St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1885-08-18
THE RIVER CONVENTION.
a Benefit 70 Railways to Improve
Navigation.
To the Editor OF the Globe:

To the Editor OF the GLOBE:
During the past week l read with great
pleasure the GLOBES editorials fGvOring the
Improvement of the upper Mississippi river.
was glad 10 see a disposition on the part or
the GLOBE 20 give 10 the public the facts re-
lating TO the recent competition between the
steamboat lines aud the railway companies
running from ST. Louis to ST. Paul and be-
tween intermediate points. The frequent
repetition OF the statement showing that the
boat lines were carrying freight at from "l5
10 % per cent" less than the tariff rate
charged by the railway companies ut the
opening OF navigation WAS well done. Only
10 cents per 100 pounds WAS charged on second
and third-class goods by the boat lines, when
the railways were asking 40 cents and 30
cents respectively before navigation opened.
Eight cents and even cents per 100 pounds
was asked on fifth-class goods when the rail
tariff had been over double the highest
price charged by the boat lines The sim
pie statement giving the figures, as
the GLOBE did. was argument unanswerablc,
assuring and convincing, of the vast import
ance the river is 10 ST. Paul. Minneapolis and
the country dependent upon and tributary
TO them. II st. Paul and Minneapolis want
present, a continued and an everlasting bust
ness boom. let them not wait for the possible
return OF the dark ages, 10 secure the mini
mum rates OF transportation, but obtain them
without delay in earnest effort There Is
scarcely limit 10 the possibilities in facilitat-
ing railway transportation IL is for the
people TO insist that the federal government
shall aid In obtaining the minimum rates OF
transportation upon the navigable waters of
the Mississippi and its tributaries. The rail-
ways have the brains and the money behind
them 10 compete in time with any rates by
water. Minimum rates by water will pro
duce minimum rates by rail only during the
season that navigation is open. Government
aid is asked 10 open wide the gates when
ajar. so that when they are closed for an icy
season, the railways temporary monopoly
may not become too burdensome 10 the peO-
pie. ...
fit is true.a alleged in the case above re-
ferred 10. that the railways 10 compete with
the river lines must carry freight at = rate
below the actual cost OF transportation. then
case is presented requiring the inexhausti-
bic resources and ingenuity of the companies
to be exercised. II they cannot make any
such loss up during the neutrality-suspicious.
monopoly season, necessity must be a mother
of invention to them. 1t must be as it was
when, in the interest of New York city, the
Erie canal was built, uniting the waters or
the lakes with the Atlantic, the Nanderoilts
four-tracked Harlem and Central roads,
adopting every device to facilitate transpor-
tation, reduced rates 10 a minimum where
there was water competition, and 10 LIVING rates
where the life OF trade demanded IT, built up
prosperous country and people between the
Atlantic and '.the unsalted seas" and finally,
as result Of this partially enforced enter
prise. found themselves possessed
OF hundreds OF millions OF dollars.
1t paid then TO reduce rates, and with the an
nuel reductions since made, unprece-
denied fortunes have been realized. while
general hitherto unknown prosperity pre-
walls. Between Chicago, Milwaukee and Du-
luth, respectively, and Buffalo, the problem
is fast being solved.
Build the Hennipin canal and improve the
channel OF the upper Mississippi and the
problem OF the minimum rates Of transporta-
ton from ST. Paul and Minneapolis 10 IN e
lake and seaboard cities will soon be on the