River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-03-26
AN ALLEGED DANGER.
Matters of Interest 10 the Western
Farmer Relating to Waterway Trans


Matters of Interest 10 the Western
Farmer Relating to Waterway Trans
portation.
Minneapolis, Mimi, March 81, 1885,
The western farmer and his eastern
customer have special interest in a
contest now going on. 1t is a case of
self-preservation for them and demands
prompt attention from both. The re-
ciprocal interests of the agricultural
west and the manufacturing east are
well understood and the demand of the
time is for the cheapest possible trans.
port between the two interested sec.
tions. The water route by the Great
Lakes has been the making and the
salvation of the northwest. Compel
ing lines of railroad are naturally not
favorable to the extension of lake
transportation. Allied to the railroads
are local interests at Detroit and Buff
falo. At Detroit an attempt is being
made 10 have bridge built with two
piers in the river, each located 600 feet
from the shore. The tonnage passing
this point is 30,000,0O0 tons in seven
months. This will be increased about
ten per cent. by vessels of the largest
class now building. 1t will keep on
increasing year after year as the great
northwest goes on filling up and grow
ing. Compare this 30,0O0,000 tons OF
to-day with the tonnage of London,
which is less than 21.000,000 in 10
months. That OF New York is almost
the same as London. Ii is proposed to
choke this contracted waterway, SO W.
tai TO the northwest and to the east,
in order to carry by railroad on a
bridge tonnage of a little more
than one-seventh of that of the river.
This might he more favorably consid-
cred if il were indispensable and at less
cost. The facts are that d tunnel can
be built for three-fourths of what a
bridge will cost, and will interfere with
nobody. A few miles up the stream
from the point where IL is proposed to
locate this bridge is a great tunnel of
the Grand Trunk railroad, standing as
a practical demonstration of the real
facts In the case.
The congressman from the east and
the west can form their own conclu-
sions after securing these facts. A
committee of the United States senate
has reported favorably to the bridge
plan. Can it be advocated on the ground
Of public welfare?
Near Buffalo an effort is being made
to secure charter for a railroad bridge
over the Niagara river between the
American shore and Grand Island. Ii
will be a low bridge and will practi-
cally be stopper with which to close
the river and prevent vessels passing
Buffalo. Deep water agitation be-
tween the Great Lakes and salt water
has been going on more and more Wig
orously for long time, and within a
few weeks the first general report on
the subject will be made. What is
wanted is better, not poorer, means OF
transportation. All low bridges or those
with piles in the stream over the rivers
connecting the Great Lakes are detri-
ment to present and future naviga-
ton. II is the same contest that
for years the friends of the Mississippi
river have been waging to protect
their lvigation. Are the people OF
the northern part of the United States
willing to have the transportation SO
vital to them destroyed or impaired
If not, the newspapers, the commercial
bodies and influential citizens will need
to at once vigorously take up the mat
ter with their representatives in con-
gress and convince them that they, the
people, want no bridges built over
these waterways that shall in any way
be a detriment to NAVIGATION. The
charter for these bridges viii be slipped
through unnoticed, and at this session
of congress il possible, unless such a
denunciation shall be heard from an
aroused and financially interested peo-
pie as shall effectually stop such per-
nicious Legislation. No one with infiu-
Ell &c can delegate his responsibility in
this matter to another, and the time to
act lis now. A. l.. CRoCKER,
Chairman Exc cutive Committee Inter-
national Deep WATERWAYS Association.