The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-10-22
FROM

Decatur q. .. Q. S6 26 E 3O.2 Sheffield :. ...129 26 13 2O.1
 Average rate per ton per mile from Sheffield and Decatur, 25.1 mills.
 In these tables flour and grain rates are used as illustrative of the compari- son of rates on western products.
 The rates from Memphis and from Nashville for both 1907 and 1908 are given. The raises in rates from these and other Ohio and Mississippi river crossings into this territory. effective August 1, 1908. could not be applied from crossings on the Tennessee because the Alabama max imum rate law prevents the charging of higher rate between points within this state than was effective January 1, 1907. On this account the rates from Nashville to Birmingham are for the first time in years higher than from Decatur to Bir- mingham. Prior to August l, 1908, the rate from Nashville to Birmingham, POT miles, was the same as from Decatur to Birmingham, S6 miles, though in haul ing from Nashville to Birmingham the trains come through Decatur and travel 121 miles further.
 It is made clear from this table of rates that it is impossible to bring into Alabama any western business via Sheffield or De- catur in connection with transportation on the Tennessee river.
 The cost to get the tonnage from the 1 Tennessee river to Birmingham is as great as to bring it twice the distance from Nashville to Birmingham. and there is no part of the rate left to pay for the haul by boat up to Sheffield or Decatur. By examining the column showing the rate per ton per mile' it will be seen that the rate from Tennessee river crossings is more than twice the average rate from other nearby Ohio and Mississippi cross ings. The rate from Tennessee river crossings is made to prevent business rather than secure it and to force the business through the other gateways. | If these Tennessee river crossing rates were made on a basis of reasonable re- turn to the carrier. and allowing to them even considerably more per ton mile than from Nashville, Louisville or Cincinnati, the result would be lower through rates from the west to Birmingham, and the ability to distribute through Tennessee river towns in this state western products to a wide area in Alabama and southwest Georgia. The present arrangement pro-
 hbits the use of the Tennessee river , drives Alabama business to distant cities and makes of Alabama towns local sta- l tions far distant from Cincinnati and other present recognized "gateways." Should we not have our rates made on a reasonable basis from and to our near est natural gateways and let distant gate ways compete, if they desired, rather than | as at present. have rates made from dis tant gateways and the local gates shut to prevent competition?
 This is the situation; if it is reasonable it should remain untouched, if not it should be as speedily changed as possible in order that Alabama interests may have the advantage of what is proper and reas- 1 enable.
 In all my discussions I have used the Y, grain and food rates from the west to illustrate the freight rate conditions be- ] cause these rates have recently been under investigation, and I am familiar with them.
 i An investigation will likely develop many discriminative conditions in other ! rates, especially in rates on finished ar- tcles manufactured in this district or which could here be profitably produced and distributed if rates were made on | parity with the rates from competing | points
 1 With the exception of Louisiana, Ala l bama has more miles of navigable streams than any state south of the Ohio river, and the distribution of these streams is such that practically no section is more than 100 miles from waters which can 1 support transportation to and from the | great central section of the United States l and the entire eastern and southern coast l of North America and thence to all for eign countries.
 l The beautiful Tennessee river crosses | the entire north end of the state and per | mits water transportation through the l Mississippi and Ohio rivers with our great | central system of interior waterways and down the Mississippi to the great gulf port of New Orleans.
 | The Alabama, Tombigbee and Warrior 1 rivers coming up from our own gulf port | of Mobile gives the central and west sec l tions of the state outlets to all the mari time world and it's connecting ramifica- | tons of inland waterways. The Chatta- l hooche, navigable on the southeast border l furnishes connection for that section to the Gulf of Mexico; and the Coosa in the 1 north and east central sections, now navigable in its upper reaches, is being 1 improved by government locks and will finally have its upper navigation extended to a connection with the Alabama and
 Tombigbee rivers
 Of this waterway system the Birming- | ham district is most interested in the
 transportation conditions on the Warrior | and Tennessee, since the Warrior is an | avenue for heavy coal and iron tonnage | to cheaply reach downstream the sea- 1 going ships of Mobile; and by the Ten nessee, avenue for the heavy tonnage l food products of the west to come close to l our doors. The boats and barges south | bound laden with food can return to the | grain fields and cattle farms with heavy | tonnage iron, steel and their manifold | finished products.
 1 On account of the railroad policy os l the past 15 years business on these water | ways has grown less than ever.