The Paducah evening sun. [volume] (Paducah, Ky.) 1906-1929, 1907-07-10
OBJECT LESSON
IN WATERWAYS
What Development of Ohio
Would Do
Benefit To This Section From I'M
provement of Channel in
Mighty River.
FOR ENGLISH STREAM

Washington, July 10.--An illustra-
ton OF what waterway development
will do for the interior cities of the
United states. once the government
gets its proposed program under way,
is found in the latest number of
" Derrick's British Reports" the stand
ard authority on trade statistics in
England. The publication, copies of
which have found their way here. sets
forth the marvellous commercial rise
of Manchester since the opening of
the Manchester canal. Incidentally,
it is shown that in one decade the
waterway has far more than paid for
itself, although the initial cost
reached the vast sum of $75,000, 600
Manchester lies 50 miles from the
sea, on the banks of the Iswell. For
years the manufacturing town was
forced to play second fiddle to Liver
pool, which boosted splendid docks
that drew the trade of the whole
world. The citizens of Manchester
however, undertook campaign to in
duce the British government to canal
lie the river and thus give her access
to the sea.
The British authorities scoffed at
the idea that the Irwell, an insight
cant stream, could be made an ave-
niue of connection. They met every
petition with GOODNESS and derided
THE belief of the Manchester people
That the canalization of the river
would be of benefit, not only to Man
chester but to all England In the
early stages of the fight the citizens
found the same apathy and lack of
general knowledge of the subject that
obtained in this country when the
national rivers and harbors congress
first took up and agitated the ques-
ton Of well-defined program of inn
lprovements by this government
Finally however. the Manehes
citizens won. The British govern
lment determined, in order to still the
lagitation TO canalize the stream. Fiji
I teen million pounds sterling, or about
SIS .O00. 900 was expended and the
wisdom of this investment was proved
almost with the opening of the canal
in 1892. Prior to that time Man
chester exports were sent overland to
liverpool and transshiDped, a slow
and expensive method that effectually
kept down the export business of Man
chester. In 1895. three years after
the opening, the immediate effect OF
waterway transportation was appar-
, emf in increased trade. In that year
the value Of exports of yarn and
cloth alone, had risen to $2SS,79G,-
100. while in 1905, ten years later
they had totalled $Ss4035, 1G0. Thus
, in decade the canal so stimulated
trade as to force an increase Of 1920
2sS,s7O
1t ever has been the contention OF
the national rivers and harbors con
gress that Manchester's experience
with waterway transportation will be
duplicated in this country. once a sys
,tematic and scientific development o.
the rivers and harbors is undertaken
The prediction has been made, time
and again. that the immense tonnage
of Pittsburg- greatest of any cit,
in the world-would be vastly in
creased were the Ohio river made
fully navigable from the Smoky Cit!
|. to its confluence with the Mississippi
The towns lying along the strean
would be stimulated by this traffi
and the new transportation opening
afforded their factories, mines AM
: farms.
Evidence is multiplying to prov
that the federal authorities are awak
b 'ening to the necessity of adopting
vigorous policy with regard to rive
and harbor development work. Pres
ident Roosevelt gave the movement
powerful boost when he named tn
INLAND waterways commission, an
congress is expected to frame anothe
4 large appropriation bill at the comm
Il session. only in this way can tn
a work be prosecuted vigorously. TO
4 niggardly appropriations. it has bee
= found, are costly. A little money
a spread over number of project
a Renders it impossible to complete
4 its entirety any work, with the r'
q isult that in complete contracts hav
3 been the order in the past, and fund
\ have been expended that brougf
n hanaffg 10 none