The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1881-11-11
THE GREAT WATER ROUTE.
The Mississippi Valley--Its Vast Extent
Of Territory---7e8,0 100000 Acres
The Paradise Of Agricultu,ists---
Barge Lines and Railroads.

DdIkb hutb anu nhlTOduS,
The Mississippi river flowing from
the Red river country Of the far
north, the Missouri from the noun
tains of Montana, the Ohio from the
Alleghanies, roll their combined
waters to the Gulf of Mexico, from
the natural outlet and watershed OF
the most wonderfully productive
tract of land OH the globe. No where
on the earths surface does there exist
u river system equal to it i'm impor-
lance. Minnesota, Wisconsin, Iowa,
Illinois, Montana, Dakota, Nebraska,
Kansas, Missouri, Pennsylvania,
West Virginia, Ohio, Indiana, KEN
lucky, Tennessee, Arkansas, Missis
sippi aud Louisiana, all of whose
shores are washed by these waters,
form u territory unsurpassed in fer
tiiity and productiveness. Missouri
alone has u shore line OF $50 miles.
and the city of st. Louis is the centre
and depot for thousands of miles of
river navigation. This great valley
of the Mississippi that is asking for
an unobstructed outlet to the SEA
contains 76S, 100000 acres of the
finest lands in the world, sufficient 10
make more than $50 states rs large us
Massachusetts. 1t embraces more
territory than Great Britain, France,
Spain, Austria, European Turkey and
Italy combined. IL peopled Us thick
ly As Massachusetts,, it would contain
four times the present population of
the United States ir rs populous us
France, it would hold rs many rs
now inhahit the whole OF Europe.
In this paradise Of the agriculturist
the fairest and most fruitful on earth,
hitherto, the producer has not re.
ceived n fair and full reward for his
labor. or his due share of his wealth
yielded 10y his fields ample evidence
OF this may he obtained by compar
ing the market quotations in New
York with tho prices obtained by the
farmer.
Tho barge lines that now form such
Il great factor in our transportation
! facilities have done wonders in re,
gulating freight charges on all the
products OF this mighty region, but
any Of the energetic and competent
| gentleman who control and manage
them will testify that they can never
exert their full measure of useful
ness, or reduce their freight charges
to : minimum, until tho river is st
improved ~ to afford \ fair boating
stage Of water st all seasons, and bt
freed from its dangerous obstruction:
10 navigation.
This is not a local or sectional
question, it is one Of vital Importance
to the whole Union. However
much facts and figures may he dis
torted 10y the citizens Of Eastern sea
ports. who are naturally DESTROYS OF
retaining for themselves the profit:
derived from handling the product:
of the vast agricultural regions of tn,
interior. the grand truth still remains
that il the river channel is improved
every producer in the great MiSSiS
sippi valley will OBTAIN Il higher price
for his grain, and American mer
chants will be enabled to compete OF
more equal terms with their rivals
OF the Danube and the Black sea, il
supplying the markets of Europ
with cereals and -four.
The importance of railroads, an,
tho magnificent work they have dom
and are doing, toward building u
the commercial interests of the Mis-
sissippi valley and developing its re
sources, cannot he Ovcr-cstimatcd
but as has been truly stated. "all tn
railroads between the Mississippi
river ana the Atlantic coast, and III
that ever will be, will fall short o
cqualinS in capacity the great waite
route when properly opened 10 IN
sea.
, To improve the navigation of tn
: Mississippi river, means to lncreaS
the returns of labor and capital dc
voted TO agriculture, to increase Ia
wages earned by every laborer on III
soil to open, develop and bring int
! cultivation the rich domain We hav
inherited to aid in building up an
improving every city ana town III tn
Mississippi valley, and To yield mor
generous rewards 10 their merchant
and manufacturers, and steady Ell
u. Payments and good wages to mrcha
!. les and artiZans.
Without doubt, the best and mos
effective process is to deepen tn
l channel instead of raising the banks
the jetties have proved that whe
4 properly controlled, the river itsel
can be made to do the work and IT
move its own sediment. This plan
supplemented by system of rcSel
voirs formed by utilizing the lake
| at and near the head OF the river 10
the purpose Of insuring IN. adcqnat
, supply Of water in seasons of drouti
and few thoroughly equipped sna
boats. would soon place the nobl
: river in the desired condition, an
insure to the citizens Of this grea
valley al incompatible route to tn
ocean.
With a liberal appropriation
| funds, n deep and permanent channe
TO the ocean would be assured,
, grand national highway forever FIRE
to the citizens OF every state. TIL
people OF the Mississippi valley d'
, mand this, and will be satisfied wit
nothing less.-R. L. IIilder III the $