The Montgomery advertiser. [volume] (Montgomery, Ala.) 1885-1982, 1909-05-03

pie, perhaps, realize that the traffic
movement on the lower Mississippi
River; once, 50 tremendous. has so ma
terially declined in recent years. that
the supremacy once enjoyed by that
great stream has been transferred to
the Ohio River and that. therefore,
Pittnburg rather than either st. Louis
yor. New Orleans. Is today the most i'm
portant river point In America.
These. and other interesting facts,
are CLEANED from the Appendix to the
preliminary report OF the Inland Wa
terways Commission. The report IT
self was made public recently, but the
Appendix" which has just come on the
Government Printing once presses.
was made public yesterday. The great
er portion of the data contained In Il
was prepared under the direction of
Herbert Knox Smith. Commissioner Of
the Bureau OF Corporations.
It IL shown that the lower Mississippi,
which always has been recognised as
Of greater commercial Importance than
the upper part. still retains this reia-
tive Importance. Among the important
factors In the decline OF trafflc on the
lower Mississippi may be mentioned
that formerly large quantities OF
wheat, corn. and oats were sent down
the river from st. Louis and other
points to New Orleans. but the build
Ing OF railroads through Nebraska.
Kansas and Oklahoma to the Gulf. to.
gether with the lack Of attention 20
against the shipment OF grain down
the Mississippi
Fine Steamers Disappear.
This has resulted in the gradual dis
Appearance In the last fifteen years OF
many finely equipped steamboats, on
the lower Mississippi as q result of
sharp railroad competition and other
causes.
Another important cause for this de-
cline In the traffic movement on thai
great steam has been the introduction
OF the cotton compress. resulting In
the overturning of the old system of
handling cotton by river. Formerly,
the only cotton congresses were locat-
ed at important centers. such as Mem
phis, vicksburg and New Orleans, but
now any town OF slight Importance has
its own compress which have excellent
facilities for receiving and shipping
hales OF cotton by rail.
The report declares that the devel-
opment Of river traffic Is hindered an
many ways by the railroads who at
some important points on the Ohio
River have gained control of much OF
the land available for terminal facil-
tiles. One OF the serious difficulties for
lines operating on the Ohio and Its
tributaries IL the matter OF excessive
wharfage charges. The packet lines
charge that It 10 o common practice for
little towns along the river to levy
charges which In some instances run
from one-fourth to one-third of the net
profits of the boats. Boat lines. as q
rule, make lower rates than those of
rail carriers. The loss OF pro-rating
arrangements with the railroads added
dificulty for the river lines. 10 instead
fleeing able to quote through rates,
"a nF4Aa rnnat nunfA thAtf
own rate to the point where they con-
meet with the railroad and then add the
local tariff rate OF the railroad from
that point to destination. This loss OF
pro-rating arrangements has seriously
affected the packet lines and has prao-
tically ruined the trhfic in horse shoes.
cotton ties. bar iron, wire nails, staples,
etc. In shipments to the South and
West where formerly the river freight
was heavy.
RaiIroaa Control
A significant feature of the report 10
that dealing with railroad control Of
river traffic and private canals" A
business on the Mississippi and its
tributaries are mentioned as showing
''traces OF railroad influenced" Sever
al private canals are also mentioned
as being dominated by railroad infiu-
ences.
In this cOnnection the report str1k-
inKly shows the extent to which State
and private canals have been abandon
ed. the total mileage abandoned to date
being 2,444.26 miles. representing a cost
Appropriated at $s1,1f1.874. Among
the more important causes for this
wholesale abandonment of canals are
the inability of some canals to compete
with modern railroads and the mis-
management OF other canals together
with a popular impression that such
systems of public works have done
more harm than good and, finally, be-
lief that the chief means of internal
communication was not to be water
but rail.
In discussing the relation of water
transportation to railroad rates, the
report says: TT has been claimed that
water transportation Is a safe guard
against exorbitant charges by railroads
through large sections OF the country
1t is undoubtedly true, at any rate. that
water competition is a potent cause OF
local discrimination in railroad rates"
It lie pointed out that the Importance
Of water competition depends very
largely upon whether It is by canal,
river. lake, or ocean. 1t appears TO
vary with the physical characteristics
OF the navigable waterways employed,
an dthe number and size OF the vessels
which can be used thereon
Importance OF Canals.
The importance OF canals as regula-
tors OF freight rates. it IL shown, IL