Joseph Eugene Ransdell

“ The National Rivers and Harbors Congress. as its name indicates. is truly national in purpose and effort. It has never advocated special projects no mat- ter how colossal or meritorious they were. but always endeavored to bring about a generous. lar-reaching policy that might promptly provide suificient funds for the improvement of all worthy waterways. many of which are shown on the accom- panying map. lts aim is to create general waterway sentiment; to make the country understand and appreciate the cheapness of water transportation as compared with rail. ”

“ Many communities are becoming aroused to the necessity of providing suitable water terminals. which in the vast majority of cases at the present time arcfowned and controlled by railways or private corporations. ”

“ At that time and for several years prior thereto. river and harbor bills were enacted every three years: now they are annual. the same as other great appropriation bills. At that time the average annual appropriations for rivers and harbors were about twenty millions a year. For the past three years they have averaged over thirty millions a year. and waterway ap- propriations in the bill of the current year exceed forty millions. Thus we see a change in st‘: yearrfrom triennial to annual bills. and from less than twenty millions to over forty millions tr year. ”

“ One of the most important projects in the defunct bill was for a channel of 35 feet through the South West Pass of the Mississippi River. and its special advocates before the committees of Congress were M. J. Sanders and John W. Bryant of New Orleans. These two gentlemen felt their defeat very keenly. and immediately laid plain for arousing public indignation against Senator Cartel-'s action and sentiment in favor of a liberal bill next session.
The result of their eflorts was a great waterways convention which opened in Baltimore. Md. on October 8. 190:. Mr. Geo. ”