The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1904-08-27
WATER ROUTE
TO LIVERPOOL
For Shipment Of Flour From
Minneapolis is Proposed
MISSISSIPPI CHANNEL
SHOULD BE DEEPENEO FROM ST
ANTHONY FALLS TO CAIRO
EQUAL TO TEN TRUNK
LINES.

| he subject which the Minneapolis
| nillers will breach 10 the COMPRESSION
| il committee on rivers and harbor!
ghen II visits Minneapolis. says III
Times.
It IS 4 scheme that appears eminent
practicable and its accomplishment
sonld moan much, not alone to thu
nillers but TO all The producers OF the
northwest.
BY such a route the cost OF ship
nent would be greatly reduced and II
would open The markets of Europe tC
much valuable produce that is practic
lily barred by the present high rate
II freight of the eastern trunk lines.
the project would mean the estab-
ishmenf of a river and harbor and
ocks IN the western shores of tho
Mississippi river and the opening Of Q
ayigaBle channel between that point
nd s. Paul Of sufficient depth to
oat barges drawing four feet OF wa
er.
The opening of the channel would
ecessitate very little expenditure OF
oney ana would take little time, A
inlmum depth Of five feet would be
Efficient for the needs Of navigation
nd the water has been a greater
apth than that a portion of the way
1t would be necessary, however. to
lean out the snags and rocks which
.e at the bottom of the channel and
a littla dredging at some points.
A line of barges and tow steamers
,fic!ant 10 the needs of the mlllers
ring tho experimental stage could
obtained by an outlay of 100000.
hey woulI cost little to operate.
kesponsible men. experts in he
roblcm of water transportation. have
CURED some upon the subject and
" that line Of barges carrying TO-
10 tons Of -four could be sent from
Minneapolis TO New Orleans in ten
avs ri q maximum cost of $50 per
az.
This would cut the cost of transport
ton On flour. allowing reasonable
roat for the owner, TO about one.
1urth the present rate charged by
terminating trunk lines for carry.
1g wheat by rail and iwater 10 the
ttlantic coast.
The river would be nayigable for
bout seven months in the year Rec.
,rds show that Lake Pepin, below St
Paul. which controls the ice in the up
YER river, closes Nov. q, and opens
april ~ on the average. Steel barg
s could operate through thin Ice
or month longer.
At New Orleans the -four could re-
main stored in the barges until load
1 on steamers. There would thus be
storage charges.
The cot Of loading the flour on
arg Is from the mills in Minneapolis
oull lot exceed cent per 100
ounds. The cost of transportation
rom New Orleans 10 Europe is some.
that in excess of the rates from the
AtIanlic seaboard but the difference
less than that between river rates
md railroad rates.
Governor Van SAINT Is a firm beliey
In the future Of Mississippi river
-anspol tation and in an interview re-
nlly he said:
Il thiak the plan of sending flour on
rgss TO New Orleans is feasible.
never realized the value OF the
er UT fl the railroads became over
led End were unable TO handle the
in ag atisfactorily at the rates for
erly made ON the products of the
0rthwast, but now that the trunk
mes to the east have become longest
with traffic il is time for us 10 turn
0 the river.
Enough work has been done by the
laticnal government To make the riv'
II nayigable for light-iraft barges, but
he channel should be further improv
j betN cen Minneapolis and Cairo {
make barge navigation a decided sue
.ess. II the appropriations asked fol
" FIVE Of the great states Of Illinois
Missouri. Wisconsin. Iowa and Mime
'ota. can be obtained. we shall have
I sixfoct channel in how water from
II. Anthony Falls to Cairo. The river
5oulh from Cairo Is of sufficient depth
At present. when the Improvements
asked for are made steel steamers
with huge barges can be taken from
10 New Orleans. transfer
fling at that point to ships for all parts
Of the world. breaking bulk only once
The Father Of Waters is the natural
outlet for the product Of the great
Mississippi valley When the Panama
canal Is completed the Mississippi
river is destined to become the great
st artery Of commerce in the world
in he near future in my Judgment. the
river will return to its former glo
~. Il is fact that wherever there il
a deep waterway traffic will go. Take
for instance. the port of Dliuih las,
year. Since the great Improvements
In the 500 canal The commerce CT the
lakes has grown steadily and las
year. an informed, the tonnage from
Duluth AMI the other cities at ID
head Of Lake Superior exceeded The