Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-11
to get hearing before the reorganlxed
commission when 1t meets this fall
Water Transportation q Factor.

In this connection there IL the question
OF water transportation to be considered.
1t has been the defense Of the railroads
many times. when they were mailed before
the interstate commerce commission for
giving discriminatory low rates to some
shipping point. that 1t was necessary to
meet the water competition" NOW this
is an interesting point to the Washington
shipper. Washington has one of the most
and 1t opens the shipping road to the
whole Atlantic seaboard. But Washing
ton has never felt any of The benefits OF
competition worth mentioning. and one OF
the things that the shippers VIII see IS
whether or not this water line cannot be
made OF more avail to the south.
1t Is rot definitely known that there is
any combination of interests against freight
cut OF Washington by rail or water. IL
was brought out forcibly in a recent hear
ing before the interstate commerce COM
mission that there was a very strong COM
hination of the railroads. 1t Is said, to pre-
vent coal entering Washington from Nor
folk or Newport News by way Of the river
at any less rate than 1t would be hauled
from the miEes by an all-rail route. But
The virtues of the water outlet for. freight
are easily susceptible OF proof, AMI 1t y
possible. If the existing facilities are not
enough to supply the city's demands IN
that direction that new steamship inter-
ests may be induced to break into the local
trade. In this case, 1t Is contended. Wash
irgton would be In even a better positic n
to serve the southern coast towns with
merchandise than would Baltimore or
Philadelphia.
Great Falls Water Power.
Along with the movement to have Wash
ilgton become a greater commercial city
there is desire to make use Of the Great
Falls as source of power and to estab-
lish MANY factories as possible on the
Virginia side of the river outside the line
of the District. 1t has been pointed out
by many people interested in the shippers
project that while 1T may be possible to in
duce some of the larger jobbing houses to
locate here or to put branches in Washing
ton, the city has an enormous market for
supplies with the government departments
and there Is no reason. 1t is declared. why
advantage should not be taken of the al
most limitless supply OF power at the falls
to establish a large line OF factories using
electricity as motive power outside the line
of the District. where they would have no
deleterious effect on the city as place OF
residence.
1t is pointed out that these places would
furnish employment for a large number OF
people and would be just in line with the
movement to make Washington more i'm
portant shipping point and would practical
ly force from the railroads the very con-
cessions that the shippers are anxious to
get.
mere mas Deen no organized enOrt To-
ward utilizing the power of the falls any
more than the nebulous talk that is heard
ever the subject every now and then. But
it is quite possible that with the move
ment to form a shippers association the
project will take on new life and some
thing definite may be done.
The shipping movement is now coming
to a head Applications are being pre-
pared in an effort to bring several of the
larger jobbing houses to Washington, and
it is thought that with all of the more
important firms of the city interested in
the movement that the applications are
more than likely to be successful.