The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-09-06
FIGHT RAIL MERGER
WATERWAYS IMPROVEMENT WILL
KEEP RATES DOWN.
Gigantic Railway Combine Being
Planned, which VIII Have Effect
of Raising Rates UnIesn
Given Competition.

Washington, Sept 5.-(Special.)-
John A. Fox. special director of the
National Rivers and Harbors Congress,
who has travelled upwards Of $4,000
miles in the interest of the Congress.
preaching the gospel Of Improving the
rivers and canals Of the United States,
said today that the biggest waterway
convention ever held would assemble
in Washington December 8, 8 and 10
next.
That the interest in waterway de-
veiopment was never so pronounced as
now and that the conventions of the
year dealing with conservation. irriga-
ton and other subjects having para
mount Importance, would eliminate in
this city in a gathering Of delegates
from every State of the Union to i'm
press upon the Congress of the United
states the Importance of treating the
waterways in a mucn broader and more
comprehensive manner than 1t has
heretofore done.
waterways improvements. not only as
a special director of the National Riv-
ers and Harbors Congress- but as an
engineer trained in the solution of wa
terway problems, said:
1t becomes more apparent every day
that we expect in the near future In
continental United states a gigantic
railway merger. Efforts to compel
railways to compete by law have SEEM
ingly failed. The Indications are that
before many months have passed the
New York Central lines will be added
to the lines under the control of the
Hartman syndicate. This will give to
Mr.. Hartman control of nearly 10000
miles of railway within the boundaries
Of the United States. From the COM
! mencement Of railroad building in the
United States until this year no rail-
| way magnate even dreamed of such 4
| combination of railroads as this great
system Will be when complete control
OF the Vanderbilt lines passes to Har-
riman. MIR. Hartman and his ASSOC
ciates will then be able to nix abso-
lutely. so far as the railway systems
| of the country are concerned, freight
rates In this country. Fortunately,
| however, this proposed consolidation
| occurs just at time when the people
are beginning to realize the importance
of waterway improvement.
DO you know" Mr.. Fox continued,
that the cities on the $4,000 miles of
nGvigable streams In the United States
| and the cities on the Pacific, the At
| lantic and the Gulf coasts control 10
per cent of the populations OF the
Union. They also control most of the
commerce. These cities-that Is most
of them-are now paying high railroad
rates that could be immeaSurably low
cred II the waterways were improved.
! II these cities can be thoroughly or
ganized and awakened to the need of
cheaper transportation and the import
ance 0t showing Congress that the on
ly way to do this is through a bond
issue of one-half billion dollars, thera
would be such an awakening as Wash
inRton has not seen in many years and
a corresponding betterment of the en-
tire United States.
AFTER full and complete discussion
at the fifth annual convention OF the
National Rivers and Harbors Congress
held In Washington last December q
resolution favoring a bond proposltiol
of $500, 900. 900 was unanimo usly adopt
ed and became one of the carolina
planks in the platform Of this great or.
ganization OF waterway enthusiasts
| That proposition has more support to-
day throughout the. country than car
be realized unless brought face to fac'
with the question. as I have been. du
| ring the past year"