The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1906-11-16
Will Urge Digging of q Ship
Canal From Lake Mich
lean To Gulf.
To IMPROVE THE STREAMS.
All Tributaries TO Mississippi River
ca Come in for Attention of New
Formed Association.
CANAL ~ ALREADY STARTED

st. Louis. Mo. Nov. 16.-By the
election OF II. s. Conway, OF Chicago
permanent chairman, and W. F.
Saunders, OF ST. Louis as secretary,
the step toward permanent organiza-
tion OF the Lakes-to-the-Gulf Deep
Waterway association was taken at
the first days session OF the water
ways convention.
More than a thousand delegates
representing % states bordering on
the Mississippi river and It's trbu-
faries were present.
Addresses were made by former
Governor David X. Francis, of Mis-
souri,: Congressman Henry r. Rainey.
Of Illinois. and Thomas c. wilkin-
son. president OF the Upper Mlssls-
slppl River Improvement association.
Congressman Rainey said this
country had been divided into spheres
Influence by seven great railroad
groups which do not infringe upon
each others territory.
I'VE cannot regulate freight rates
by legislation" he continued. "The
only way OF improving the railroad
rates is by opening out the great ma
tional waterways to commerce by
making the channels navigable to
boats capable OF carrying thousands
OF tons OF cargo"
A committee was appointed TO
prepare an address to the public en-
bodying the best means OF securing
deep waterway from Lake Michigan
10 the Gulf OF Mexico. This address
will be submitted tomorrow.
The chief object OF the convention
is the restoration OF river transporta-
tlon by deepening the channels. thus
bringing boat transportation into
competition with the railroads. The
permanent body will work through
the river improvement associations
OF the upper Mississippi, the Ohio.
the Missouri and the lower Missls-
sippi. as we'll as various CONNER
cial bodies. to secure appropriations
from congress for the improvement
OF the internal waterways of the
country.
According to the reports of the
officials OF the Business Mems league
under whose auspices the convention
Is being held. the work OF construc-
ing a waterway from the lakes to the
gulf has already been half accom-
piished without cost TO the govern
meut. by the completion OF the Chi
cago sanitary and ship canal. Con-
gress will be urged TO complete this
work by making a fourteen foot chan
mel connecting the canal through the
Illinois river. with the Mississippi.
In preparation for second conven-
tlon at Washington. ID. c., December
and of the National Rivers and
Harbors congress the executive com
mittee OF that body Is circulating 1T
erature setting forth some interest
ing facts designed to develop wide
spread interest in the movement for a
comprehensive Improvement OF the
waterways OF the country. Exclud-
ing the seaboard. according to the
statements OF the committee. the
United States has 43.799 miles OF
navigable waterways. of which 299
miles are the Great Lakes. 10000
miles the Mississippi river and Its
tributaries, and 25 600 miles other
rivers. Since 1920 the United States
has expended $40 900 900 upon Its
waterways, during the past twenty
years an average of about $4,000
600 annually, and during the past
ten years an average OF about $19,-
$50 900. Holland France and Bel
GUM, which have an aggregate Of
1890 miles of waterways, or about
one-sixth as much as the United
states. excluding the seaboard, have
spent more than 81. 760. 900 900 on
such improvements. and the policy OF
foreign countries in this respect In
contrast to that Of the United ststes
8. = !. N. . 7 4. = /. q 1 Z. .. y. n . :. !. y. !.