Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1897-11-04

board cities OF the Atlantic, with those
by the way OF lake and canal
From Chicago to New York or Boston
is a distance OF 1000 miles, and from
thence to Liverpool 5000 miles, or three
times greater, and yet steamship rates
across the Atlantic are on an average but
one-third of the all-rail fretghts from
Chicago to our coast which to be equal
would increase The ocean rates nine
times.
1t j. an undeniahIe and well-known
fact that water horne freights are. and
always have been, cheaper than any
Other. The reason : obvious; for nature
furnishes aud keeps IN repair the ocean
road-bed free to all no choose to use il
Were it not for The lake and canal trans
portation, which compete with the gail
roads ia summer snd keep the Rates
down. the railroads would have control
OF trans portatiou between the West and
the Atlantic coast and could then regu-
late freight rates to suit their OWN in
terests, without regard for producer
consumer or any one else. Therefore, il
is for the interest OF the producer and
consumer 10 advocate and even to urge
the United States government to inn
prove waterways on lakes, rivers and
canals and to no class would such i'm
provements be more helpful than to the
farmer.
HARBoR IMPROVEMENTS NEEDED.
The hsrbors OF the great lakes need
deepening and widening in various local
ities har bors OF refuge need to be con-
structed; rivers cleared Of DISTINCTIONS
and such improvements made in them at
the expense OF the national government
as shall best serve the public good.
Money thus expended is a wise and prot
liable investment for all time, and cost .
taken from the public treasury and put
into circulation, would enable those to
whom it was paid for labor and materials
to purchase more OF the products of the
farm, factory and shop.
The same may be said in regard to coast
and harbor improvements on the Atlantic,
Gulf and Pacific shores. The increased
size OF steamships, which increases their
capacity for cargoes and enables them to
carry them at cheaper rates, benetiting
the public thereby, requires accommoda-
tlons and deeper aud wider channels than
those of former times. Few rivers and
hsrbors, though designated by nature to
be roads and gateways OF commerce, are
competent to meet modern require
ments; therefore mans aid and skill are
invoked to widen, deepen, improve and
overcome their defects.
Coast harbors are not only OF benefit to
the cities and towns at or near to them,
but they are national gateways OF com
merce, swinging open for the outlet OF
surplus products of farm and factory
seeking foreign markets, and inward to
receive such foreign products as We cam
not or do not raise protitably but need for
comforts and convenience, and are dis
tributed to every city, town, hamlet and
dwelling in our broad land. Good har-
bors are essential to our we'll being as
nation and to our maritime commerce;
and also to the growth, expansion and
prosperity OF our common country.
The argument in favor OF improv-
ing our harbors for the sake OF
glin only, is a powerful one, as it
has been said that self interest
underlies all great movements, but to
improve them for the purpose OF
affording better security to the lives OF
the hardy sons Of the sea is broader and
more humane. We can estimate with ac-
curacy in dollars and cents, the value of a
lost ship and her cargo, but he would be
bold that attempted to put money value
on her lost crew and passengers; that is
beyond human computation.
So that while we see and concede that
the love of gain is a powerful argument,
yet when joined by those humane people
who think life OF more worth than gain,
and they work for the improvement of
our harbors, the government will heed