The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1873-11-07
Cheap Transportation.

OACdR bnNAVAs
Is one of the problems of the hour,
and among others demanding solution,
it peers up among the ioftiest of them all.
To promote it, numerous plans are on
foot to clean out rivers, and 20 connect
their navigable waters by canals, one of
which would require at tunnel 9 miles
long and an expense of 80 millions of
dollars. No body supposes this expense
would pay interest and hence Uncle Sam
is expected to foot the bill as he is ex-
pected to do in all other cases of big work
and no pay.
WATER TRANSPORTATION
Is far the cheapest for heavy freights.
The cost of moving iron ore, coal &c by
river to Cincinnati is mills per ton
per mile. The cost by rail is II mills.
This fact tells its own story and shows
millions of dollars annually N favor of
water transportation, where the channel
is natural and not created by art.
The value of the total commerce of
the Ohio river in one year, has reached
716 millions of dollars. Its magnitude
is therefore greater than that of the I'm
tied States, the total imports of which
last year was 663 millions.
THE VOLUME OF WATER
in the upper Ohio river and in other
rivers, where once navigable, is found 10
be diminishing, and the danger of navi-
CATION to be increasing. The cause of
this is traced 70 the destruction of forest
trees along the slopes and upon the great
dividing ridges and water sheds forming
the sources of navigable streams. So
important has this fact become in Eu-
rope that an International Society is
formed to protect the timber in hills and
mountains of that Continent. 1t has be-
come the subject of treaty negotiations,
and, in some shape or other the absorbing
thoughta of the statesmen and scientists
of every land.
TO OVERCOME THE DEFICIENCY
of water in the Ohio river, men have
taxed every ingenuity. They have
thought of drawing supply from lake
Erie and of pumping it up to a proper
level into reservoirs, or into lake Cha
tauqua, but all those plans have been
cation for both the Ohio and Kanawha
rivers. The hydraulic gate is to be tried
near Pittsburg. The coal men there of
fer $4,000 if tbe Government will give
the same to try the experiment. If sue
cessful no breaking of tows at the sixty
six locks required from Pittsburg to
Cairo will be required. If unsuccessful
there will be such a necessity at each of
the locks !and a consequent increase of
expense. The cost is estimated at $780,
900 to each of the &c locks.
CANALS
are cheaper means of transportation than
railroads and if they could be used the
whole year round would supercede rail
roads in the movement of heavy freights.
AS it is they are chiefly useful in Sum-
mer as a check on extortionate rail road
rates and if we build no more, we ought
to keep those we have in good repair.
The great means of transportation, af-
ter all, so far as our inland Commerce
is concerned, are our RAIL ROADS. How
to prevent these from proving burden
rather than blessing is the object of
the farmers oranges, the antimonopolists,
and every body who ships any thing to
market, or consumes any thing that is
SHIPPED by rail, for the price of shipment
goes into the price of the article and is
paid by the consumer.
THE CONSTITUTIONAL CONVENTION
of Pennsylvania have adopted the fol-
lowing remedies:
All rail roads and canals are public
highways and common carriers.
They may connect at the State line
and consolidate with other lines.
They may intersect, and cross each
other and are bound to carry each
others freight, passengers or cars, with
out delay, or discrimination.
They shall keep books open to the
public showing who owns their stock.
They are to be taxed the same as any
other property.
Every individual, association, or Cor
poration shall have equal right to have
persons and property without discrimin-
alton beyond reasonable limits.
They shall not charge more for shor-
ter distance than is charged for grea-
ter distance for the same class and direc-
tion of freight
They shall not, either directly or in
directly, consolidate with, or obtain con.
troll of any parallel or competing line.
No rail Company, its officers, or man
ayers, shall own or carry forward min
ing or manufacturing operations or carry
the products of such mines or factories