Birmingham state herald., 1896-01-16
CANAL PROJECT DISCUSSED Thoughtful Letter as to Ways,
 Means and Policy. WORK FOR NEGRO CONNECTS The Proposed Water Way Would Develop a Region the Richest in the World in
 Natural Resources.

One of the most interesting letters re- ceived by Mayor VanHoose on the sub ject of the proposed canal to connect the waters of the Tennessee and Coosa and Warrior rivers was from MT. John w. DuBose, long we'll known in Alabama as a deep thinker and careful and attract i've writer on all topics affecting the wei fare of labama. MT. DuBose's letter, which speaks for itself, contains the fol- lowing:
 "I am not aware of any survey of a canal connecting the Tennessee and War rior rivers. A survey alone could be the predicate of an answer to your question touching the practicablity from an en- gineering standpoint of the building of such a canal and its probable cost;' but I am sufficiently acquainted with the topography of the intermediate territory to say I will cordially sign a petition to congress to order the survey of such a canal, with expectations of it's feasbil- ity, whenever such petition is generally signed in this town.
 "A survey of a canal to connect the Tennessee at or about Florence with the upper waters of the Bgbee river was once made by the government, as I re- member in my general reading. The data can be obtained from Washington, I presume.
 
 land of canal to connect Guntersville, on the Tennessee, with Gadsden. on the COoSa, thirty-eight miles, and was found decidedly feasible. With that canal opened and the Coosa river made navi gable there would be navigable waters connecting Mobile bay with the waters of the Mississippi and Missouri rivers and altogether that water way would pass through a variety and bulk of wealth in natural resources surpassing any water route in all the world.
 I am decidedly in favor of state work for convicts and, as we are situated in Alabama, there is everything to recom- mend and nothing to condemn the appi- cation of their work upon an importa mt canal I would limit the aid of the state to the free use of the negro men in its prisons l would approve a federal ap- propration of money to the work If of sufficient magnitude to justify 1t. It is well known that the augmented taxes accruing from the increased values to land adjacent to the Erie canal in New York have been sufficient to relieve the state of all actual expenses In the orlgi- nal outlay, and these taxes as augment ed by the commerce of the canal ought to be an argument in Alabama for the use of the convicts on 0 canal within the limits of this state. I would protect the labor by state inspection of the most rig i'd kind and by bond of the contractor. I consider the protection practicable and the policy involved of the highest ad- vantage available for that institution negro convict.
 ''At this time Trinity river Texas, Is considered a counteracting force to reg ulate railway charges, provided congress will erect stone walls across 1t about 150O miles above Galveston to give slack wa ter. The Texas railroad commission has urged this improvement upon congress. If we had canal connecting the Tennes- and the Warrior the COOga Tennessee we would have an entrepot at Mobile of the largest grain, cotton, iron, fruit, etc., trade in America after awhile Mobile is a better port than New Orleans as to nature, while the water route indi- cated is far greater in resources along 'tS line than the MiSSiSSinni riYern