Grand Rapids herald. [volume] (Grand Rapids, Mich.) 1892-1959, 1893-04-26
FOR ADEEP CHANNEL
Tho Board 81 Trade Committee
Submits Some Facts.
GREAT SAVING IN fafIeHrs
Now Esssy IAxpsyss WIN - nane-
go ~ . Nsstoabae stssaa -
tween Here ard she Lake.

quesshoo whether u u guod policy mr.
the city of Grand Rapids 10 vote lie
bonds To assist in the improvement Of
the navigation n Grand river.
We tthe board of trade river commit
teep have repeatedly. during tho last
four years. given through the press our
rcasous for believing that il will pay this
city "a inaugurste this improvement
and now. - the time approaches when
the voters viii hc called upon 10 express
their wishcs on this subject. and in view
of the objections urged. No deem %
proper We should briefly summarize our
rcasnns Why We believe the bonds should
be voted.
The average cost q transportation Of
freight BY railroads throughout tho
United States 10 six times the average
cost Of transportation Of the great lakes.
Grand Rapids. at the present time. In
the matter Of freight. is absolutely at
the mercy Of the railroads. With ten feet
OF water. our lumber. coal. iron and
stone and other building material. hard
ware, jobbers' supplies and many other
things win Be- brought here at largclyre-
duced rates. The entire lake region will
be opened up for our manufacturers to
draw their supply Of lumber from. and
they will be enabled 10 reach all lake
ports with their manufactured products
at largely reduced rates from those nov
existing.
Our iobbers will DO enabled to retain
their trade on the lake shore during the
ssason OF navigation. while now they are
practically excluded. They will be en-
abled to lay down their purchase hero
at a. low price N the ssme goods arc
now laid down In Chicago and Milwau-
kee. These arc facts which cannot be
successfully disputed.
Freight TraAc stasistjcs.
The freight traffic in and out Of this
city for 1892 was in. round figures
100000 tons We believe that with
ten feet al water N average saving Of ut
least I cent per hundred pounds, or 20
cents Per ton could DO effected At this
rate, and allowing eight months ~ the
scason Of navigation. it would represent
q saving Il el730O0 on freight every
year. II costs now TO ahip furniture 70
Chicago and Milwaukee BY railroad m
average Of about - cents per 100
pounds; with through limo OF boats Il
can be laid down for IL cents. This
traffic amounts TO at least 500 carloads
Of $1,000 pounds each during the season
| OF navigation.
Coal is carried by water from Buffalo
to Chicago for - conts per ton. and to
Milwaukee for s. cents. Ii costs s1.70
to bring il to this dty by rail. With
ten feet OF water No certainly could
effect saving Of % cents per ton. This
means saving Of e45O to the average
| citizen Who would burn annually six
tons, while his additional taxes ION q
residence assessed at $1,000 for in
terest on the bonds would be only 80
centa Fifty thousand tons Of anthra-
cite coal II brought into this city an
nually. We believe that with ten feet
OF water new industries will locate in
our midst and that Il will greatly benefit
those already here. We believe that
with ten feet Of water Grand Rapids
position a. the commercial center Of
western Michigan will he secured for all
time. causing q largo increase in popu.
lation and rapid increase in real estate
values.
| Advantages 10 AL
The Improvement will lower the level
| II the river in this city four and one
half feet. and will thus mako IL possible
n increase tho present water power by
at least one third and possibly ono half.
The improvement will facilitate tho dis
charge q the water in the river. en-
Ahling Il tn seek its lake level much
sooner. thus leesening liability Of dam
age by spring frcshets. We believe tho
improvement will stimulate fruit cul-
tuge between here and Grand Haven 10
such an extent that daily line at fruit
boats 10 Chicago and Milwaukee will
become necessity during the fruit
season.
Tho hill now before the legislature
authorizing the issuing 1t bonds. limits
the amount to 100000. and leaves il
discretionary with the common council
to say what amount shall he voted for mt
different times. II also provides for tho
appointment by the mayor and confirma
ton by council II board. who shall
have control - the improvement. What
the council will order and what the
board will decide tn do. 81 course this
committee cannot say. but our sugge~-
ton would be. after the money was
voted. 10 use about 5000 Of il for the
purpose 81 snsgging logs and trees out
81 the river channel and removing a
few II the bars no that the two light
draft boats now on the river could mako
regular daily trips during the season u
lowest water.
COugrs,~s tn Bc McmoriaIised.
Then We would advise holding the
balance ~ the bonds until the nevt 81.
sion ~ congress. when We could GO he
fore that body and say: The citizens
~ Grand Rapids have faith in the pro
ject and have voted $4,000 Tor eaoO.oo
~ the case may bel We want you 10
appropriate an equal amount. ~ that
the improvement can be started under
proper conditions"
We think that by using thea bonds
A. n lever congress can hc the more
readily convinced We would not al
vise beginning the work until congress
had appropriated NJ least tln0.nuo
The plan recommended IVY Colonel
Ludlow provides for a channel lo, fret
wide nj the bottom and 100 feet vide nj
tor from Grand Haven to Grandville.
and from Grandvillc 10 this city ~ a
channel ninety feet ~ the h-ptsnu and
l3p feet AZ tnp. and his estimate q co~s
is as foll0ws.
-Four million ysrda earth excs
Wing dams and training dixie. $1,000
Basin Tor boats To turn st Grand
lsspids ....s........-... lAbs
Cor tingsnc,es. II per cent.-.... $500