Los Angeles herald., 1906-10-28
Mature Helps

ners, Cape Hatteras and Diamond
Shoals
Mature Helps
Nature has largely provided pro-
tected way south from this point to
Jacksonville, Fla, running via VIII
mington on to Cape Fear, ', N,inyah
bay, Charleston and Savannah. Only
slight excavation and deepening Of ex-
listing channels remain to be accom-
pllshed on this section of the route.
From Jacksonville a canal has been
projected across the peninsula of
Florida to connect with the Gulf of
Mexico. In the southwest a great
movement is gathering strength to urge
upon the national government the con-
struction of a canal 700 miles in length
from the Rio Grande along the coasts
o. Texas and Louisiana to the mouth of
the Mississippi. Senator Morgan of
Alabama has further forecast the ex-
tension of this canal via Mobile and
Pensacola bays to Florida, there to
complete the encirclng chain of water
by connecting with the cut across that
state.
The people of the Mississippi valley
are clamoring for the execution of a
project for which the plans are already
drawn which shall give nine-foot
channel from the great lakes ii the gulf
via the Chicago drainage canal and
the Illinois and Mississippi rives. Pro-
jects are likewise under way for the
widening of the Mississippi to it's
source and for the Improvement of the
Chic, the Tennessee and lesser tribu-
tarles Of the Father of Waters. 1t is
estimated that this will bring into con-
tact with the coastwise canal navigable
waterways $4,000 miles in length and in
addition thereto the whole chain of the
great lakes and their connections.
Speaking of the plans here outlined
Congressman Small of North Carolina,
an ardent champion of the benefits of
water transportation, has pointed out
that it WOULD be entirely practicable
for fleet of Larges to go from Chicago
to the gulf, thence by way of Internal
waterways along the coast of the gulf
and the Atlantic to the city of New
York, thence up the Hudson, through
the enlarged Erie canal to the great
lakes, and back to Chicago.
"Who can estimate the economic
benefits" commented Mr.. Small, land
the Industrial and commercial develop
ment which would accrue from the con-
struction of these waterways, and in
which benefits the whole country would
share?'
Little Progress so Far
Heretofore little progress has been
| made toward securing the appropria-
| tions of government money necessary
| to pay for the vast amount Of digging,
dredging and damlning that must be
done before these plans can be made
realities Recently, however new tao
tics have been adopted. Cooperation
has become the watchword. Bodies like
the Interstate Inland Waterway league
Of Texas and louisiana. other water
ways associations, boards of trade.
commercial clubs, etc, are going into
the movement headed by the National
Rivers and Harbors Congress, which
has made the establishment Of liberal
policy toward waterways Improvement
the reason for Its existence.
This congress hopes to secure the
passage OF an annual river and harbor
bill carrying at least $500000OO Con-
gressman Ransdell chairman Of the
executive committee of this organiza-
tion, himself member Of the COM
mittee on rivers and harbors Of the
house of representatives; Chairman
Burton, and other members Of that
committee, all of whom have given
hearty Endorsement to this movement,
have repeatedly pointed out that the ad-
vantages OF river and harbor improve
ment are to the commerce and industry
OF the country as whole. and that all
| sections, those remote from waterways