Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1907-11-23


the national government is commit
ted to a policy that will place any
navigable stream of considerable di-
mansions in touch with ocean COM
merce.
President Roosevelt is expected to
make Il strong recommendation in his
coming annual message on the sub
ject of lakes to the Gulf system
of water routes. Such an undertaking
as at present mapped out would equal
in magnitude the construction of the
Panama canal. The cost of the two
projects, it is estimated, would be
about the same. Advocates of the in
land waterways assert that they would
be of infinitely greater benefit to the
United States than the canal and that
without a comprehensive system of
internal marine highways this nation
would be reaping only a fragment of
the great commercial prestige to
which the completion of the Panama
canal entities it.
Residents, officials and leaders of
thought in Is states of the union are
already nightly interested in the in
land waterways agitation. A national
commission to measure the benefits
of the project is likely to be appointed
of the president through the Missis-
sippi valley, eliminating in his ad-
dress before the Lakes to the Cult
Deep Waterways convention, is re-
garded through the central section OF
the country as committing the present
administration to the 14-foot channel
project The annual national Rivers
and Harbors congress that is held in
Washington just before the regular
fall session of congress begins is re-
lied upon to keep public interest arous-
ed as to the necessity of the under
taking.
Chicago Canal Start.
Fourteen feet through the valley"
will be the slogan with which the adj
vocates of the inland waterways inn
provement projects will press their
claims before congress. They main
tain that all of the statistics and argu-
ments are on their side and that the
present condition of affairs in the COM
mercial world is an unerring indica-
ton that the country's future develop
ment depends not alone upon the ex-
pansion of railroad mileage, but upon
the improvement of the great water
highways of the country
What is being urged by the business
interests of the great central country
is settled policy of the improvement
that will begin at Lake Michigan and
terminate at the delta of the Missis-
sippf- 1t was for the Inauguration of
this settled national policy that the
recent convention was held in Mem
phis. This two days convention wound
up the presidents tour of the Missis-
sippi valley.
Outlay of $50, 200, 600.
Already a start on this lakes to the
Gulf waterway has begun The Chi
cago drainage canal extending from
the shore of Lake Michigan at the Chi
cago river to point between Lock
port and Joliet, ILL.,, is regarded as the
initial stretch of the great highway.
The drainage canal is approximately
SO miles in length, and as completed is
available from end to end as a navi-
gable waterway, capable of accommo-
dating vessels drawing 20 feet of wa
ter. The cost of the canal has been
approximately $50 200, 900. All the out
lay has been borne by Chicago as a
municipality, but it is understood that
for commercial purposes the city is
willing to give the national govern
ment navigation control of it.
For six miles the canal follows the
Chicago river to its head Beyond that
point it runs for 2s miles through