The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1906-06-22

A. z. Croker, the Minneapolis mem
Der of the executive committee Of the
Upper Mississippi Improvement asso-
citation, returned today from two
days trip down the river and was
pleased to find that in his absence a
strong local interest in the river as a
freight outlet had sprung up.
Mr.. Croker has been for many years
a student Of river navigation and of
in making Minneapolis river port and
has always been an enthusiastic advo-
cate Of river freight for Minneapolis.
He is now engaged in preparing two
exhaustive papers on this subject for
T h J ournal. The first, which will
appear shortly, will deal with the navi-
cation side of the problem, the second
will cover the question of terminal
facilities at Minneapolis. Both papers
win be based on facts and figures never
before made public. 81. IS ~
~ Awakening Is General.
IT am greatly pleased to note the
| birth of interest in the river among the
shippers Of Minneapolis, said Mr..
Croker today. It was something of
| surprise to me to return after the
| two days absence and learn from T h e
J our a that there had been a gen
eral awakening to a realization of the
mighty possibilities offered by the
| river. .....@- E z-..M,
Improvement association, which will be
| held in Minneapolis in October. With
| this new interest in river navigation
| this convention promises to be the most
| important in the history Of the asso-
| citation. - rs..,.S - = <.S5&*
Compete with Railroads.
The Upper Mississippi River I'm.
provement association, now in it's fifth
year, has for it's purpose the bringing
| about of a condition of affairs that 1t
! is believed will be beneficial to, the
northwest. 1t is working. to bring
| about improvements that will make pos
sible the use of the river in competl-
ton with the railroads.
+ The Commercial club, which took an
| active part thru its representatives at
the last meeting Of the association IN
/ La Crosse, Wis, last October, secured
Minneapolis and plans to take an &C
tive part in it's affairs. Representatives
from every town or city of any I'M
portance along the river from Bemldl:
| to st. Louis will be in attendance. The
! interests represented in the association
| working thru their congressman anC
others, can exert an immense influence
toward bringing about the desired i'm
provements that, in turn, will make pos
sible the use Of the river as CONNER
cial highway. e.. ~-z'. 'r>+f<
! Already there is prospect Of com
petition for the Minneapolis traffic
Eastern builders, especially along thu
Ohio river, are planning the construc
ton Of steel freight boats.
Il Return Cargoes Possible. ~
Under. the new condition Of things
/ return cargoes will be possible. Whe1
I the re-esta blishment of the river ser
vice was first considered, some years
ago, the one great drawback was thu
lack Of suitable cargoes for the return
With the falling off Of the lumbe
production of the northwest, the south
ern lumber has come into the market
4 This single item alone will goa Ion.
7 distance toward solving the return-tril
problem On the shorter hauls from
the. middle river to Minneapolis Hi
nois coal, which is now a strong com
petitor in the northwestern market wit
+ eastern coal, can be brought up as re
turn freight. :-s.7> ~ S' .....Ft s.
| -, Cotton Will Come North. Is /:
The most ardent supporters Of tn
plan see a great prospect ahead for tn
northwest in further, nfanufacturin
4 possibilities. Minnesota, tt is argued
is plentifully supplied with water pow
= ers. With the establishment of tn
!. river service there will be no reaso
why the cotton manufacturing industr
may not become one Of the great in
dustries Of the middle northwest. :
The raw product from the south ca
| be brought up on steamers that hav
carried down grain and flour. The el
pense of landing it here will be les
3 mills, and with cheap power there
, no reason why the industry should nc
thrive. - ....<' ~