The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1906-10-21
THREE THOUSAND
MILES Of
CANALS
Continues From Page NIns.)

| CONTINUED From Page Ntne.)
Father of Waters. 1t Is estimated
| that this viii bring into contact with
| the coastwise canal navigable water
ways $4,000 miles In length and IN
addition thereto the whole chain OF
! the Great Lakes and their connec-
| tons.
Speaking of the plans here outlined
Congressman Small of North Caro-
lima an ardent champion of the bene-
fits of water transportation. has point
ed out that it would be entirely prac-
ticable for a feet OF barges TO go
from Chicago to the Gulf, thence os
way of internal waterways along the
coast of the Gulf and the Atlantic 10
the city of New York, thence up the
Hudson through the enlarged Erie
canal to the reat Lakes and back to
Chicago. .
."Who can estimate the economic
benefits" commented Mr.. Small, and
the industrial and commercial devei-
opment whic hwould accrue from the
| construction of these waterways, and
In which benefits the whole country
would share"
Heretofore little progress has been
, made toward hecuring the appropria-
4 tons Of government money necessa-
ry To pay for the vast amount Of dig
| cling dredging and damming that
must be done before these plans can
4 be made realities. Recently, howev-
err, new tactics have been adopted
/ Cooperation has become the watch
word Bodies like the Interstate In
land Waterway League Of Texas and
Louisiana. other waterways associa-
tons, boards OF trade, commercial
clubs etc. are going into the move
ment headed by the National RIVERS
and Harbors congress, which mas
made the establishment of a liberal
policy toward waterways improve
ment the reason for It's existence.
This congress hopes to secure the
passage of an annual river and narDor
hin CARRYING at least $4,000, 900. Con-
gresham Ransdell, chairman OF the
executive committee Of this organ1za-
ton is himself a member OF the COM
mittee on rivers and harbors OF the
house of representatives. Chairman
Rurton and other members Of that
hearty endorsement to this move
ment have repeatedly pointed out that
the advantages OF river and MAJOR
improvement are to the commerce and
industry of the country as VINO e
and that all sections. those remote
from waterways as well as those sit
mated directly upon them, are vitality
interested in putting these means OF
Transportation in the best possible
condition.
Some idea Of the expectations OF
commercial advantages attached TO
the completion Of these coastal canals
NAV be gained from the statement put
, forward by advocates Of the canal
protected along the Texas and Louis
lana shore that this alont would bring
about an annual saving OF freight
charges amounting to $685. 900 and
that It would cause an increase or
population In these states from 3,0OO.-
; 900 to 10000, 900. For the canal from
Norfolk to Beaufort Inlet the claim
lis made by the commercial bodies in
tertsted that 1t would mean ans an
nual saving to the commerce between
Baltimore and Jacksonville OF 10000
900 and that the commerce anected
t amounts to 4,500, 900 tons Of the val
[ ne of s225, 900 900. For the Cape Cod
Canal it is estimated that it would
pay 10 ptr cent on an investment OF
/ $4,000 900 to the private interests
projecting its construction and that
= more than 100000 tons of freight
year would be transported by this
route.
, OF he proposed waterways as a
means of national defence there has
been no more earnest advocate than
/ Senator Morgan of Alabama. Such
) is the CONFORMATION of the coasts OF
the Atlantic and the Gulf Of Mexico"
says he, land Of the interior waters
that are distributed along the entire
: ltngth of this wonderful system, that
; lit is our good fortune to be able, at
t a low cost, to give an interior mouth,
in addition to its present exit to the
, ocean. to every navigable river be-
, tween Cape Cod and Florida and be-
twetn Florida and the bio Grande;
J and thus to connect all these water
: courses by means Of ship canals that
will be safe from invasion by any
foreign power and from the dangers
Of ocean navigation.
'gn these channels, now almost
i; completed by the hand of Nature, 1t
} will be found that our naval defences
will be strengthened by war vessels
OF light draft that will enable Us to
j dispense with many great ships Of
: war that would otherwise be neces-
sary even for coast defences OF to
preserve a sea power that would
! equal, IL it will not dominate, that of
I the greatest maritime powers"