Evening star., 1909-06-30
WILL RESUME OBSERVATIONS
CHARLES M. PEPPER WILL
SHORTLY LEAVE FOR EUROPE.
Tells How Much More Foreign Coun-
tries Utilize Their Waterways
Than Is Done in America.

Charles NJ Pepper. for number CT
years head of the Chicago Tribune
news bureau in this city, but for the
past four years special agent OF the
Department of Commerce and Labor,
has had abundant opportunity in his
travels about the world to make first
hand study of the waterways of Euro
pean countries. Mr.. Pepper, after leav-
ing active newspaper work. was ap-
pointed by President Mckinley a COM
missioners to the an-American con-
eress held in the City of Mexico In 1907
Subsequently he was appointed by Pres
ident Roosevelt to visit the countries OF
South America and make a report on
the pan-American railway. which re-
port is one of the most exhaustive ever
prepared by an official of the govern
ment. Later Mr.. Pepper associated him
self with the Department of Commerce
and Labor to- make reports on trad 2
conditions in both South America ana
in Europe. and he leaves very shortis
for the continent to continue his IN
vestigations along these lines
Utilization of Waterways.
Speaking of the growing Importance
and the needs for comprehensive
policy of waterway development now
being most strongly urged by the Ma
tional Rivers and Harbors Congress,
Mr.. Pepper said:
ION the continent of Europe ! got a
very decided impression that those
countries are fully up to date in utiliZ-
ing their waterways. They are not
content with what nature has done for
them for they do good deal for them :
selves in the way of improvements ana
of artificial waterways.
Three points struck me--hrs'' the
constant improvements, such as the
deepening of the channels: second, the
provision made for shipping and ter
minal facilities in the way OF Wharves
and docks: third. the extent to which
the natural waterways are supplement-
ed by canals.
'.Of course. every one knows about the
Holland canals. but l don't think that it
is understood how Belgium also supple
ments her very complete railroad system
with canals and shipping terminal facll-
tiles You can go from Belgium to Paris
by canal.
Germany. however. seems 10 be the
most advanced of the continental coun-
tries The natural waterways to and
from the interior are the Oder. the Eibe
and the Rhine. These waterways are
very thoroughly supervised by the gov
ernment. and they are just as thoroughly
supplemented by canals.
Carriage of Coal and Ore.
"I spent a good deal of time in the iron
aud steel districts. which are in western
Germany The Rhine is the great thor
oughfare for transportation of coal and
ore and also to some extent for the nm
ished steel products. The Ems canal.
which runs across from the Rhine to the
North sea has a branch that leads down
to Dortmund which is the center of some
of the biggest steel works. The coal for
this district lies close by. but much of
the output of the Westphalian coal mines
is transported to other iron and steel
centers.
You get an idea of this inland naviga-
ton at Duisburg- Ruhort, which is the
greatest inland port In Europe. This
twin port, or rather triple port. for Hoch-
field adjoins it. accommodates a great
variety of vessels and harges of 1000
tons burden occasionally come up that
far from the North sea. About '25,OG0OO0
tons of freight are handled annually at
Duisburg- Ruhort. and of this S,OOnWO to
o COOS coo tons is coaf The coal is ship
ped both up and down the Rhine. The
influence of the waterway on freight
rates is that coal can be shipped from
Duisburg to Antwerp, 135 miles being the
rail distance. for 50 cents per ton by
water as against S155 per ton by rail.
In the same way the iron ore is brought
in from Sweden via Rotterdam at the
rate of ~ cents per ton by the river
route as against S1.oI per ton by railway.
The rail distance is Isl miles.