The Pacific commercial advertiser. [volume] (Honolulu, Hawaiian Islands) 1885-1921, 1907-11-18


would be a saving of 10 cents ton
an 0 e0o 600 tons of freight and the rails
ing OF the stage of the water all the
year round. Can we afford TO spend
$500. o00. 900 on the rivers? We can
The saving Of the freight on wheat,
coal and lumber. would soon pay Tor
II IF we can save the difference be-
tween one mill and IS mills ton
over the railroad rates on the 18.7oo,-
GOO oo9 ton miles last year, it would
amount to nearly $4,000. 900 a year. I
ask the aid Of Congress TO forward
the werk."
CONSERVATION OF SOILS.
DR. W. ]. MCGEE, of the Inland Wa
terways Commission and the United
states Bureau Of Soils, read one Of the
strongest papers Of the day, taking
for his subject the conservation OF
soils He spoke OF the prodigious
quantities of the richest soil matter
annually borne away in the current
of rivers and streams. It is estimated
that the Mississippi river carried 70
the Gulf of Mexico 400, 900 tons, or
two Panama Canals full each year.
some years ago. since the estimate
was made the floods have increased
the amount and 25 per cent. more IS
carried now. The Mississippi River
has a great area and every year there
is carried into the sea a billion tons
and over 50 per cent. Of the total
value Of the richest soils of the fields.
It cannot be appraised at less than
a dollar a ton-a billion dollar loss
each year swept into the sea- II
would cover BAT, 900 square miles an
inch thick Our rivers are carrying
soil into the sea in an amount equal
TO the value of the freight carried on
them. What other country than this
could stand it? How can 1t be reme-
died? Clear water does not erode the
banks but loads it with sediment and
IT erodes How to control il is the
rrobIern. The streams. If clear, viii
not cut channels. make bars or flood.
Another point: water. which forms
sixth-sevenths of our bodies. has great
value in other ways and the funda-
mental value Of all values is water"
Speaking of the great interior plain
of California, DR.. MCGEE said: The
characteristic of the Sacramento VAL
lev people is inorduately monumental
modesty. But have never met res
/ ident who realized it's Potentially 1t
contains $4,000. 600 acres of the finest
/ land on the face of the earth, with
/ a splendid climate and sufficient
rainfall TO mature crops. and the world
! has no other such valley It's re-
| sources are not utilized. It has run
ring wster. tie discharge Of two
rivers. with 40 900 second feet and an
I average fall of 1000 feet. It has 50,000.-
600 horsepower available, worth Dill
| lion a year. or the interest on twenty
/ billions of capital-more than is the
/ Invested capital of all the railway lines
| in the United States and equal TO al
/ the gold extracted since the days Of
| ''4e'.''
Z CONSERVATION OF MINERAL RE
SOURCES
7 A Holmes of she United State
Department of Agriculture spoke OF
The Conservation of Our Mineral Re
sources He alluded 10 the remark
OF DR.. MCGEE on wastefuIness Of soIl'
and water and Mr.. Pinchot on waste
fitness Of forests, and said we mus
realize that We are q wasteful nation
+ He laid emphasis on the rapid exhaus
ton OF the visible coal supply tn
destruction Of this coal is that of
resource Of the future as well as tn
present We are used TO thinking o
coal deposits as inexhaustible, but w
have heard today that It VIII ali b
gone in thirty years. In fifty year
the great deposit Of anthracite viii b
gone. These deposits we're all perfect
ed before man came on earth an
{ N
I replace them. But how IS the coal
be extended? We are using il up g
that in the next ten years the amour
used will be more than in all the year
: before. We can not stop II because III
population of the country Is CROWN
50 fast There is no known subst
tute TO supply the want Forest fu
: and natural gas can not be depende
: upon and many Of the oil deposits al
I disappearing Other sources are III
i certain We must. then, look ID COZ
. servation Of fuel for the future or q
: ! hausti0n viii be permanent. The n
4 / ton will need a continuous and chea
: fuel supply Il can not get II fro
I others. Our prosperity depends upc
fuel. labor and raw material. y
:. must have the latter If we would ha7
!, prosperity
Z / CONSERVATION OF WATER RI
SOURCES
!, NJ. Q. Leighton. United States H.
: 7rographer. addressed the Congress
: The Conservation CT Water r
2 Sources
i We are looking toward the da
. when our rivers shall become as east
: and as effectively managed as the X
4 ter in the distribution pipes Of a mo-
= err city. This is the highest col
= ception Of water conservation, 81
. when It Is accomplished. the probe
p Of Hood prevention. navigation Irrig
: ton. water power and municipal 81
X ply win have beer solved. There
= only one way 70 conserve water a.
= that IS 20 lock Il up Each river bas
e should have its reservoirs Of eapacit1
II sufficient u the greatest foods and
n managed that thev viii be ready dg
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