The Cairo bulletin. (Cairo, Ill.) 1???-1928, 1905-06-05
DREDGE BOATSFOR
THE OHIO RIVER
THEY COULD MAKE GOOD STAGE
or WATER TIE YEAR ROUND
AT NOMINAL COST OF ONLY
$4,000.

T J, Ea. Guenther writing for the
OwneshOro. Messenger says:
"Tae importance OF Immediately
aredg ng the Ohio river from Cincin-
natl % Cairo cannot he ovorestimated.
Two drelgo boats at a cost 20 the gov.
ernmen OF not over SIS, j1O for their
work. viii make the Ohio river navig.
able the entire summer. for boats that
dgaw four feet of wale- and lei rs
have such water craft running regular
Nv which viii he a great benefit to ali
the commerce taaJ depends directly
ana inlirec ly on the Ohio river for
the transportation of rs goods, ware
rlercnand Sc, farm products, live stock
2tc If the government, win keep
dredge boats in The part of the river
that is not locked and damned il
win gyea ~ benefit millions Of people
and win 90 more good for the amount
Of money expended by the federal
government than any other sum OF
sums expended By them at any time.
It viii show greater returns for the
investment than any other expendi-
ture the government couil undertake
Every person residing along the
Inc Of The river snonld petition the
government through Is congressman,
senator's or other proper persons to
Immediately pur the dredge boats at
work,
1T Is understood that the govern
mont nos two dfedge boats now in
The Ohio river neither Of which IS az
work and it costs tho governments
about as much to maintain t1esc
lreoce boats in dleness as fG 3hey
We're II work SO tnai it would require
bus Etle additional expoas1 for lie
federal government To eivo to the
people at least four feet Of wa3cr pend,
ing he passing Of appropriation bills
and Tao raising Of funds to lock and
dam the river from Pittsburg 10 Cairo.
tit is already locked to about Gin
matt 50 tAat the principle work
that needs to be done is in the shall
low places, particularly below Louis
vile, Ky.
"Iris estimated hat a permanent
stage of four feet Of water from Pitts
burg to Cairo would be worth to the
commerce. of the Ohio valley and the
people hi 1t VINO DO business along
it's stream, a nfill'on dollars d year
while a permanent stage Of nine feet
would BE sHch a great Benefit that you
ooull not compute its real value. Even
a four-faot stage would be a. vast benz
eft to tho peopla along THIS stream
fhat depend on tie Ohio river 10 have
their goods transported More than
that, It viii prevent the railroads from
aking advantages Of the low water
stage ana viii tend to prevent their
advancing tie rates and will in fact
be the means Of making the railroads
rates stable and lower than they are
at The present time On account Of per-
nanent water competition. The PEG,
pie Of New York city know the value
Of water competit on The New York
legislature passed an act at IT'S last
session authorizing The expenditure Of
$t01 COOS 400 to increase the size Of
the El1e canal running through the
state. II Is now proposed to connect
he great lakes with the Ohio river
d Or near Pittshurg at the cost Of
$25,009000 and il is estimated thar
With short canal about 105 miles in
langth They win be able to make
$25000.800 per annum out Of It's oper-
alton from the time Of It's completion
If that be The case the figures eomput-
ed on Che Ohio river traffic when we
get q permanent stage Of water Of
nine feet would stagger one. IT would