The Mitchell capital. (Mitchell, Dakota [S.D.]) 1879-1918, 1908-02-28
"BIG MUDDY IS NAVIGADLE;
HAS GREAT POSSIBILITIES
Jones'. of Missouri talks Entrta"d"gy OF the Physical Features and History
theM isauiR River ando What tsln ovenmtM Means the Peopeo of the Middle
west-Longes steamo Q" the American Continent lit Navigation Is Feasible.

plonghed its waters. Why not use IT
now? One year ago Kansas City procurea
Louis to Kansas City. The experiments
were successful. The boats made the
trip from St. Louis to Kansas City. load
Wheei backward and during last year
regular freight and passenger service was
inaugur ma After the successful eXreri,
the river and harbors committee of con
gress and ask for an appropriation to
moved from the river and shore lights
provided. When the committee under
STOOD that we asked the appropriation in
trouble In getting their cooperation and
an appropriation was accordingly made
boats were started on the first work they
nave done IN the river in many years.
Ihe people arc now awake. to the great
of navigation on the Mis-
souri, IT promises TO usher in an area OF
been seen TN the great West.
Does Water Control the Rates7
We We're confronted with the question
as to whether or not water transports
ton controls rates: We think there can
p, no a tign 9ata on this question: tic but for
Wash. The rate to Spokane is Si.21 and
the rate 70 Seattle. $50 miles further on.
merchants of Spokane are compelled to
pay the rate to Seattle and back TO Spo-
kane or a distance of 500 miles that their
freight does not travel.
Another case: On certain classes of
piece goods. the rate to Denver. Colo. is
ss.24. The same goods are hauled through
on the same train across Two mountain
ranges and TO California; and San Fran
cisco for 81 per 100 pounds. Why are the
rates less to Seattle and San Francisco?
Because they have water competition.
Compare the rates to lake points or river
points and the results are the same. Min
are no further West from New York than
Kansas City. They have an advantage
class freight which makes an enormous
saving IN one year for these cities over
Kansas City.
New York and Baltimore enabling ships
Of lo.G0 tons burden to load with wheat,
saved &c q bushel on ocean freight rates
on wheat: 4 saving to the farmers of this
country in one year OF more than $780,
GO0.0G0.
MIR. ,Pilsbury.. the great miller OF MIN
great regulator of rates on flour. He fur
ther says it does not matter so much the
amount shipped by the river, as the fact
that the river is there and can be used III
necessary.
AS soon as the lakes freeze up IN win
ter, freight ia tes on the railroads in that
vicinity go up and they as promptly come
down when lake navigation reopens.
Advantages Accruina From Improve
ment.
The best way to arouse sentiment in ia
vor of All Improvement is to show the
benefits sure TO accure from it. For eX-
of the Missouri. the 14-foot in the Chicago
canal. the great lakes and the la-loot Erie
canal. AT the average freight rates Of
congressional district of Kansas would
have received for its 1905 wheat crop over
100000 more than at the prices paid.
II u,ri,Jj y,nf Iayy0 l~N- A,-4
one buShei of this wheat actually move
to New York az this rate. The fact that
it could, would make the price for the
of the state and adjoining states. Wheat
IS sold on the worlds markets, and the
price of wheat in Kansas or Ne
pool, less the cost of transportation. Re
ducins the rate raises the price. regard
less Of the ultimate disposition OF des-
tination of the product.
What it Means TO the Farmers.
To bring the Illustrations OF the gains
In this district q little closer home. Ill
may be said chat one county. Sumner.
would nave gained in 1895. $500, GOO, ar 1;
per apita of 2D.W for not only the fam
lies Of the farmers but for the resi-
Other counties of the same district would
$4,000. ~SN ~
among many. What is true Of the Kan
SOS county named is true, IN Il greater
, OF less CeTTCe, OF the whole static and of
other states as we'll.
II may. be difficult to realize Just what
this would mean TO The farmers families.
ed over the whole trans-Missouri whca,
growing region TO the jobbers and mama
fa a of the cities. lt would near
bound freight rates on the produces sold
to the enriched consumer. adding this
l TheTc s Is TO bs to eo his gsaer ,, big P p" o .n:
HANGED price of Other farm products as a
: result OF the reduced rates to their bes,
markets. With this also would go a big
advance in prices of farm lands. so tina
, the poor man in kansas today may fine
himself made rich by the Improvement OF
) the Missouri river.
Economic Value of Waterways.
!, Some idea of the losses to the farme,
and tho effect on the value of propert.
. remote from the seaboard. may be seer
r from the statistics of the vs.lun of cerea
crops on the farm as furnished by tht
agricultural department for a period O.
, ten years. 1T will be seen that the area
! Of least value is that most remote from
: the seaboard, and that the cost of trans
portation must be deducted from tn,
price at the farm that he product ma,
q fore. the. nearest bort would be the nat
ural outlet for the products of any 10
t nali5y + Mmst th by m a brier to o a SinSse stat'
I In 1871. the state of Kansas prodnccs
ss,o79, so4 bushels Of wheat. while Nebras
\ than in Nebraska, the price under tn.
law Of supply and demand should hav'
been lower. but It, was S cents higher
City and Omaha. the principal shipping
n points of these states. 1t is found that I'll,
t former is "a miles nearer Chicago and ]
= miles nearer st. Louis and by water it 4
$50 miles nearer the river route to New
Orleans. SO that this gain in 5 cents pc
I bushel for that year. on a yield of 18.
v bushels per acre. represents u net rev
5 enue Of 92.5 cents per acre over Nebraska
4 | Had the entire STA tie heRu ECpyn i'm whea
: it would have produced an addit,ona
t revenu of nearly $50, OK, 600. The actua
" return or this crop above that for Ne
Q brasFa was nearly 5000 900. Kansas re
s ceived &c more per bushel on her corr
and &c more on oats. making n total ne
h gain of nearly 81, 000,N 600. while ON he
crops Nebraska lost over 81, GEO, 600 be
g cause of her geographical position wild
a reference to waterways. The area o