Los Angeles herald., 1907-03-10
WATERWAYS BRING
DECLINE IN RATES
Recognition by Government of De-
mand for Steady Improvement
of NavigabIe Rivers Bene-
fits Commerce
Special to The Herald.

Special to The Herald.
WASHINGTON, March "a re-
markable tribute to the potent infiu-
ence of waterway transportation on
freight rates has been offered in a re-
port just filed with the senate by Sem
ator Elkins Of West Virginia. The re-
port nominally was submitted last
June, but was Immediately withdrawn
for further elaboration. 1t is COM
prehensive treatise on American rail-
roads and contains exhaustive tables
which tend to show that freight and
passenger rates have steadily decreased
in the last twenty-five years.
According to Senator Elkins' figures
American freight rates today are much
cheaper than rates charged in other
countries and the decline since 1900 has
been more complete. The report says
that American railways carry freight
for rates that average but Ella per
cent of the average charged in France,
62. 80 per cent of that in Germany 6O.S2
per cent of that in Austria, 6l.29 per
cent Of that in Hungary, about 80 per
cent of that in Italy and about 80 per
cent of that in European Russia. since
1890 American rates have declined 1918
per cent, French rates 1854 per cent
and Germant rates $3.50"
It is recognized that the decline IN
rates abroad is not so great as that
in the United States for the reason that
foreign railroads are engaged almost
entirely in hauling high-class freight,
their rivers and canals being so highly
developed as to admit or loW-class
freights being carried thereon. To this
fact is attributed the wonderful manu-
featuring pre-eminence of Germany.
That country not only is thus enabled
to transport it's grains, ores and coal
\ k41
load its manufactures direct in ships
for Transportation to foreign countries,
avoiding the heavy tolls enforced by
railroad carriage and permitting Ger
man manufacturers to land their wares
abroad at the lowest cost for trans
portation-
Another vital factor in this decline
in railroad rates is the rapidly growing
sentiment in this country in faVor or
developing the navigable waterways or
the United States The country has
been aroused by the vast sums saved
to shippers by reason of water trafhc
on the great lakes. In this particular
a recent government report showed
that on the amount of freight carried
on the lakes during the season OF 1906
shippers of ore, coal, grain and lumber
alone were saved in freight charges the
enormous sum of $305. 100000. These
figures are based on the amount OF
freight carried and the fact that rail-
road freight tariffs are six times as
great as lake transportation charges.
In his recePt address in the house on
the rivers at harbors bill Congress-
man Joseph R. Ransdell of Louisiana,
who is also president of the national
rivers and hsfbors congress, said:
"It is a fact established beyond dis
pute that water transportation costs on
an average b. this country only one
sixth as much as transportation by rail.
and whenever waterways are thorough
Iy improved not only does a large
Quantity of freight move thereon at
rates only one-sixth as high as those
by rail, but the rates on competing
railroads are very materially reduced
and for every dollar of the peoples
money invested by congress annually
in the improvement of our waterways
at least two dollars a year are saved to
the people in reduced rates"