Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1907-01-15
unlimited power for factories on the

unlimited power for factories on the
east bottoms i
THE power at the locks would be
utilized to furnish electric power to
cities and towns, small factories. cleo
trio railways, etc. 1t would seem to
me that the revenue from this source
alone should almost pay a reasonable
rate of interest on cost Of construction.
1t need not be an extensive canal to-
accomplish the purpose which have
outlined above.
"The Wabash and Erie canal. upon
whose banks I was born and raised,
terminating at Toledo, Ohio, did not
have at the time when it was carry
ing its greatest trade, an average
depth of water to exceed six feet, ana
yet at that early day boats We're car
rying enormous loads af grain.
1.-THE completion of the Chicago
drainage canal to the Mississippi
would practically afford us waterway
for the carrying of grain and other
freight from Iowa to Chicago, also to
the outlet of the Mississippi, the Gulf
of Mexico.
Des Moines Grain Center.
"The more one studies this question
and the deeper he gets into 1T, the
more he is impressed by it's practical
The almost immediate effect of the
completion of such project would be
| the making of Des Moines grain CEN
ter. 1t would encourage the building OF
warehouses for the storing of grain
and elevators for screening and clean
| ing. / believe that it would event
ually result in making Des Moines a
basing point, which would be another
advantage.
II would be opposed to the project
looking towards slack water navigation
to the Mississippi on the Des Moines
river for the reason that the expense
in the first instance would be great
and the keeping of it in repair and
damage from high water would be
of canal Of sufficient depth and ca
pacity to handle traffic in the man
ner above outlined do not believe to
be an impossible undertaking. fur
| Their believe that If the matter were
brought to the attention of the Iowa
delegation in congress and properly
presented and the showing made that
i could be made as to it's feasibility, of
| benefits to accure to the state of Iowa.
that an appropriation might be Sc
cured to help in its construction. If it
can be shown that it is feasible, see
no reason why the government should
! not lend Its aid. Large sums have been
appropriated for other like projects,
i railroads have been subsidized, good
sums given for the improvement of the
Mississippi mad it seems to me that a
I project of this kind resulting in such
great benefits to our people might
1 meet with. favorable consideration at
Washington"
!. An investigation of the cost of trans
portation by water and rail is now the
subject of much consideration by the
too zS1I zfrv,%t ox,e
has been suggested there that the
Chicago drainage canal be so con-
; structed til It by building cutoff sc
!. ships could reach the Mississippi a
portion of the big grain trade to Asia
, through the Panama canal could be
secured by that city.
Forgan's Renort.
Z In report to David r. Forgan
president of the Chicago Commercial
club, submitted by E. S. Conway
of the Chicago Commercial associa-
. ton, it is shown that the cost Of trans.
portation on the Erie canal is 10 mill:
: per ton per mile, but upon the deepen.
ing of the waterway to twelve feet tn,
expense will be reduced approximate
!, ly to one-half mill per ton per mile
!, The history of commerce in ever.
: country on the globe proves that navi
gable waterways not only afford ship
! pers the cheapest way of carrying
: freight, but also regulate charges o
transportation in their vicinity. Thu
, cost to the shipper per ton per mile TO
= moving freight by rail varies some
!, what according to cost of construction
= of different roads, but in this countr.
: such cost is included between an.
: : S.5S mills per ton per mile the averag
of all of the roads of the United State
being rs mile per ton per mile. o.
! the other hand. the average of tina
t service varies from 80 of mill on tn
: Great lakes to 4 of a mill on the Obi
s and lower Mississippi rivers, a condi
(: ton equally illustrative compared t
the conveyance by rail when coars
products are involved.
3 Mr.. Miller believes that Des Nome
: lies in strategic position. 1t is i
!, direct line with the great path of com
. merce from the great northwest t
), Asia and to Europe The rates to De
:. Moines and then south over the cana
would be cheaper than a haul by ra.
over the mountains to the Pacifi
p coast. The haul to the gulf, then u
IS around by the Atlantic to New Yorl
IS then across to Europe would be cheap
If er than haul by the Great lakes an
IS the Erie canal.
! A brilliant future is painted for De
II .Ioines if the government can be inter
e ested in aid to such an enterprise
o Mr.. Miller believes that the matte
ei Should be discussed seriously by tn
d local organizations. and when the prac
1t ticability is shown through pri1nar
'e surveys the matter should be present
l. ed to congress for ratification and a
st appropriation.