The Wenatchee daily world. [volume] (Wenatchee, Wash.) 1905-1971, 1909-10-18
JOHN A. FOX
TELLS Of
TRIP
NAN WHO SPOKE In WENATCHEE
LAST SPRING ON OPEN RIVERS
GIVES RESUME OF HIS NATION.
AL TRIP.

John A. Fox, special director Of
the National Rivers and Harbors con-
gress, which holds its sixth national
convention in Washington, D. c., De-
cember s, 9 and 10, is enthusiastic
over the prospects for the biggest
gathering of waterway advocates this
| country has ever seen Mr.. Fox, who
is an engineer of distinction, having
been connected with many of the big
waterway projects of the country, is
just completing a tour OF the United
States and was here early in the
spring in the interest of the National
Rivers and Harbors congress, whose
cardinal plank is "a policy and not
project" insofar as the waterways Of
the United States are concerned. Mr..
Fox, who is an earnest advocate for
bond issue of $5O0,00O,00O to re
spent upon the rivers, harbors and
canals of the United States to make
them equal of the best in Europe.
said, speaking of his tour of educa-
ton for better waterways:
Il have just completed practically
the same circuit of the United States
that President Taft is now making,
having travelled over $1,000 miles
since leaving Washington last De-
cember. 1t took me down the At
lantic seaboard to Florida; through
the southern states to the Mexican
border on the Rio Grande; up the
on the south to -Bellingham on the
north of Puget sound, back through
| the valley of the Columbia and Mis-.
souri, rivers; east along the lakes
down to the Ohio and Tennessee riv.
ers and now again to the Atlantic
seaboard.
Throughout that entire journey
the pulse of the nation has been
quiekened for bigger, better and
broader system of waterway improve
ment. The Pacific coast harbors
need immediate appropriations from
congress to deepen them and provide
for commerce through the Panama
canal. San Diego. Los Angeles.
Oakland. Eureka, Portland, Grays
Harbor, Tacoma and eSattle must be
provided for more literally in the
future If the western coast is to reap
the full benefit of the great Isthmian
cut now being made. The Sacra-
mento and San Joaquin, the Columbia
and Snake rivers on the western
slope traverse a country that is de-
veloping too fast to wait for appro-
priations made in the old manner.
They must receive larger amounts
from congress if the country is to re-
ceive any marked benefits.
THE great region adjacent to the
Missouri river in Montana, Nebraska.
Iowa and Missouri is awakening from
the desert, like a huge giant under
the wonderful touch of irrigation;
and that magnificent artery of traf-
fic can no longer be allowed to re.
main unused and unserviceable when
the farmer in that railroad bound en-
per is paying II and IS mills per ton
to move his product that could. by a
judicious expenditure of money, on
the great river, be moved for 21s
mills at the most by water,
"The people along the Ohio, the
Tennessee and the upper Mississippi
rivers are clamoring for relief
through adequate water transporta-
tion, and If every member Of con-
gress could have heard the unani-
nous cry that have listened to. dur
ing my 15,000-mile tour, for larger
and more regular appropriations on
the part of congress. for a business
like development of our great arteries
OF traffic. I am sure that relief
would be provided. and that quickly.
From all that I have gathered
throughout this tour I judged that
the meeting Of the National Rivers
and Harbors congress to be held In
December will be attended by fully
5000 of the best business men of the
country, bent on securing favorable
legislation for our river ani harbor
improvement at the coming session o:
congress, Fifty million dollars an
nually must be provided for, and IL
current revenues do not warrant such
an expenditure, then We must issue
bonds and begin this great work at
once"