The Sentinel=record., 1909-11-14
BELIEVES WORK SHOULD BE BE. GUN AT ST. PAUL WITH FIX.
 TENslvE IMPROVEMENTS.
Favors Continuance Then of the i4- Foot Throueh-the-vaIIey On to
 New Orleans, Outlet of River.


 Theodore E. Burton. head of the waterways commission, approves St. PauPs project to if. the Mississippi river to a new bed and improve, the head of navigation at this point by the construction of a new channel. creation of new levees and building of extensive harbor works which will make St. Paul the finest port on the river. Just before leaving St. PaulI for the long trip down riyer to New Orleans. Senator Burton said:
 Tt seems to me that the improve ments which have been so carefully laid out are advantageous from every standpoint. They wifi give St. Paul admirable facilities for the handling of future river traffic, will relieve railway congestion. and will provide immense space for warehouses which must be constructed along the river when the river again begins to carry it's share of traffic. am surprised at the apparent moderate cost of the work and it seems to me that St. Paul shows wisdom in planning these works. now. when they can be con structed cheaply"
 This statement though unofficial. indicates that the city will have slight difficulty in obtaining the con sent of the federal authorities to the changes of 'harbor line which are re- quired, and the removal of a small | island which stands in the way of the new channel. This island was creat- ed by the governments existing i'm provements at St. Paul, belongs to the government and should in the opinion of the city harbor commission be removed by the government. The cost of the entire work is now esti- mated at something more than S2.. 100000. The original plans have | been changed in favor of more gradual bend through the proposed new channel, which will be cut | through low lands on the south side Of the river opposite the main bust ness district of the city. The low cost is made possible by lne character of the land to be taken. all of which Is at the present time inaccessible. and little of which is used for busi. ness enterprises of consequence.
 The present turn of the river with h the district covered by the propos. ed harbor improvements, is very sharp. Members of the commission agreed after inspecting the district that the new channel. with more gradual curve to the channel, will provide better current, tending to maintain a better channel. The sides of the made channel will be protected by rip-rap and concrete, giving the river better bed than it has al the present time.
 Senator Burton was much intere st- ed in the character of future traffic which it may be possible to divert to the river and made searching inauir. ies into the present wheat and flour shipments of the northwest, their routing and the volume exported He also inquired into the Northwest's coal supply to ascertain what amount of the annual consumption is drawn from districts such that an improved river would make it possible to di- vert shipments to the river. With other members of the commission he inquired into the growing movement of local package freight and the pre- sent passenger business on the river The evidence obtained indicated that there is much business for the old Mississippi, once it's channel can be made dependable at all times during the season of navigation. Much busi- ness is now lost to existing river lines because the upper river stage of water is very frequently so low as to delay through boats. and prevent the rigid maintenance of their schedules.
 The commission was given a large amount of information as to the pack ct lines now engaged in trade on the upper river, the amount of freight moved and the number and kind of boats engaged in other business. This data will be used by the commission as it moves down river in making in- yestigations at other ports which l when complete will afford complete index to what the river is doing in traffic way. the difficulties at present encountered by. reason of the channel depth and varying stages of water. 1 and the traffic lost through inability to handle it under present conditions.