Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-09-26
TINE TO BUILD BOAT LINE
Congressman Ellis Of Missouri Urges Omaha
and Sister Cities to Act
APPtAls FOR TRAFFIC ON THE RIVER
Thinks ~ Adequate Freight Carrying
Facilities Were Created Railroad
Rates would Have 90 Adj
lust Themselves.

Referring to the establishment OF
boat and barge line on the Missouri river
between Kansas City and ST. Louis, the
weekly implement Trade Journal of Kan
City in it's last weeks issue suggests
that it is now time for ST. Joseph, Omaha
and Sioux City to act. The first trip OF
the steamboat Lora and its barge. says
that Journal, marks an important step In
the progress of the new movement for the
development OF American waterways
In the same issue are given some in
teresting extracts from speeches of Edgar
c. Ellis, a representative in congress from
Missouri and member of the rivers and
harbors committee. Speaking of the time
liness of the organization of the National
Rivers and Harbors congress then being
formed, Mr.. Ellis said:
Why, then, are Missouri, Kansas, Ne
ency. Interested in this movement? i will
| tell you why. Ii IL because II IL were
possible to give to any syndicate for a
period OF one hundred years after the
completion of the isthmian canal fran
chise affording the exclusive use OF the
missouri river from its mouth TO sioux
City, such syndicate would spring into
life and would finance that proposition IN
side Of thirty days. syndicate with
such a franchise would guarantee tnat
boats would be carrying freight from
| Sioux City, Omaha, st. Joseph and Kan
sas City to the very sea within twelve
| present the practicability of Missouri
river improvement In this way because 1
| want to make two or three observations.
| In the first place, / want TO remind YOU
| that the development Of that river as
| channel OF commerce cannot be enecteu as
q private enterprise; neither can II Oe u
| fected as a local enterprise. The fate of
| that river Is locked UP with It's control
in the general government This must
Of tSat s S either IN IN their
| ity as individuals or as sovereign states
| can finance, promote and carry forward
| that great work. The enterprise, valua-
| BILE as Il is, necessary as 1t will be TO the
| future of that country, must be financed
and promoted by the general government
| ton is this: that the value of that i'm
| proved waterway-and believe II would
be so valuable that the increase In me
| value of farm lands alone within a radius
| of 100 miles of Kansas City would twice
| pay the cost of developing that waterway
| to the sea-will not consist in the fact
the greater part or, comparatively SPEAK
ing, any great part OF the commerce OF
You Know as / know, as experience has
| taught us all. in the all-important fact
| that waterways are the only real 90
| railways and railway traffic. The dir -
benefit-the advantage o. having cheap
freightage for all that class Oh rreig !; az
/ be great, but the indirect beneft, through
competition and regulation, will be I'm
| mense, almost lmmedsuThpic'
His speech in Congress.
Last February, speaking on the rate bill,
Mr.. Ellis said:
sents, congress cannot rightly solve this
problem of transportation except II make
the Missouri river really navigable and
policy, use the German foresight, open this
waterway for the people Of that great
and Missouri and railway rates will be reg
ulated and will stay regulated. Then Tor
q farmer to have his products or manu-
sas City is to have them at New Orleans,
New York; Liverpool on the Msditerra a,
4 Hong Kong and the orient. He viii be in
Il the markets OF the world. He will hold
the key to magnificent trade opportunities.
But Mr. Chairman, this contamination
would have another effect besides this re-
cur, for Illustration, to the Mssissippi val
ley. When the rivers Of that great valley
the, Ohio, the mississippi, the Missouri and
the maps. by expert tests and standards,
shall be navlgable In fact; when the canal
lake 10 sns Snw ano
templated are completed, as they will be
some time, railway rates upon all the lines
ton will have been regulated as no law
on any statute book can ever regulate
them. Transportation rat rates for our domes;
of all, will have been leveled along all
lines, and all, moreover, will have been
wrought without substantial injury or real
injustice to the railroads themselves.
Yetter, Gets Encouragement.
Reading in The Bee w. L. Yetters dec
laration OF his intention to investIg gate
the feasibility of traflc on the Missouri
river between Omaha and St. Louis, Wal
ter Breen, citizen of Glenwood. Ia, has
written Mr.. Yetter letter of encourage
ment and has offered to buy stock in any
company which may be formed for the
purpose of establishing a boat and barge
line on the river. He also proposes, II
the project is deemed feasible, to do all
ne can to enlist the interest OF the people
of Fremont and Mills counties, both of
which are on the river