The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-09-29
LIGHT THROWN ON
RIVER NAVIGATION
REAL ESTATE BOARD DINNER ED
!, UCATIONAL IN CHARACTER.
A. L. Crocker Delivers Illustrated Ad-
dress Covering Water Transportation
in General and Dealing in Particular
with Questions Relating to Improve
nfent Of Upper Mississippi-Dralnage
Is Discussed.

nfent Of Upper Observation-Disclosures
Is Discussed.
The free information bureau Of the
Real Estate board will be
continued at Fifth street s until Feb.
/, when the lease expires. 1t may be
decided to continue the work even
longer. a
y. Barnes, the board, at it's dinner meet
ing last night at the Hotel Nicollet, de-
cided to keep the bureau open, and
standing vote of thanks was expressed
to G. l.. Sawyer for his excellent man
agement of the advertising work OF the
bureau.
b. Congratulations for Chute.
R. D. Gone presided in the absence
of President w. Y. Chute, who is on
the Pacific coast. It was voted to tel
egraph Mr.. Chute congratulations on ms
Wedding day, next Tuesday. Rental
Of wall space in the bureau to real
estate firms and other matters OF de-
tail concerning the bureau were re-
ferred to the executive committee. 1t
was reported that the committee had
already laid before the board Of tax
levy the request of the real estate men
that a 5000 appropriation for the ad,
vertising Of Minneapolis be included
in the years budget, and that the com
missioners had taken the matter under
consideration.
Upon motion Of W. B. Boardman,
who is an enthusiast on the subject,
the matter Of the drainage of swamp
lands in northern Minnesota was re-
ferred to the legislative committee to
act. The committee was instructed also
to confer with the st. Paul and Duluth
real estate exchanges, as all are equa!l%
interested in having the state legisla-
ture make the necessary appropriation
Of $4,000 to secure the survey OF tho
swamp lands.
Drainage Is Imperative.
cit is necessary to get the legislature
to appropriate $4,000 for the survey
Of the state lands,' said Mr.. Board,
man. 'sThe government appropriated
SIS, 900 to survey the Indian lands and
other states have appropriated money
to continue similar work which the gov.
eminent has been doing elsewhere.
State surveys, it was found, were not
satisfactory. This appropriation must
be secured early in the next session #
the services Of the government survey
ors are to be used. I believe we could
pet 100000 government appropria'
ton to drain the lands If the survey
work is done. That will reclaim no.
100000 acres Of good land for settle.
ment by farmers.
Light on Navigation.
The special feature Of the evening
| was an illustrated talk by A. L. Crock
er, who is prominent in the movement
to make Minneapolis the head Of navi
cation on the Mississippi. With Ian
tern slides and maps he showed thu
reservoirs at the head waters an;
Illuminated his subject fully. The ad
dress aroused great interest In the sub
| ject among the real estate men and wa
a strong move by the navigation pro
moters as preliminary to the convention
provement association n MinneapoliI
next month.
Some Of the Points.
Mr.. .Crocker said in part:
OF all the elements Of commercial
prosperity, freight is undoubtedly tn
most sensitive. It follows the line 0
least resistance, and 1t is remarkabl
how great a difference a minute chang
in freight rates will produce. Tho av
erage cost per ton a mile Of all tn
railroads Of the United States is y
mills. Last year on the Ohio and Mis-
sissippi rivers, 10000 tons were draw
by one tug boat; the empty barges r.
turned to starting point, and HAND
some profit made at a cost Of one-thir
Eof1 mill per ton per lie. The cell
DRAFTED Philadelphia engineer, L. n
Haupt, says the cost Of transportatio
by artificial waterways is about on
| .rI % hot Ixr rx1bi Ia h
open water it is lower; and that a NJ
: ton that ignores an economy Of SO p
, cent in transportation is wasting il
= resources and Imposing onerous burden
= upon it's people.
o From Keokuk north on the Missi
!. sippi river, and it's branches, up to i
. head waters in Wisconsin and MINES
ia, are numerous water power sites, a
fording cheap power for manufactu
ing. Some Of these are already ut]
, lied, but the great use is yet to con
y and it means manufacturing ar
freight tonnage: The growing indu
trial energies Of the west will be sati
fed with nothing less than the cana
s artificial waterways to bring to i
mills the raw materials and to car,
away the finished product.
d Cheap and Free.
ID The greatest authorities on earth s;
ie Minneapolis can easily and. cheap
to have an open water channel wor
Sc many railroads and free to everyboi
- Further, that when waterways a
m properly. improved, no interstate COZ
st merce commission is needed for prote
ton against undue rates. The waite
"a ways do that.