Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1890-02-24
IBlIBBBc COMMERCE..
N CIsss 0tsts0sots coocssuiss
f~usovensots Needed On the nivss
- the Probabilities that 1Asy wNI
- nGsds.

20 inc bSSOoOssO 49, 4ooy WI
Hes. Z. C. Allen hss Just returned froz
- rational capital where be vent - {
,,s,essntaiivs Of the Augusta Board O.
rr,ds 70 Icy before the Consressiona
cs.pinss on Rivess and Hssboss, faets
sssesrning the vast possibilities that would
.ee,us 70 commerce from widening and
a.,psniss The channel Of the Ksnnebsc.
Some svo yssrs sso Mr.. Allen called the
.ssouou Of our Board Of Trade 70 this very
Important subject. the most important single
later rqairi' 8 the attention Of the people
II the upper navisabls portion Of the Ken
ssbse river
Saturday . Journal reporter called upon
NJ. Allen ct lis once and though very
,ssy 1t the time be kindly consented 70
s,sns 90 lntervies on this subjecs 10 which
/. 10 20 deeply interested.
In v,ly 70 the nrss question relative to
II inception Of the move for 90 ap-
vepriaiion Mr Allen said:
Some three or four months since the
Beard Of Trade. pho have long had the
.s,,s, under consideration caused . petition
n b rculsted amsns the merchants and
usnufsctursr shose business interssts sre
.,oeesned With this great water highway.
n 80 - handsome and important . docu
,sns - ever vent to Congress, embracing -
nIld the nsnes Of 600 Of the leading M. o
sl,hs Ksnne bee valley. II vss estimated that
- men whose nav 70 we're on the petition
,sssssenssd . capital Of from t~ensy. ave
n Sfsy millions Of dollsrs. The Board Of
f,sds started this petition and bore the
sxpsnss Of circulating 1t. 10 folloving
~ matter up the importance vas felt Of
hayins Representatives 90 before the Con-
s,s,siopal Commute on Rivers and Hsr-
bors. This point vas strongly urged b
Cons,essman Miiliken, who all along has
wen very active in cooperation and great
N Interested in the defaiIs."
"wss IL not ssking much Of you With the
la,ss bosiness interests demanding your
attention, for you to 60 - the representa-
tvsY
81 felt 1t duty I ovei the Board Of
fpsds and our citizens. to do what could
b the matter. Captain Collins Of Gardiner.
l..
celllns 10 acquainted with every inch Of the
i've, md no man could know better its
sssds. appeared before the commit
~ les. Tuesday. and from the inter
~ which developed In this great
vsssr highway. it 10 fair to believe
sAas liberal appropriation will be made.
" came away very much encouraged and
sss without substantial reasons. The vast
commercial interests along the Kennebec,
which even our own ciizens do not realize.
vhen represented 10 the committee swaken-
II great interest. l believe that . long step
~ been taken In the direction Of improve
usns for the river. which eventually will
eve to the upper portions Of her nsvigabls
ss,srs very much larger vesseIs. that will
soa only lower freights but necessarily will
Increase business in . great ratio.
Just What change are contemplated, Mr..
Allss'
THE plan IL to secure . channel 200
isst vide and II feet deep at low water.
70 say that such improvements a.e worth
Augusta, Hallovell and Gardiner 10 not
stating the half Of its value. After care
fully examining all the facts bearing on
The matter the possibilities then seen
sss amazing For instance. IL these improve
nents we're already made ice houses could
have been erected all along from Gardiner
- Augus'a. and this winter perhaps million
TINE Of ice would have been stored. which
very likely would be worth several million,
developing an immense train. Similar
benefits would accrue with regard to coal
This would become distributing point ( r
Wsisrvilie and the region about Us |
should expect to see instead Of the compsr-
stively small am ,unt nov received here.
Ne00 tons brought to this city. This
would come abou, because freishts would
n % greatly cheapened because Of the
hfs'r vessels that could then oring coal to
ear vharves. II the river isn't improved
commerce must gradually grow less.
Trade 10 going into great ships. and
h time 10 not far distant that where
. big boat caono, 60 navigation will
n practically closed. This fact 10 Of par
ssount interest to US"
a. mentioned before no one can realize
o. immense benefits to be derived except
through q thorough study OF the statistics
hearing on the question. B~sidss
~ steamboat transportation over 4 900 car
esss leave the Kennebec annually by water.
W may reasonably look, provided the
needed improvements are obtained. for .
dssbline Of this trade and 8 600 cargoes in
sssd OF 4 600 at no distant day. II private
capital could have all the advantages &C
ersins from these improvements they
vosld pay 800 600 annually for the privi-
kse. and that sum would represent the
interest on several millions of dollas.
Why. ~ regards is commerce the kenne-
Zee 10 the most important water high~ay
In Nev England and excepting steam navi-
cation IT 10 bigger than that on the Hudson
Oar e,isens do not begin to realize that
Tie kennebec river 10 one Of the great
water highways Of the United States"
Mr.. Allen spoke 10 warm praise Of
corgressman Millikcn's endeavors in behalf
Of these Improvements. concerning the
seed Of which he has the fullest Informs
Ton even to the details. He has had the
natter under consultation for the past two
years and to further the plan Mr.. Allen be-
hsves be will leave no proper thing undone.
STATE HOUSE MATTERS.