Birmingham state herald., 1897-06-26
\ RNERBED REGULATION As the Means of Carrying Out
 the Plan. INCALCULABLE ADVANTAGES iad Thinks Captain Ward, Would Result From
 Making the Mississippi an Ocean ma Steam Canal.
.INCALCULABLE ADVANTAGES
Cincinnati Commercial-Tribune.

Cincinnati Commercial-Tribune
 An interesting letter. full of valuable suggestions and advocating a project of the grsatest national importance has been received by the Commereial-Tribu from Capt. W. c. Ward, a leading attor- ney of Birmingham, Ala. The document which strongly favogs the daring plan of making the Mississippi river an ocean steamship canal, is herewith given in full:
 THE GREAT DRAINAGE CANAL. .
 As to measures necessary for national relief, and that win tend to the perma- nent upbuilding of the central por-ion of the United States, all the st ates whose waters drain into the Mississippi river ought to combine politically and finan- cially to utilize that riven to build up trade with all the world in such way as to ship their products through that river to all foreign ports and to bring the prod- ucts of all foreign countries to be un- loaded in the very heart of the country. The population of the great basin lying between The Alleghany mountains and the Rocky mountains, the lakes on the north and the gulf of Mexico on che south, drained by the father of waters, Tought no longer to be dependent upon the Atlantic seaboard for commercial intercourse with foreign countries. A vast volume of water, sufficient to float i rthC GO1luSICe knS WOfIQ, makes It's way to the gulf through and along the grea: river now doing little more than carrying sewage matter for twenty-Seven states. It may bs assumed that all the country from Cairo to the gulf bordering upon ehis river was made by alluvial de- posits of the river
 This flood ought to be and can be utii- ized to do the foreign and domestic car rying trade for the greatest and most splendid agrieul .ural empire in the world, country capable of being made the greatest manufacturing and commercial country on the face of the earth. sa 1t Is not necessary to describe the coum- : dry drained by the great river Any child j. re1erflng to map of the United States can do this.
 MAKE IT AN OCEAN SHIP CANAL.
 How can that great and mighty power De transformed from a curse into a bless- ing? The general direction of the river IS almost due south. It is very crooked. tr Water tends always to run in fhe direc4 lion of the least resistance. Let the states of the great basin combine politica Dy undsr the general welfare" clause of the constitution to have enacted by congress the leglslation necessary to convert fha great flVer into an ocean steamship ca, nal This can be done by straightf ming rfhe channel of the river, 10 that end cuts ting across the bends of the river and utilizing the present channel where inc course or ehe river is soutl1ward If all me states bordering on the river will employ their convict labor to do this work, ana VIII take the work under their supervision, it will not be long before thn { Ilver Will be the greatest artery of in- ier1or, interstate and world coinnerce fnat ever existed. The channel of fhe river being straight, the current will be stronger, and it will do It's own deenenfne until sufficient depth will be aftained TOT any purpose of navigation
 The greatest good will De achieved in preventing the destructive overflows thai annually devasta\ the finest cotton and gram growing country in the world. Tho ricn alluvial land brought into cultivation by this means alone will pay the expense of the work eS PRESENT SYSTEM RUINoUs. 1 Experience has proven that the present levee system Is dangerous and ruinous 1T continued 1t will not be long before the vast country between Memphis and the gulf will be an immense marsh sim aiai TO that through which Inc Nile cralns abovo tL . point where civilized man rules. If the channel is straightened and the banks are kept in good condition. untlI the water running rapidly has done -1ts work Of deepening, the country can. pc safely cultivated to the very banks of the river. The work of disposing of the surplus water can be greatly facilitated by making canal connecting the river with Lake Borgne.
 r The people of the Atlantic coast will pot willingly see this work done, as it. will make the Mississippi valley inde- pendent of them. Already they are dem-| onstrating the necessity and value of an. ocean steamship waterway connecting Lake Erie with the Atlantic and it may be they will secure this and prevent the plan for our relief through the Misissip-' pi river. They generally get what they want.
 CHICAGO NEEDS TT MOST.
 Chicago, of all the lake and basin re- zion. most needs this waterway to the worlds commerce, and yet the people of the great city say nothing to promote it. Chicago at present is content to ship it's sewage matter southward, but cares nothing to reach the great outer world through the Father of Waters.
 AN OCEAN CANAL.
 s;Make the Mississippi river an ocean steamship canal, and a transit through the isthmus becomes necessity and if will be accomplished. The Central States must ultimately mage comme ercial con- nection with the west coast of South America and Eastern Asia.
 Picture the results of this suggestion accomplished, and how puerile and tri- fling all our little wrangling over finance and tariff appears. We will no longer produce more than we can sell We will no longer be dependent upon a home market We will have the nations of the world for customers and kings and em- perors for clients.
 l have endeavored to impress these views upon congress, but they scarcely give me polite attention. I have publish ed them in local newspapers. and people smile at the presumption that dares the wrath of the great river. Because when Egypt controlled the civilized world sine laid her commands upon the Nile and bade that river become a servant to her sovereign will, l say a greater than Egypt can harness the Father of Waters and make him do the work of dray horse.