The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-11-15
U. 5. ENGINEER
FAVORS PLAN
Believes Barge Line Good
Idea.
MONTGOMERY MERCHANTS ALIVE
Expert Says City Should Operate
lis Own Boais.
AIasama River WIN Provide Enough
water for Navisatioa Parpesees II
An seasons Of Year--Many ADJ
vs.tases WIN Accrue to
business Consitions.


II MONTGOMERY merchants desire OF
feel the necessity of an expert opinion
on the availability and practical adj
vantage OF the river route from this
city to the gulf. It is given in letter
from United States Division Engineer
Ferguson to Secretary Kealhofer Of
the Chamber Of Commerce..
The movement to establish q boat or
barge line between this city and Mo-
bile has taken hold on the sound busi-
ness Judgment Of Montgomery mer-
chants and shippers and its reality Ia
but the question OF short interval
In which the details will be worked out
and the project successfully launched
Captain Ferguson In his letter says
enough water will be found In the
Alabama River to operate barge line
from many phases should appeal most
strongly to Montgomery business men !.
The text OF Captain Ferguson's LETT
ter Is:
Replying to your letter of Novem-
Der IS. 1909. concerning the possibility
OF ail-the-yeaY-round navigation Mont
gomery to Selma. and the probability
of the Government maintaining this
navigation. I would state that during
last year there has been no time that
q boat could not come to Montgomery.
0h Aoot OatQtuuy tH0 MARY 0tdQitc
came to Steeles gin. above Gardner's
Island. which place IL considered the
worst place between Montgomery and
Selma.
"on the chattahoochee River. which
river has about one-h&lf the discharge
of the Alabama. a channel has been
maintained for several years. There
II now on hand over 100000 Of the
Alabama River appropriation. and II
the citizens of Montgomery show any
inclination to use the river, there 10 no
tions will be made accordingly. rs the
plant now employed on the Alabama
River is worth some 100000, and for
1t to remain idle IL q clear loss OF
money.
According to the onicial estimates
and the appropriation the Alabama
River can be kept navigable and IL
worthy OF an expenditure OF 100000
per year, until all the permanent works
of Improvement are completed. 1t Il
not to be presumed. however, that this
program will continue IL the people
or Montgomery continue to ignore the
river, as the interest Of the United
States in this river is absolutely MI
except insofar as II may be OF .benehi
to the people on the river. II the peo-
pae figure that the river IL real asset
1t is not understood that there coult
be any doubt about establishing boa
and barge line belonging to the peo-
pie Of Montgomery. You are referred
their boat line. for the details of the
start and successful operation Of theil
boat line.
Benefits In Store.
"T'he benefits from using the river
from here to Mobile will be In the re-
duction of freight, which reduction
should be felt throughout all terri
tory tributary to Montgomery, and
which reduction should also extend
that territory to the amount of the
reduction. This would seem to be a
real benefit. A further benefit would
come from the effect of q successful
boat line on the lower river on the
project now being considered for the
opening of the Coosa river from Rome
to the Gulf. You understand that the
project now being considered for the
river system provides for 6-foot navi-
cation all-the- year-round on the Ala
bama river by the use of storage dams,
part of the necessary expenditure for
these dams being borne by water pow
err interests according to the benefits
they receive. The eventual plan con-
templates 9-foot navigation all-the-
year round. The project for the river
system contempiates the expenditure
OF about twenty million dollars. part
by the government and part by the
water power interests. A small rental
on the water power developed VIII
probably pay interest on the total gov
eminent expenditure.
This opening Of the Coosa will give
Montgomery cheap building material
brick, cement. iron and stone. 1t will
also develop an enormous water power
and will give coal at about one dollar
per ton less than the present prices.
AT the present time, / am inform
ed. the citizens and towns on the upper
river are. by private subscriptions and
commercial agreement. binding them-
selves to construct wharves--one al
Rome, ana one at Gadsden, and to put
on boats and barses capable OF carry
ing fifty million dollars worth OF CON-
rnerce per year. All OF these faciii
ties to be completed and in operation
by the time the river is opened.
Have Boat Line.
"It would, therefore. seem a small
part for Montgomery, the largest city
on this river and on a portion OF the
river already navigabie, to add to the
wharf now being provided by the city
a private boat line. II the citizens OF
MONTGOMERY do not consider the river
worthy OF patronage. 1t Is not seen
why the general government should
consider II worthy OF Improvement
further.
"Regarding the absence OF the Ala
bama river from the list OF appropria-
tions as given in this mornings paper,
-. q ANvzAG st 4