The San Juan islander. [volume] (Friday Harbor, Wash.) 1898-1914, 1907-12-14
ROADS OVERTAXED
DEVELOPMENT OF WATERWAYS
ADVOCATED IN SPEECH
BY J. J. HILL.
c,vs Railroads Have More Traffic Of
tered Than 1t Is Physically Possible
- HandIe-Several Other Addresses
~ Rivers and Harbors Congress.

lilo feature OF the rivers and harbOrS
oongress convention, in session in this
oitv was the address delivered by
lanes ]. Hill, president of the Great
vorfhern Railway Company, who was
irtroduced to the congress as "a wiz
ard of transportation and one of the
groatest railroad builders in the
world Mr.. Hill created great enthu-
siasm among the $500 delegates by
5ocIaring that the railroads of the
country would support cordially any
nroper plan for the development of
tbe legitimate ways of the United
ctatps. He produced figures to show
that the traffic of the country had be-
come so great and was increasing so
tremendously that it was beyond the
nbvscal power of the railroads TO
handle it. He made most import
ant and significant statement of the
attitude of railroad men toward legis-
lation which has been directed against
rail carriers in America and declared
that all the railroads asked was per-
mission to conduct their business in
\ proper way, under fair regulations
and fair laws.
Notable addresses also were deliv-
cred to the congress by governors of
states and by other men prominently
identified with the political and COM
mercial life of the nation. Among
those present at the sessions of the
convention were scores of members
of congress, upon whom it was the de-
sire of the convention that it's ideas
be particularly impressed. The con-
vention concluded it's work Saturday
by the adoption by a series of resolu-
lions Incorporating it's idea that a
comprehensive national scheme for
the improvement of the internal wa
terways of the country should be crys-
talized into law.
Duluth Made by Canal.
James J. Hill, president of the
Great Northern Railroad Company,
said it was a canal which made the
city of Duluth the. third largest port
in America. ut follows" he said,
that we must prepare to utilize the
waterways of the country as common
carriers, and to this end one of the
projects that we must see carried to
a conclusion is that of a ship channel
from st. Louis to New Orleans, of at
least depth of fifteen feet, and
eighteen feet would be twice as good.
While the traffic of this country is
increasing at the rate of IL per cent
annually, the ability of the carriers
of that traffic is increasing only two
and one-half per cent per year. 1t
would be necessary for us to build inn
mediately $4,000 miles of new rail-
roads in order to adequately meet the
traffic conditions of the country"
Mr. Hill said that such a task, I'M
der present conditions, would be al
most impossible on account of the diff
hculty in obtaining proper terminals.
the necessary cash with which to con-
Struct the roads and the labor with
which to build them. 1t was evident,
he said, that more points of export
were needed and that these could be
obtained through the utilization of the
waterways. He believed that the con-
Struction of ship canal between the
lakes and the gulf would do more to-
ward relieving the traffic congestion
OF the Northwest than any other one
thing
Rail Capacity Exhausted.
Calling attention to the fact that
turing the past few years the increase
VI railroad mileage in this country
LAD been 22.7 per cent, while the in
crease of traffic amounted to 1854
per cent, Mr.. Hill said the wonder was
mat the entire business of the coun-
Try had not been paralyzed, because
Tie railroads nearly had exhausted
nelr resources for public service. He
pointed out, too, that freight rates
'onllnually were declining, while
wages and operating expenses were
Increasing. This, he believed, was the
ieason for the withdrawal of much
'apltal from railroad building, and he
Saiu that it would be necessary IN
sumo way to remove this lack of con-
Nuehce before much could be done TO
pfomote railroad construction.
IN seeking relief" said Mr.. Hill,
We naturally must turn to the wa
.1f~ays of the. country, and I believe
eiat they are able to emerge into an
eia OF great usefulness. The over
aAed railroads must be supplemented
" every possible method OF water
.alalSportation. Nature has indicated
ua' the commerce of the great middle
.est should be carried, to a large ex-
S snt' by the Mississippi river, and TINS
asnWay constitutes the most naturai
ga snlt out of our present transportation
dilemma"
MT Hill said that ihwould be neces-
sary to provide a sufficient channel
wi the carrying of vessels OF large
Capacity.
No craft that floats" said ne.
"uich carries only 1000 tons, can
~mpete with box car, but with e
m aalt of 10000 tons the situation IS
Mastered"