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Interstate Waterways League - Progress of Work Upon the Intercoastal Canal the Mississippi to the Rio Grande from HE ninth annual convention of the Interstate Inland Waterway League was' held at Orange, Texas, on Oct. 18. The following officers were elect- ed: C. S. E. Holland, president; Vic- toria, Texas; Henri L. Gueydan, vice president, Gueydan, La: G. J. Palmer, vice president, Houston, Texas; Leon Locke, general secretary, Lake Charles; La, and Roy Mitchell, as- sistant. secretary, Corpus Christi, Texas. The accomplishments of the year were set forth in the following report from the secretary: This year has shown great advance- ment in' the work of the Interstate Inland Waterway League. Since the Palacois convention of nearly one year ago the section between Mata- gorda and Velasco has been com- pleted, thus opening to traffic the Galveston-Corpus Christi section for its full length. The immediate use of this section has justified all claims made concerning its value. Actual dredging is in operation between the Calcasieu and the Sabine, two dredges being used by the contracting com- pany which has undertaken the 22%4- mile stretch at a rate of. 6.6 cents per cubic yard for excavation and a guar- antee to complete the section within 20 months. The canal when completed will be practically 7 ft. deep and 60 ft. wide. At the present rate of cut- ting the work will be finished well within the period of the contract, pos- sibly within a year from the date of beginning which was in September. Sabine-Galveston Section The Sabine-Galveston section which has so long hung in the balance has .been approved through the recom- mendation of the special committee of the board of engineers, which committee was composed of Lieut.- Col. Lansing H. Beach and Lieut.-Col. Harry Taylor, who, with Major T. H. Jackson, of the Dallas district, conducted a hearing in Beaumont on May 10 of this year. At that hearing all the interested communities were represented, and with some of the off- cers of the league presented argu- ments and figures supporting Col. C. S. Richie, of Galveston, to whose clear, succinct report and recommen- dation the credit for our success in that section must be given. In June the celebration of the com- pletion of the Galveston-Corpus Christi section, above referred to, was held in the former city, and was an occasion for general felicitation as well as for plans for the full use of that valuable section. In January of this year a meeting was held in the Grunewald hotel in New Orleans and was attended by representatives from the interested sections. Mayor Behrman, ex-Governor Sanders and other gentlemen were present and all urged immediate action on the tm- portant link between New Orleans and Morgan City. A large delegation was chosen to present the views of the meeting to Major Schulz, engineer in charse, at a fearing speci granted by him. The result of this conference was a complete under- standing with the engineers and the fullest co-operation has been the result. Before congress opens again in De- cember the league hopes to see the report of the chief of engineers 'in which, without doubt, there will ap- pear the recommendation by _ that officer of the canal in its. entirety from New Orleans to Brownsville. _ The present status of the canal may be summarized as follows. From the Mississippi through the Plaquemine locks, Plaquemine bayou and connect- ing streams to Grand river and the Atchafalaya, thence to the Teche; completed. From the Teche to Cote Blanche and Vermilion bays through Hanson canal, leaving the Teche at Garden City. This canal will soon be formally surrendered to the United States for the consideration of $65,- 000, which sum is available. Through Cote Blanche and Vermilion bays, Schooner bayou and constructed ca- nal to White lake, thence to Grand lake, thus making the chain complete from the Mississippi at Plaquemine to Mermentau. Mermentau to Sabine From the Mermentau to the Sabine there is available the sum of $417,- 450, of which amount $27,450 was contributed by citizens of Orange, Vinton, Lake Charles, including some land owners between the Calcasieu and the Sabine, -(one holding com- pany, The Teutonic Land & Develop- 'ment Co., giving $15,000) raised to secure a change in the route which involved a greater cost than the $100,- 000 appropriated for that section. As stated the Calcasieu-Sabine section is now being constructed. The remain- ing $290,000 is available for use be- tween the Mermentau and the Calca- sieu, and work will begin as soon as the necessary rights-of-way are se- cured. The section between the Sabine and Galveston, approved, now awaits the action of Congress to provide the needed funds. Between Galveston and. Corpus ' Christi, as stated; completed. From Corpus Christi® to Browns- ville the recommendation has_ hith- erto been withheld, but confidential advices indicate the recommendation of that section in a forthcoming re- port. An Altruistic Work By A. H. Devers The work of the Rivers and Har- bors Congress is really an altruistic work. My reason for saying this is that the congress works for the entire country, and has never shown any fa- voritism for any particular section. Many organizations have been started which were presumed to be national in their character, but have degener- ated through special influences into becoming local. Owing to the able management of this congress, this work has remained strictly national in its character and has been for the benefit of the country as a whole without giving undue prominence to any particular section or locality. The improvement of all the rivers and harbors of the entire United States, which the engineers of the army deem worthy of improvement, is the work which the congress has set out to accomplish, and has thus far been of most wonderful help in> accomplishing. The annual meetings of the congress, coming as they do right at the beginning of the sessions of the United States congress, have been productive of great good because of the attendance at.these meetings of representative men from all over the country, each one of whom is in- tent on helping his own section, but also as enthusiastic and earnest in his help of all other sections of the coun- fry,