Delaware gazette and state journal. (Wilmington, Del.) 1883-1902, 1898-11-24

odnti. anu BiNto attVheioh W 'ho
question why the river and canal
transportation routes in this country
have been gradually abandoned, while
in Europe, notwithstanding the fact
that net work of railways covers the
country, the traffic on both artificial
and natural waterways is steadily
maintained. An answer to this ques-
tion, which has been given SO often
that it has come to be generally be-
lieved, is that in the United States
the railway companies at an early
period secured control OF canals for
the purpose OF wrecking them as trans
portation routes and getting rid of
their competition. There is doubtless
certain amount Of truth in this
statement, and there was much more
truth in it n score Of years ago than at
the present day. But it is not the
real underlying reason for tho decad-
ence of water transportation routes in
this country. The real reason is that
under American commercial conditions
freight can bc moved at less cost by
rail routes than by any system of river
or canal transportation. When we say
this we speak, of course, in u general
way FOR sueil tfaiiio as inc Trans
port OF coal Gown INC rivers OF the
Ohio Valley, for example, the river
transpor ation, by reason of the pecu-
liar methods by which it is conducted,
Is cheaper py iar imam any i'ossiple
ran transportation iheSs ana slmlisF
eSceptiohai instances, however 90 mol
ahect the truth OF inc general state
meht'
IL Is OF interest 10 inquire tne
reasons why ran transportation IN TINS
country IS ~ much cheaper ana water
transportation Is SO much more eS-
penslse tnan 10 EUROPE rlrs1 ana
nlost important IS the larger capacity
cars, and more powerful locomotives
OF American railways permitting the
haniing OF heavier Tram loads. Ihe
great volume OF trafiic and the long
hauls make these large cars and long
trains possible and economical, as they
would not be IN a country OF smaller
| area, or one IN whlch the products OF
Inherent sections are not interehanged
on such an enormous scale. Only those
intimately FAMILIAR with railway
matters appreciate the great advance
ment that mas been made IN railway
practice in the United States during
the past two decades. American rail
way managers have led the world in
adapting the railway to the transporta-
tion OF the cheapest class of bulk
frelghts. Compared with American
practice, foreign freight traffic seems
like toy railroading.
Another thing which has made pos
siole the cheap movement oil freight IN
this country is the fact that so far as
freight traffic is concerned, the rail
ways of the country are operated as q
single system. The interchange o.
freight cars between different railwa!
companies, enabling car to traye
from one end OF the country to the
other without transfer of its lading
has saved literally billions OF dollars il
l
since it was established. Nowhere els'
in the world is there anything like
such vast system of freight car inter
change in operation.
Still another reason why railway
have superseded water routes in thi
country is that all our machinery 70
the production and distribution o
goods is suited to rail rather than t
water transport. Most American
manufacturing plants of any size hav
railway sidings and spur tracks running
into their yards and often into the build
ings themselves, so that raw materia
is received and finished goods ar
loaded without any wagon transpor
tation. Comparatively few manu-
factories except those in seaboard cite
or on the Great Lakes are located ON
water front.
In the United States the railway ha
, preceded civilization over large par
i of its area. The railway and not tn
river was the original avenue Of trans
portation, and in the building c
manufactures, warehouses, &C., every
thing has been planned with view t
the use of the railway. In Europ
things are quite different. Europea
a cities with their warehouses were bull
before the railway era, and convenience
!, to water transportation routes in
? fluenced the location Of most OF them.
The real underlying reason, ther