The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1907-10-10

g. - ~ w bAAAu 0R ~ VA1S eshes . 80
erous national policy for public i'm
provements which will rapidly de-
velop to their utmost capacity all va
terways on seaboard, on lakes and in
the interior.
Lyman E. Cooley, Of Chicago, spoke
as follows:
The lakes and gulf waterways IS
to extend to the seaboard through the
core of the continent, north across
twenty parallels Of latitude from
the tropical border to the Canadian
shores Of Lake Superior. 1t is part
of trunk route thirty-three hundred
miles long via the great lakes, from
the Gulf Of Mexico to tn Gulf Of st.
Lawrence.
"The engineering and financial re-
sources are adequate to such an un-
dertaking.
"The feasibility of any desired
depth between Lake Michigan and
the Mississippi river at st. Louis IS
no longer a matter Of dispute.
"It is now conceded that the meas
IRE of the route as ~no,e turns on
what is is feasible to d. with the mid
die Mississippi between st. Louis and
Cairo.
"Tha CALF Level reaches inland
three supdred snn.s, and carries deep
water practically to the mouth Of the
Rcd River, 20 that the lower Missis-
sipp; for purpose Of Improvement re-
duces to the seven hundred and six
ty-four miles between Cairo and the
Rcd river.
"The low water season with depths
Of less than twelve 10 fourteen feet
averages about one hundred and TWEEN
ty days. 1t is now recognized that
caving banks must be axcd in the IN
tcrest Of lcyee maintenance 20 insure
the development of The enormous
wealth in alluyial land, and better
channel will work out under fixed
banks.
"Certain abnormal developments
in low water slopes as compared to
high water are recognized, as IN the
New Madrid, Plumb Point and Lake
Providence, and it IS assumed tina;
these may be corrected without dis
turbing the regime Of the river as a
whole.
"What effect will follow such cor.
.ective measures can not be stated,
but it is assumed that the depth Will
be sufficient if aided by hydraulic
dredging in extreme cases, to give
such scale of navigation as may DC
desired until ine state Of the cngi-
neering art shall offer something bet
fer. In any event, the propos.'t treat
NETT is a condition precedent tc whas
ever shall follow.
nWhaa may be done on the mid
die Mississippi: is the crit,non Tor
the entire -oute. The existing pro-
iect IS % secure minimum tcpth OF
eight feet by moderate regulation.
When the Joliet level and the Chlea-
90 harbor shall be properly worked
out, the Chicago canal can be readily
enlarged to three times the present
capacity. The low water volumne IN
the middle Mississippi can thus be
doubly and the corresponding mini
mum depth will be sixteen feet and
22-23 feet at mid-stage.
eff a depth of "a feet throughout
the year be possible to the lower Mis-
sissippi, or if it shall become posi-
BILE with the growth Of engineering
art, then there is justification Tor
making the rock cuts and permanent
work on the northern section to that
liimt in order that no barriers shall
be constructed to arrest future de-
velopment.
eff "a feet at mid-range is produc-
ed in the lower Mississippi with some
thing more for a half the year, and
something between that and the mini
mum for the other half, commensu-
rate waterway demands "a feet IN
rock cut and permanent works on the
northern section Of the route.
GIVE are not to measure the future
by the present state Of the engineer
ing art nor by our mental limitations.
We are to think of the lake and gull
waterway as the most difficult hall
Of base line for a continental wa
terway system. We are to think OF
it further as an extension OF the sea-
board in fact, through our richest do
main and into the great lakes, and II
we now restrict our efforts to some
lesser development, our policy and
our design should comprehend the Ill
innate end.
1--WE can not properly develop the
interior with our present continental