The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1907-12-01
WELCOME BY ROOT
Secretary to Open Rivers and
HarbOrS Congress.
DIPLOMATS AMONG SPEAKERS
French and German Ambassadors
Among Those Expected TO Address
the Convention on Waterway Inn
provenent - Many Distinguished
Names Among the 5000 Delegates.

Secretary Root is formally to open the
National Rivers and Harbors Congress on
Wednesday. This was decided yesterday
at ii conference between the Secretary
Of State and Congressman Joseph T.
Ransdell and Capt J. +. Ellison, presi-
dent and secretary. respectively. of the
organization.
Ambassador JusseraRd also will be one
of the speakers at the opening session,
and his address will deal with the devel-
opment of the waterways Of France
The list of speakers is IL notable one.
The governors Of a half score OF States
will address the convention, as viii prom
inent business men and big shippers from
throughout the United States. Ambas-
sadOr Won Sternberg will also talk on
the rivers. canals. and harbors of the
Fatherland. which probably has brought
this especial system of transportation TO
higher state of development than any
other country.
In fact, the waterways OF Germany will
be much in evidence during the three
days Of the convention. Oscar p. Austin
chief of the Bureau Of Statistics. is to
I T a ~.
Of Boston. who has just completed an in
vestigation Of the rivers and canals. will
give lecture at one of the evening ses-
sions. the lecture 10 be illustrated with
SjereOpticOn views. and Judson g. Well
lYer. a wcll-known Washington news
paper correspondent, who spent two
months abroad this summer investigating
Germany's waterways and railways for
the government. also will report the re-
suit of his trip.
Many NOtabies 10 Attend.
Many notables are 10 be present 10 take
part In the deliberations Andrew Car
negie, whose love for water led him to
give a uade-to-order lake to Princeton
"a short time ago. will come at the head
Of a delegation from the Pittsburg Cham
Der of Commerce. Far-oG Washington.
Oregon. and California are sending their
representative men. and Secretary Ellison
yesterday received a telegram. dated at
Houston. Tex. from former Gov. George
G. Pardee. OF California. declaring the
special car containing the delegation from
lower California was headed this way
One of the interesting characters who
win attend is Capt Alexander McDougaII.
forty years has been a captain on the
Great Lakes and has amassed a fortune
in the carrying trade. He is the inven-
tor Of that queer type of craft known as
the whaleback. Capt. McDougaH has
lived 20 see the traffic borne on the inland
seas grow from practically nothing TO the
enormous total OF II. S26O03 net tons. as re-
ported In the government figures for Oc-
to1ar of this year
Big Railroad Men Here
* most significant feature Of the con-
v,atioa viii be the presence of three heads
OF big railroad systems. W. ". Finley.
of the Southern; James j. Hin. Of the
Great Northern. and NJ Z. Ingalls,. of the
Cleveland Cincinnati Chicago and ST
Louis. Mr.. Finley has announced the sub
ject of his address as The economic re-
latiOnShip between waterways and rail
ways. The topic on which Mr. Hill will
speak has not yet been made public. Mr..
ingalls, has not yet signihed his intention
Of taking an active part in the pro-
gramme, although no is registered as a
delegate from Cincinnati
The presence Of these railroad magnates
is interpreted as a public denial that the
railroads are in any way opposed TO
broad and liberal national policy of wat !
orwoy5 improvements. This opposition
undoubtedly existed in the past. when
the roads were physically able to care
for the traffic. but now the steam lines
realize the crying necessity for an auxil@ /
larry system Of transportation
Endorsed by }. }. Hill.
Mr.. Hill has been especially outspoken I
In his Endorsement Of the work Of the
National Rivers and Harbors Congress. |
y few days ago i'm the course Of an adj /
dress in Kansas City he pointed out that
while business was increasing from 10
10 T. per cent annually, railroad mileage
was being added To only at the rate of
- per cent Within decade Mr.. Hll
forsees stagnation in business. with ali
its attendant ills, unless some added
means Of transportation be developed TO
market the immense increase in the prod /
uctS Of field, factory, and mine
Others who will speak at the gathering !
are Chief Forester Pinchot. Chairman /
Burton. of the Rivers and Harbors Com /
mittee Of the House; Senator Newlands. /
Lieut. Gov. A B. Davidson. OF Texas: !
Lloyd Z Chamberlain, president Of the /
Massachusetts State Board Of Trade; DR. /
n. q. Bullock. Of WaIla WalIa. Wash. /
and Leroy Percy. OF Greenville. Miss.
Secretary Ellison declared last night 4
that 2,235 delegates were registered with
hlin, ana that every mail was bringing in .
more. who announced their intention Of j
being present. In Mr.. Ellison's opinion .
there Will be 5000 delegates registered be- 1
fore tie opening session on Wednesday.
and Of these il is believed that upward OF /
200 will be present in person