The Brunswick daily news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1903-1906, 1903-12-12


vile and Chattanooga it will af-
ford a competing, or water, rate
that will force down railroad freight
rates, but in the larger portions of
the district 1t will not affect the rail-
roads. There will be no competition
because there the railroads do not
ramify to the extent that the rivers
do. 1t will provide to those sec
lions that are inaccessible by rail-
roads, the most economical method
of transportation known to man,
viz, that afforded by nature in the
buoyancy, mobility and force of
water seeking its level in it's on
ward movement towards the sea.
The estimated cost Of radically
improving the Ohio river for it's en-
tire length of about 1000 miles, af-
fording a nine-foot channel through
out that distance, is $500, 900, 000 The
estimated cost Of improving the
Tennessee river and its tributaries
SO as to give five-foot stage from
Paducah to Chattanooga and a
three-foot stage from Chattanooga
up is about 100000. The interest
on this latter sum, If procured by
the ordinary per cent. government
bonds would be $4,000 annually.
With the present amount Of ship
ments from Knoxville, Chattanooga
and other points along the Tennes-
see and it's tributaries to Paducah,
the question is, would that much be
saved annually to the business
world?
It is estimated by experts that
there are $20O,O0O.0OO dollars worth
of products in the shape of coal,
marble, slate and iron waiting to
be released from deposits in the
contiguous territory, aside from the
increase in manufactures and agri-
cultural commerce, that must nee
essarily increase.
In the present incomplete state Of
improvement the total commerce of
the Tennessee river for the year 1899
was 1851 tons, valued at $13, 55O,375,
and $500 passengers were carried.
ooncarUo two Of
the annual products of the Tennes-
see valley showed 100000 bushels
of wheat, 100000 bushels of corn,
S,00O,O bushels of oats, 10000 bales
of cotton, 100000 bales of hay $780,
100000 worth of live stock, $3,500,G00
worth of forest products, $10,000,000
in metallic ores, $18,000,O00 in fur
mace products, and $S,5OO,O00 in stone
and marble. If we take into con-
sideration the natural growth of the
country in wealth and population,
is there any doubt but that the prin-
cipal of $6,0OO,OOO will be amply COM
pensated for?
When 1t is further considered that
the estimated savings in freight
charges alone by the Avalon from
Chattanooga to Paducah has been
actually demonstrated as being 80
per cent. in freights carried and that
on a conservative estimate of about
$4,000 600 a, year that Knoxville and
Chattanooga merchants pay out to
transportation lines alone for
freight, and that a saving of 80 per
cent. would mean 100000 a year
saved to the merchants of those
cities, what a small figure the in
terest account of $4,000 a year on
$6,O0000O of bonds would cut!
AID TO DEVELOPMENT.
1t must be apparent to all that
the farm produce, coal, timber, etc,
so abundant along the shores and
contiguous territory Of the Tennes-
see river and it's tributaries are not
the source of profit to the owners
and toilers that they should be, even
with the partial Improvements that
have been made. The full values
can never be reached until the Ten
nessee river and its tributaries are
rendered navigable all the year
round at sufficient stage of water
to utilize the most economical meth
DDS for transportation.
The owners of much of this natu-
raj wealth must perforce leave it
undeveloped or exploit its products
at an almost prohibitory return.
The mass of consumers at the great
business centers must, on their part,
pay an exorbitant price for it, or it
must be sold almost at a loss in
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