The White Pine news. [volume] (Ely, Nev.) 1906-1910, 1909-07-13
OUR RIVERS
AND CANALS
REPORT SUBMITTED TO PRES
DENT WILL BE OF GREAT
VALUE IN MOVEMENT FOR I'M
PRovEMENT OF WATERWAYS.

WASHINGTON. July 12-Lack oil
practical and commercial unity in
the entire inland water system oil
the United States is the principal
text of Part l of the report ON Trans
%portation by Water. now submitted
to the President by Herbert Knox
Smith, Commissioner of Corpora
tons of the Department of Com
MERGE and Labor. The Commissioner
dilates in his letter of transmittal
upon the fact that while the United
States has altogether a total of about
$500 miles of river navigation of
six feet depth and over, and more
than 1000 miles of canals, these
totals are broken up into a large
number OF unrelated parts by reason
of different depths and different con-
ditfons. and that the diverse nature
of the floating equipment increases
this lack of organization. Many yes
sells are built for special traffic or
local conditions and are thus often
not interchangeable" over different,
even though connecting routes. In
general, the Commissioner shows
primarily the relation in which the
llldiu WdLCIWdyo tlItCfS anu
canals) stand to the whole trans
portation system of the country.
While waterways are subject to
many limitations, they have never
theless great possibilities; they +
not now carrying anything like
their proper share of the cOuntry's
traffic. This. the commissioner
points out, is a broad economic de-
feet of serious advantage to the n
tire business of the country, and he
gives some of the easons for this
condition.
Through freight constitutes a
great part of the country's traffic
A reasonable share of such through
freight is essential to the successes OF
the water system. Inland water
ways cannot prosper generally on
merely local traffic. But the water
system, u~norganized and divided as
it is by diversities of channels and
equipment, is greatly at a disad-
vantage in competition with the
rail system for this through traffic.
For the rail system of the country
is standardized, physically unified,
and its control largely centralized,
and is thus well adapted to handle
through freight.
The canals of the country illus
trate an extreme case OF waterway
decline. About $500 miles of canals
have been constructed. Over one
half oil this mileage, costing more
than $50, 600, 900 has been aban-
doned, and canal traffic Excepting
that of some short ship canals) has
steadily decreased.
The report also calls attention
to the very unsatisfactory condition
of water terminals a matter OF the
highest oimportance n ~transporta-
ton. Terminal improvements on
waterways is one of the first require
ments, and it entirely possible.
1t is noted that European u
trfies have in many eases distributed
the cost of waterway Improvement
upon localities in some ratio with
the special benefits received, while
very little of that sort has been done
in this country. The report also
sets forth the steady advance OF
steam over sail power, and the
| tendency toward corporate owner
| ship of steam tonnage, especially the
| larger vessels. In 1906 the average
| size of vessels owned in individuals
was 113 tons. and by corporations
526 tons. Operating expenses, SO
far obtained averaged about 80 per
cent of the gross earnings. The low
est ratio of operating costs was was
on the bulk cargo vessels OF the
Great Lakes, the highest that OF the
packet lines on the Mississippi sys-
TEN and Southern rivers.
This report will be of great value
in the present movement for IN.
telligent and exectiye improvement
of the country's waterways. II
points out the possibilities of water
transportation, the limitations exist
ing thereon, the reasons for the1l
present ineficiency, and the lines
along which action toward improve
ment can properly be taken. Il
demonstrates. finally. the ~necessit,
of dealing with the waterways undel
a broad and comprehensive plaI
rather than by localities and sec
tions.