The Richmond palladium. (Richmond, Ind.) 1906-1907, 1906-10-18
HARRIS IN FAVOR
OF OHIO CANAL
0hio'S Executive Thinks the
Waterway Would Regulate
Freight Rates.
ADDRESS AT PORTSMOUTH
OHIO VALLEY IMPROVEMENT
ASSOCIATION DISCUSSES THE
GREAT GOOD TO COME FROM
PANAMA CANAL.

Portsmouth. O.. oct 1T-More tnaa
500 delegates were here to attend tho
twelfth annual convention of the Ohio
Valley Improvement association which
opened with an address of welcome ~
Governor Harris of Ohio. Every 10y
and town in the Ohio valley was rep
resented and many men of national
prominence arrived early to partici-
pate in the proceedings. Representa-
tives of many other river improve
ment associations from other parts of
the country were also present and the
amalgamation of all the waterway as
sociations was urged.
Governor harris said:
"As transportation is the vital factor
in commercial growth, it is now an
important question for the great Ohio
vaiiey. Western Pennsylvania, West
Virginia, Ohio and kentucky originate
and move more tonnage than any SIM
liar area in the world. This tonnage
is OF such magnitude and character
as to be vitality affected by the con-
dltions for its movement. 1t is not a
dream impossible of conception, but
on the contrary. thing most prob
able. that vessels loaded in bulk on
the lakes and on the canals of this
state. and on the Ohio river. shall md
markets in the Pacific by way of the
Ohio and Mississippi river, the Carib-
bean sea and the Panama canal The
contemplation of such probabilities
only renders more imperative the need
for the generous and speedy improve
ment IT cur rivers and canals. and
only emLi ashes the fact that the i'm
Pavement of the Ohio is of the high
est importance to the whole country.
"A canal which brings into unison
the two greatest water transportation
routes in the countryside great lakes
and the Ohio-must be of vast benefit
to our people and to the whole coun-
try. BY 1t we would be put into easy,
ie.iatie and constant communication
with almost every state in and east of
the Mississippi basin. Such \ canal.
reaching with its connections from Du-
luth to the gulf and from st. Louis to
the Atlantic seaboard. will effectually
regulate freight rates and enforce fair
treatment to all shippers and this will
he accomplished without injury to the
railroads. While the railroad will be
deprived of the heavy bulky freights.
it will be compensated by the greater
output of manufactured products. most
OF which demand rapid transportation
and command higher freight rate. II
Is generally conceded that the Ohio
and Mississippi valleys will be the
greatest be .e.ciaries Of the construc-
ton OF the Panama canal, but to ex-
tend those benefits to the territory
not contiguous to the banks of these
rivers interior communication indie
pendent of the railroad should be pro-
vided."
Colonel John l.. Vance OF Columbus.
president of the Ohio Valley Improve
ment association. read his annual re-
port in which he gave an account of
the work done or In progress in the
way of locks and dams on the Monon-
gahela and Allegheny, Muskingum.
Little Kanawha and other rivers. All
the work is progressing satisfactor-
lily. The work of the survey of the
Ohio has been completed and it is ex-
pected that the mapping will be COM
pleted about November 1. The board
OF engineers will in all probability
submit it's report not later than jan
uary /, 1907, thus enabling the present
congress to consider the question Of
improving the Ohio. making a nine
foot depth from Pittsburg to Cairo.
The granting of a national charter to
the Lake Erie and Ohio River ship
canal at the last session Of congress
sets the seal of government approval
on the enterprise, and opens the way
for its building in the near future. All
friends of the Ohio river Improvement
are deeply concerned in the success OF
the undertaking as IL means the union
of the great lakes waterway system
with an annual tonnage OF over So
sissippi river system and connects the
two on the Ohio at the mouth of the
Beaver river by a navigable channel
OF at least Il feet. as contemplated by
the canal company. The fear has been
expressed that this canal would be
controlled by interests unfavorable to
water transportation, but assurance
has been given by those who have its
destiny at their command that such
will not be the case.
no Fight Flor controI OF Road
Chica4w~Ocf 17-As soon as the
meeting of the stockholders of the H.