The Plymouth tribune. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1901-1911, 1909-07-15
URGES UNIFORM
WATERWAY DEPTH
COMMISSIONER SMITH ADVO-
Gates EFFECTIVE IMPROVE
MENT OF ROUTES.
Dealing of Project Under Broad
Scope Would Create Vast Nation
al Resources.

Washington, July 13.-Lack OF
practical and commercial unity TN the
entire INLAND water systems OF the
United States is the principal text 81
Part 1 one of the report OF Trans
portation by Water" now submitted
10 the President by Herbert Knox
Smith commissioners OF corporations
of the Department of Commerce and
Labor
The commiss loner dilates IN his let
ter of traalemittal upon the facts that
while the United States has altogetn-
er total of about 5000 miles of river
navigation OF six feet depth and over,
and more than 1000 miles OF canals,
these totals are broken up into a
large number OF unrelated parts by
reason OF different depths and differ
ent conditions, and that the diverse
nature OF THE floating equipment in
creses 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 III which
the inland waterways, rivers and
canals. stand to Z whole transport
fati0n system of the country.
Possibilities are Many.
While waterways are subject to
manly limitations, they have never
theless greaF possibilities; they are
rot carrying anything like their pro-
per share of the country's traffic.
This, the commissioner points out, IS
a broad economic defect of serious
disadvantage to the entire business OF
the country, and he gives some OF
the reasons for this condition.
Through" freight cons titutes a
great part of the country's traffic. A
reasonable share of such through
freight is essential to the success OF
the water system Inland waterways
can not prosper generally on merely
local traffic
But the water system, unorganized
and divided as it is by diversities OF
channels and equipment is greatly at
a disadvantage in competition with
the rail system for this through traf-
fc For the rail system of the country
is standardized, physically unified and
its control largely centralized and is
thus we'll 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 one-half OF this
mileage, costing more than $4,000, 900
has been abandoned, and canal traffic
excepting that of some short ship
carals-has steadily decreased.
Conditions Are Unsatisfactory
The report also CHS attention briefly
to the very unsatisfactory condition
of water terminals, matter OF the
highest importance in transportation
Terminal Improvements ON waterways
is one of the first requirements, and
Is entirely possible.
1t is noted that European countries
have III many cases distributed the
cost off waterway improvement upon
localities n some ratio with the special
benefits received, while very little OF
that sort has been dome in this coun-
try.
The report also sets forth the
steady advance of steam over sail
power and the tendency toward cor
porate ownership Of steam tonnage,
especially the larger vessels. In 1906
the average size of vessels owned by
rStividuafs was 11S tons and by cor
ponmionts 526 tons. So 80
Operating expenses, 50 far as OBJ
tanned, averaged about so per cent. OF
the gross, earnings The lowest ratio
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
rivers.
This report Will be OF great value
an the present movement for an in
stelligent and effective Improvement
of the country's waterways. 1t points
out the possibilities Of water trans
portation, the limitations existing
thereon. the reasons for their present
inefficiency and the lines along which
action toward Improvement can prop
erly be taken. 1T demonstrates. fin
ally. the necessity of dealing with the
waterways under a broad and compre-
hensive plan, rather than by localities
and sections.