Devils Lake inter-ocean and Devils Lake free press. (Devils Lake, Ramsey County, N.D.) 1905-1909, 1907-06-07
MISSISSIPPI RIVER
Wlllxbe Oredged and Converted into
a NavigatabIe Stream

from St. Louis to the Gulf. AL
of them were deeply impressed
with the possibilities held out by
the Father of Waters, but each
expressed his surprise that there
was so little traffic on the great
stream. In, fact they found the
river almost deserted, and mar
veled at it until the true reason
was made plain.
From Chairman Burton down,
the members of the commission
openly expressed their astonish-
ment that there were so few
boats plying the river, and espe-
ciallybetween the cities of Mem
phis and New Orleans, where
the channel is sufficient to &C
commodate large steamers. In
investigating the causes of this,
the committee learned from wit
nesses whom they had aboard
the government vessel in which
the trip was made, that the rail-
roads had managed to goble prac
tically all the traffic on short
hauls betweenMemphis andNew
Orleans and intermediate points.
The cost Of loading and unload
ing the vessels at the wharves on
these short hauls would eat up
the great savings in freights. 1t
was shown to the commission
that what was needed was a
stage of water in the Mississippi
from St. Louis to the Gulf that
would permit the vessels now
engaged in the trade between
Memphis and New Orleans to
continue as far as that point and
up the Ohio to Pittsburgh. There
is very little freight originating
at either New Orleans or Men,
phis for the adjacent territory,
practically all the raw materials,
the principal of which is cotton,
going to the mills and factories
in the north.
Charles J. Blanchard of the
reclamation service, and men,
Der Of the Inland Waterways
commission, explained on his re-
turn the manner in which the
railroads had paralleled the riv-
er route with their lines and had
taken up almost all the available
river frontage for the establish
ment Of terminal facilities. Mr..
Blanchard said:
What impressed me most
was the absence of traffic
from the great river, especi-
ally from Memphis down,
where they have a good
channel. The most strik-
ing thing to this situation
was the manner in which
the railroads have simply
skinned the river route by
paralleling it with their
lines and @hogging' the wa
ter front at all important
landings for terminals. At
Vicksburg we actually had
to throw our line over a rail-
road track and tie to it, and
if train had come along
we would have been cut
adrift no the Father of Wa
tiers. Another fact which
impressed me was that the
river interests have not
seemed to progress with the
times in the way of develop
- n1ent, while the railroads
have expended an astonish-
ing amount of money in bet
terments,-better engines
and rolling stock, better
terminals, and better facil-
titles in every way.
The commission held ses-
sions daily. General Mac
Kenzie had his district cap
tains in charge of the work
along the river come on
board and give testimony
before the commission as :.
~ we travelled along and ex-
i plain the particular work
upon which the government
+" was engaged in their dis
tricts. All of this testimony =
was taken by stenographers
and will be transcribed for
the commission, so that they
may study it before a report
is formulated.
Among those who testified OF
board the government steamer
was Captain J. F. Ellison Of Gin
cinati, secretary Of the Nationa
Rivers & Harbors Congress
Capt. Ellison for years was &C
u 4 L L.