The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1908-10-02
IMPORTANCE OF INLAND
WATERWAYS CONVENTION
Meeting to Be Held at Co
lurnbus, Ga, On Novem-
Der 8 and 10, Will Be Vast
Benefit to Southern States
Interested, Says Chas. ].
Swift.

ways Association:
1t is no mistake to say that the Gulf
Coast Inland Waterway convention,
which meets In Columbus, Ga, on the
9th and 10th of November, is the most
important convention of its kind that
shall have. up to that time, met In the
south for the benefit of the south
am not unmindful OF From the Lakes
to-the-Gulf Waterways Convention
which met in Memphis last year and
will have its annual session In Chi
cago in October, and at the banquet
incident to ii, both Mr.. Bryan and MI.
Taft will be present. This is all very
well, since both the republican and
democratic national conventions have
spoken most strongly In favor OF
systematic plan for the development
of our inland waterways, and Tor
which it is proposed that the govern
ment appropriate S50,O00O0O ANNUALLY.
In comparing the convention at Co
lumbus with that held at Memphis, L
recognize that this latter had a super
Tor claim to magnitude in that it in
cluded all the Ohio river and lakes re-
gion, with that along the Mississippi
river from Cairo to the gulf, which as
the representative of the public opln-
ion, is the advocate of the inland
waterway from the Great Lakes to the
gulf. But the Importance OF getting
to the gulf, is not a supreme induce
ment, confined to any one city on the
gulf, but including all those cities con-
nected by an inland gulf coast water
way, having its first great beginning
in a most economically constructed IN
tercoastaI waterway and canal from
the Apalachicofa river TO New Orleans
The later route. is primarily the OBJ
iect of the Columbus convention: but
in itself, it is q mere segment OF the
Atlantic inJercoastal system from New
England and across the Florida PENN
suIa and thence by short connection
with that part starting from the Apa'
lachicola. thence to New Orleans and
thence the same system continued
along the Texan coast.
Commodore Vanderbilt was wont to
say that he did not care who owped
the railroads, if he owned the ter
minaIs. From the Lakes-to-the-Gulf
waterway and from the Ohio river TO
the gulf via the Mississippi river or via
Paducah, up the Tennessee river TO
Guntersyille, Ala, and thence by ca
nal already surveyed to connect the
Tennessee and Coosa rivers, from the
Coosa to the gulf in more than one
way, can he encouraged, fostered and
because of the vast benefits
which will be produced, in the large
ness and cheapnesS of tonnage, by
barge transportation.
When we consider the Tennessee
and Coosa river countries by them
selves, or in connection with the BiTm-
ingham and Admission districts, their
resources for coal and iron are fabu-
Ious. A canal from the Tennessee to
the Coosa river would place all the
region of the Tennessee and Coosa
rivers, from which it's greatest pientl-
tude of coal, iron and timber would be
derived, on a water route all the way
from 500 TO 1000 miles nearer to the
gulf down the Coosa river than by any
other way.
The Coosa river from Gadsden to
Wetumpka, Ala, Is a favorite river for
development by United States govern
ment engineers, because it is the high
est classified river in the United
States for the making of water powers
by locks and dams, and steamboat
and barge navigation at the same time.
All of the people and cities of the
Tennessee, Coosa, Tallapoosa, Ala
bama, Flint and ChattahoOchee rivers.
are deeply and vitality interested in the
Columbus convention, not only Tor
what it directly proposes, but for the
interior river connections that must
be had with an inland
waterway from the Apalachicola to the
Mississippi river, at New Orleans
The Columbus convention will be
prepared to show in the different ad-
dresses to be delivered, the waterways
in the south, which are entitled to aid
of the national government as no other
convention has ever done
1t is proposed TO carry our facts and
figures to Washington to show that ma
ture has maSnificently endowed the
south, with rivers and harborS. too
long neglected by the national govern
ment, but which are no longer to be
ignored, or excluded from those
bounties that have been given So
much more generously heretofore to
other sections of the union.
This Gulf Of Mexico is called the
Mediterranean of America 1t is our
maritime vestbule to the Panama ca
nal It's entire coast. by its bays, land
locked channels and estuaries. from
the Apalachico1a river to the Missis-
sippi, would require only about %
miles of canals, to connect these two
could ply with tonnage twice as great
as the largest ocean steamers can
carry.
Mr.. Henderson, secretary, and Mr..
Waterman. treasurer. are doing splen-
did work for the success of the Gull
Coast Inland Waterways convention
to be held in Columbus, Ga. on the
9Th and 10th of November. It will be
a history-making event. Mr. John
Craft of Mobile. is the president. Mo-
bile will have browning advantage
in case Of the success OF this water
way project.
Hotel rates In Columbus for rooms
will not exceed normal prices. Good
NAV be secured at
100 per day Res, aurant facilities
are ample all over the city.
The mayor. board OF aldermen,
board of trade, and all our citizens
viii act the part of hosts, by showing
the Electric City of the South, where
those large diversified enterprises
by hydro-electric energy from
the Chattahoochee river. will be OF
great interest TO the delegates and
meoers OF their families who viii be