Los Angeles herald., 1907-08-07
WATER TRAFFIC

"HEN the subject Of drainage
wv canal for Chicago was preached
the railroad interests fought it
desperately; when the Panama canal
was purchased the same interests ham
pered the movement, and now, in every
conceivable manner, the same influences
are at work to delay construction. The
members of the river and harbor i'm
provement committee of congress could
tell Of similar leagued opposition to all
and any legislation aiming to furnish
water transportation, and the trail Of
this poisonous influence is so plain in
the United States senate that it's MEM
bers may readily be divided into rail-
road and anti-railroad men, the former
largely predominating.
The reason for all this lies in the fact
that when the Panama canal is open
for traffic all trunk lines east of the
Mississippi will lose traffic or cut rates
to meet competition by water enough
to lessen value in their stock and cut
dividends to a reasonable figure. When
the Chicago drainage canal is widened,
deepened and free to the Mississippi
the trunk lines in territory west of the
river will meet the same fate, and their
managers know it. To stave off this
day of jubilee for the people, ands to
squeeze the last possible dollar in exor-
bitant rates, is the policy of the roads,
and 1t accounts for all the opposition
they have made.
In the nature of things in America,
it has been possible for railroads. under
questionable methods, to literally con-
chase of ocean steamship lines on
water Also and no relief was possible
till these great waterways were brought
into the matter. The same conditions
obtain in all European countries where
there is not adequate water transporta-
ton. Consul R. B. Mosher of Elizabeth,
Cape Colony, in his last report, says:
The cost of transporting galvanized
iron from England to Natal, 1000 miles,
is $6O7 per ton. The charge by rail on
the shipment from Natal to Johannes
burg, 493 miles, is $2677, or more than
four times as much, although the dis
lance by sea is nearly fifteen times as
great. From and 10 the same places
barrel of cement costs SO cents and S4.7S
These figures are enlightening and
bear out the contention made by
the national rivers and harbors
congress, which has discovered that
the difference between rail and
water rates in this country is prac-
tically as great, water transportation
on the average being one-sixth of that
by rail, and on the great lakes much
less. This saving to shippers in the
United States would be much greater
were the waterways of the country de-
so as to admit of steady navi-
cation. The national rivers and har-
bors congress is working to this end,
and it is urging upon congress the
necessity for appropriating $5O,0OO,0OO a
year to prosecute such work.
With the canals mentioned open and
other canals made deeper and wider
the day of the railroad buccaneer will
be gone, and the consumers-the poor
not have to pay for the
yillainous and wasting pleasures of the |
1t is possible, too, under a reduced
rate of dividends and earnings that
will pay more attention to
rolling stock, roadbed and equipment,
for the earnings will necessitate halt
IN the almost continuous performance
Of deadly collisions and derailings, as
it will be cheaper to keep things in
repair than to furnish new ones from
moderate income. Open up our water
ways!