maintained from the Balizo to St. Louis at a cost of a 

 few million dollars. We, therefore, urge that, in 

 addition to the removal of snags, wrecks, and other 

 obstructions, from the channel, a comprehensive 

 system of improvements, looking directly to the 

 permanent location and deepening of the channel 

 through shoal places below St. Louis, bo at once 

 nurtured and inaugurated, and that a depth of eight 

 feet be determined as the maximum to be accom- 

 plished at first by the proposed works. This will 

 involve the establishment of jetties and the like, at 

 probably not more than thirty bars or shoal places 

 between this city and New Orleans, and the removal 

 of a few dangerous rocks at the grand chain above 

 Cairo, and would result in an immense saving, a 

 thousand-fold greater than the original cost. B^ 

 thus deepening and confining the channel, its navi- 

 gation would become much less intricate and dan- 

 gerous, vexatious delays would be avoided, and a 

 class of steamers and barges of less expensive char- 

 acter would be practicable, while constant employ- 

 ment would be afforded during the entire year for 

 the craft navigating it. 



8. That the system of improvements suggested 

 for the river below St. Louis is eminently suited for 

 the improvement of the Missouri, Illinois, Arkansas, 

 Red, Ohio, Tennessee, Cumberland, and many other 

 important streams in this valley, on each of which 

 it should be applied on a scale commensurate with 

 the volume of the river, and the demands of its 

 commerce. We therefore urge with great earnest- 

 ness the immediate improvement of these stream*, 

 being well assured the result will prove highly bene- 

 ficial to the whole country. 



4. That the improvement of the upper and lower 

 rapida of the Mississippi should be vigorously 

 prosecuted until the navigation of those parts of that 

 river are made safe and convenient, anil that the im- 

 provements already commenced on all other rhvrs 

 of this valley should be energetically prosecuted to 

 completion. 



6. That while all these improvements can be suc- 

 cessfully carried forward under the direction of the 

 able engineers of the Government, in whose talents 

 we feel a just pride, we would suggest for the con- 

 sideration of Congress the propriety of having such 

 portion! of it executed by contract as can be let to 

 responsible contractors willing to guarantee desired 

 results for reasonable compensation. 



8. That every practicable water-route to the Gulf, 

 to the Atlantic Ocean, or to the great lakes, which 

 can be opened and made safe and convenient at a 

 reasonable cost, when compared with the benefits to 

 result from it in lessening the expense of trans- 

 porting tho products of this valley to their various 

 markets, should meet with favor from the General 

 Government, and receive the unanimous support of 

 every representative of this valley in Congress. 



JittolreJ, 1. That we regard the completion of 

 the James River <& Kanawna Canal, the cherished 

 scheme of its author, George Washington, cm. 

 Ing as it will the waters of the Atlantic with tho 

 great Mississippi Valley, a* worthy the prompt and 

 profound consideration of Congress, and that we 

 cannot too warmly express our admiration for the 

 State of Virginia in surrendering her interest 

 twelve million dollars in this impr order 



that the same may be dedicated to the ) 

 whole country to insure them cheap rates of trans- 

 portation by water-line to the Atlantic coast. 



2. That wo recommend to Congress tho considera- 

 tion of tho Atlantic & Great Western Canal, be- 

 lieving it to be an enterprise of national in; 

 and which, when completed, will be of a value 

 commensurate with its cost. 



8. That the Fox and Wisconsin River improve- 

 ment has already become a national work, and is 

 deserving of the continued recognition of Congress. 



In other resolutions it was urged that no 

 bridges should be authorized across the 

 sissippi River below St. Louis having spans of 

 less than five hundred feet wide over the 

 stream, and a clear height of less than seventy- 

 five feet above high-watermark ; and that Con- 

 gress should pass a general bridge law defining 

 the lengths and heights of their spans over 

 the different navigable rivers of the M. 

 sippi Valley, and generally control the location 

 and construction of such bridges in a manner 

 to prevent unnecessary injury to the naviga- 

 tion of said rivers. 



On tho 1st of October a convention of the 

 farmers of Missouri was held in Jefferson City. 

 to consult in relation to the interests of the 

 agricultural classes. 



A convention of the various Granges of 

 Northwest Missouri. Kansas, and Southern 

 Nebraska, was held in St. Joseph, December 

 28d. The platform framed by the Illinois 

 State Farmers' Association at Decatur. 111., 

 on the 17th of December (ter ILLINOIS), was 

 adopted, with the following additional resolu- 

 tions : 



Renolvtd, That, believing in tho time-honored po- 

 litical maxim of equal rights to all and exclusive 

 privileges to none, cither private or corporate, we 

 can no longer be bciruih'd hy the hocus-pocus of any 

 system of special legislation by which we are robbed 

 to enrich special interests, and we demand that tar- 

 iffs, hanks, railroads, telegraphs, and mono] 

 shall be rt'strnini-d from encroachments upon 

 of the people by equal and just laws, State and na- 

 tional. 



Saolvtd, That from the fact that what a farmer 

 buys is upon the basis of a depr 

 and what he sells is sold upon a p"'. 

 price of our farm products is regulated by tin 

 markets of Europe, we demand a staple and uniform 

 currency. 



The statement of tho receipts and expendi- 

 tures of tho State government for tho year is 

 as follows : 



BECKIPTS. 



Balance, January 1, 1873 $78fl.(M9 33 



Receipts from all other sources 8,563.13838 



DI8BCR8EMKNTH. 



Amount paid on warrants $3,501,357 19 



Uncnrrent bonds (burned by 



committee) 1B.R8J 40 



(3,518,339 59 



Balance In the Treasury, January 1, 1874. . . . $831,598 03 



