The Salt Lake tribune. [volume] (Salt Lake City, Utah) 1890-current, 1907-03-30

Internal transportation in the United
States, like ancient Gaul, is divided in
10 thrcc parts. These are country roods
and pixies. canals and natural water
ways, and railroads To the optimistic
student of commercial problems, each
Of these methods is of equal Importance
and should be so regarded by the wise
aud benevolent Government when II
chooses to make concessions or dIstrb
ute favors. But to the majority OF
people the dirt roads over which the
farmer must always wagon his gram
or cotton, or the lumbcrman carry his
logs, are matter of small considera.
ton, and the canals and rivers are on
interest only to those whose territory
they cross. IT is the railroads that are
looked upon as the steel-bound depend
ency when goods arc 10 be sent, or a
q. distant place visited Yet the railroad
traffic OF the 2l5,000 miles of operated
roads in the United States is only twice
as great per ton as that of the internal
waterways. including the Great Lakes.
The United States experts annually TO
foreign ports 2l,000,000 tons Of domes-
lie merchandise, of q value approximate
ing $1,000 100000, yet this tonnage Is
less than the amount that goes through
tho Detroit river in the eight months
that ii is open TO traffic; IS hardly
half rs much as that carried by the
Hudson river; is less than that which
passess down the Mississippi valley;
aud is only three times as great as that
Of the Monongahela, which is classed
as ''sIack water" stream.
Henry Clay opposed the granting of
land for the opening OF the Saulte
Sainte Marie canal, because it was 90 be-
yond the pale of civilization; yet the
cities Of Duluth, Superior. Ishpoming,
Marquette, and Ashland exist because
it is reality. 1t carried last ; year "a
total net tonnage of about 23,OOO,ooQ
tons, About 1900 vessels passed
through taking eastward 20.0O0,0o0
TONS of wheat. 30,000,000 tons of other
grain, and 500,000,000 tons Of merchan.
disc. including copper and lumber. Dur-
ing the eight months Of the year that
it is not ice-lockcd, the 500 has trai-
fc equal 10 three times that o. the
Sucz canal, ten times that of Manchcs-
ter, and eight times. that Of Ne 1t
is claimed that If this system Of trans
portstion were abolished, the cities II
built would Immediately die, because no
system Of railways could handle the
enormous amount of products from the
forests, mines and farms that depend
upon it. Even if the railways had the
necessary tracks, The price would de
crease the profit and the opportunities
for growth. The cost of transportation
by canal is only onc-third of that by
railway, and in open water 1t is even
less. IT is figured that with proper ca
nal facilities connecting the navlgable
inland streams the Nation could save
siyty-siX per cent on the present cost
Of TRANSFORMATION. Think what such q
saving would mean 10 the people of
this country.
When Consul General Mason invcSti-
gated the question OF transportation In
Germany, he declared that under ideal
conditions q nation would see that Its
raw materials. such as coal, ores, TIM
her, stone. cotton. grain and crude ma
torla!s, we're carried by waterways, as
haste was not so necessary, while the
perisbables, smaller packages, and pas
sengers should be carried by railroad.
lie argued that the one method OF trans
portation should supplement, not sup'
plant the other. The value OF tarm
or mine or a forest is based not only on
what it will produce for IFS owners
bnt also on the cost of transporting
those products, the Gearness Of railroads
and canals fguring largely i'll the esti-
mate Hauling overland hy teams costs
per ton for one mile % cents: on rail
roads ~ cents; by canals, "A; and by
lakes less than mill mile. The
Pennsylvania railroads charges of II
cents per ION mile were probably the
highest we have ever had.
In comparison with this the rates by
boat are ridIciHouslv small. \ train
must be loaded rapidly. and often the
cars are not full; a boat or shin is not
so pushed for time and invariably car
ries full cargo \ ship costs one
fifth as mich as train of cars equal
10 its carrying capacity. it lasts longer,
and its running expenses are much less.
At last accounts the average cost OF
moving freight in the United States per
ton mile was S.j22 by railway (cXciu-
siye of the cost of management, struc-
tuTe, etc.): by steamer on the Great
Lakes it was Sl35, and on the canals
a trifle more than the last, a difference
that will be minimized when steam mo-
tive power is used. Boats carrying
2700 tons &c from Duluth to Buffalo in
three and a half days at 2 cost of $l20
a day, or $.0l5 per tor mile.
Foreign exports and imports equal
onlv FIVE per cent or our interstate com
mcrc". On our $4,000 miles OF naviga.
hle rivers we are carrying more than all
Europe on her 10000 miles Of perfected
WATERWAYS. One steamer going from
takes tow Of thirtv-two bnrges of
coal, holding 100000 bushels, and TAX.
IN" fifteen davs for the "trip. TO do the
same work it is figured that 100 freight
trains of sixteen cars each would be
needed. and that they would have to
work all summer To deliver the coal
This is said TO save in freight 100000
John G. Calhoun in famous address
said: " Let US bind the vrepublic to-
gethcr, let US conquer space by a per
feet system of roads and canals - The
partial fulfllment of his dream is found
in the long inland voyages one may
make, going now from Pittsburg TO
Western Montana by river, distnnce
of 1900 miles, equal to that from New
York to st. Petersburg, From st. Louis
to New York City the water route fol
lows course that nature FIRST planned
aud man inacnicusly perfected by
means of nrtiicial channels From tho
Mississippi INFO the Illinois-whIch
modern ingenuity has made to empty
at IFS source instead Of It's mouth
through The Chicago Drainage Canal. up