The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-12
LACKS SYSTEM
SAYS SMITH
Inland Water System
Not Unified.
COMMISSIONER ROW REPORTS
Gives Plans FOX Improving Water
ways Project
Head Of Trust Bustins Bxreas Csn-
plstss Exhsustive Investigatis~
Of Navigate. Resources Of
Unitea States. 50

Warrington, July 1l--Lsck Of prac-
ticai and commercial unity in the en-
tire inland water system Of the United
States Is the principal text Of Part !
OF the report on transportation by
water, now submitted to the President
by Herbert Knox Smith, Commissioners
Of Corporations. Of the Department OF
Commerce and Labor.
The commissioner dilates In his let
ter of transmittal upon the facts that
while the United States has altogether
q 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 large
number Of unrelated parts by reason Of
different depths and different condi-
uons, ana mat the diverse nature OF
the floating equipmens increases this
lack OF organization.
Many vessels 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 inland waterways Drivers and
canals) stand TO the whole transport
tation Of the country.
While waterways are subject to
many limitations. they have nevertne-
less great possibilities; they are not
now carrying anything like their prop
or share OF the country's .trafic. This.
the commissioner points out. 10 a broad
economic defect OF serious disadvsn-
tage to the entire business Of the ceun-
try, and be gives some Of the reasons
for this condition.
Much freight TraaEio.
Through" freight constitutes
great part OF the country's traffic. A
reasonable share OF such through
freight IN essential to the success Of
the water system. Inland waterways
cannot prosper generally on merely
local traffic. But the water system,
unorganized and divided as II 10 by
diversities Of channels and. equipment.
10 greatly at a disadvantage in COM
petition with the rail- system for this
through traoic. Nor the rail system
OF the country Ii standardized, physic-
ally unified. and its control largely
centralized, and 10 thus weIl adapted
to handle through freight.
The canals of the country illustrate
an extreme case Of waterway decline.
About $500 miles Of canals have been
constructed. Over ons-haIf Of this
mileage. costing more than $4,000, 600,
has been abandoned. and canal frame
Excepting that Of some short ship
canals) has steadily decreased.
The report also calls attention brief
y to the very unsatisfactory condi.
ton Of water terminals ito be treated
more fully In another part Of the re-
port. now In preparstion), o matter
OF the highest Importance in transpor-
tation. Terminal Improvement On wa
terways 10 one OF the first require
ments. and is entirely possible.
Europeans are Ahead.
1t 10 noted that European countries
have in many cases distributed the
cost OF waterway Improvement upon
localities In some ratio, with the spe-
cial benefits received. while very lit
tie Of that sort has been done In this
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 1905 the average
size Of vessels owned by individuals
was 113 tons. and by corporations 626
tons. Operating expenses, so far as
obtained. averaged about 80 per cent.
of the gross earnings. The lowest RAJ
ito of operating costs was on the bulk
cargo vessels of the Great Lakes, the
highest that of the packet lines on the
Mississippi system and Southern riv-
ers.
This report win be Of great value
in the present movement for an intel
ligent and effective Improvement OF
the countrys waterways. It points
out the possibilities of water trans
portation. the limitations, existing there.
on. the reasons for their present IN
efficiency. and the lines along which
erly be taken. 1t demonstrates, fin
ally, the necessity Of dealing with the
waterways under q broad and COM
prehensive plan rather than by local
tiles and sections.