The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1909-06-18
COST is SI58,OOO,oOO
WATERWAY SCHEME is CONSID-
Erred CHEAP PROPOSITION.
Efforts for Lakes to the Gulf Project
Given New Momentum By the
Engineers Report.
Especial to The Free Press.l

Especial to The Free Press.l
Chicago June l4-Efforts for the
Lakes to the Gulf deep waterway were
given great stimulus by the failure of
the army engineers to report to con
gress that the deep channel was I'M
practical as has been feared because
OF the known preiudices of the mill
tary engineers. With the matter of
cost estimated at $685. 100000 the only
great bugbear in the official records ac-
tive efforts will be renewed by deep
waterway organizations to get congress
sional action to enable the great task
to begin
1T will be magnificent investment
for the country said E. S. Conway,
chairman of the deep waterway com
mittee of the Chicago Association of
Commerce and the first president of the
Lakes to the Gulf deep waterway
association. THE only trouble is that
the public seems to fear a direct tax
The amount the engineers declare will
be needed to construct the ship canal
seems large when the thought of di-
rect taxation comes into a persons
mind, but if the people of America
stopped to think that $230000000 were
paid to railroads as an indirect tax
each year, the United States would
realize how beneficial the canal would
be-
"Now, when the canal is finished, the
waterway viii handle more traffic than
forty railroads possibly can and at
much cheaper rate, and the federal en-
gineers say the annual cost will not
amount to over $7.O0O.OOO.
why, the cost is practically nothing
only $l2S,OOO,OOO. Now. we have
100000 miles of railroads in the United
States for which the public has paid
i'll indirect taxes for the annual main
tenance $1,000 a mile, OF $23OO0OOO0.
Every cent paid out by railroads to
better their equipment and right of
way is paid for by the people of
America in the higher cost of food and
other necessities. The Pennsylvania
railroad spent $2O0,0OOOO during the
PAST four years in improving its road;
bed beteen Chicago and New York and
during the same period of time the
Hartman lines have expended $780,
100000 for Improvements. Now, can
any one complain about a national eX-
penditure of only 1928, 100000 which
will give lis the greatest inland water
way system in. the world.
Chief Engineer Marshall says the
canal will not prove profitable. Now,
what does an engineer know about
transportation or commercial prob
lens? Do not business men and traf-
tic managers of big corporations and
mercantile houses know, more about the
advantage to be derived by a new
system of transportation than an engi-
neer whose only training is in con
struction work?
Business men and traffic managers
are interested in the construction of
the deep water way and all assert
that the building of such a canal will
be of great benefit to the people of the
country, and especially to the people
of the states bordering on the AIissis-
sippi river"
Congressman from the Mississippi val
ley those taking leading part in the
projected deep water way from the
lakes to the gulf, are willing to abide
by the recommendations of the engi-
neers upon engineering problems, but
insist that congress must determine the
commercial feasibility of water way i'm
provements. They predict that con
gress at the next session will make
an appropriation to commence work on
the fourteen foot channel.
''The report in the finding that the
project is practicable is what | have
expected" said Senator William Lori
mer, who has been the foremost of
advocates of the deep waterway. <'In
my opinion the commercial Importance
of the proposed deep channel will war
rant congress expanding upon it 500
for every dollar we are putting into
the Panama canal 1t will be found
when the water way is available that
large fleets will be put upon it, sea
worthy upon the lakes and ocean,