New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1907-03-31
FREIGHT REMEDY
SOLUTION IN WATERWAYS
Says Presidents appointment of a
Commission Promises Relief.

James J. HILL president of the Great Northern
Railway. taking a text the recent action or
PRESIDENT Roosevelt in appointing waterways
commission, said yesterday that through the
waterways OF the country. properly improved.
must come the much desired Improvement in
freight handling conditions Mr.. Hill said there
was little possibility of any great alleviaton of
freight congestion without radical changes in
the business world. He reiterated his statement
that 1t would take $4,000 miles of railway con-
struction at cost OF $5.5OO 100000. to relieve the
present strain through the railways alone. The
country, he said. must look TO its waterways for
immediate relief of the freight pressure
Very few acts of President Roosevelt's ad-
ministration have shown keener insight into
conditions than his appointment Of a waterways
commission" said Mr.. Hill to a Tribune re-
porter.
Here he reached into his desk, took from IT a
newspaper clipping and read this extract from
President Roosevelt's letter announcing the APP
pointment Of an internal waterways commission:
The control of our navigable waterways lies
with the federal government, and carries with
IT corresponding responsibilities and obligations
1t Is becoming clear that streams
should be considered and conserved as great
natural resources.
IF that attitude had been adopted twenty
years ago it is safe to say there would now be
no freight problem" continued Mr.. Hill. "As
President Roosevelt points out in his letter, the
products OF the Northern interior states have
doubled in the last ten years, while railroad
facilities have been increased only about one
eighth.
Now. II the government would improve its
waterways and extract from them one-ffth Of
their latent possibilities, the freight handling
problem would speedily be nearer solution than
81
bring it,"
DO you not think that the railways might
suffer from loss Of business If any considerable
development of waterways was put through"
was asked
There has been IN the past" replied the
Great Northern president. "a feeling among
some railroad men that waterway development
would be inimical to railway interests do not
think IT would, and II this idea has not already
wholly disappeared. It is in a fair way Of doing
soon. We realize that we have created in
the prosperity OF the country a condition that
calls loudly for relief. and any means to that end
would be welcome
Take, for instance. a fifteen foot channel in
the Mississippi from St. Louis to New Orleans
There is more important work for the gen
eral government than this Improvement. II
might cost s1oo,OOo,OoO but when it was finished
a single powerful towboat could pull from thirty
to forty trainloads. Heavy freight. requiring
only moderate speed in transportation. would
go to the sesboard by way Of tho Gulf and there
would longer be freight congestion between
the East and West
Business must be difused. permitting OF
transfers where land can be obtained FOR ter
IninaIs- The trafic system OF the country must
be adjusted TO this condition"
DO you mean by this that terminal enlarge
ment is now impossble?"
NO. but the expense for land is almost pro-
hibitory. In many the lack Of available
space puts enlargement out Of the question This
condition must be met by a decentralization Of
traffic. AS pointed out in my letter TO Gov
ernor Johnson Of Minnesota on January IA. there
must be more points OF export and more interior
markets. A canal down the Mississippi Valley
would do more to relieve the West and South
west than any other work thar could be under
taken"
The National Rivers and Harbors Congress-
organized 10 arouse interest in the country's
waterways. has for its aim the annual appropria-
tion by Congress OF at least s5OOOOOO0 for
waterway. improvement. both interior and sea-
coast While the Rivers and Harbors Congress
is not allied with nor engaged IN pushing any
particular Improvement. many have been sug-
gested TO 1t and now under consideration
Among the improvements In line are several
in which New Workers are vitally interested
There has been proposed an extensive dredging
operation in Jamaica Bay 10 obtain a suf-
hcient depth OF water TO float tho largest ocean
freighters. This is expected to be OF great benefit
in connection with the barge canal. 1t is pointed
out that II viii be absolutely necessary to ac-
commodate the increased amount Of freight
transfer when the canal is completed.
Another Improvement is the deepening of the
channel of the Hudson to the end of tidewater
Then there are also under consideration extern
sive improvements in Newark Bay.
Mr. Hill refused to comment for publication
on the work OF the Rivers and Harbors Con-
gress. He would go no further than to say that
the general subject of river and harbor improve
ment deserved serious consideration by the fed
eral government
ND ZYIfuF1Dn nJfsY MAI